Page 66 of Mustang Summer

“Whatever you did seemed to work.”Except for his intense dislike of storms, but that hadn’t turn out so badly in Josie’s mind.

“Thank you.I think so, too.I hope…I hope things work out between you two.Why don’t you go out and have some fun.You don’t need to entertain me.”

Josie grinned and raced outside.

Chapter13

Brock dug through his closet until he found a spare set of overalls so Josie wouldn’t get her clothes dirty.

He entered the barn and waited until Josie and his dad came up for air from under the hood.They were bent over the engine and his dad was unloading all of his Mustang knowledge and what set the ’68 apart from other models.

Josie brandished her knowledge of the brand and they talked excitedly back and forth.Heaviness settled into Brock’s chest, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.He couldn’t identify the emotion, just knew that he liked sharing his passion with these two people in his life.

They worked all afternoon, combed through the engine and inspected the body.He scribbled notes.Mr.Blackwell said it didn’t run any more, even though he’d taken good care of it.But the last couple of decades, he couldn’t devote much time to it.

This was a project for fun, so Brock and his dad decided to pull the engine and give every part some TLC.

“You can do that here?”Josie asked.

“There’s an engine borer in the long garage.”Brock’s first major purchase after college.He’d paid off the expensive piece of equipment with the first restoration he’d finished after graduation.

Josie whistled.“Nice.You can really do it all here.”

His dad interjected.“Other than Brock’s side business, he services the farms’ vehicles, and tractors if necessary.Five guys, that’s at least five vehicles, but the other cousins swing their vehicles by, too.Saves a ton when they’d have to pay mechanic outside of the business.”

“That’s so awesome.I wish my dad’s setup was as well thought out as this.”

“It’s not?”Greg took off his hat and scratched his head.

“No, he bought an old house when it was rezoned for commercial, but never had the money to do anything with it.He’s added onto the original car stalls and uses the inside of the house for…stuff.But with limited space, it also limits the amount of work he can accept.”

“I’d like to see it sometime,” Brock said.

Josie stiffened and spun back to the engine.“Yeah, sure.But like I said, it’s not near as nice as yours.”

“Brock told me you helped him get the Shelby.”His dad started picking up tools.They didn’t use much, but had dug a few out just in case.

“I could tell what Mr.Blackwell was really looking for in the next car’s owner.My dad would’ve enjoyed it, but he would’ve sold it eventually.”

“That’s too bad,” his dad said, “but a car like this should be with someone who can really appreciate her.I’m glad Brock had your help.”

“It was the least I could do.”

They took a break inside for lunch.From the savory smells coming from the kitchen, his mom had planned ahead and pulled a roast out to throw in the crockpot.She knew she could come here and do that.If one of Brock’s cousins marched into his house and started supper, he’d likely get upset.But they’d all learned how particular he was about his stuff long ago.Brock would loan out his pickup and they knew to remove any garbage and turn the radio station back to where he had it.

The volume, too.Aaron and Cash liked blasting his music.Brock could sometimes catch himself before he demanded the station to be changed and just remind them the next time he loaned it.

Hell, Brock, want me to purify the air, too?was Cash’s typical retort.

Having to trade vehicles always tightly coiled the knot of stress he often formed when he had to do something new.Because he knew he wasn’t going to get back his property in the condition he left it.New situations were ordinarily a stressor.Unlike today.He woke up to Josie.Met his parents at the door.Tinkered with his dad and a sexy woman all morning.He had some work to get done on their farm equipment.Their haying tractor blew a gasket.

As Brock settled into sandwiches assembled by his mom and listened to Josie and his dad chatting about Mustangs versus Chargers, he felt more relaxed than he had in years.

Josie passedon working with Brock on the tractor.The few clients who’d hired her to design logos wanted them by next week.This day was almost perfect.She spent the night with Brock, got her hands dirty on an engine in the morning, and was now immersing herself in her new favorite passion in the afternoon.Before, her side business filled the void left by not being able to work in the garage, but then her enjoyment of it grew.She could see herself doing it for a living if she had to—better than running numbers all day.But to think—it was possible to work on both her passions and have a man in her life who didn’t fight it.

She sat at the bar on her laptop while Nancy and Greg went to town to visit friends.Nancy was so different from her mom, but she was a mom regardless and still reminded Josie of all the things she missed.When her mom and Bill hadn’t been fighting, they’d run errands around town together.This house might no longer be Nancy’s, but she puttered around it like she owned the place, yet was always aware of Brock’s particulars.Dishes—always put away.Barstools—always pushed in.Magazines, while not neatly stacked, always in the same order.

“He’s not OCD, it just makes him more comfortable.”Nancy had explained.“If things are where he expects them, then he doesn’t have to anticipate trouble.It’s the anticipation that gets him.”

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