Page 75 of Her Cadillac Cowboy
“Shucks, sweetie. Think nothing of it. Carl and I discovered that we went to grade school together.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” Her father looked up at Millie with pride. “She moved away in our third-grade year.”
Millie’s brown eyes brightened, and she smiled at Dad.
The older woman nodded. “I moved back here after my husband died. I remembered being very happy in Luville, and I needed a change of scene.” A wistful quality softened her hearty voice.
“I’m sorry for your loss but very glad that you decided to settle in Luville. You’ve been good for Dad.”
“That’s kind of you to say.” She straightened her uniform blouse. “I’d best be going. Nice meeting you, Sara. Carl, I’ll leave the bags in the kitchen on my way out.”
Sara cocked an eyebrow at her father. “Bags?”
“Millie and I stopped for some Chinese takeout on our way home. I want to talk with you, and I don’t want to wait for you to cook dinner before we do.”
“Are you sure Chinese is a good idea, Dad?”
“Don’t worry. Millie ordered it fat and additive-free. Get us a couple a platefuls, and I’ll meet you at the dining room table.”
Seated at the table with a serving of moo shu vegetables in front of her, Sara waited for her father to speak.
“I met that young fella, Will, the other day. The one that judge ordered you to have work at the dealership. Hear you had yourself a spot a trouble with him.”
“I don’t know who told you that, but we seem to be doing okay now.” Whoever was telling tales, she wasn’t about to let her father’s wrath land on the boy.
Carl chuckled. “He told me that, too.”
Her father didn’t seem angry. “So, what do you think of him?”
Her father slid several sheets of paper toward her. “I think Millie’s right. He’s a mighty talented young fella. Too good to be wastin’ his time detailing cars.”
Sara picked up the papers, which turned out to be drawings, and rifled through them. She recognized Will’s work instantly, although the subject matter ranged from people—more pretty girls than others—and street scenes to concept cars and detail designs.
“I agree, but he has to start somewhere. And until he returns to his family or gets out of school, working at Carson’s will keep him off the streets and give him some self-respect.”
“Glad you see it that way. Maybe you’ll agree with me that we oughta set up a college fund for the boy.”
“I might. However, he may not need our help. His family may be wealthy enough to take care of him.”
“He says he ain’t got no family.”
Sara stopped eating. “The two of you must have taken a real shine to each other. Even Josh hasn’t been able to get Will to talk about his family.”
Her father sat straighter in his chair and grinned. “Josh McKinley don’t have enough in common with Will Talmidge to know how to get him to talk.”
When had Josh ceased beingthat McKinley boy? She wasn’t about to ask. “And you do?”
“Got him to tell me ’bout his fam’ly, didn’t I?”
“Do tell.”
“You don’t know ever’thing there is to know about me, little girl.”
“So why don’t you tell me?”
“I been seein’ things a bit differently since I met Millie Masterson and started going to that daycare place. Some of the children there are bitter and angry that their parents have to leave ’em and go to work.”
