Page 62 of Bending Under Pressure

“I was,” she answers simply with a shrug, her husband laughing.

“Leave her alone, Keelan,” I begin, my curiosity getting the best of me. “So, what happened with your brother? Were you both in love with her? How did he take the news that you were getting back together and then marrying?”

Mr. Elsie, because I have no clue what his name is, sits down on the other side of his wife. “He was okay with it.” My brows shoot to the top of my head. “He said he somehow always knew that if she came back to us, it wouldn’t be to him. He came to terms with it while we were in college, so it was easier to take the news once we got back. But she still finds a way to make family gatherings awkward by bringing it up.”

Els

ie laughs. “I do nothing of the sort! But yes, I am feeling better. Are you going to lift your law now?” she asks him with a roll of her eyes that makes me smile.

He kisses her forehead. “Get to work, woman.”

She faces us. “Do you need anything?”

“No, ma’am,” Keelan answers her.

With that, Mr. Elsie disappears into the kitchen while Mrs. Elsie starts gliding around the diner, checking on customers. Our banana split is nearly gone since I was talking and Keelan was eating, so I pull it toward me.

“I think I should finish this off for us.”

He laughs. “Go ahead, Hales.”

“Did you know that story?”

Keelan shakes his head as I enjoy a bite. “Nope. Mrs. Elsie is always moving around too much to ever really talk to her. Can you imagine though? She had to be one hell of a girl to date brothers. I couldn’t imagine dating Jess or seeing Cameron date you.” At this, his eyes narrow. “Definitely not ever happening.”

For some reason, that makes me smile.

When I sneak out at midnight sharp, Keelan is leaning against the driver’s door. At first, I’m confused. He’s obviously on the wrong side. Then he grins and opens the door.

“Might as well drive us there, Hales.”

A squeal manages to escape from my throat and I throw my arms around him. “Thanks.”

We get into his car, and I almost do a happy dance in my seat when I have no issues getting out of my driveway and onto the road. I should celebrate that victory because I know my biggest obstacle yet is ahead of me. I have to be able to take off fast without killing the engine, and be able to shift higher and higher.

I turn onto Dead Man’s Curve, coming to a stop where Keelan usually does, but on the right side of the road.

“This is pretty much trial and error. Remember how you do it, but try to do it faster. Eventually, it’ll come easier,” Keelan tells me.

Nodding, I take a deep breath. What happens over the next half hour is epically embarrassing. I release the clutch just as he taught me. I push down on the gas at the same time. However, I guess it’s not at the same time because I kill the engine. Keelan starts wincing after the fifth time. We idle for a minute before I try again. I’m so excited that we’re moving, that the engine revs for me to shift again. So excited that I forget completely about the clutch.

“Okay, okay. That’s enough. Stop the car,” Keelan orders.

“One more time.” He tilts his head, his lips part to say no. “Please?” I add.

With much reluctance, he nods. I run over the steps in my head. I remind myself that I can do this.

“Stop thinking about it so much, Hales.” He touches my left thigh. “Use the clutch.” His fingers brush over the hand on the steering wheel. “Feel what the engine is trying to tell you.” He rests his hand over mine on the gearshift. “Shift like you’re a pro.” Keelan leans over and presses a kiss to my head. “Stop thinking. Drive the rest of the way like normal and then circle back.”

My lungs shiver with a shaky breath, and I nod. I experience zero issues as I drive my way around to where we began. I stop briefly, not wanting to overthink it, and then press the gas. The car lurches forward. The steering wheel hums as the engine roars, surely waking up the neighborhood if they were close enough to hear it. I shift into second, then third, then fourth, and then fifth. My stomach falls endlessly as we fly over the hills.

“Oh my god! I did it!” I shout once it hits me.

Keelan laughs. “Good job, Hales.”

I see the sign for the curve and begin to slow. My heart is stuttering in my chest, the blood rushing throughout my body as fast as we were just going. I wish I could speed all the time. Never before have I disobeyed speed limits by more than nine miles over. Yet, here I am, reaching ninety on this stretch of road where the speed limit is only forty-five. There’s nothing I’ve experienced quite as thrilling as zooming down the road like that.

Well, except for kissing Keelan. I want to stop to kiss him now, but he speaks before I can do such a thing.

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