Fair.We’d done enough soul baring this morning.I had no right to pick through what had happened with her life after I’d left her.Maybe she’d really loved this guy, Erik, and it hurt to talk about him.They had a child together, after all.
“There’s another thing I wanted to bring up when you weren’t pissed at me.”
Her head tilted.“Not a great start.”
“It’s not something bad.Would you come with me?”
“Where?”
I didn’t answer, just crossed the kitchen to the garage door.As far as I knew, Mia hadn’t been in here yet.It was small and crowded, with only a couple of windows high up on the back and side wall to illuminate the place.I hit the button to open the automatic door.As it slowly lifted, dust motes floated over the shelves filled with dented paint cans, tools, lawn accessories, and the old Subaru Outback my grandmother used to drive.
“You still remember how to drive a stick, don’t you?”I turned to look at her.
“Probably?I haven’t tried since…”
Since I taught her on my old car.It had been sold when we lost our money.“It’ll come back.I want you to use this.”
“What?”She jerked her gaze from the car to me.
“I’m not driving it with this.”I held up the cast.“It’s been serviced and is ready to go.Take it home, make sure you remember how to handle the stick shift, and when I have to see the doctor, you can drive me.The team set up a few appointments, so this will get us there.Until your car is back you might as well use it.”
She looked at the Subaru again.
“Keys are inside.”
I’d left them there yesterday when I had it checked over again, so there wasn’t much chance for anyone to steal it.Not like an old Outback with a stick was what anyone wanted for a joyride anyway.
She turned to me.“You’ll need me to drive you around.”
“I’m gonna need a chauffeur.”
Her jaw lifted.“I don’t need to take it home with me.”
“Yeah, you do.Make sure you’re comfortable with it.The streets around here are quiet—it’s a good place to test out what you remember.”
“And if I was to test it out, say, to get groceries, or take Arne to soccer…”
I bit back a grin.She knew what I was up to.But I needed to protect her pride.“As long as you fill up the gas, I don’t care.Not like the mileage is going to affect the value at this point.”
“And when is this appointment you need to be ready for?”
“Tomorrow.”
Her jaw dropped.“Tomorrow?And you’re just asking me today to make sure I can drive it?”
“I’ll order a rideshare if you can’t.”
She narrowed her eyes.“I’ll make sure I can drive it for tomorrow.”
As I’d expected.“Okay.I’m going to the treadmill.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
My steps were lighter as I went down the stairs to the workout equipment.Things were better between us.And go me, forcing a conversation.I’d even managed to foist the car on her, something I’d been wanting to do since she told me hers was out of play.
But as I started stretching to warm up, other parts of the conversation buzzed in my brain.Would I marry someone again?Did I want that?Or maybe, more truthfully, did I want that with anyone but Mia?
Chapter17