Chapter 7 #2
Summer bit her lip and then gave Chance a rueful smile. “I was so wrapped up in my writing, that I lost track of time. When I finished a chapter and began packing up, I heard the Methodist bells ring twice. Then I ran like hell from the park to Coffee Hour.”
“I almost left,” he admitted. “My dad was a stickler about time. If something started at seven and you showed up at seven, then it was as if you were ten minutes late.” He hesitated and then added, “I thought you might have changed your mind. About meeting with me.”
“No,” she said firmly. “I wanted to be here today. I enjoyed being around you the other night. I … wanted to see where this might go. And now we know. We’re going to aim for friendship first. Maybe we’ll stay in the friend zone. Maybe we won’t.”
His gaze met hers. “Does my new friend need a refill?”
“No. I don’t drink caffeine after three in the afternoon. I like that it pumps me up and gets me going in the morning. Keeps me sharp when I’m writing. But it can cause havoc with my sleep.”
“I get that. I switch to decaf once I get home from working with the hands. Or I drink water. Are you at least happy with the pages you wrote at the park?”
“Very satisfied,” she confirmed. “I’ll read through them tonight and tweak it a little, but right now, I’m definitely on the right track.”
“If you don’t write at Coffee Hour, where will you go? You can’t sit outside every day. At least not until the weather warms up. And then you know how brutal summers can be here in Texas. You might die of heatstroke come July, even if you’re sitting in the shade.”
“I’m staying with Autumn and Eli right now.
Eli offered me his office, but it’s so spartan.
I had wanted to go somewhere else to write because I don’t want to associate home with work.
I’d go to my parents, but they’re starting some very noisy renovations this week, and they’re likely to go on for a while. ”
“How about coming to the ranch? I’ll be the only one living there once Tammy leaves this coming weekend. I’m gone until a little before noon each day, then I spend the rest of the afternoon in my office. Occasionally, I come out for a snack, but you could write wherever you were comfortable.”
“That’s a very generous offer, Chance, but I’ll have to pass. I don’t even have a car now, so walking to the ranch would be too far.”
“I could come get you.”
Summer shook her head. “I won’t mess up your day.
Although I suppose Autumn could drop me off.
No, that’s out of her way. I just need to buy a car as soon as possible so that I can get around on my own.
I was thinking of asking her if she would ride with Eli to work tomorrow so I could borrow hers and go car shopping. ”
“Do you know what you want to buy?” he asked.
“I’m open to a good deal. I don’t have my eye on any particular make or model.
” She giggled. “I haven’t even been behind the wheel of a car in years.
I used the subway to get to work and around New York, throwing in an occasional rideshare.
I applied for a New York driver’s license once I got there, but all I’ve ever used it for is identification purposes. ”
“You’ll need to get a Texas license.”
“Not yet. I don’t have a permanent address. Autumn said I could stay with her for as long as I wanted, but with her being pregnant, I need to get out long before the baby comes. I don’t want to be a fifth wheel to her happy family.”
“I’ll take you car shopping,” Chance said. “You want to go tomorrow? Let’s do it.”
“Could you be away from the ranch on a weekday?”
He laughed easily. “Cattle and horses don’t know the difference between a weekday and weekend. Ranching is a seven day a week business, Summer. I’m the boss, though. I can do what I want. In fact, I can put in three or so hours and then come get you. Think about where you want to shop.”
“You’d know better than I would.”
“Okay, I’ll think about where to go. Your homework assignment is to get online and look at cars. New and used. See what appeals to you and be able to let me know by tomorrow. The closest dealerships are in Decatur. We’ll start there and see how it goes. Okay? We’ll make a day of it.”
How could she say no to spending an entire day with Chance Blackstone?
“All right,” she agreed.
“I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty. We can be in Decatur by ten.” He paused. “How are you getting home from town?”
“Autumn said she’d text me when she’s leaving work. I’ll tell her I’m here.”
“Nope. Text her now that you’ve got a ride home.”
Her stomach exploded with a mass of butterflies. “Okay.”
She dug her cell from her backpack and saw she had a voicemail from Celia Cameron. She would call her later. Summer texted Autumn.
Getting a ride from Chance. See you when you get home.
Autumn had already given her a key to the house, so she wouldn’t be locked out when they got there.
Her phone dinged, and Summer saw a thumbs up from her twin.
“Okay, Autumn knows. Are you ready to leave now?”
Chance looked at her a long moment, causing her heart to bump against her ribs. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
They slipped into their coats, and he reached for her backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. As they moved away from the table, his hand went to the small of her back, guiding her through Coffee Hour. A thrill shot through her. For the first time ever, Chance Blackstone was finally seeing her.
And it felt really, really good.