Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
The truck lurched forward, then hopped like a bunny before the engine died with a sputter. Matilda shoved her foot down on the brake.
“More acceleration, lift the clutch slowly.” Ryan’s voice was soft, gentle. He hadn’t lost his temper with her once even though she’d stalled the truck about a hundred times so far.
They’d only made it halfway around the lake, and yet it’d taken them forty-five minutes. “I’m sorry I’m so slow.”
“Fine by me. It’s not an easy road to navigate with all the hills and turns. Plus, you can’t drive real fast on here, which makes it more likely you’ll stall. You’re getting the hang of it though.”
She hadn’t expected him to be so encouraging, it made her feel a little less stressed about the whole situation. Perhaps she’d taken on more than she should. She might not be in the country long, why bother learning to drive Rita’s truck? But with Rita out of action it would probably help for her to be mobile—she could do the grocery shopping and run errands for her. That’s if Rita needed it. She still wasn’t sure what it would look like when Rita came home.
The drive around the lake was picturesque. A lot of the houses were small and old with rundown boat sheds and weathered docks. But some were, like Ryan’s house, new or renovated, big and imposing. The lakeside community was a mixture of folks from all different backgrounds.
“What made you choose to live here?” Matilda pushed the gear stick back into first and started the engine.
“I used to come here to visit my grandpa as a kid. He’s passed on now, and my parents sold his property. But I decided that when I could afford it, I’d buy somewhere nearby. I used to love our outings on the pontoon boat or fishing off the dock. Some of my favourite childhood memories.”
“I like that,” she replied. “It’s a little bit like our place in Kingscliff. My parents built it when I was young, and they lived there the rest of their lives. It’s special to all of us because of that. I love it there, it feels like home. I can really relax when I’m home.”
“I’m impressed you travelled to the other side of the world by yourself on a hunch. Rita told me you’re looking for family.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure if it’s impressive or if it’s silly. But either way, here I am. And I’m having a blast. I had no idea how it would go, but I’ve already made some great friendships.”
They made their way slowly back to the lake house as it grew dark outside. The truck lurched to a stop, and then rolled forwards.
Ryan put his hand over hers on the gear stick. “Put it in first before you switch it off.”
Electricity jolted up her arm at his touch. She shifted the gear, then added the handbrake, her face warm. He released her hand, and she pulled it away.
“It’s too late to visit the hospital tonight. Perhaps we can go tomorrow?” she asked.
He nodded. “I’ll be at work until about six. I can drive you after that.”
“Sounds good. In the meantime, I’ll keep practicing around the lake myself.”
He climbed out of the truck. “Keep working that clutch.”
As he walked away, she sat silently in the cab, her heart pumping hard. What had just happened?