“Sorry to call out of the blue like this, but I have to ask you a favor.”
“Okay . . .” He couldn’t imagine what she’d want since she hadn’t willingly spoken to him in years. And he could tell by her tone that The Grudge was still in effect, favor or no.
Her heavy sigh came through the phone. “My parents restored my grandparents’ ’57 Chevy for their anniversary.”
“I know.”
“Of course you do. When it got delayed I offered to drive it to my grandparents’ for them, but there seems to be a minor problem.”
“And that is . . . ?” he asked when she paused.
“I’m here in Copper Creek to pick it up, and I didn’t realize—it’s a stick shift.”
“You can’t drive a stick.”
“I know that.” She grated out the words. “That’s why I’m calling you.”
“You want me to drive the car to Pennsylvania?”
“If you can get away today—and tomorrow, too, I guess. Time is of the essence—the party’s tomorrow night.” She paused as if she expected an immediate answer.
But he was still trying to convince himself that Allie had actually called him. Was asking him for a favor after all these years. Besides, committing to something like this required thought. Deliberation. Possibly insanity.
“I’m willing to pay you,” she choked out, as if giving an incentive pained her.
Luke knew what that car meant to Bill and Becky—they’d been planning this surprise for almost a year—and Luke would move heaven and earth to please the couple. While his own mom had drunk herself into a stupor most nights after his dad’s departure, the Adamses had been there for him.
Allie aside, he couldn’t let them down, could he? He mentally reviewed his work schedule. His current customer wasn’t in a hurry. Luke had other orders lined up, but nothing pressing. Nothing he couldn’t handle if he applied himself over the next few weeks. What else did he have to do but build his business?
“Are you going to answer me or not?” Allie said.
“You’re awful prickly for someone asking a favor.”
“Go ahead and say no—you know you want to.”
Oh, she vexed him. Always had. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you planning to ride along on this five-hundred-mile joyride?”
She gave a sharp laugh. “Closer to seven hundred, actually—and joy will hardly be a factor. Yes, of course I’m planning to ride along. You think I’m letting you drive that car without me?”
“I have a stellar driving record, I’ll have you know. I won’t be driving over any parking bumpers at least.”
He could practically hear her grinding her teeth. Then swallowing her pride. And after all the snubbing she’d done, he was just petty enough to enjoy it.
“Is that a yes?” she asked.
Luke checked the time. He’d need to shower and change from his work clothes. Pack a few things. “Are you at Brady Collins’s place?”
“Where else would I be?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
He set the phone in the cradle before she could respond. He needed the upper hand with her. But in reality, his heart was pounding and his breaths were shallow. This was going to be an exasperating day—an exasperating trip. She couldn’t possibly pay him enough to put up with her sharp tongue for ten grueling hours.
Who was he kidding? He wasn’t taking Allie’s money. And her tongue—though it might be sharp—had once been good for things other than slinging barbs.
Chapter 4
Allie heard the popping of gravel on the drive long before she made herself turn and look. There, stirring up a cloud of dust, was the blue Mustang. She couldn’t make out Luke through the glare on the windshield, but he no doubt saw her clearly enough.
She leaned against the driver’s side of the Chevy, crossing her arms, striving for a casual effect. Well, she couldn’t very well be sitting down when all six feet one inch of Luke Fletcher approached, could she? She was at enough of a disadvantage having to ask for a favor. She wondered how her hair looked, then gave herself a mental thump.
He pulled in beside the Chevy, and everything went quiet as he shut off the engine. The door squawked open, and he emerged, stretching to his full height in a snug black T-shirt and worn jeans. His gaze, guarded and mysterious, met hers across his car.
Allie couldn’t drag her eyes from those familiar green depths. She had only a peripheral impression of short dark hair, unshaven jaw, and masculine physique.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t seen him in years—they had too many common Facebook friends for that. But she still thought of him as the boy he’d been. However, now that she saw him in person, she couldn’t deny that the boy had only been a shadow of the man he’d become. Just the sight of him made her heart tick up a notch. She scowled at the realization.
His lips quirked and a mocking light entered his eyes. “Allie.”
“Luke.” She dragged her eyes away, looking pointedly at her watch, even though he was right on time.
He missed the impatient gesture, as he was getting into the back of his car—for his overnight things, no doubt.
Overnight. Jeez Louise. What had she gotten herself into?
A squat, hairy beast lumbered around the back side of the Mustang. Bulging brown eyes dominated the bulldog’s brown-and-white smashed-in face. Even though it was walking, it looked as if it might drift off to sleep any moment.
Even so, it was a dog. She shrank into the car. The terrier that had bitten her when she was six hadn’t seemed threatening either—until its jaws were clamped around her ankle. She wasn’t able to shake it off until her dad came.
Allie frowned at the beast. “What is that?”
Luke shut the door, and the car beeped as he locked it. “Allie, meet Walter.”
“He is not coming on this trip.”
“I don’t have anyone to leave him with. Anyway, Walter’s well trained. He won’t be any trouble. Will you, buddy?”
Walter flopped down in the gravel, apparently unable to bear another step. His jowls drooped low as if God had accidentally made too much skin and not enough face.
Allie glanced at the beautifully restored Chevy. “You can’t put your”—she looked down at the animal—“dog on these new leather seats. White leather seats.”
“Relax, I’ve got it covered.” Luke—bearing a sleeping bag, she saw now—was opening the Chevy’s back door. He spread it across the seat. “He doesn’t have accidents.”
“I didn’t plan on having a dog along.”
“Well, I didn’t plan on driving to Pennsylvania today,” Luke said from the back seat. “But here we are.”
She wanted to put her foot down. But . . . beggars and choosers and all that. There was no one else she could ask to drive—if there had been, Luke sure wouldn’t be here. Looked like she was stuck with them both.
She stared up to the heavens. She so deserved brownie points for this.
Allie scowled down at the mongrel, whose pink tongue was now out and lolling beside a pointy fang. She didn’t relish the idea of him sitting behind her. What if he went for her carotid artery when she least expected it?