Free Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) by Janet Chapman Page B

ahead, wondering how to answer without revealing the fact that he’d been in this century only a few months and a man only a few weeks. And he could drive, just not very well. “I’m getting used to all the rules about things like blinkers and horns and road signs and such, and I’m still trying to figure out what all the buttons scattered throughout my truck do.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Did you know there’s even a button to turn on a wire in the seat that warms a person’s bum?”
    That got him a full-blown smile. “You’re going to find yourself using that button a lot come January. So that’s the favor? You need someone to drive with you?” Her smile vanished and her eyes narrowed. “Why doesn’t Kenzie or Eve take you driving? Or Mabel? The only requirement is that they have a valid driver’s license, and Mabel still has hers.”
    William returned to watching the path in front of him. “They have gone with me, but I’m finding it difficult learning all your blasted rules, and I really don’t wish to take up that much of their time.”
    “And if I say no, then what’s the advice you want?”
    “I wondered what you’d think of my asking Elbridge or Hiram or Samuel.”
    “Omigod, not Hiram,” she said with an outright laugh. “He can’t remember where his room is most of the time! The two of you would end up in Canada.”
    William felt her laughter easing the knot in his gut. “And Elbridge?”
    “Elbridge would probably love to help you, and so would Samuel. Charlotte and Lois, too. They so need to feel needed.” Maddy sighed again. “Um . . . it was really thoughtful of you to ask their advice about building your home. Your visits mean a lot to them.”
    He stopped walking and turned to face her. “I wasn’t being thoughtful; I need their advice far more than they need my visits.”
    She gave him the strangest look—as if she didn’t quite believe him—but then her gaze strayed to his hands as he absently wove the reins through his fingers, and her breath sort of hitched, as if she’d momentarily forgotten to breathe.
    “So by suggesting that I ask Elbridge, are ye saying you don’t wish to ride with me?”
    “Huh? Oh, no . . . I could go with you once in a while.” She patted Rose’s neck, her eyes locked directly on his. “If you can get Kenzie or Eve to bring your truck to the nursing home and leave it, Elbridge or one of the others can go out with you in the morning, and I’ll go with you on some of my lunch breaks. No,” she said, suddenly shaking her head. “They wouldn’t like you leaving your truck at the home overnight if you’re not a resident, for liability reasons.” She shrugged. “I’ll have to think about how we can make this work.”
    “I have an idea,” he said, turning to walk down the path again. “Why don’t you drive my truck to work every morning, and then drive it home at night?”
    “Because that would mean I’d have to go to Eve’s house to get it every day.”
    “Or ye could give Eve her car back and drive my truck all the time.”
    “No!” she yelped so suddenly, William stopped and turned to her. “I can’t let people see me driving your truck. Everyone would get the wrong impression.”
    “And just what would that impression be?”
    “That we’re a couple.”
    He started walking again. “Forgive me; I was under the impression ye didn’t care what people thought.”
    “I don’t,” she snapped.
    “Then what’s the problem?”
    “Okay, then. Let’s just say I don’t want to feel indebted to you.”
    He stopped walking and turned to her again. “How does your helping me learn to drive make you indebted to me? I would be the one beholden to you .”
    “If your truck’s so fancy it has heated seats, it cost more than I make in two years. I don’t want that kind of responsibility. What if I scratched it, or worse, what if I drove it into a ditch when some big hairless moose flew out in front of me?”
    William