Page 14 of Take the Wheel

‘Go on,’ Ari coaxed, eyes sparkling. ‘It’s the whole experience. Don’t worry about the price.’ She looked at her, an almost teasing smile playing on her lips. ‘It’s all onMummy.’

Nancy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She glanced at the menu, where all the prices were neatly printed next tothe dishes. Each number seemed to grow larger the longer she looked at them.

‘This is a little much, don’t you think?’ Nancy said, glancing up from the menu. She hadn’t even ordered anything yet, and already, her stomach was tied in knots.

Ari looked at her like she was being ridiculous. ‘It’s not that much,’ she said, waving a hand dismissively.

Nancy’s throat tightened. She wasn’t used to this kind of opulence. But something in Ari’s smile, the way she looked at her like she was just so…

She wanted Nancy to be happy. For whatever reason. It wasn’t nothing.

‘Alright,’ Nancy finally said, forcing a small grin. ‘I’ll order exactly what I want.’

Ari’s smile widened. ‘That’s the spirit.’ She waved over the waiter, who had been lingering nearby, clearly waiting for them to make their selections.

As the waiter took their order. Nancy opted for a good old-fashioned steak.

Ari tutted and ordered lobster. ‘Oh, and whatever champagne you have.’

‘We have Krug Grande Cuvée?’ the waiter offered.

‘That will work, thank you.’

The waiter left, and Ari leaned back in her chair.

Nancy shifted in her seat again, suddenly feeling too warm, her hand gripping the edge of the table. They’d never sat across from each other like this. Ari was always behind her or next to her. Never across. It was strangely and disconcertingly intimate.

The champagne arrived. The bottle was popped and the bubbles poured. Nancy took a sip. It was pretty good, but probably not worth the price tag.

‘So,’ Nancy began, trying to ease the tension that had settled between them, ‘tell me more about this wedding.’

‘Tell me more about you,’ Ari shot back, eyes glinting with mischief.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Nancy said with an eye roll, leaning back in her seat.

‘I know it’s notnecessary,’ Ari drawled, her voice laced with dry humour.

Nancy sighed, her shoulders slumping just a little. ‘What is it you want to know?’

Ari raised an eyebrow. ‘Everything,’ she said, but there was a softness in her tone, an openness Nancy wasn’t sure how to handle. ‘How’d you become a driver?’ Ari pressed, leaning in a little. ‘I’ve never asked.’

Nancy let out another sigh, this one quieter, almost wistful. ‘Alright, fine,’ she said, her voice quieter now. ‘My dad was a black cab driver. Taught me to drive when I was eleven.’

‘Eleven?’ Ari repeated, shocked.

‘I had a growth spurt that year, so my legs could just about reach the pedals, and my dad couldn’t wait to pass on what he knew.’ She paused. ‘I think he’d been measuring me while I slept.’

‘Wow. The only thing my mother ever passed on was control issues,’ Ari said lightly. ‘Did you like it?’

Nancy smiled. ‘I loved it. Because he just let me take the wheel.’

Ari’s eyes never left Nancy’s face. ‘And you’ve done it ever since.’

Nancy shrugged.

Ari raised an eyebrow, pushing further. ‘And you never wanted to do anything else? Just… drive?’

Nancy shifted her weight. ‘It pays the bills.’

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