Page 58 of Share with Me

Chapter Twenty

In fits and starts, Brinley backed out Ivan’s Chevy truck, cringing that she would probably lose control of it and hit those rows of cars behind them. The stick shift sort of stuck, the weird buttons and old speedometer looked like they shouldn’t be working anymore, the thin steering wheel was a bear to grip and turn, and the bench was uncomfortable. The restored 1945 hunk drove like a tank.

They barely barreled out of the Seaside Chapel parking lot when Brinley slammed on the brakes.

“Okay. That was fun.” Brinley was surprised she actually broke a sweat. The tension on her shoulders eased up. She opened the door with great difficulty.

“What? That’s it?”

“That’s it, dude. All yours. Thank you.” She came around to the passenger side and climbed in as Ivan, head still shaking, slid over the bench seat to the driver side and reached out to pull the door shut.

“Maybe I should’ve backed it out first and then let you drive,” Ivan said.

“You mean let me drive forward only?”Like that’s going to help?

Ivan shrugged. “I guess I didn’t think it could be hard since I’ve been driving this truck since I was fourteen.”

“Your grandpa let you drive it then? Underaged?”

“Up and down the driveway. I got my learner’s at fifteen, so it all worked out.” Ivan joined the traffic on Ocean Boulevard heading toward the pier. “Where would you like to go eat? I’m at your service, ma’am.”

“Don’t expect me to tip you.”

“I’m partial to shortbreads.”

“Ha. That’s what your grandma told me. She saved some for you Friday.”

“Y’all didn’t have to.”

“Your grandma is such a considerate person.”

“That she is. So. What do you want to do? Go to the village and pier and park and walk around?”

“Sure. We have time. After that, we could grab a quick lunch—or not—and then go back to pick up the party girls.”

Ivan chuckled. “You should’ve seen your own face when Hiram quickstepped toward Aunt Ella.”

Brinley rolled her eyes.

She ran her fingers over the bench seat. It felt like leather.

“It’s fake leather, if you must know.” Ivan leaned back against the seat as he stopped at a red light.

Brinley glanced at his long legs and what looked like brawny thighs underneath the tight jeans. “Do you cycle a lot?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Just wondering.” She looked out the clean windshield as Ivan turned into Beachview. The busy Pier Village district came into view, and Ivan slowed down to let jaywalking tourists cross the street.

“There’s my favorite restaurant.” Brinley pointed at Barbara Jean’s at the end of Beachview.

“Yours too? How interesting. We should grab lunch there.” Ivan put on his left turn signal. “And over there is Scrolls.”

“Yes. Argo Perry’s bookstore. My dad plays chess with him.”

“He has a chess club there. Every Friday morning before the bookstore opens, the Seaside Chapel Men’s Bible Study Group meets in the bookstore.”

“So you study the Bible every Friday?” Brinley should’ve suspected that Ivan was as religious as his grandma.

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