Page 32 of Worth the Want
“How was growing up in Atlanta?”
She bites the side of her bottom lip into her mouth before answering. “It was good. Busy. A lot more public transportation.” She laughs. “I didn't learn to drive until I was twenty-one.”
“You didn’t drive until you were twenty-one? Why wait so long?” I can’t fathom not driving the day you turn sixteen. I was so excited to drive to school the very next day.
“Well, like I said, there were options, we took the train mostplaces—everywhere really. My family still doesn’t own a car, and the one I’m driving now is a rental. Actually, I need to find a car so I can stop paying for that, but I just haven’t wanted to. It feels a little overwhelming. I don’t know what kind of car I need, or should I get a truck? I kind of like the idea of a truck. Can’t you just picture it?” Her question is directed at Sally, but that doesn’t stop the image from popping into my mind. Her tiny frame sitting behind the steering wheel of a massive truck makes me laugh before I can stop myself.
“Could you even see over the steering wheel of a truck?” I ask, turning to see her face. She narrows her eyes at me, nose scrunching, and fuck me that’s cute.
“Go ahead, cowboy. Underestimate me. I’m no stranger to proving someone wrong.” I’m not sure why, but the idea of this woman having to overcome anything has me ready to fight someone.
“I was only referring to your size, not what you’re capable of,” I amend.
She smiles at that, and a swell of emotion fills my chest. Unsure what’s causing it, but not wanting to question it because I like the way it feels.I like how being around Indie makes me feel.
“When you’re five foot one, I guess it comes with the territory,” she tells me, using my phrasing from earlier.
“What little territory there is,” I mutter.
“Okay! That’s enough about my size! We can’t all be six five and built like Paul Bunyan.” A hoarse laugh sputters out of me, and she giggles in response.
“Been a while since I’ve heard a good Paul Bunyan reference, and never have I been compared to him.”
“What about his Ox?” That makes me laugh again, evenharder. God, this woman. She makes me feel young, which reminds me of another question I’ve been meaning to ask her. Winnie mentioned her age, but I can’t remember it.Twenty-something?I know there comes a time when you aren’t supposed to ask a woman her age, but I can’t imagine Indie’s old enough to worry about that yet.
“How old are you, Indie?”
“I just turned twenty-seven. How old are you, Knox?” Knowing my answer puts me in another generation than her is a tough pill to swallow, but I do.
“I’m forty-one, forty-two in a month.”
She whistles low. “Oh wow, so you’re like…really old,” she says in exaggerated surprise. I look over at her, and she winks, causing my chest to heat in the crisp mountain air.
“It’s fourteen years older than you,” I state.
“I may be a bit younger than you, but Iamout of grade school.” She laughs at herself. “High school and college, too, just so we’re clear. I’m caught up on basic math, old man,” she adds.
“Oh, not you too.” I groan. “You sound like my siblings.”
“Aww, do they pick on the elderly in your family?”
“Excuse me?”
“Did you need me to speak up? Can you not hear me?” she asks, speaking loudly and slowly. Without thinking, I lift my hand off the gear shift and grab her exposed knee. She pulls away from me, giggling while Sally lets out a couple of barks at us.
Smiling, I turn us onto the side road that takes us to the trailhead.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist with how you went on about my size,” Indie says, still smiling, Sally all but on her lap now.
“You can tell her to get down; she’ll listen.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Growing up, my parents wouldn’t let us have pets. We tried to convince them, but to their point, we lived in an apartment with nowhere for a dog to run, and my dad isn’t a fan of cats.”
I put the truck in park when we reach our destination and feel behind me into the backseat to grab my backpack and Sally’s dog pack that has her water bowl and some food.
“Tough break. We’ve had so many animals at our home over the years, I don’t think I could name all of them,” I tell her, opening the truck door and stepping out. Sally jumps out after me, and I fasten the pack around her.
“That many animals? Like what? Did you have pigs?” she asks curiously.
