Valorous(41)

I go over all the features of the car and tell her where everything is. “Driving is all about being predictable. Whatever you do, it should be what the guy behind you expects you to do. Does that make sense? In other words, you don’t stop at a green light or in the middle of a turn or anything that’s going to get you hit from behind.”

“Okay… What else?”

“Go slow at first, until you get a feel for the car and what it’s capable of.”

“I can’t believe the first car I’m ever going to drive is a Mercedes.”

“Mine was a Jaguar. My dad was a freaking mess the whole time. I accused him of being far more concerned about the car than he was about me. He didn’t deny it.”

The story makes her laugh, as I hoped it would.

“Let’s give it a whirl.” I point to the key, and she turns it, starting the car. “Now put it in Drive.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“Positive. Take me for a ride, sweetheart.” I add a wink and a smile to remind her of the last time I said those words to her, and she blushes adorably.

We do a hundred laps around the parking lot, and as expected, she’s a cautious, conscientious driver. I suppose that’s the benefit of learning at twenty-three rather than at sixteen when you’re too stupid to know how many ways this activity can get you killed. Natalie has been an adult since she was fifteen, and comes at driving with adult sensibilities.

“What do you think?” I ask her after an hour of driving in circles. “Want to take to the road?”

“Like the actual road with other cars? I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“Sure you are. You’ll do great.” I signal to the SUV to let the security guys know we’re leaving.

“Flynn, seriously, this is not a good idea.”

I lean over to kiss her cheek. “It’s a great idea. My parents are expecting us for a late lunch, and we need to get going.” I point to the parking lot exit.

She grits her teeth and aims the car in the direction I’ve indicated. What should be a twenty-minute ride to Beverly Hills takes forty minutes as Natalie drives so slowly that it’s all I can do not to lose it laughing as one car after another goes by us with angry drivers flashing the bird at my girl.

“People here are mean,” she says, breaking a long silence.

“I think it’s more that they expect the other cars on the road to at least drive the speed limit.”

“I can hear you mocking me, and don’t think I won’t remember that later when you’re wanting to get your hands on me.”

“I would never mock you, sweetheart.”

“Said the man who wants to get lucky later.”

I love her madly. I love the way she bickers with me and puts me in my place and doesn’t care who I am or what I have. For the first time in my adult life, I’ve found a woman who genuinely cares about me rather than the crap that comes with me. She’s a miracle. My own living, breathing miracle, and watching her intense concentration as she follows my directions to Beverly Hills only makes me love her more than I already did.

“Stop staring at me.”

“I don’t want to. You’re cute when you concentrate.”

“Don’t you mean I’m cute when I’m terrified?”

“No need to be terrified, and you’re cute all the time.”

“Right… Whatever you say.”

“You’re doing great. What do you think of it so far?”

“It’s scary.”

“It’s fun. Wait till you get to drive a real car.”

“This isn’t a real car?”

“This, my love, is a sedan. We can do better.”

“This is as real as I plan to get.”

“We’ll see…” I look over at her, drinking in the sight of her beautiful face, her lips set in an adorable pucker. “Is it okay that I did this?”

“Did what? Force me to drive through LA traffic when I’ve never driven a car in my life?”

“That,” I say, laughing at her indignant retort, “the permit, all of it.”

“I am wondering how you managed to enter me into a legally binding agreement with the State of California without my participation.”

I scoff at that. “Anything is possible if you know who to ask.”