The Rancher's Unexpected Family by Helen Lacey

Author:Helen Lacey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Published: 2017-09-16T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“I think you left the gearbox back there.”

Maisy scowled and crunched the gearshift once more, then turned Ted’s old truck into a sharp arc and narrowly missed the fence. On the third day of driving lessons in the pasture behind the main house, she had at least managed to drive the vehicle for a few minutes without stalling it with an uncomfortable jerking motion. Cole hung onto his patience and braced his back for the inevitable and abrupt halt that was about to happen when she pressed the gas and clutch at the same time. Still, he had to give the kid credit for perseverance and commitment...until the truck stalled again and he called it quits. They switched seats and he drove the pickup back toward the barn.

“I think I’m improving,” his daughter said and planted her hands on her hips. “I only stalled five times today.”

“Six,” Cole said and held up one hand while he rubbed the back of his neck with the other. “Not that I was counting.”

She laughed. “I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it by the time I’m old enough to get my learners permit.”

Cole’s brows rose. “You mean I’ve only got another year or so of this?”

She laughed again and he liked the sound. She’d done a lot of laughing in the past couple of days. And talking. Not so much to him, but to Ash. They had developed a bond and he didn’t mind. As long as his daughter was talking to someone, he was happy.

“Can we do it again tomorrow?” she asked.

Cole grinned and rubbed his neck again. “Sure.”

Maisy laughed. “I’ll try and do better.”

“You’re doing fine,” Cole assured her.

“I might be as good as you one day,” she said and raised one brow questioningly.

“You just might. You’ve got the basics down,” he said and nodded. ‘The rest will come with practice.”

“It’s probably a DNA thing,” she said and offered him a smile that seemed so sincere, Cole had to swallow the tightness in his throat. “You know, since driving is in my blood.”

He stared at her and then smiled warmly. It was the first time Maisy had acknowledged that they shared anything and he was shocked and overjoyed by her admission. It was a small step...but an important one. Once she headed back to the cabin, Cole then spent the next few hours in the barn with Jaye, putting the finishing touches to the cart. The kid was beyond excited and badgered him for a trial run. With Ted’s help, they found a suitable spot down by the river they could use as a practice strip. Jaye crashed the thing on the first run and Cole almost lost the contents of his stomach for a moment when he thought the boy might be injured. But Jaye was a tough little dude, and even though he had a cut lip and a grazed knee, he insisted they keep practicing. They stayed out for another hour and by the time they got back to the barn it was past four o’clock.

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