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“Yeah, kid. I know. But this repair is beyond me. Anyhow, sorry, but I think I just blocked in our new employee,” he says as he motions to Ariana’s car.

“Oh,” she says from behind me. I can hear the disappointment in her voice.

I pull my keys from my pocket and toss them to her. “You can take the truck. She’s old, but she’ll get you there. Make sure to save the receipts if you’re buying stuff for the office. Joy can reimburse you.”

“Thanks. I’ll be right back,” she promises as she looks around. I point to my truck, a pale blue 1973 Ford F-100. It’s seen better days but it’s a reliable vehicle and does great in bad weather.

I watch as she figures out how to unlock the car. I fight a grin as I wonder if she’s ever seen a car with manual locks on it. She starts it and then the truck makes the worst sound as she tries to put it in reverse. Shit, does she know how to drive manual?

I walk over to the car and lean into the window. “You know how to drive a manual?”

She grimaces as she turns the car off and turns to me, looking for how to roll down the window. I make the motion of turning the old lever and she figures it out.

“I…it’s been a long time since I learned to drive manual,” she admits. She bites her lower lip and my gaze is drawn to her mouth. Damn, she’s cute.

I shake my head a little. Can’t think of my employees that way. Plus, she’s way too young.

“Looks like our first order of business is to teach you how to drive this thing,” I state as I walk around the car. I motion for her to unlock it which takes a moment for her to figure out. I hop into the passenger seat and buckle up.

“Now what?” she asks as she stares at it.

I laugh. “Now, you have to turn it back on. We won’t get far without the engine on.”

She giggles. “Right…” She turns it on, and I give her a quick tutorial on driving Sheila.

“You named it Sheila,” she laughs.

“Hey now, be nice. She’s sensitive.”

“I suppose I shouldn’t make fun of you. I named my navi system Norris,” she says, giggling.

She follows my instructions as I coach her down the drive and out onto the main road. She manages to come to a stop and go again without stalling the truck which is impressive for a newbie.

“Turn left at the stop sign,” I instruct. “And then there’s an office supply store next to the farm supply store.”

She whips her head toward me. “What?”

“There,” I point at the entrance to the parking lot.

She pulls in and parks, turning to me with a grin. “Not bad for a novice, huh?”

I shake my head as I watch her look at the two buildings in front of us. “This is weird.”

“What is?” I ask, scratching the back of my head.

“Like, do people really go shopping for their office and then decide to get farm supplies at the same time?”

I feel my lips twitching, but I try not to laugh. She has no clue about small-town life.

“I mean, they both needed space and all the stores here are sort of clustered in the same eight blocks.” We get out and start walking to the office supply store. Then she does a double take.

“Are they owned by the same family?”

I nod. “That they are. The Miltons own both stores.”

“Ohhhh…OK, that makes more sense. I mean, real estate-wise and all,” she adds as we walk inside.

“Hey, Eric!” Heidi Milton calls out from the register.