“Are you just visiting, then?”
I shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t really know. I’ll be staying here for the winter at least, and I’ll just take it from there.”
“I have a feeling you’re from somewhere a long way away.”
“I am.”
“Australia?”
“The accent is a dead giveaway, isn’t it?”
He smiled in response. “So you’re on an adventure, then.”
“I suppose you can say that.”
“I think that’s really great. I have plans to travel too.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. At the moment, I’m just saving like crazy. I work at my uncle’s garage five days a week, and on weekends, I pick up odd jobs.”
“Where are you planning to go?”
“I have it all figured out. Once I get enough cash together, I’m going to Alaska to work on the oil rigs. I hear it can be tough, but on the upside, you earn really good money. So I’ll do that for a few years until I have enough cash for a boat. Then I’m going to sail around the world.”
“That’s quite a detailed plan.”
“I believe in having a goal and working hard for it. I mean, you won’t believe it, but I couldn’t even swim a year ago. I knew that had to be fixed if my plans involved being around water. So I set myself a deadline, signed up for lessons, and now I’m a pro.”
“Hey, that’s really great.”
“So what about you? Is there something you wish you could do?”
I thought about the walk this morning, trudging through the snow. Some of it had snuck into my boots and my feet were damp and cold. I was already looking forward to getting home, peeling off my socks, and warming my feet by the fire.
“I wish I could drive,” I said. Since being here, there had been many situations when driving would have been ideal. Shopping for groceries, for example, would be a heck of a lot easier. What’s more, Graham and Dale left me the keys to their car, so it sure would have been helpful if I had a driver’s license.
“You can’t drive?”
“No, I never got my driver’s license when I was back home, and I’m sure it would be tricky to get one while I’m here.”
“Well, my uncle’s friend is a cop. Why don’t I give him a call and check with him—see what the rules are for visitors?”
“Oh, no, I don’t want to be a bother.”
“It’s no problem at all.”
“Really? That would be great, then, thanks.”
“I suppose I should get your number, then, so I can let you know what he says.”
“Yeah, good idea.”
He pulled his phone from the back pocket of his jeans. “So where are you staying?”
“I’m house-sitting for a couple just at the edge of town. Graham and Dale.”
“Oh, I know who they are. Graham drives a Saab. Totally impractical.” He shook his head. “They are great guys, though; my uncle went to school with Dale.”
“Small world.”
He shrugged. “Tell me about it. So . . . your number?” He passed me his phone, and I keyed in my name and number before passing it back.
“Your name is Audrey?”
I nodded.
“I’ve never met an Audrey before. It’s a real pretty name.”
“Thank you. Oh, Rosie says hi by the way.”
“You know Rosie?”
“Yeah, she’s kind of taken me under her wing since I’ve been here.”
He smiled. “Rosie has a heart of gold—so you’re in good hands.”
A few days later, Gabe called.
“Hi, Audrey. I talked to my uncle’s friend about getting a driver’s license here, and he says it’s doable.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Have you got a pen and paper handy?”
“I’ll grab one.” I stood up, almost stepping on Apple. “Sorry, baby,” I whispered under my breath. She looked up at me with her sweet, doe-like eyes, oblivious to her near-death experience.
I found a pen in a kitchen drawer and a paper towel on the counter. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“So, first thing you have to do is get together your passport and your birth certificate.”
“Sure, I have my passport here, and I can get my parents to fax me my birth certificate.”
Gabe gave me the phone number and address of the registry, and I wrote it down on the paper towel. It was in the basement of the Delta County Courthouse, which happened to be just a short walk away.
“Now, you’ll have to take a test, but it’s pretty easy. You can pick up the study booklet at the office ahead of time.”
“Okay, I’ll do that.”
“Once you get your leaner’s permit, you can start taking driving lessons.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling a little disheartened. “I don’t think I can afford driving lessons at the moment.” I couldn’t believe that hadn’t even occurred to me.
“Well, I know someone who can help you there.”
“You do?” I asked. “Who?”
“Me, of course.”
“Oh, no, Gabe. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“I’d be happy to. I taught my nephew last summer. He passed with flying colors.”
“That’s very kind of you,” I said, feeling reluctant, “but I don’t want to put you out.”
“Don’t worry about it, Audrey.” His voice was kind and reassuring. “It will be no trouble at all.”
“I’ve decided to try for my driver’s license, and Gabe’s offered to give me lessons.” I was at the diner, sitting on a stool at the counter. Rosie was brushing some crumbs into the sink with a rag. She stopped and looked up, setting the rag down.
“Gabe? Since when did the two of you start talking?”
“I gave him my number—you know, the day we were at the markets.”
“You gave him your number? You didn’t mention anything about this to me, young lady.”
I shrugged. “It was for a practical reason, and I didn’t really expect him to call.”
“Well,” she said, hands on her hips, “this is interesting.”
“Rosie, don’t read too much into it. It is definitely too soon for me to be thinking about that.”
“I wasn’t implying anything,” she said, even though it was obvious she was. “But I will say he’s a sweet kid. And,” she smirked, “quite easy on the eyes too.”
“Really? I didn’t notice,” I lied.
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you didn’t.”
“So how do you know him, anyway?”
“I know his uncle Daryl. He runs the local auto repair shop.”
“Gabe mentioned he works there. He was also telling me about his plans—he wants to sail around the world one day. It’s a pipe dream for most people, isn’t it? But Gabe has figured out how to get there, step by step. I mean, it’s impressive.”
“I’m telling you now: that kid is going places. Don’t let those good looks fool you. He scored off the charts on his SATs, and they offered him a scholarship to Stanford.”
“Wow. Why didn’t he take it?”
“I’ll leave it up to him to tell you.”