“Not sure yet, but I’ll definitely bring it up with my therapist in the morning.”
“I might need one of those.” It wasn’t her intention, but she let out the most pathetic sigh as Jesse started backing out of the driveway. When they pulled back out onto the main road, he surprised her though, reaching over and taking her hand. She squeezed his fingers back and held on a little longer than a friend should.
* * *
The sun was shining over George Martin Chevrolet. Jesse mentioned going to middle school and high school with both of the Martin boys, but Lily-Grace didn’t remember them. She led the way into the showroom, and a youngish white guy came from around his desk with a rather presumptuous greeting.
“What can we do for you and the missus today?”
He was behind her, but Lily-Grace had a feeling the look on Jesse’s face matched thewhat in the hellexpression written all over hers.
“Not the missus,” Jesse said. “And she’s buying for herself. I’m just here for the good times. Unless you want me to buy.” He lightly touched her shoulder. She whipped her head around, eyes wide.
“You are not buying me a car.”
“Bradley, do you know who you’re talking to?” An older white man in a bright white cowboy hat, and the ugliest floral blazer she’d ever seen, came walking toward them. She recognized him from his commercials.
“Uh, no,” Bradley said, looking between them like he was trying to decide who he was supposed to recognize.
Mr. Martin gripped Jesse’s hand in a firm shake that would dislocate a normal person’s arm.
“How are you doing, George?”
“Better now that you’re here. Bradley, this is Jesse Pleasant. He’s the brains and brawn behind Big Rock Ranch.”
“Oh! My girl wants me to take her there.”
“You should bring her by,” Jesse replied. “We have great packages for couples.”
“You’ll just need to sell a few dozen trucks to afford it,” Mr. George teased. “What can we do for you today? I’m sure the ranch has racked up a hefty discount at this point.”
“Yeah, think a full fleet should garner a little extra. But nothing for me today. My friend is looking. I’m just tagging along.” Lily-Grace flashed Mr. Martin a tight smile, waiting for them to wrap up their boys’ chat. Jesse’s hand sliding across the small of her back snuffed her mild annoyance right out. Especially when it lingered, brushing over her hip in a small circle. She glanced back at him and instantly he pulled his fingers away. It took everything in her not to tell him to put his hand back. She didn’t mind soft touches from a friend like him.
“Lily-Grace LeRoux,” she said. Mr. Martin gave her a more tempered but still enthusiastic handshake.
“August LeRoux’s baby girl?”
“A grown woman now, but yeah, that’s me.”
“He’s been helping my wife with the books down at her art studio for years. Any friend of August’s is a friend of mine. What are we looking for today?”
“Something with a lot of legroom and headroom, because as you can see I am a tall drink of water. And something that I can hitch a horse trailer to if I decide to really spend my life in a completely different direction and get the filly I’ve always wanted.”
“You sure you came here with the right Pleasant?” Mr. Martin said, eyebrows pitching up. She looked over at Jesse.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, you haven’t told her. Jesse Pleasant Junior here is the only rancher I know who doesn’t care for horses. Doesn’t ride them either.”
“Excuse me, what?” Lily-Grace practically screeched.
“He’s just told you,” Jesse said. “Horses and I don’t mix.”
“How is that even possible? You are living my horse-girl dreams, surrounded by those beautiful animals, and you don’t even take one for a spin around the valley every now and then?”
“Didn’t we come here to get you a car? Don’t worry about me and my life.”
“Okay then. I’m paying cash today, Mr. Martin, so let’s see what you can do for me,” Lily-Grace said flatly.
