Page 45 of An Uncertain Road

Jensen gestured toward the roadblock. “I would think it’s obvious.”

Archie’s scowl deepened, and he dropped back in his seat, obviously unwilling to help the rest of them. He looked so much like a petulant child who was angry over being told to wait, it was surprising he didn’t launch into a full pout.

They turned their attention back to the problem at hand. The stubborn animals refused to move a muscle, no matter what the frustrated humans tried. After far too long spent coercing and waving their arms, one of the men from the front team hit both hands on the hood of his car in exasperation.

Unexpectedly, several of the cows that hadn’t moved the entire time jumped into motion and sauntered away. “Maybe that will do it. They don’t care about humans walking around, but they’re not used to noise from cars. Everyone, get back in the cars, and we’ll slowly move forward and see if they figure out to get out of the way.”

One of the men grew excited as he jumped into the front car. “They didn’t move a muscle when we first pulled up here. We have a horn. I bet if we honk, they’ll move faster.”

“No!” Jensen got the group’s attention with his firm—but not too loud—exclamation. “A noise that foreign and sudden could make them panic and run into the cars. They’re huge. They could injure themselves or do damage to us. We’ll have to take our time. Let’s start with Flora’s more cautious suggestion.”

Flora’s heart warmed as they all got in place and started up their cars again. The cows shifted from foot to foot at the increased noise.

Jensen smiled at her while they waited on the first car to start moving forward. “Very well-thought-out solution.”

Easing the floor pedal forward to give the car a bit of gas, Flora let the satisfaction of his confidence envelope her. It was a satisfying sensation, knowing the man she cared about believed in her and trusted her to make decisions for them all.

The man I care about?

The thought caught Flora unaware. She peeked at Jensen, who watched the team in front of them and the slowly shifting cows as they followed Flora’s suggestion. When had she come to care about him as more than a friend and her partner in the tour?

Now that the realization had come to her, Flora couldn’t deny the truth of it. She cared for Jensen with more intensity than she’d ever imagined she would feel again. Could she go so far as to say she loved him? The flutter in her heart when he caught her watching him and responded with a broad smile confirmed it.

Somewhere along the road, she’d fallen in love with Jensen Gable.

* * *

Jensen couldn’t help noticing the mysterious smile that graced Flora’s lips. Why had he ever been confused about how to support her? He once again reveled in the pleasure of knowing that he’d put that smile on her face and that confidence in her movements. He’d given her what she needed in that moment, and he would do anything to continue doing so.

But right now, they had a job to do. The close proximity of three cars was a concern. They all knew they’d lost time and there might be more teams coming behind them quite soon. The front two cars presumably had gained time on them. Plus, they’d all be aware of the opportunity to either get ahead or lose positions when they resumed racing. It all came down to whether Flora’s idea would get the cows to move, and who would get the jump on the others as soon as the creatures were out of the way.

And in the middle of it all, Flora was distracting him with that glowing countenance.

Shaking off the direction his thoughts wanted to follow, Jensen forced himself to look past the cows to the straightaway he’d noticed on the map earlier. In reality, the road here was hardly wide enough for one car to speed along. Passing wasn’t as safe an option as it had been in other locations. But with the three cars all bunched together, did they have a choice?

It was time to prove that he knew Flora was the best driver in the tour.

Keeping his voice only loud enough for Flora to hear over the engine, Jensen laid out his plan. “I know I’ve made it difficult for you to take risks to gain positions, but this time, I think you should try to pass despite how narrow the road is. You’ll have to use the edge of the pasture.”

Jensen held Flora’s gaze as he watched her process his instructions. He prayed she could feel his confidence coming through.

After a moment, she nodded and turned her attention back to the road, where the team in front of them was inching forward. “Then let’s get around this team and hold off Mr. Franklin and Sam.”

As he’d been sure they would, the cows heaved into motion when the running engines drew close to them. They took their time, but that was better than having them stampede all around. Finally, the first car reached the last several cows standing in the way, with all the others cleared far enough off the road that the teams had a clear path to drive.

Without warning, loud honking split the air from behind them.

Jensen gripped the top of the car door, jerking around to see Archie squeezing the air horn attached next to his windshield. Panicked moos filled the air as the previously calm cows responded to the noise as Jensen had thought they would, with fear.

The driver in front of them stomped on the accelerator, and his car jerked forward and took off down the straight section of road, leaving a trail of scattering, wild-eyed cows. The temptation rose to curse Archie, but Jensen was in a better place now. He would respond graciously, as God would want him to.

Several cows bumped the Decauville as they loped past, and Flora gasped, her lips parted as she watched the massive beasts tramping around in every direction.

He put a soothing hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about the team in front of us. Just keep driving. I’ll watch for cows. Let’s see if we can stay in front of Archie.”

The Decauville lurched back into motion as Flora pushed the gas pedal in, and they moved forward. Thankfully, the rest of the cows ran away from the cars rather than toward them.

Jensen glanced back. “Archie will do exactly what I suggested you do, so be on the lookout for him to come around the side. They’re catching up.”