Page 54 of Forbidden to Fall

I smiled as I pulled my car in next to the truck, and he shut the door.

“Thank you so much,” I said as I got out. “My car is way too small to fit the stuff.”

“What stuff is it?”

“A stand for the Harvest Festival and a couple of product displays.”

His dark brows contracted. “Don’t you need help loading that?”

“You and Mia…” I shook my head disapprovingly. “I’m stronger than I look.” I wasn’t actually sure that was true, but whatever.

James smiled. That was getting more common, but instead of getting used to it, it seemed to be affecting me more the more often it happened.

Was that normal? It didn’t feel normal.

“I believe it,” he said. “But loading furniture is always easier with someone else.”

The fact that I wanted to accept his offer was exactly why I knew I shouldn’t. “I’m sure Bennett will help me.”

“I’m sure he will.” He held the keys out. “She’s all yours.”

I took them with a grateful smile. “Thanks again. I won’t be long.”

He opened the door and stood aside. I got a whiff of his cologne as I climbed in. As the youngest girl with two brothers, I’d smelled my fair share of cologne in my time, including the phase both my brothers had gone through in high school before they’d learned that less is more.

James’s cologne was different than anything I’d smelled, though. It was subtle. Subtle enough that I felt the urge to lean into it.

He waited until I was in, then shut the door.

I waved through the window, and he waved back, then turned and walked toward the house.

I slipped the key in the ignition and turned it.

It clicked.

I frowned, then turned it again.

Another click.

James paused in his progress toward the house, pivoting to look at me.

I waved to reassure him everything was fine. I did know how to start a car. My brother Ryan’s truck required pressing the brake pedal in order to turn the key.

I did that, but again, it clicked.

James walked back toward me, and I looked around frantically to figure out what I might be doing wrong. It wouldn’t just die right as I needed it, right? The universe wasn’t that cruel.

That’s when I noticed it: the third pedal.

I glanced at the gear shift just as James reached the truck and opened the door.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yep,” I said in my most chipper voice.

He looked at me squarely, his eyes narrowed in slight skepticism. “Is the clutch giving you trouble?”

“No,” I reassured him. “I just…didn’t realize the truck was manual.”