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Adam’s eyes narrowed. “Are you saying that you would be okay with me competing in the rodeo?”
“Oh, heaven’s no. I’ve seen far too many accidents in the arena. It’s not something I would ever want anyone I cared about doing.”
He leaned closer, his brows furrowed. “You realize that no matter how much you try to protect someone, they’re always going to be in danger ofsomething. We’re mortal. Kids fall off bikes and out of trees. People get in car accidents or plane crashes. What about football?”
“Yeah, but those activities aren’t like the rodeo.”
He pulled his hand from her grasp, dropping it into his lap. “How can you say that? What if I wanted to do something at the rodeo that wasn’t riding a bronc?”
“Do you?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Exactly. And it’s not just your safety I’d be worried about. Those horses don’t want riders. They’ll fight hard when someone is in the saddle. But other horses don’t care and they get prodded into bucking. The whole thing is just… ridiculous. I don’t know what everyone likes about the whole thing anyway.”
Adam reached for his rolled-up cutlery. He rubbed the napkin between his fingers. “I suppose we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”
That rock in the pit of her stomach weighed on her more than before. Was she making a mistake with her request? It was for his own good. Hehadto see that. They needed a change of subject. That’s all.
If she could get him talking about something else, then they could get through this, and it would be in the rearview mirror.
“I heard that there’s a meteor shower happening soon.”
Adam glanced up at her, and she thought she saw a ghost of a smile. “Where did you hear that?”
She blushed. “I might have looked it up.”
“Mighthave?”
Faye lifted a shoulder. It was the only thing she could think of to connect with him. Stars and cars. But saying that out loud probably wouldn’t sound so great. She pressed her lips together before grinning at him. “I just wanted to do something fun with you. Get back to what we were before—” Faye snapped her mouth shut and the flush returned to her face. “I just want to spend time with my boyfriend. So, what do you say? Should we get some stuff put together and head out to where we can see it? Maybe take a picnic?”
“Sure, that sounds fun.”
Their food arrived. Adam got a cheesesteak sandwich with au jus and dove right in. Faye picked at her burger, still feeling like there was a distance between them that hadn’t been remedied. “Would it be okay if I hang around the shop with you?”
His eyes cut to meet hers. “Don’t you have stuff to do back home?”
She shook her head. “I told my dad I wouldn’t be around today. Today is all about you. I can be like your assistant. I’ve got almost all the tools memorized, and I can get you water or coffee. Whatever you want.”
Adam seemed to consider her for a moment before he nodded. “Sure, why not?”
* * *
“Canyou get me that socket wrench? Make sure it has the three-eighths ratchet on it.”
Faye jerked into motion, hurrying to get what Adam had requested. Bridget had already given them more than her fair share of strange looks, and Faye had just about had enough of it. She held out the wrench and leaned on the edge of the car. “So, what are you doing with this one?”
“Just a tune-up. Changing fluids and checking a few things,” Adam muttered without looking at her.
“So pretty easy?”
He took a deep breath and exhaled, which only made her feel like she was doing something wrong. She probably was. She’d practically pushed herself on him today.
But in her defense, she really wanted to fix this rift. Brielle would probably tell her she was trying too hard and that she needed to wait for Adam to come to her. But the problem they were having wasn’t his fault. It was Faye’s, and she wasn’t about to shy away from fixing something she broke.
She pressed her lips together in a thin line then turned around and leaned against the car while surveying the room. Nothing much had changed about this place. It was still the same old mechanic’s shop she’d been in when they’d fixed up her truck.
Bridget was working on a truck on the other side of the garage, and the only sound besides the faint country music playing was that of metal clanging against metal. Bridget straightened, stood back and admired her work, then glanced in Faye’s direction.
