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That s fun.
You didn t! she gasped.
He shrugged. Jags like to run. They purr when you pile on the gas.
They do not.
You ll see. He smiled to himself. He already had plans for her graduation day. He and Sara had
planned it very well. It was only a couple of months away. He glanced at his companion. She was
going to be absolutely stunned when she knew what they had in mind.
* * *
The piece on Wofford Patterson ran with Michelle s byline, along with photos of his native grasses,
his water conservation project and his huge bull. People she didn t even know at school stopped her in
the hall to talk to her. And not only other students. Teachers paid her more attention, as well. She felt
like a minor celebrity.
I actually had someone to sit with at lunch, she told Sara, all enthusiasm, when she got home
from school that day. Mostly I m always by myself. But one little article in the paper with my name
and just look!
Sara managed a smile. It was well written. You did a good job. Considering the material you had
to work with, she added with smoldering black eyes.
Then Michelle remembered. Wofford Patterson. Mortal enemy. Sara s nemesis.
Sorry, she said, flushing.
The man is a total lunatic, Sara muttered, slamming pans around as she looked for something to
boil pasta in. Her beautiful complexion was flushed. He backed into me and tried to blame me for it!
Then he said I rode a broom and kept flying monkeys in the barn!
Michelle almost bit through her lower lip. She couldn t laugh. She couldn t laugh...
Sara glanced at her, rolled her eyes, and dragged out a big pot. You like him, I gather?
Well, he didn t accuse me of keeping flying monkeys, Michelle said reasonably. He s very
handsome, in a rough-cut sort of way, and he loves animals.
Probably because he is one, Sara said under her breath.
He has this huge rottweiler. You wouldn t believe what he calls her!
Have you seen my hammer? Gabriel interrupted suddenly.
Both women turned.
Don t you keep it in the toolbox? Michelle asked.
Yes. Where s my toolbox? he amended.
The two women looked at each other blankly. Then Sara flushed.
I, uh, had to find a pair of pliers to turn the water spigot on outside. Not my fault, she added. You
have big hands and when you turn the water off, I can t turn it back on. I took the whole toolbox with
me so I d have access to whatever I needed.
No problem. But where is it? Gabriel added.
Um, Sara frowned. I think I remember...just a sec. She headed out the back door.
Don t, for God s sake, tell her the name of Patterson s dog! Gabriel said in a rough whisper.
She stared at him. Why?
He gave her a speaking look. Who do you think Patterson s unknown buddy in World of Warcraft
is? he asked patiently.
Her eyes widened with glee. You mean, they re buddies online and they don t know it?
In a nutshell. He grinned. Two lonely people who can t stand each other in person, and they re
soul mates online. Let them keep their illusions, for the time being.
Of course. She shook her head. She d like him if she got to know him.
I know. But first impressions die hard.
Sara was back, carrying a beat-up brown toolbox. Here. She set it down on the table. Sorry, she
added sheepishly.
I don t mind if you borrow stuff. Just put it back, please. He chuckled.
She shrugged. Sometimes I do. I m just scatterbrained.
Listen, he said, kissing the top of her head, nobody who speaks six languages fluently could
even remotely be called scatterbrained. You just have a lot on your mind all the time.
What a nice way to put it. No wonder you re my favorite brother!
He gave Michelle a droll look.
Well, if I had other brothers, you d still be my favorite, Sara amended.
Are we going to drive some more today? Michelle asked him hopefully.
Maybe tomorrow, he said after a minute. He forced a smile. He left, quickly.
Michelle sighed. I can t follow orders, she explained while Sara put water on to boil and got out
spaghetti.
He s just impatient, Sara replied. He always was, even when we were kids. She shook her head.
Some habits you never grow out of.
Michelle knew a lot about Sara, and her childhood. But she was too kindhearted to mention any of
what Gabriel had told her. She just smiled and asked what she could do to help.
* * *
Graduation was only days away. So much had happened to Michelle that she could hardly believe how
quickly the time had gone by. Marist College had accepted her, just as Gabriel had told her. She was
scheduled for orientation in August, and she d already had a conversation online with her faculty
advisor.
I m so excited, she told Gabriel. They were sitting on the front porch, watching a meteor shower.
There were a couple of fireballs, colorful and rare. I ll be in college. I can t believe it.
He smiled. You ll grow. College changes people. You see the world in a different way when
you ve studied courses like Western Civilization and math.
I m not looking forward to the math, she sighed. People say college trig is a nightmare.
Only if you don t have a tutor.
But I don t...
He glanced down at her. I made straight A s.
Oh. She grinned. Okay. Thanks in advance.
He stretched. No problem. Maybe you ll do better at math than you do at driving.
She thumped his arm. Stop that. I can drive.
Sort of.
It takes practice, she reminded him. How can I practice if you re always too busy to ride in the
truck with me?
You could ask Sara, he pointed out.
She glowered at him. I did.
And?
She s always got something ready to cook. She pursed her lips. In fact, she has pots and pans
lined up, ready, in case I look like I m even planning to ask her to ride with me. Her eyes narrowed
suspiciously. I have reason to believe you ve been filling her head with irrelevant facts about how
many times I ve run into ditches.
Lies.
It was only one ditch, she pointed out.
That reminds me. He pulled out his cell phone and checked a text message. He nodded. I have a
professional driving instructor coming out to work with you, starting Saturday afternoon.
Coward, she accused.
He grinned. I don t teach.
I thought you were doing very well, except for the nonstop cursing.
I thought you were doing well, except for the nonstop near accidents.
She threw up her hands and sighed. Okay. Just push me off onto some total stranger who ll have a
heart attack if I miss a turn. His family will sue us and we ll end up walking everywhere...
He held up a hand. I won t change my mind. I can t teach you how to drive with any efficiency.
These people have been doing it for a long time.
She gave in. Okay. I ll give it a shot. She looked up at him. You and Sara are coming to
graduation, aren t you?
He smiled down at her. I wouldn t miss it for the whole world, ma belle.
Her heart jumped up into her throat. She could walk on air, because Gabriel teased her in that deep,
soft tone that he used only with her.
He touched her long hair gently. You re almost grown. Just a few more years.
I m eighteen.
He let go of her hair. I know. He turned away. She was eighteen years old. Years too young for
what he was thinking of. He had to let her go, let her grow, let her mature. He couldn t hold her back
out of selfishness. In a few years, when she was through college, when she had a good job, when she
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