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“That’s the best color for a Road Runner.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners as he studied her.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”
“Not at all. You just seem to know a lot about cars.”
“And that surprises you,” she finished.
“Well, I mean...” He shrugged. “Kinda.”
She rested her hands on her hips and pretended to be offended. “So women can’t know anything about cars, huh?”
“I wasn’t saying that.”
“Yeah, you were,” she joked. “You think that just because I’m wearing heels and a suit, I don’t know how to check my oil and tire pressure.”
A smile broke out on his face. “I would never accuse a woman of not knowing her way around a car.”
“And I’ll have you know that when I was younger, I hung out with my dad in his garage and learned a little bit. I can’t rebuild an engine, but I can carry on an intelligent conversation about a car.”
“That’s actually very cool.” He stopped at another red light and glanced over at her, his eyes dancing with what looked like amusement.
“Thanks. It was how I bonded with him. My mom and I watched movies, and my dad and I hung out in his garage.”
“I bet you have some nice memories.” He tapped the steering wheel. “You mentioned your parents are on vacation. Where’d they go?”
“Coral Cove.”
“My grandparents took my sister and me there once, and we had a blast.” He looked over at Darcy. “Where do they stay?”
Darcy fiddled with her suit jacket as another wave of embarrassment hit her. “They have a house there, and since they’ve both retired, they go down there frequently to enjoy it.” She wondered if he thought she was spoiled, but his expression showed no evidence of shock. She almost felt compelled to tell him that her parents were retired orthodontists who had run their own practice and invested in real estate before they retired, but she decided to keep that information to herself. “Did you always want to be a mechanic?”
“Yes. I started handing my grandfather tools when I was four. I inherited my love of cars from him.” He merged into the left lane to pass a slow-moving vehicle, then motored through an intersection, heading into Uptown Charlotte.
“So you’re close to your grandparents?” she asked.
He moved his hands over the steering wheel. “I was. They’re both gone now, but they pretty much raised my sister and me after my mom passed away when I was ten. My dad had already skipped out by then.”
She grimaced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”
“It’s okay. I mean, I don’t normally talk about my family. But I guess you’re easy to talk to, huh?” When he smiled at her, it seemed sincere. “How about you? Any siblings?”
“No, I’m an only child, and since my parents are older, I never got to know my grandparents.” Darcy didn’t want to pry more about Carter’s family, so she changed course. “How long have you worked at the shop in Flowering Grove?” she asked.
“Eleven years. I started there right after I graduated from high school. The Bartons are like family to me.”
He steered through Uptown Charlotte toward her building. When he came to it, he parked at the curb.
She angled her body toward his. “I appreciate your help today. I’ll find a ride out to Flowering Grove.”
“Wait.” He held up his phone. “Can I get your number?”
“Oh. Uh, well, I...” Darcy stammered. “I think you’re really cute, Carter, and I really appreciate the ride.” She held a hand up. “I really, really do, but I’m not really dating right now.”
A strange expression flitted over his face. “Oh, I meant that I need to text you about the car.” He grinned. “But I think you’re cute too.”
Heat traveled up Darcy’s neck, and she was certain she might pass out from embarrassment. “Right.” She took his phone and then created a new contact, adding her first and last name along with her number before handing it back to him. “Here you go.”
