Page 125 of The Best Thing He Never Wanted

“Nope. Didn’t want some salesman talking you into whatever he wanted to get rid of before you’d figured out what you wanted.”

Bea slipped her arms around his waist and held him tight, resting her cheek against his chest.

“Thank you, Blane.”

His hand settled around the back of her head, holding her there for a moment before he kissed the top of it. “Thank you, Bea.”

She tipped her head back. “What for?”

His expression changed, just for a second.

“For letting me be here for this.”

She swallowed hard, because there was no safe answer to that. So instead, she looked back at the little Ignis.

“Come on. We need to see whether you actually fit in it.”

Blane groaned. “Knew this was gonna turn into entertainment for you.”

“Oh, absolutely.”

And for the first time since he’d told her he was leaving tomorrow, she thought they might actually manage to have some fun.

The salesman, Manolis, turned out to be a rather sweet older gentleman, and he came outside with them carrying the keys to the blue Ignis.

Of course Bea wanted the blue one. It seemed as though eighty percent of the vehicles she’d seen on Crete were white, and besides, she didn’t want another white car. One of those had already become far too important to her.

Blane walked around the blue one. “No four-wheel drive?”

Manolis shook his head.

Blane frowned.

Bea laughed. “I’m not planning to drive up a mountain.”

“You live on one.”

“I live near one.”

He gave her a look.

“Automatic matters more to me.”

He considered that, then nodded. “Okay.”

When Manolis opened the driver’s door and gestured for her to get in, she fell in love almost immediately. The seat was comfortable and easy to adjust, she could see clearly out of every window, and although the little car sat higher than an ordinary hatchback, she didn’t feel like there was too much vehicle around her. Everything seemed close enough to reach without stretching, the controls were simple, and when she looked over her shoulder she could actually see where the back of the car ended.

She looked up at Blane, who somehow seemed even taller from down here.

Manolis smiled. “You want to try drive it?”

“I’d love to.” She turned to Blane. “Wouldn’t we?”

He pressed his lips together.

She laughed. “Oh, come on. You have to.”

“I have to?”