An Exchange

Chapter Fifty - Car Rides and Secrets

Penny

Ray had done a wonderful job at writing an arrangement for Zoe to play with me. We'd practiced several times, and with a couple of adjustments by him, it sounded just how I wanted it to. We'd just finished practicing the day before we were to sing it in church, and Giles came to pick me up with a huge grin across his face.

He came into Ray's house and held the door shut behind him. "I want to show you guys something."

We all looked at him eagerly.

His grin grew wider. "Come outside."

We followed him out the door and, on the side of the road sat his finished car.

"Oh my gosh, Giles!" I ran over to it and ran my hand over the bonnet.

"Wow, Giles." Ray patted his shoulder. "Good work."

Zoe wrapped her arm around his waist. "I knew you could do it."

He walked over and raised his eyebrows at me. "You guys wanna see under the hood?"

"It's called a bonnet," I teased.

"Maybe in crazy Australian land, but here we call it a hood." He flicked my shoulder and I slapped his hand. He laughed and opened it to show us the engine. He had it all polished and cleaned up, but that's all I really could be impressed with because I knew nothing about engines. But as he explained it, Ray nodded, poking around at it.

"So you did it all yourself in just over six months?" Ray asked, wide eyed.

"Well, not all by myself. Some of my friends in shop helped me, and the teacher and my dad pitched in too."

"It's still very impressive." Zoe smiled as she stood beside me.

"The best part?" Giles looked at each of us. "I got it registered and insured. It's street worthy so I can use it right now." He looked down at me. "So, Miss Penny, I believe you promised you would ride in it."

I put my hands on my hips, grinning. "So I did."

"You better get in then."

"As long as you can promise the floor won't fall out under me."

He grabbed me around the neck and poked me in the ribs. "Get in the car."

We went for quite a long drive as he showed me all the features he'd installed, but only the stereo held my interest. I had to change the channel away from the country music he kept switching it back to.

"Stop touching it!" He grabbed my hand as I reached out to change it again. "I'm trying to show off my handy work."

"To country music it doesn't work. You need some cruising music."

"I like country music."

"Gross, Giles."

"Shut up, Penny."

I sat back, giggling.

He grinned at me and pulled onto a narrow dirt road.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "You aren't going to murder me for not liking your music are you?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh I should, but it would be too messy."

We pulled into a small field at the foot of the mountain. Being early spring, tiny wild flowers had sprouted throughout the grass. The mountain towered over us and the stars glittered overhead. The air smelled fresh with pine trees and a stream babbled somewhere nearby.

Giles jumped out of the car and came around to open the door for me. I stood and gazed around. "Giles, this place is so beautiful."

He walked out into the field. "I know. This is my favourite place, and this is my favourite time of year." He stopped and stretched out his hand for me. "And I'm here with my favourite person."