Della nodded vigorously, her heart just about beating out of her chest. Partly because holy shit she was about to drive. Partly because holy shit she’d never been this close to Tucker for such a sustained period of time.

“All right, then,” he said. “Let’s go. Clutch in first gear, then clutch slowly out, accelerator gently down.”

Della drew in a steadying breath, nervous and excited all at once. She wanted to do this. Being able to drive was the first step in her independence. Also, if she was being totally honest, she wanted to ace it in front of Tucker.

She did not ace it.

She took her foot off the clutch too fast and didn’t give it enough gas, then overcompensated, which stalled the vehicle dramatically in a wheel-screeching bunny hop. Thank goodness for her seatbelt or she’d have been thrown into the steering wheel. Her hand jolted off the wheel and grappled for purchase on the nearest solid thing, which just happened to be Tucker’s thigh.

It tensed to granite beneath her palm. Even through the noise of her pulse thudding in her head and the scrambled state of her brain, Della was aware of that ominous tightening. Aware that she should remove her hand but also kinda paralyzed.

“Are you okay?” Tucker asked after a beat or two.

Dragging in a ragged breath, Della nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry. I—”

“It’s fine.” His dismissal cut her off. “You’ll get better. It just takes practice.” He peeled her hand off his thigh and placed it back on the steering wheel. “Let’s try again.”

He gave her a smile, but Della didn’t miss how he eased away a little as she turned the key in the ignition.

…

Tucker was unsurprised later that day when Arlo was at Jack’s at two minutes after four—his official knock-off time. Drew had been holding up the bar for fifteen minutes, and they’d taken bets on how long it’d take Arlo to join them.

“How’d the lesson go?” he demanded as he strode toward them.

“And a good afternoon to you, too,” Tucker said.

“Two minutes on the dot.” Drew tossed five bucks down on the bar. “You win.”

Arlo ignored both of them. “Did she do okay?”

Preferring to let Arlo sweat a little, Tucker asked, “What’d she say?” He knew Della would have texted her brother, and he was curious what she’d thought about the experience.

“She said you were patient and”—Arlo mimed air quotes—“wonderful.”

Tucker grinned, trying not to let that go to his head. “That’s because I am. Wonderful.”

“She said you said she’s the best student you’ve taught.”

“I did.”

“And exactly how many people have you taught to drive?”

“None.” He grinned again. “But she was very good.”

“Yeah?”