“WHAT DO YOU MEAN you didn’t do the assignment I gave you?” Alex glared at Beau, trying to ignore how sexy he looked when his blonde hair fell over his forehead.
“Come on, Alex. I’ve explained this to you before. I am going to be a professional football player and don’t need to worry about school. The lame assignment you gave us is just a waste of time.”
Alex gulped as Beau moved closer. He smells so good! He smiled down at her and her heart skipped a beat. She hoped her face wasn’t turning red. She wasn’t one of those girls that looked good when she blushed.
The moment was ruined as the rest of the students filed into the classroom. They split into their two groups and Alex asked for their note cards she’d asked them to make over the weekend. Only four students had them. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed loudly. She gathered the note cards and motioned the students to come with her to the far corner of the room.
“Do you want us all to follow you?”
Alex turned and faced the students who hadn’t done their note cards and she bit back a smile at their uncertainty. Some were standing while the others were sitting and looking confused. “I only need the ones who actually did their assignment. You guys are on your own for the day.”
Alex bit her lip at the indignant snorts and comments that followed her.
The afternoon flew by as Alex took turns quizzing the students with their note cards. They couldn’t quite get through all the questions without having to look at the answer but Alex was pleased with their progress.
“If you guys keep this up, you’ll pass your classes for sure,” she said.
Alex hurriedly shoved her books in her bag and trotted out the door. Her stomach was fluttery and just a bit nauseous. She replayed her Driver’s Education book in her head, trying to remember everything she had been studying. For the first time since Jenn’s revelation that Sean and Gavin may be alive in the present, Alex wasn’t thinking of locating the pair, nor why she had returned so abruptly before saving anyone from the past. She wasn’t even thinking about Beau and how good he smelled, how he drove her crazy and not necessarily in a good way.
Her focus was on obtaining her driving permit.
She’d studied until she was sure she could recite the book by heart. Her Aunt Karen even let her read a little when not waiting on customers at the store. Her friends encouraged her and yet teased her as only best friends can do since she was the only one who didn’t have her license yet. Alex was bummed that she had to have the permit for a year and that she had to keep careful logs of her driving time with a licensed adult.
At least I’ll get it before I’m thirty!Alex jumped as her phone vibrated in her back pocket, and smiled when she saw the text message from Jenn: -Good luck on your test!
In seconds, her phone vibrated again, this time with words of encouragement from Amy. Alex smiled when Simon and Paul sent similar messages, although their texts were more sarcastic than supportive.
Her heart filled to bursting with happiness, she rounded a corner and stopped dead in her tracks.
Drake and his new girlfriend were standing by the lockers and they were locked in a passionate embrace. The pair didn’t notice her approaching. What the heck do I do now?
Alex took a deep breath and stared at the phone in her hands, pushing buttons as though she were texting or checking her Facebook status. She refused to glance at Drake and his new girlfriend macking on each other. Her face flushed and her hands shook so badly she hoped she wouldn’t drop her phone. She swore the kissing noises got louder as she walked by but she ignored them and bolted out the door, still staring at her phone as though engrossed in the best conversation she’d ever had.
Her mom was waiting in the parking lot. Alex tossed her bag in the back seat of the Blazer and scrambled into the front seat. The uncomfortable encounter in the hallway stole some of the excitement at the prospect of getting her permit.
“You seem distracted, Lexi. What’s up?”
Alex smiled at her mom’s pet name for her. “Just having trouble with some of the kids in the tutoring group.”
“Are they giving you a hard time?”
“Yup. But if they fail, it won’t be because I didn’t try to help.”
Alex was dismayed at the line at the DMV and hoped she would even be able to take the test. After choosing a number and taking a seat, Alex stared out the window, her mind wandering back to her last trip through the mirror, which made her think of Sean and Gavin. She wished she truly did have Internet on her phone so she could kill time doing Google searches for the Scottish pair.
“Karen invited us over for dinner this weekend. Mark’s back in town for a while.”
“It must be hard for her to have him gone so much.”
“I’m sure it is. At least she has the stores to keep her busy.”
Alex nodded. “That’s true. Still, to only see him a couple times a year. Not sure I could do it.”
“Karen knew what she was marrying into. Mark was in the military when they met and he was very honest with her about what he wanted as far as his career and family.”
“It was his idea not to have kids?”
“It was both, I think. Karen never showed any interest in having kids and Mark never mentioned wanting them as far as I know.”
“Why didn’t you ever have more?”
“Because I stopped after having the perfect daughter.”
Alex smiled as her mom hugged her. The words made her feel special even though she knew she wasn’t perfect. She’d always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. A big brother, or little sister perhaps. Her other friends had brothers and sisters and they assured her it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, although none of them would give their siblings away.
“Number 243.”
“That’s us, Alex.”
Alex shook her head. “So soon?” She peered around the room and was surprised to find that many of the chairs were now empty.
Alex rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans and made her way to the front desk. She waited impatiently while the clerk took down the information, marveling at how quickly the woman’s fingers tracked over the keys.
The woman handed Alex the test packet and pointed to a partitioned desk. There were several other people there, heads bent, hands moving over the keyboard furiously. She found an empty spot and opened the program on the computer. When the answer to the first question came quickly and easily to mind, Alex relaxed and finished her text before many of the others that had been there before her.
“So how do you think you did?” her mom asked.
“I think I passed. I feel like I knew everything.”
“Knowing you, you aced it.”
When the nice lady called her back up, Alex walked to the counter on wobbly legs. The woman had a smile on her face which put Alex at ease.
“You passed with flying colors, young lady. Congratulations.” She handed Alex a packet. “Here’s what you need to know before getting your license. Read through that and make sure you give the driving log sheet to your mom. Now, if you’ll step over here, we’ll get your picture.”
Alex cradled her learner’s permit as she followed her mom out to the car. She wanted to hold it forever.
“You should put that in your purse, Lexi, so you don’t lose it. They charge for that, you know.”
Alex put the permit in her wallet. She walked to the passenger side and stopped abruptly when she ran into her mom.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“You may as well start your driving hours now. Besides, it will be nice to be chauffeured around for a change.” Patricia tossed the keys to Alex.
Alex trotted around to the driver’s seat. The seat was a little too far back for her feet to reach the pedals so she moved it forward until she felt comfortable.
“Make sure to check your mirrors.”
“I know, I know.” Alex adjusted the rearview mirror and glanced in the side mirrors.
“What do you say we go out to dinner to celebrate? Your choice, my treat.”
Alex pursed her lips. “Uncle Nubs?”
“Sounds good. Drive on, Jeeves.”
Alex giggled as her mom fluffed and primped her hair. She put the car in reverse and glanced once more in the rearview to check that the coast was clear.
She gasped when she saw an unfamiliar face staring back at her.