Mentally kicking himself for kissing Cissy, Gil kept his distance for several days. Still, he caught himself thinking of ways he could take care of all the little problems that would probably crop up around an orphanage. Then he told himself that the very notion was insane. If he’d wanted to take care of a bunch of kids, he’d have stayed in South Dakota where all his nieces and nephews lived. By Wednesday, he’d convinced himself that the thing to do was to help Cissy fulfill her calling so he could get back to his. That meant fixing her car.
As he drove over to the Locke place, he was struck anew by how much he loved Grasslands. It was a picture-perfect little ranching community, tucked into a broad expanse of excellent pastureland. The ground didn’t freeze ten feet deep in the winter, and he’d learned to tolerate the steamy summers while delightedly basking in the autumns. Spring could be a bit nerve-jangling with thunderstorms and tornadoes popping up, but Gil considered that a small price to pay for all the positives. He’d have to be crazy to give up this place for a dusty, bare-bones orphanage in Mexico.
Sally’s truck was gone, so he didn’t bother knocking on the door when he got to the Locke place. Instead, he got right to work and began a methodical survey of the engine of Cissy’s little wreck of a car. He saw at least two problems right away and was investigating various hoses when he heard footsteps. He looked around to find Cissy approaching.
She offered him a set of keys, asking, “Need these?”
“That would help, yes.” Smiling, he reached out and took the keys, careful not to touch her fingers. She seemed as eager to avoid his touch as he was to avoid hers. He told himself that was sensible, but it rankled nonetheless.
“Been here long?” she asked too brightly.
Noting that she had her purse with her, he shook his head. “Going somewhere?”
“Only if you’re heading to church and willing to give me a ride. Mom left without me.”
“The two of you have words again?”
“Something like that.”
He should’ve told her that he needed to work, but instead he said, “Hop in the truck.”
“Only if you intended to go to the prayer meeting anyway,” she said.
He hadn’t, of course, but perhaps he should have. Besides, he had a light with him so he could work on the car after the service. “Get in.”
She didn’t argue further, just hurried around to climb up into the cab of his old truck. Gil couldn’t help sighing as he pocketed her keys and took out his own.
Why was it that he could neither avoid nor resist her? Every time he saw her, he felt more drawn to her, and that could lead to nothing but heartbreak.
The sooner she was on her way to Mexico, the better for both of them.