A Change of Heart (Perfect Indiana#3)

by Barbara Longley

  He started the truck down the driveway, his mind spinning and his cheeks aching from the smile he couldn’t keep off his face. She thinks I’m amazing. Their kiss hadn’t been a total failure, and he’d come up with a solution to her transportation problem that didn’t involve Wesley Holt. Yep, all in all a pretty good day’s work.

  Fiddling with his radio, Ted found some tunes and turned up the volume. He tapped out the beat on his steering wheel and thought about a second kiss. He couldn’t wait to finally hold Cory in his arms and show her all the tenderness she deserved. Once he pulled into the spot by his apartment, he hopped out of his truck and went in search of his dad. He’d be feeding the hogs about now, so he set out for the barn.

  He slid the door open and stepped inside. His father’s voice carried across the large enclosure. Ted laughed. The way his dad talked to the hogs always tickled him. His old man even discussed politics and current events with the swine while filling their feeders. “Hey, Dad. Need a hand?”

  “Nope. I’m about done.” His dad upended the bucket he carried and tapped the bottom so the last few remaining bits of silage dropped out. “You going to join me and your mom for supper tonight?”

  “Yeah, I’m starving.” He shoved his hands into his front pockets and followed his dad out of the building. “I have a favor to ask.”

  His dad glanced at him. “I’m all ears.”

  “You know the Chevy pickup I’ve been tinkering with? Do you have time this weekend to help me get it put back together and get it roadworthy?”

  “What’s the sudden hurry? It’s been months since you took that engine apart.”

  “Cory doesn’t have transportation.” Heat rose under his collar. “I’ve offered to sell the truck to her for cheap.”

  “Oh?” His dad’s eyes lit up. “How are things going with you two?”

  He wanted to spill it all, lay his feelings out on the summer grass for his father to see, but he didn’t. Just because he was falling didn’t mean Cory felt the same, and he didn’t want to deal with the mortifying aftermath if things went to hell. “They’re going OK. She’s settling into her job and seems to be doing better every day. We’re just friends.”

  “She likes you.” His dad studied him as they walked up the porch steps to the front door.

  The words he’d blurted to his dad the Sunday Cory came for dinner returned to him. He’d told his father that he was sick of being liked. “For now.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m working on it, Dad. Slow but sure I’m working on it.” Bit by bit, one defense mechanism at time, he intended to find his way into her heart for good.

  “Sure.” His dad slapped him on the back. “I can find a few hours to work on the truck. Saturday afternoon works for me, and if we need to, we can work on it Sunday evening too.”

  “Thanks.” They both kicked off their boots and went inside for supper, Ted’s cheek-aching smile back in place. “Cory thinks I’m amazing.”

  His dad laughed. “You don’t say.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  IT HAD BEEN ONE WEEK and three days since she and Ted shared a kiss—one week and one day since she’d called all the therapists on the list she’d assembled and found out it would take anywhere from six to eight weeks to get on the schedule. If she didn’t hear from Yale within the next month, she’d call and make an appointment. She had a solid plan of action.

  She blew out a frustrated breath and leaned in over the bathroom sink to get closer to the mirror while applying her mascara. Ted had promised to pick her up early for their bowling night so he could give her a lesson on driving a stick shift. Checking her reflection, she frowned. Her highlights needing touching up, and she had nothing to wear that he hadn’t already seen. What must Ted think? Her heart gave a little flutter, and she glanced at her watch. He’d be here soon.

  She’d better be a fast learner with that old truck if she wanted her transportation problems solved. She could easily afford the one hundred per month, and then she’d have a little extra cash for other things—like buying new clothes.

  The notion of shopping alone sent an icy shiver through her. Malls had too many shadowy places and dark halls leading to utility closets. Shopping centers were filled with too many people who would crowd her space. Unfamiliars bumping into her—even thinking about it brought a sheen of perspiration to her brow.

  She’d ask Brenda to come along. Maybe they could plan a trip to the outlet mall soon. All the Fourth of July sales would be going on. She did one more perusal of her reflection, brushed her hair and sighed. As always, Brenda would look gorgeous tonight, and she’d look like a little brown wren next to her. Nothing she could do about it.

  She walked to the living room to grab her purse from the coffee table and headed out the door for the big house. Coming around the corner, she heard voices. Ceejay, her children and their slobbery dog were together on the veranda. “Hey, how’s it going?” Cory climbed the first two steps and sat down. Lucinda and Toby were settled at a child-size plastic table next to the railing. “What are you up to there?”

  “I’m teaching Toby how to play go fish.” Lucinda raised her hand full of cards for her to see.

  “I’m winning,” Toby boasted.

  “I’m letting you win because you’re just learning.” Lucinda shook her head.

  Toby shot his big sister a rebellious look. “Nuh-uh. I’m winning.”

  “Play nice, you two,” Ceejay cut in. “Where are you off to this evening, Cory?” Micah sat in her lap with his pacifier in his mouth and a sleepy, peaceful expression on his angelic face.

  “Ted is going to teach me how to drive a stick shift, and then we’re going bowling.”

  Noah came through the front door with his hands full of Popsicles. He handed them around to his family and smiled at her. “I would’ve brought one more if I’d known you were here. Would you like one?”

  “That’s OK.” Seeing the Langfords doing nothing other than hanging out together on their front porch sent a pang of longing through her. And envy. They had it all, and their kind of domestic bliss was so far out of her reach she didn’t even dare to try for it.

  “Did I hear you say Ted is going to teach you how to drive a stick shift?” Noah handed Ceejay a Popsicle and lifted Micah from her lap, settling the now sleeping toddler against his shoulder.

  “Yep. If I can manage the clutch, I’m going to buy his old Chevy pickup.”

  “Really?” Ceejay’s eyes widened. “He’s had that truck since he turned sixteen. It was his dad’s for a long time before that. That old thing has got to be close to twenty-five years old.” She chuckled. “His truck is older than he is.”

  “He rebuilt the engine.” Cory jumped in to defend the pickup…or Ted. She wasn’t sure which. “It has new brakes, good tires, and he swears it’s going to last another twenty.”

  “Is Ted your boyfriend?” Lucinda glanced at her over her shoulder. The little girl’s lips were blue from the Popsicle she stuck back into her mouth.

  Heat flooded Cory’s cheeks. “Um…we’re friends.” Ceejay’s warning not to hurt Ted came back to her. She looked down the driveway and wished she was already on her way. Yes indeed. A vehicle of her own would definitely be a good thing.

  Noah walked over to stand by the two children playing cards. “Lucinda, it’s not polite to ask grown-ups personal questions.”

  “I’m sorry. I just wanted to know.” Lucinda looked up at her dad. “Ted needs a girlfriend. That’s what Mommy and Aunt Jenny said, and Cory—”

  “Lucinda Mae,” Ceejay cried. “You don’t need to repeat every single thing you hear.” She turned to Cory. “I apologize. That conversation happened long before you were hired.”

  “It’s OK.” It was true. Ted did need a girlfriend, and the fact that he was spending so much time with her was not helping him to find one. Her heart wrenched at the thought of him with someone else. How like life to place the perfect man in her path just when she was too screwed up to do anything about it.


  Her throat constricted, and anger reared its ugly head. She struggled to gain control over her out-of-control emotions. PTSD. Sudden irrational anger and irritability were symptoms. She’d been reading about her condition over the past weeks. The sad thing was, PTSD didn’t go away on its own. She rose from her place and leaned against the column.

  “There’s Teddy.” Toby hopped up from his place and ran to the steps, dropping his Popsicle on the way. Their monster dog rose from his place and made quick work of cleaning up the red, sticky mess. “He’s drivin’ that old truck.” Toby tugged at Cory’s hand. “I’m gonna have a pickup just like my daddy and Teddy.”

  “I’m sure you will.” She squeezed his sticky little hand. “You have to put on a few more years first.”

  “I know.” He took his hand back and hopped down the stairs. “Hi, Teddy,” Toby shouted and ran toward him.

  Ted climbed out of the Chevy. He wore faded jeans and a navy-blue polo shirt. He looked good. “Hey, little man.” He picked Toby up and tossed him into the air. “What kind of trouble are you getting into today?”

  Toby giggled and shrieked as he came back down, to be caught safely in Ted’s arms. “I’m not in any kind of trouble. I’m playing cards with my big sister.”

  “Kicking her butt, no doubt.” Ted set him back on his feet.

  “Yep.” Toby nodded happily.

  Lucinda came to stand by the railing. “I’m letting him win because he’s little, and he’s just learning.”

  Toby opened his mouth to retort, and Ted drew him against his knees and covered his mouth with a gentle hand. “You’re one mighty fine big sister, Luce.” He peered down at Toby. “Right, little man?” Toby rolled his eyes. Ted laughed and let him go. “Hey, Ceejay, Noah. What are you guys up to tonight?”

  “We have an exciting evening planned.” Noah bounced an awakened and fussing Micah and paced the porch. “First, these three are getting baths, then we’re watching a Disney movie. I believe the master plan for the evening is to hit the sack early.”

  “That’s my idea of a good time these days.” Ceejay yawned and rubbed her baby bump. “Have a nice evening, you two.”

  “Thanks. We will.” Ted turned his warm gray eyes Cory’s way. “You ready for your first driving lesson?”

  Her stomach fluttered. “I guess. So, this is it?” She walked down the stairs and circled the truck. It had just the right number of dents, a few scratches, a little rust and faded blue paint to give it character. The payload had obviously been well used, because it was pretty beat-up. She loved it. Inspecting each tire, she noticed that they were all brand-new. Had he bought them just for her? This time her heart fluttered. Perfect guy; bad timing.

  Ted opened the passenger door for her. “There’s a country road down the highway about a quarter mile. It doesn’t get any traffic to speak of. I thought I’d take you there. It’s a great place to learn.”

  “All right. Let’s do this.” Cory climbed in and buckled her seat belt. She waved good-bye to the Langfords as they pulled out. “They are the nicest people, and those kids are so adorable.”

  “They are. Do you want to have children someday?”

  “I used to. Growing up as an only child, I always thought it would be great to have at least two children of my own.”

  “Used to?” Ted threw a questioning look her way.

  “It’s hard to have kids when…when—”

  “It’s not always going to be like this, Cory. You’ll get better.” He turned onto a narrow asphalt road and pulled to a stop. “I think you’d be an excellent mom.”

  “You do?” She frowned. “Based on what?”

  “Based on how you are around my cousin’s kids and my nieces and nephews. Based on the way Toby reached for your hand without hesitation. Children have a sixth sense about adults. He trusts you.”

  Her chest filled with warmth. “I used to have this fantasy…”

  Ted’s eyes darkened as they met hers. “Tell me.”

  The warmth in her chest turned to heat under his intense scrutiny, and she turned away. “My mom and I never had it easy, but she was always there for me. She had a knack for turning all of our hardships into adventures, and we had fun.” The memories spilling through her mind brought a smile to her face. “Trips to the secondhand store became treasure hunts, and we were displaced royalty on the lam from enemies of the state, stuff like that.”

  She shrugged. “I used to dream of having a husband and a family of my own. My fantasy was to someday have a place with a mother-in-law apartment for my mom. All she ever wanted was to be a stay-at-home mother and wife. That didn’t work out, and I was hoping to give her the chance to spend time with her grandkids without having to worry about working so hard just to keep a roof over her head. She’d be the best grandmother ever. I’d love to make her life easier if I could. She deserves it.”

  She glanced at him to gauge his reaction and lost the ability to speak. The tenderness and longing filling his eyes as he looked back stole her breath. Her heart tumbled over itself, and images of curly-headed, gray-eyed babies danced through her mind. Fantasy being the operative word in that scenario. Can’t have babies if you can’t let the man touch you.

  Her heart breaking, she broke the eye contact before he could see the despair. “So, show me how to drive this truck.”

  “Cory…”

  “Driving lesson, Ted. We came here so I can learn how to master this stick shift.”

  He blew out a loud breath and shifted in his seat. “OK, watch. This is neutral.” He stepped on the clutch and brought the gearshift to the middle, moving it back and forth so she could see. “To the left and up is first, straight down is second.” He demonstrated each shift. “Over to the right and up is third, and straight down from third is fourth. All the way over and down is reverse. Got it?”

  “I think so.”

  “To start out, turn on the engine with the gearshift in neutral. Engage the clutch and shift into first. Ease up on the clutch while also easing down on the gas. Like this.” He demonstrated, and they crept down the road. “I want you to practice shifting into first a few times before we try shifting while driving. Starting out is the hardest part.” He stopped the truck and climbed out so they could switch places. Cory slid over, adjusted everything to accommodate her height and waited for Ted to get settled. He leaned close and put his arm around the back of the seat.

  Distracted by his nearness and intoxicating scent, she repeated his instructions. “Engage the clutch and shift into first.” She spared him a smile before turning all of her attention to coordinating the clutch, gas and driving. “The engine sounds great, by the way.”

  “Of course it does.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Do you think I’d put you in a vehicle that wasn’t one hundred and ten percent safe and reliable?”

  Heat flooded her cheeks. “I appreciate your willingness to part with it. Ceejay said you’ve had this pickup since you were sixteen.”

  “That’s right.” He ran his hand over the dashboard. “She’s my first.”

  “She?” Cory laughed. “And here I was going to name him Freddy Dent.” Easing up on the clutch, she gave it a little gas. The truck lurched and stalled out. “Well, that didn’t go like I expected.”

  “You were too quick with the gas. Try to apply equal amounts of pressure and easing up.”

  “Easier said than done.” She restarted the truck and tried again. This time the pickup hopped down the road a few feet before stalling out again. “Grr.”

  Ted grinned. “That was better. We moved a few feet.”

  “Third time’s the charm.” She bit her lower lip and started the truck again. It bucked a little, but then smoothed out and rolled down the country road. “What do I do to stop?”

  “Step on the brake and the clutch, then put it into neutral.”

  Cory brought the pickup to a stop and practiced shifting into first gear three more times before turning to Ted. A sense of accomplishment thrummed thro
ugh her, and she lifted her chin. “I did it, and I love this old truck. Thanks so much for your willingness to part with it.” She ran her hands around the steering wheel. Strong emotions welled out of nowhere, the intensity blindsiding her. Uppermost were her growing feelings for the generous, sweet man beside her. Too much. These were feelings she couldn’t face right now.

  “Hey.” Ted tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What just happened, Cory?”

  She shrugged. “Just overcome with everything, I guess. I’m very grateful to you, Noah, and everyone else in Perfect. I’m a total stranger, and yet you’ve all taken me in and been so kind.” Good save. So much better than admitting she’d fallen hopelessly in love with him. She couldn’t act on those feelings. With all the crazy she carried, that path could only lead to disaster, and Ted was the last person in the world she wanted to hurt.

  “You’ve been generous too. Don’t think the extra things you do around L&L go unnoticed.”

  “It’s my way of saying thank you.” She forced her mind away from the ache in her heart. “I’m ready to try second and third gear.”

  “It’s going to have to wait until your next lesson. We have to get going.” He tapped his watch. “Beer, pizza and bowling await.” He opened his door and climbed out, coming around the hood to the driver’s side.

  Cory slid back to the passenger seat. “Where is this bowling alley, anyway? Not in Perfect.”

  “Riverside Tavern and Lanes is halfway between Perfect and Evansville just outside of Rockport, which is why we need to get going.” Ted backed the truck around and headed for the highway. “There’s a mall and a movie theater too.”

  “You’ve been to this bowling alley before?”

  “Sure. Lots of times. Believe it or not, when I went to middle school, we took bowling in gym. Riverside Tavern is where we went to practice. We also had the opportunity to learn how to polka and square dance.” He chuckled. “Rural education is…different.”