Driving Lessons: A Novel Read Online Free Page A

hands balled into fists reflexively.
    “Yeah! Iris?”
    “Yes, yes. Great memory. It’s actually a miracle that I remembered your name at all, truth be told. My brain is like a sieve.” She smiled, and her face lit up like a choir of angels singing. I both hated her and desperately wanted her to like me.
    “This is my wife, Sarah,” explained Josh. I reached out my hand to shake hers, immediately wishing I hadn’t. What was this, a job interview? Nerves had an alarming effect on me. Once, I had greeted an ex on the subway with a high five, much to my, and his, chagrin.
    “Hi, Sarah. It’s nice to meet you. I’m a professor at the college as well. Josh and I met at that painful faculty lunch on Wednesday.”
    I nodded, pretending to have known this already. “Oh, of course! It’s so nice to meet you.”
    “How are you liking it here? Big change from New York, huh?”
    “Yeah, it’s def—”
    “So, Josh, you ready for Monday?” she asked, cutting me off midanswer. So much for southern hospitality. I pretended to be fascinated by the strings of my cutoffs.
    “Ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose. I have a crazy course load this semester. Four classes with about a thousand kids.”
    “Good God,” said Iris. “That’s insane. Guess we have a lot of mathematicians in the making here.”
    “What do you teach?” I asked.
    “Art history.” Naturally. I bet she made pottery on a wheel in her backyard too, amid the wilds of the fresh herb garden that she had planted herself. And that she drove an antique pickup truck and baked her own bread as well, without the help of a ridiculous mixer that weighed a thousand pounds.
    “Cool,” I offered weakly. Impossibly, an Adonis approached us with a wry smile on his face.
    “Hi,” he said in a gravelly baritone, slipping one giant hand around Iris’s waist and offering Josh the other.
    “You must be Mac,” he said, shaking his hand firmly. “I’m Josh.”
    “Great to meet you.”
    “And I’m Sarah,” I added, my voice cracking under the visual pressure of beholding two of the most gorgeous humans I had ever seen.
    “Hi, Sarah.”
    “Y’all here for Denise’s chicken?” Iris asked. “It’s out of this world.”
    “That’s the word on the street,” answered Josh. He smiled broadly, clearly dazzled as well.
    “Well, enjoy. We’re headed to the farmer’s market.” Of course you are. “They have the most amazing produce for nothing. Y’all should check it out. Sarah, it was great meeting you.”
    “You too.” I smiled awkwardly.
    Iris gave a graceful wave and they floated off, her white jeans impossibly white. I gave Josh a smirk.
    “What?”
    “Jesus, that gene pool is worth a million dollars, at least.”
    “No kidding. Wow. They seem nice, though. We should get dinner together or something.” He glanced at me. “Why are you wrinkling your nose?”
    “She’s not really for me.”
    “How do you know? You met her for all of two minutes.”
    “I dunno. I just don’t like her.”
    “Sarah, come on. You don’t like her because she’s pretty?”
    “No!” I blushed. “Well, maybe. And also, a little too smug. I don’t know, she doesn’t seem like a girl’s girl to me. Did you see the way she cut me off?”
    “Sarah.”
    “Fine. Guilty as charged. But I swear, it’s not just her looks that rub me the wrong way.”
    “A double date would be good for us. Maybe they can shed some light on the Farmwood scene after-hours.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
    “Oh God, there’s a scary thought.”
    “Don’t be such a snob, Sarah.” He took my hand and led me to the front door.
    “I can’t help it.” I sighed. “It’s part of my DNA.”

4

    Before changing lanes, signal, look in all of your mirrors, and glance over your left or right shoulder to make sure the lane you want is clear.
    C all me if you forgot something, I’ll pick it up on my way home,” said Josh as he nestled the last bag onto the remaining sliver of counter space