He could tell she was more nervous about the shooter than she was letting on.
“Absolutely.” Her protection was all that mattered to him now.
Quickly, they helped her into the passenger’s side and Chance returned to the back of the cab.
He jumped into the driver’s seat, placing his hands on the steering wheel. “Kaylyn, do you have the keys?”
“They’re still in the ignition.”
Though it had been a long time since he’d been in this position in any vehicle, it felt familiar. Keeping his left hand on the wheel, he touched the key with his right hand. Like riding a bike—but driving a car? Either way, you never forget.
He turned the key, and the truck’s engine roared to life. “Okay, Kaylyn. You ready?”
“Yes, but let’s go slow. Deal?”
“Sure.”
Thankfully, Kaylyn’s truck had automatic transmission. It would make this trip easier, though in his sighted days he’d always preferred manual transmission.
He put his foot on the brake and moved the gearshift down to what he felt was “drive.” “This is the right gear, Kaylyn?”
“Perfect. You certainly still have the feel for driving.”
“Okay, we’ve got to get turned around. Is there enough room here to do that?”
“Yes. We’re parked on the side off of the road, so you’ve got room to do a U-turn. You’ll need to cut it sharp because there’s a slight drop-off on the other side of the road.”
“Got it.” He moved his foot off the brake and to the gas pedal. He applied a little pressure to the accelerator and turned the wheel hard to the left.
“That’s perfect, Jaris.” Kaylyn’s tone was shaky, which told him she was nervous about this.
He wasn’t. With her as his guide he was confident they could drive all the way to California and back if necessary.
He straightened out the wheel, realizing they’d made the
full turn. “Am I on the road now, Kaylyn?”
“A little to the right and you’ll be lined up perfectly. You got it. This is so crazy.” Kaylyn laughed.
“What’s so funny, sweetheart?” Chance asked, also laughing. “A blind chauffeur is all the rage these days, haven’t you heard?”
“Maybe so, but I think once my leg is fixed up, we’ll leave the driving to me. Jaris, there’s a curve up ahead to the right.”
“Sharp or slight?”
“Slight. Start moving right…now. Perfect. Straighten it out. Excellent.”
“How fast am I going?”
“Ten miles an hour.”
“Let’s kick it up a little.” He wanted to get clear of the danger and closer to where she could have her leg looked at by the doctor.
“Okay. This is a pretty straight shot for a few miles.”
“Tell me when we’re up to twenty.”
They continued down the ranch road with Kaylyn giving directions and him driving for several minutes. It felt good to be behind the wheel again, even without his eyes. It felt normal.