Page 3 of Driving to December
Apparently, Truck-o-Rama did have an entire fleet of vehicles. Unfortunately, they had also been targeted by vandals who broke over a dozen windshields on their lot. They weren’t the only ones, either; two other rental agency lots had also been hit. While Mattie felt sorry for them, she felt sorrier for herself. There wasn’t a single pickup for rent in all of Edmonton. From what the rental representatives told her, the few available three and a half hours away in Calgary would be all gone before she could get there. She was stuck.
Robby wandered over to her, brushing his hands on his cargo shorts. “It’s dead, alright.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious.”
“When are they going to have your replacement ready?”
She sighed. “Sometime next week if I’m lucky.” Suddenly, an idea hit her. Mattie scratched the back of her neck. Then she batted her brown eyes at her brother. “Unless the best big brother in the whole world lends me his truck for a few days. Two and a half. Three, tops.” She’d be mostly dead, but she could drive the trailer to Christmastown and have it back to him in three days. She’d pay for her own plane ticket home after that if she had to.
“I’m sorry, Mattie. I’m leaving for Grande Prairie tomorrow morning. I thought you knew. That’s why I’m having my truck looked at today.”
She dropped her head into her hands. “I am so screwed! There will be a whole landscaping crew waiting for me at Christmastown on Monday morning.”
Robby looked at her, then over at Dave. Mattie followed his gaze. She didn’t know what Robby was thinking. All she saw was Dave talking a mile a minute while holding a loonie between his thumb and forefinger. Robby held up his hand. “I’ll be right back.”
Chapter 2
Dave
Seeing all the old mall decorations was a real blast from the past. Dave patted the snow pup on the head. His two seasons as Santa’s assistant had been a ton of fun. Finding ways to keep the kids entertained before they spoke to Santa was the catalyst that led him to discovering one of the big passions in his life: magic. He was amazed at how effectively pulling a quarter out of someone’s ear could quiet an entire line of grumbling kids.
He had a feeling that his coin trick wasn’t going to impress Mattie. The gorgeous brunette was freaking out, which was shocking because Robby always talked about how level-headed she was. She had her hand on her hip while she very deliberately breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth before she dialed another number. That conversation made her flushed cheeks turn even redder.
While he and John Hunniwell strapped another snowman to the bed of the trailer, Robby walked toward him and angled his head, indicating for Dave to follow him. “I need a favour,” his friend said.
“I already told you that I’d drive Mattie to the rental agency.”
Robby scratched the back of his neck the same way Mattie did when she’d spoken to her brother. “I need you to drive her a little farther than that.”
“To her hotel afterward?”
“No. To Manitoba.”
Dave’s brain stuttered like it was buffering. He couldn’t have heard correctly. “What?”
“You’re driving there anyway. It wouldn’t be out of your way. All you’d have to do is hook her trailer to the back of your van.”
“I am driving to Manitoba. Eventually. Later this week,” Dave said slowly. “I have stops to make for my shows along the way, though.”
His teenaged talent with vanishing coins had only been the beginning. From there, Dave had moved on to card tricks. Then he mastered the endless handkerchief and the self-repairing rope trick. Once he bought the rabbit, he was ready to go public. He invested in a specially designed cowboy hat and a fringed leather coat. When he added white gloves and a pocket square, he transformed into Dave the Magnificent, magician-at-large. This month was his country-wide debut.
“I know that you have magic shows to do. That’s why I’m asking,” Robby pressed. “They’re what? A couple of hours on a couple of days. It’s not like they’re going to take long to do.”
At least his friend was only dismissing the time and effort it took to put on a performance; unlike some of the other guys they worked with, Robby wasn’t outright mocking his magic shows.
“I have a birthday party in Drumheller tomorrow afternoon. That’s a costume change, set-up, performance, and breakdown time for all of my props,” Dave protested. “Then I have to get to the Diamond Willow Festival in Hopewell, Manitoba. I’m doing two shows there this coming weekend. I can’t be hauling your sister’s Christmas ornaments all over the place!” He had originally planned to take the second half of August off to get a break from his mechanic job and dip a toe into a magic career. He’d booked enough engagements to cover his expenses and have a little left to live on. Originally, he’d intended to sign a new contract and pick up his toolbelt again after Labour Day, but that plan fell apart when his employer had informed him that he wouldn’t be rehired due to cutbacks.
With more optimism than common sense, Dave had decided to double down and trust in magic. He kept his magic show bookings and hoped to use the exposure to book more events in the fall. If he failed, he’d have to find another mechanic position. But he refused to give up before he’d even had his first show. Dave was determined to make a go of it.
Robby smiled. “I know. I’m the reason that you’re able to do those shows, since I’m the one who covered for you last year. You know, when you double-booked yourself when you signed up for magician camp. I gave up a whole week of my holidays out of the goodness of my heart so you could chase your dreams. All I’m asking in return is one teeny, tiny favour: let my sister sit in the passenger seat while you drive to your shows like you were already planning to do.”
Dave sighed. He did owe Robby. He had misread the camp dates and booked his vacation while he was supposed to be onsite. Robby had booked the same week off and had offered to take his shifts. “She said she’s on a schedule,” Dave hedged, still looking for a way to get out of Robby’s request.
“Mattie just has to be back at the office on Monday. If you get her as far as Hopewell, she can rent a truck from there. She can probably have the company send one to pick up her and the trailer. It’s close enough.”
“You don’t know if she wants to travel with me. We’ll be stuck together in the Magnificent van. And we’ll be camping because I can’t afford hotel rooms. I’m doing this on a miniscule budget.”
“Even better! She can pay for gas and save you all the money you were going to spend on fuel. It’s like you’re supposed to take her with you.”
