Page 81 of Full Throttle

I chuckled. “Nope. Got rid of that. Check it out.”

Chase and I flipped up the tarp, and I watched Josh’s face change from confused to elated.

“Dad!”

I grinned, running my hand over the vehicle. To an unknowing eye, it looked like a hunk of old metal. But Josh knew exactly what it was.

The start of his dream car.

He touched the metal reverently. “A sixty-nine Cobra,” he breathed out. “How did you find it?”

“Through some contacts. It’s straight as an arrow. Hardly any rust, and we even have some original parts. It’ll take time, but we’ll rebuild it. You can work on it yourself, make it yours. By the time you get your license, we should have it ready.”

He stared at it. “It’s incredible.” He went around shaking everyone’s hand and exchanging fast, backslapping hugs. He stopped in front of me and encased me in a bear hug.

Hugs for the girls were normal. For the grandparents. He hugged Cherry a lot. Ours were rarer. Always brief. But this one was different. Longer. Harder. Emotional.

“Thanks, Dad,” he whispered.

“You’re welcome.” I expected him to release me, but he held on tighter, and I gripped him close as he continued to talk.

“For everything. For never giving up on me. For loving me when I wasn’t ready to love you back. But I do. I love you, Dad.”

He’d never said it before. He was fond of me. We were great friends. But it was the first time he’d ever said those words. Tears filled my eyes, and I held him tight. “Love you right back.”

He eased back, wiping his eyes. “How does Mumsy feel about the car?”

“Like asking your father to put something in it so you can never go more than forty,” Cherry replied, smiling at us, tears in her eyes, having witnessed our moment.

Josh grinned and swooped down, kissing her cheek and hugging her tight. “Sorry, no can do. Man, I can hardly wait to start!”

He turned and yelled. “Hannah Banana, did you see my car?”

“That hunk of metal?” she responded cheekily.

“Hey,” he protested. “I am going to be so cool in that car once it’s done.”

She scoffed, pulling him into a headlock. “It’ll take more than a car to make you cool, Josh B’Gosh.”

They wrestled with each other, laughing.

I smiled at them, slipping my arm around Cherry.

“Good day,” she said softly.

“Amazing,” I agreed. “Thanks to you.”

“Me?”

I turned, pulling her into my arms. “I took a job at a garage, hoping to find a good crew. Because of you, I found my life. My son. My heart. It’s all you, Cherry. All of it.”

She smiled up at me. “Right back at you, Mr. Salvatore.”

I bent and kissed her. “Ready to go and finish celebrating?”

She grinned. “Yes. When they leave, we might need that dip. I’m suddenly feeling warm.”

My smile was wide.

“Let’s go, then.”