I inclined my head. “You’ve beat me before.”
“Not often,” Trent added, always at my back.
“Down, boy.” Lorhaven hushed Trent, but it was without the usual heat in which he usually snapped at him.
“You definitely have this season in the bag.” I went on. “You look good out there.”
Lorhaven sat forward, leaning his forearms on the table. “You’ve been watching?”
“When I can.”
Lorhaven glanced at Trent. I think they shared a look.
“Whoa, whoa,” I intoned. “What is this?”
“What?” Lorhaven asked.
I turned to T. “Did you two just have a conversation without words?” I made a face. “Are you two actually getting along?”
“He was there when you got hurt.” Trent shrugged. “He sat beside me in the hospital and worried beside me. He supported us even when other people wouldn’t.”
Pursing my lips I nodded. “And now you’re like linked telepathically?”
Lorhaven burst out laughing. “Are you jealous, For—” Halting, he corrected himself. “Mask?”
“No!” I said.
Everyone laughed. Even Gamble. Guess I’d spoken a little too fast.
“I’m just used to practically prying you two apart while you snarl at each other.” I defended.
“You almost died.” Trent said simply, his palm settling on the back of my neck. “And I don’t really know why I don’t like him anyway.”
Joey laughed, which made Jagger laugh too.
“Okay, so what’s with all the eye speak, then? What’d you say?”
Lorhaven grinned, grabbed his beer off the table, and took a long pull of it. Trent delved his fingers into the hair at the base of my neck.
Leaning up, his lips brushed my ear when he whispered, “The only person I’m linked to in any way is you.”
I smiled.
Sitting back, Trent finally answered. “He was asking how you’re doing.”
I looked at Lorhaven. “Why don’t you just ask me?”
“‘Cause I wanted the truth.”
I gave him the finger. Joey covered Jagger’s eyes.
“No one would blame you if you have some, ah, stress about driving again,” Arrow said, understanding deep in his voice.
“You having some trouble since I crashed?” I asked him point blank.
Arrow shifted uncomfortably. “Uh, yeah.”
Hopper made a sound. “Not him. Me.”
“Hopp,” Arrow said, reaching for his hand.
“It’s okay, A. Everyone here knows I got a history with accidents too.”
And so Arrow was driving more cautiously because he was concerned that Hopper was worrying about him too much.
“If your head’s not in it, that’s dangerous too.” I cautioned Arrow. Just thinking about him going through what I did turned my stomach.
Hopper stiffened and then knocked back the rest of the beer in front of him.
“I know. That’s why this is my last season.”
Lorhaven stood up so fast his chair fell over. Hopper spit out the beer he was still swallowing, and Gamble looked gobsmacked.
“I’m guessing from the reaction around the table you haven’t told anyone about this,” Trent said.
“No. But this isn’t a split decision. I’ve been thinking about it awhile.”
“A,” Hopper said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You should have talked to me about this.”
“I’ve always said I’d just drive for a couple years. It’s been more than a couple. I’ve had a good run. I’ve been successful. I’m ready to retire.”
“Arrow.” Hopper leaned toward him.
“I like driving, but I love you. Seeing that fear in your eyes every time I get in the car—” He stopped and shook his head. “I’ve had enough. We both have.”
I felt kind of responsible for this, for the kid hanging up his keys.
Trent’s arms wrapped around me from behind, tugging me back, and I gave him my weight almost readily. “Your demons don’t have anything to do with theirs,” he whispered. “Let them work it out on their own.”
I turned my cheek toward him, and he kissed it lightly, somehow soothing all the turmoil inside me.
“We’re not done talking about this,” Hopper declared.
“We can hash it out over family dinner next week.” Gamble decided.
They had family dinners like we had pancake Sundays.
Arrow just nodded like he already expected the fight. But he was calm. He was secure in his decision. It was done in his mind, and so it was done in mine as well.
He glanced at me, and I nodded, telling him silently I understood. I guess we had some stuff in common. We both loved another man. We both faced ridicule from people who were supposed to love us. We both drove fast, and now both of us sat here pondering our future and what speed could do to the people around us that we loved most.
“I don’t think I’ll be calling you kid anymore,” I said.
He smiled.
“Arrow.” Hopper tried again, but A silenced him with a single action. A kiss.
“Drew,” Gamble barked, making me glance away from the couple.
“What?”
“You have an interview in two days.”
“I know.”
“GearShark is paying damn good money for this.”
“We know,” Trent said this time.
“You sure you’re up for this?” he asked.
We’d stayed pretty quiet to the press. The NRR issued a statement after I woke up from the coma, updating the public about my condition and confirming I would (obviously) be out the rest of the season. They also confirmed the cause of the crash was a faulty tire that blew at the perfect wrong moment, and when that happens under such perfect conditions, the track turns into a shit storm.
The family never commented on the rumors about my parents, the “fight” at my bedside, or any of the other epically dramatic shit the press was conjuring up. We also kept quiet about Andi and Travis because the last thing we wanted was the press breathing down our kids’ necks. There was speculation about the kids too, of course. I mean, we’d been seen with strollers and car seats… and, well, the kids.
“We’re up for it.” I nodded.
“They’re going to ask some hard shit.”
“And we’re going to answer it,” Trent deadpanned.
“What about next season?”
And there it was.
The question everyone tiptoed around. The question I knew everyone speculated about, but no one asked. Would I return to driving? Or was this the end of my career?
Feeling the obvious tension vibrating my body, Trent sat forward, wrapping himself around me from behind. I liked it. He felt good. Secure. He helped banish the panicky, confused feelings that sometimes resurfaced from when I’d been in a coma.
We hadn’t even talked about this yet. We’d been too busy grabbing hold of each other and our kids to think about anything else.
“I don’t know,” I finally said.
“Dad,” Joey said, handing Jagger to Lorhaven and pinning her father with a hard look. “It’s their wedding day. You can’t bring this up later?”
“The interview is in two days,” he muttered.
“And I’ll tell them exactly what I’m telling you. I don’t know yet. I don’t—”
Trent gave me a light squeeze and spoke over my voice. “When Drew makes a decision, we’ll let you know. Until then, back off.”
Everyone went silent, all sort of surprised that Trent would dare talk to Gamble that way. I wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t the first time Trent shielded me. Hell, it wasn’t even the millionth. And it definitely wouldn’t be the last.
“Fine.” Gamble allowed, not offended in the least. “But I need to know by the end of summer.”
Trent stiffened, but I patted his hand, trying to calm him down. Business was business, after all.
I n
odded. “Okay.”
Everyone sat there broodily for a few moments, as if Arrow’s announcement and my indecision brought down the mood.
Gamble cleared his throat. “And, uh, either way…” He began, making me look up at him. “Either way, there’s a place for you in the NRR, on the track or the sidelines.”
Relief I didn’t even know I needed filled me. The absence of its insurmountable weight overwhelmed me. “That really means a lot to me.”
Gamble grunted. “Well if I don’t keep you around, you won’t stay out of trouble. Besides, you gotta work off all the money I had to pay out to keep that husband of yours out of a cell.”
Trent groaned. “I issued apologies to everyone.”
“‘Cause human resources made you.” Lorhaven snickered.
“More than you would do,” I snapped.
“Damn right. Those assholes deserved every beating Trent gave them.”
Trent grunted in appreciation.
Was this the twilight zone?
“No more business talk.” Gamble was brusque and signaled a server with a tray of champagne. In seconds, we all had a flute in our hands. “A toast,” he said, raising his glass.
All six of us lifted the glasses.
“To Drew and Trent, for beating the odds more than once. May you have a long and happy life together.”
“Here, here,” everyone rang out, and then we all drank.
I only got one sip before Trent confiscated the glass from my hand.
How ridiculous but also incredibly endearing.
48
Trent
* * *
The house was dark and still when Andi started fussing. Even though I’d been dead asleep, my eyes sprang open immediately. I always had the same reaction to my daughter when she was upset: I didn’t like it. It was almost like I was hardwired to instantly want to soothe her, to make whatever the problem was go away.
Pushing up, I leaned over the bassinet pushed close to our bed to reach in and lift her out. Her arms and legs were flailing as she gave me her best hangry cry.
“All right now, peanut.” I soothed, laying her against my chest. “Let’s eat.”
“What’s wrong?” Drew’s sleepy head lifted off the pillow. Even with only the glimmer of the nightlight, I could see his wild blond hair sticking up everywhere.
Dude was such a mess.
I really liked messes.
“I’m getting Andi a bottle. You can go back to sleep.”
“I can help,” he slurred, making a sleepy groaning sound. Drew was not a morning person… He wasn’t a middle of the night person either. God love him, though, he tried.
The little boy sleeping between us rolled, smacking him in the face.
“Ah!” he grunted, falling back into the pillow.
I chuckled. “You better stay put. Don’t wake him up.”
“He hit me in the face, and you’re worried about me waking him?” Drew grumbled. “Is this what happens when you get married? I’m the bottom of the totem pole.” He accented his whining with a yawn.
Andi was a little calmer since I was holding her, so I went around the bed, stepping on a squeaky dog toy and then stumbling over a metal race car lying on the floor.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
From the bed, Drew laughed. “Karma.”
“I was coming over there to kiss you, but I think I changed my mind,” I quipped, taking my daughter and heading for the door.
For a guy who was a grouchy grump when having to wake up, he sure did move stealthily when he wanted to. His warm hand curled around my bare bicep, not pulling me around but his touch enough to make me stop.
When I pivoted, one of his hands gently cupped the back of Andi’s head, and the other cupped my jaw. Leaning over, he kissed me softly, slipping me a little tongue.
I liked tongue.
“Come on,” he drawled, taking my hand and leading me downstairs into the dimly lit kitchen.
We used to sleep with not a single light on in this house. But now we had nightlights everywhere and kept the light above the stove on for when we had to get up with Andi.
Shuffling to the fridge, Drew pulled out a bottle and popped it into this thing that heated it up for us, which was a gift from Rimmel.
Andi fussed while it heated, so I gently rocked her while we waited.
The second it beeped, Drew snapped it up, wiped off the outside, and then tested the temperature on the inside of his wrist. “All good,” he said, handing it over.
Andi didn’t have much trouble latching onto a bottle anymore, so the second I offered it to her, all the fussing filling the room stopped and she started to eat.
She ate a lot and had already put on a few pounds since we brought her home, but she was still my little peanut and probably always would be.
“You look sexy standing there half naked, feeding my daughter,” Drew said, padding across the floor toward us.
“Dad.” Travis’s voice floated around the corner, and then he stepped into the kitchen, dragging a stuffed Pikachu with him. His hair was sticking up everywhere, and his feet were bare.
“Yeah?” we both said at the same time. It didn’t matter which one of us Travis wanted, we both always answered.
“Where’d you go?” he asked, walking up to Drew.
French Fry’s toenails clipped across the solid floor as he followed along behind his boy. Ever since Travis got here, Fry had become his shadow.
Drew picked up Travis, and my heart tumbled when he immediately relaxed against Drew’s body, the stuffed toy dangling over his shoulder and down his back. “Andi wanted a bottle.”
“She eats a lot.”
Drew chuckled and carried Travis back upstairs with me happily trailing behind.
Both my husband and son sprawled out on the bed before I even got there, with Fry taking up the entire foot of the mattress. Drew lay on his back, one arm flung up over his head and the other around Travis who pressed into his side, hugging his toy.
I stood beside the bed, staring down at them for a few moments before getting in myself and leaning against the headboard to finish feeding Andi.
Her dark eyes stared up, making me feel like I was her entire universe. “I love you,” I whispered. “You’re my favorite girl.”
Her lips let go of the bottle, and she made a small coughing sound. But then she went right back to eating.
Travis fell back asleep almost instantly, and when he shifted, it was to fling his animal across Drew’s face.
From underneath the yellow blob, Drew made a sound. Chuckling, I reached over and peeled it away.
“We need a bigger mattress,” he declared.
“Doesn’t matter how big of a bed we get. We’ll all still roll over to be as close to you as we can.”
His head turned toward me, and when he smiled, his dimple appeared. “This isn’t exactly the way I pictured our honeymoon.”
“It’s better,” I confessed.
His head bobbed. “Way better.”
Once Andi finished her bottle, had on a dry diaper, and was swaddled up in the pink blanket she loved, I settled back into the sheets.
“Are you asleep?” I whispered.
Drew made a sound.
“You nervous for tomorrow’s interview?” I whispered, again.
He was quiet a moment, but then he replied, “No, not nervous.”
“Do you know what you’re going to say?”
He shifted beneath the blankets and son, turning so we were facing each other in the dark.
“How come you’ve never asked me?”
I knew he meant about racing. About if he would return to the track.
“Because whatever you want to do is fine with me.”
He rubbed his cheek against the pillow, eyes focused on me. “Even if I say I still want to drive? Even if you will worry every time I get behind the wheel?”
“Even then.”
“Really?” he asked, partially surprised.
&nbs
p; I nodded, no longer able to resist the urge to rub my palm over his rough jaw. “I know how much you love racing, Drew. What a big part of you it is. I would never ask you to deny that part of yourself. I would never ask you to choose between racing and your family. You can have both. You can have whatever you want. All I want is for you to be happy.”
Drew’s hand covered mine where it rested against his jaw, gently tugging it down so he could kiss the center of my palm. “I seriously don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
“I wonder the same thing every day.”
“I think I want to race again,” he confessed, nerves and excitement playing over his face at once.
I nodded, my own nerves and excitement whirling inside me. “Then that’s what you’ll do.”
“But I’m afraid.”
“I think that’s probably natural,” I said gently. “You’ve been through a lot.”
He shook my head, scooting closer toward me. “Not of wrecking again.”
His brows drew together. “Of what, then?”
“Of hurting you. Of making you feel like I’m willing to risk everything we have for a race.”
My heart squeezed. “Is that what you’ll be doing?”
“No,” he said, rough and a little too loud. Travis shifted against him, and we both looked down, worried he would awaken.
He didn’t, though. Little man stayed fast asleep.
“No.” he said again, this time quiet and gentle. “Nothing is more important to me than you and the kids. I swear it.”
“I believe you.”
Leaning forward, his lips latched onto mine. The kiss felt like a hug. A warm, strong hug for the lips. Everything inside me warmed and tingled. Everything inside me felt loved.
“I can’t go out like this, T. I can’t let one bad crash sideline me forever. I was at the top of my career. I loved what I did.”
“And then everything changed.”
I heard him swallow in the silence that followed. “Yeah.” His voice was raw. “Everything changed, and it put you through hell.”
“You too.”
He made a sound. “I don’t care about me. But you. Travis and Andi…”
“You want to finish your racing career on your terms. You want to go out at the top, not in a mass of crumpled metal.”
#Fate Page 31
