Hayden walked into the locker room then. His eyes were stony as they darted between Dex and me. I shifted my smile to him, showing him that he had nothing to worry about. Still looking between us, he asked, “Everything…okay?” His voice was cautious, wary.
My warm smile turned into a frown. “I was just helping Dex clean up his locker, since Myles decided to give it a shaving cream bath.”
Hayden’s lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. “Did he? What a shame.”
The amusement in his eyes was all too evident. He was impressed with Myles, which meant I was going to have to have a talk with both of them. Again. No matter what Dex said, I couldn’t just sit back and allow it to continue. This was a business, not a frat house.
Dex frowned at Hayden’s comment. Turning to him, I said, “Nikki is probably looking for you, Dex. Why don’t you go check in with her, and I’ll finish cleaning up this mess. Oh, and can you tell Nikki about the meeting tonight for me?”
His face transformed as he switched his gaze to me. “Sure thing, boss.” He flicked a glance at Hayden, then turned back to me and gave me an obvious, flirty wink. I could almost feel Hayden’s tension triple.
He rounded on me the minute Dex was gone. “What the hell was that?”
I sighed as I studied his face. “That was Dex trying to get under your skin…and succeeding.” Narrowing my eyes, I said, “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about Dex’s tools being hidden, or his lunch being taken…would you?”
Hayden cringed, giving me all the confirmation I needed. “Damn it, Hayden, you know how hard it is to come onto an established team. I figured, out of everyone, you’d be the most welcoming. Not the least.”
Hayden sighed and looked away. When he looked back at me, his face was somber. “I know, and I’m sorry, I just… I still don’t like him around you. And I know that makes me look like a Neanderthal, but, well, maybe that’s what I am.” He frowned. “This is harder for me than I thought it would be.”
With a sigh, I stepped close to him and laced my arms around his neck. “I understand jealousy. I really do. But if we’re going to work, then you need to let it go. Or…try to let it go. And trust me, I understand how hard it is to do that.”
He gave me a sheepish smile. “And I know how hard you try. Agreeing to hang out with Rodney and Felicia… It blows me away how hard you try.” Closing his eyes, he shook his head. “And here I am, allowing myself to be a jackass to someone with absolutely no ties to you, just because I’m…” He opened his eyes, and they were soft with emotion. “Just because I’m scared. I’m sorry, Kenzie. I’ll do better.”
Smiling, I gave him a soft kiss. “Thank you. I’m your girl, Hayden, and that’s not going to change.” Pulling back, I smiled even wider. “I could be at the Playgirl mansion with three dozen men like Dex and nothing would change. You have my heart…and my body.”
Hayden laughed then smirked. “I don’t think there is a Playgirl mansion.”
“Well, there should be,” I said with smirk of my own.
Hayden shook his head at me, then squeezed me tight. “So…what’s this about a meeting tonight?”
Remembering my plan, I nodded. “Yeah, tonight at Oysters. Six o’clock. It’s mandatory…so I should probably go tell everyone about it.”
“What’s it for?” he asked.
“It’s a Quit being a dick to Dex meeting.” Hayden laughed, and I smiled. “It’s just a chance for us to get to know each other. We need to gel before Daytona. We’re running out of time.” And I still had so much to do…
Hayden looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, okay, I’ll go help you spread the word.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving him a parting kiss.
* * *
After work—and after making sure everyone got the message about the meeting—I headed over to Oysters. Hayden and I walked in together, hand in hand. Eli, Ralph, and Kevin came in next, followed by Nikki and Myles. I’d given John and my father a pass for the evening—they’d just roll their eyes and make ridiculing remarks about our immaturity. And they’d have a good point. A part of me resented the fact that I had to leave so much crap on my desk to come down here and make everyone play nice…another part of me was grateful for the excuse to set it all aside and have fun with my friends.
The group of us found a table while we waited for the last member of Cox Racing to arrive: Dex. Nikki was fidgeting in her seat while we waited. “He’s late all the time, just like you,” I told her.
She smiled, then cringed, then smiled again. “You all right?” I asked.
She flicked a glance at Myles, who was ordering drinks from Glenn. She opened her mouth, looked over at me, then pursed her lips. “It’s fine… I’m fine.”
Wondering if anything more had happened between her and Myles—like she’d changed her mind about risking their friendship for love—I squeezed her hand and whispered, “Tell me later?”
She sighed as she nodded, her eyes locked on Myles the entire time he returned to the table. He sat next to her, giving her a brief smile, but even I could feel the ocean between them. It broke my heart, so I could only imagine the turmoil they were going through.
Dex walked in a few moments later. I waved him over and he joined us, taking the open seat to my right. Hayden glanced at him, inhaled a deep breath…and smiled. Grateful that he was genuinely trying, I stood up to get everyone’s attention.
The individual conversations died, and everyone looked my way. I was about to speak, when Kevin timidly raised his hand. “Hey, Kenz…you didn’t call us all here to fire anybody…did you? ’Cause I really like working for you.”
Smiling at him, I shook my head. “No…we’re here to drink.”
Myles immediately slammed his hands on the table. “Yes!” Standing up, he yelled, “Glenn! Make everything a double!”
The guys all laughed. Nikki cracked a smile and looked at Myles with total adoration. Rolling my eyes at Myles, I looked down at the newbie in our group. “We’re here to properly welcome Dex as a Cox Racing member…as family. Because as much as you guys hate change, the painful truth is…change is coming, and we need to accept it. Embrace it even.”
Everyone shifted to look at Nikki. She flushed, and Myles patted her shoulder, his eyes soft with sympathy…and more.
I raised my hand to get their attention again. “That being said…if the pranks on Dex don’t stop, I will start benching people.” Very deliberately, I pointed at Myles…then Hayden. They shared a look of Is she serious? and I immediately let them know I was dead serious.
Leaning toward Myles, I said in my most menacing voice, “Don’t test me, Kelley. Defending champion or not, I will bench you.”
Myles shook his head, then looked over at Kevin. “Still like working for her?”
Kevin laughed, then slapped his hand over his mouth.
With a sigh, I looked around the table. “If the childishness is over…we can drink.”
The guys all looked around at each other, then looked at Myles—since he was clearly the ringleader. Rolling his eyes, he muttered, “Fine…we’ll stop.”
“Good,” I said, right as the waitress dropped off a tray of assorted cocktails.
As more drinks flowed, conversations loosened. Myles never approached Dex, but the others did. Even Hayden made an effort to get to know him. By the end of the night, everyone was talking and laughing. Everyone but Myles. Standing off to the side, he watched Nikki and Dex so intently, it was like he was trying to read their lips. “Hey, Myles. How’s it going?”
Frowning, he looked over at me. “Would you really bench me for practical jokes?”
My lips compressed into a thin line. Here was where being a friend and a boss was difficult. “I’d hate it, but yeah…if you still did it after I warned you, I’d have no choice. So please don’t make me do that, because I really don’t want to bench you. You’re my best rider.” Looking around, I whispered, “Don’t tell Hayden I said that.”
Myles let out a small laugh, then he sighed and took a sip of his drink. “I won’t prank him anymore, I swear.” His gaze still locked on Nikki and Dex, he frowned and shook his head. “What are they laughing about? They’re always laughing. You should make a rule about that,” he said, glancing at me.
“She’s not into him, Myles. If you’d been paying attention, you would have seen that her eyes have been on you all night.”
He turned to me, his expression full of disbelief and pain. “And what am I supposed to do with that, Kenzie? She’s still…she’s hiding behind a wall.”
With a sigh, I nodded. Then I reconsidered. She’d shown me…something…earlier. A crack. “Maybe not, Myles. Don’t give up on her. Sometimes all you really need is patience, and time will take care of the rest.” My eyes naturally drifted to Hayden. Patience had certainly been our glue. Patience, understanding, and a giant mound of mutual determination.
Myles didn’t look as sure as I felt, but he nodded.
He took off not too much later. Nikki watched him go with a conflicted expression, like she wanted to talk to him, but at the same time, she didn’t. Eli, Kevin, and Ralph left together, mentioning something about bar hopping. Nikki said her goodbye, and I hurried over to her before she got too far away. “Hey, want to talk now?” I asked.
She looked so vulnerable, I thought for sure I could open her mind to the possibility of saying yes to Myles. But then…she shook her head, and her expression hardened, the crack closing. “I really am fine, Kenzie. No worries. None at all.” She smiled, but it did nothing to make her seem happy. Now she just seemed…hollow.
“Nik, come on…let’s do a girl’s night, just you and me.”
She shook her head. “I’m really tired, I just want to go home.”
“Movie night?” I asked, not wanting to give up.
Again, she shook her head. “See you Monday, Kenzie.”
Unless I was going to force my presence upon her—which would only make her shut down even more—all I could do was watch her walk away. My heart was heavy when I returned to the table with Hayden and Dex.
Hayden frowned as he studied my face. “She okay?”
I shrugged. “She’s not talking to anyone, so who knows?”
Hayden studied the table. “Maybe I should stay home tonight, keep an eye on her.”
I hated that—I really liked climbing into bed with him—but I was worried about my best friend. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
He nodded, then stood up. “I’m gonna get us some more drinks first.”
I watched him the entire time he walked to the bar. Dex broke my concentration. “He lives with another woman?”
The smile on my face was both amusement and annoyance. Why did everyone get hung up on that? Swinging my gaze to him, I said, “Yes, and it’s fine.”
Dex shrugged, like he didn’t understand, but it was none of his business. His lips pursed in thought as he watched me. “Earlier today you mentioned you were struggling with the business.”
I cringed, then shook my head. “If you’re worried about your job, don’t. I will get through this year.” Even if I had to take out a loan, I was going to race at least one season as the owner of Cox Racing.
An amused smile lightened his expression. “I’m not worried about losing my job. My concern was for you.” My expression turned wary, and he added, “For Cox Racing. I like what I see when I look around the place, I like the…feel of it. And I think the business has real potential. I hate to see things with potential go to waste.”
I gave him a disbelieving look. “You like the feel of it? Even with all the hazing?”
He laughed. “Even with all the hazing.”
My expression shifted into a frown as I studied him. Was he being serious right now, or was this some strange form of flirting? “Don’t take this the wrong way, but what do you know about business? How do you know Cox Racing has potential?”
He bit his lip before answering me. “It’s kind of the family business to know these things. I’ve been watching how businesses work since birth. Watching…and learning.”
I blinked in confusion. “Family business? What family business?”
Dex spun his glass. “My father runs a company…no, a corporation. A very successful corporation.”
Shock made my eyes widen, then my heart started racing. Could this be the good news I was waiting for? “What kind of corporation? Would they like to see their name plastered over my bikes? Because if you’re telling me your dad would sponsor the team, I just might kiss you.” Realizing what I just said, I quickly amended, “Figuratively. I just mean I’d be extremely grateful, and relieved, and…and God…that’s exactly what Cox Racing needs right now.”
Dex cringed. “It’s not that kind of corporation, Kenzie, I’m sorry.” I felt like he’d just socked me in the gut, then I was mad at myself for leaping to conclusions. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up like that. Seeing my face, Dex reached out and touched my fingers. “Don’t be discouraged. My father might not be the right fit as a sponsor, but the companies he works with…they are.”
The hope began resurfacing. I subtly moved my hand away from him, not wanting to offend him, but not wanting to encourage him either. “I’m listening…” I told him.
Hayden came back to the table as Dex began explaining the situation. We listened—enraptured, intrigued, and a little confused. When Dex was finished, my mind was spinning with information. Dex’s family had money—a lot of money. His father was a big-wig in the corporate world with connections—a lot of connections. Dex didn’t even need to work for Cox Racing. He could spend all day on a beach somewhere, sipping overpriced drinks while getting a massage. That kind of carefree freedom was mind-boggling to me. Why was he spending so much of his time working for me, making practically nothing?
Seeing we were stunned, Dex smiled as he looked between us. “I gave you a lot to think about, I can see that. I’ll get going, let you…mull it over.” We nodded as he stood up. “If you want me to set up a meeting with my father, Kenzie, just let me know.”
“Thank you, Dex,” I said, my voice quiet.
Dex nodded, then leaned forward, his face earnest. “Um…if the two of you could not say anything to the rest of the team about me…about me coming from money, being a trust fund baby…all that… I’d deeply appreciate it. I do what I do because I love it. I don’t want them treating me differently because I don’t need the job.”
I nodded in response, still overwhelmed by everything he’d told me. “Yeah…no, I completely understand. We won’t say anything, I promise.”
He smiled at me, a little too fondly. “Have a good night…” Like he suddenly remembered I wasn’t alone, he added, “both of you.”
Hayden didn’t say anything until Dex left the bar. Then he turned to face me. I thought he would comment on the smile, but what he said was, “You realize what his father does, right?”
Biting my lip, I nodded. “He finds struggling businesses and makes them better.”
With a sigh, Hayden puts his hand over mine. “No, Kenzie. He finds struggling business and buys them out.”
Shaking my head, I said, “That wasn’t what Dex was offering though. His father is on the board of every business he’s purchased. He could authorize sponsorships from every single one of those businesses. Every. Single. One.”
Hayden nodded as he stroked my fingers. “He could. And if he did, Cox Racing would be set, no more worries, ever. Or…he could decide he wants your business, and Cox Racing could become another one of his…acquisitions. A meaningless notch on his bedpost. And you, your team…me…our fate would be entirely in his hands.” His mouth twitched into a sad smile. “And personally, I’d rather have my life in your hands, than some muckety-muck’s.”
I inhaled a deep breath as I stared at him in silence. While I agreed with everything he’d just said, all I could think about was how hard it had been to keep everything afloat lately, to keep everything r
unning smoothly, or at all. My hands just didn’t feel big enough anymore, and I was filled with fear and doubt. If I can’t do this…your career is over. At least if it came down to it, and I ended up selling the business to Dex’s dad, Hayden would still have a job. Hopefully.
***
CHAPTER 11
A couple of weeks later, every member of the Cox Racing team was on a plane to the first event of the season: Daytona. Every member of the team except Nikki, that was. At the last minute, she’d decided that she was too pregnant to fly. It had truly shocked me that she’d come to that decision on her own, without any interference from anyone. But then I started to worry that maybe she’d decided not to go so she could get a break from Myles. God, I hoped that wasn’t the reason.
Myles was on the other side of the plane from me, a few rows back. Every time I turned to look at him, he seemed glum, almost depressed. It was strange to see him so down. He hadn’t been this dour since he’d broken his collarbone and had been forced to sit out for a season. And just like back then, I had no idea how to help him.
Dex was in a seat directly across the aisle from me. He was chewing on his nails, looking nervous, and I had to smile at him. “Don’t like to fly?” I asked.
He immediately pulled his fingers away from his mouth. “Bad habit, sorry.” Looking around the airplane, he shook his head. “Flying doesn’t bother me, I’m just…freaking out about the race. I wish Nikki had decided to come. But, of course, her not being there is the entire reason I have a job in the first place.”
I gave him a comforting smile. “You’ll do fine. Don’t stress about it.”
His piercing eyes turned inquisitive as he stared at me. “How about you? How is your stress level?”
I knew exactly what he was really asking. Was the business too much? Did he want me to contact his father? I still wasn’t sure. Did I want that kind of help? But a meeting never hurt anyone, right? “I was thinking…maybe I should meet your father.”
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