Chase took off like a shot and was easily in front of the ensuing bottleneck. The trailing cars jockeyed for position and Makayla managed to push ahead of Juan Marco. The field opened up and the cars flew around the track in a rough formation, building speed on the front straight before hitting a series of tight curves. Lap after lap Makayla inched her way up the field, barely avoiding the wall when two cars collided on turn five on the tenth lap.
“You’re doing great, Mack,” Kelley’s voice broke through and propelled her forward as she dropped down and took a tight corner with Chase clearly in her sights. “Watch your oversteer” he called as she fishtailed but managed to maintain control as she came out of the turn.
“I’ve got Chase,” she said, struggling to maintain the calm in her adrenaline packed voice.
“Hold your speed, Mack,” Kelley commanded.
“What? No!”
“Yes, Mack, listen to me. Stay to his right, on turn 6 he goes wide. Be patient, drop your gear on that last turn and you can take him. Listen to the car. Listen to me.” With a heavy sigh, she turned into the curve and dropped a gear just like Kelley said. She got behind Chase and rode his slip as the other cars were hot on her tail. This was it. Makayla came out of the final turn, through the bottle neck and managed to overtake Chase on the straight, one lap to go.
“Yes,” Sonja hissed quietly, her fists clenched at her side as she watched her daughter take the last curve.
“Careful, someone might see you actually rooting for your daughter,”
“Excuse me,” she asked whirling around to find Aidan standing inches from her. He was an imposing man, handsome, rugged, and nosey. “I don’t believe my relationship with my daughter is any of your business.”
“Actually,” he stepped closer to her, forcing her to look up at him, “it is my business. See, drivers are my business and she is a driver. Not only that, but she is my driver and a damn good one. She has been less than stellar ever since you showed up, I can only assume the two are related.” Sonja fell back on a foot.
“How dare you.” He smirked, crossing his arms, and retorted with a smirk.
“How dare you. ”
“Excuse me?” Her face reddened and her body went rigid.
“I thought we were trading jabs. Is that not what’s happening?”
“What? I don’t…” she stood still glaring at him, her brows knit together, her breath shallow and irritated.
“Take a breath, Sonja, before you pop a vein.” He said with a chuckle, rounding her slowly. “There’s no harm in rooting for your daughter. Nobody here would presume to know what’s best for the two of you after what you’ve been through, but for fuck’s sake, she is a grown woman as are you. Act like it. Nobody will fault you for supporting her dreams, but nobody will support you trying to kill them.” He turned on his boot and walked out to the pit leaving Sonja to reel.
The atmosphere in the garage was electric, yet all Sonja could feel was Aidan. She watched him move as she collected herself and headed out into the light for the last lap. She pulled her large, dark glasses over her eyes to hide her face and turned away from him and into the crowd. The stands were packed; this was something she did miss. The pulsing energy of the crowd on race day, the sounds of the cars, the smell of the black top, it all took her back. For a moment she felt like if she closed her eyes tight enough, Dale would be standing in front of her.
She could smell him, the smell of his jumpsuit after a race, the fine beads of sweat that gathered at the nape of his neck that she always wiped away with her first post-race kiss, her hand always wound around the back of his neck. God, but she missed him, and this. The track, the cars, Makayla, it was all torture. Beautiful torture and she missed it.
The garage erupted in cheers and her eyes flew open just in time to see Aidan throw his fist in the air and high five Garrett. She looked out onto the track to see the checkered flag waving and Chase pulling ahead for a victory lap.
Makayla pulled into the pits to the crew cheering as Sonja stood back and watched. She removed the steering wheel and tossed it to the nose, pulling her helmet off and passing it to one of the boys on the crew and Kelley was right there to help her from the car. He pulled her to her feet and they shared a long look before he let her go and stepped back. Her face fell as he stepped away but was soon overtaken by the rest of the crew offering their congratulations.
Sonja moved closer to the car wanting to be a part of her daughter’s celebration but not wanting to intrude when she was hit with the smell of the hot tires and the cooling engine and everything went dark.
Chapter 21
I’ve Missed You
Makayla
She opened her eyes and they went to Aidan.
“Welcome back,” he said with a cool grin offering her his hand. She took it and allowed him to help her sit up. He had carried her into his office and put her on the couch and we all hovered around her. I was in one chair, Kelley stood sentry behind me.
“Mom,” I leaned forward, voice anxious and worried, but not wanting to seem it.
“I’m ok, pumpkin,” she replied, resting her elbows on her knees. “I don’t know what happened,” she said looking up into Aidan’s eyes.
“You passed out,” he said with a grin that made my mom go pale all over again.
“Yes, I get that,” she snapped at him.
“Are you ok? Are you sick?” I curled my hands around her knee, wanting to get a read.
“No, I’m fine, I promise. I think I just got hot.” I sat back with a question hanging from my tongue, but I didn’t ask. She took a deep sip from the water Aidan handed her then looked back to me. She shook her head, pushing the fog away and reached for my hand. “Pumpkin you should be celebrating, not tending to your sorry mother.”
“Nothing to celebrate,” I murmured bitterly. “Chase took the flag.” I looked down at their laced fingers.
“I saw you overtake him,” she replied quietly.
“I hesitated.”
After the race, the team gathered to celebrate but I wanted nothing to do with the crowd.
This wasn’t something I could avoid long term, I knew this. Not if I really wanted to drive, to drive my own car, but for now, I was thankful that Kelley was content to let me sulk. Between losing to Chase and then my mom passing out I had enough for one day and wanted nothing to do with anyone.
I wanted Ina to come get my mom, not wanting her to be alone in case something was wrong, but she wanted to go back to her hotel. I was reluctant to leave her side, but Kelley insisted; insisted that Aidan would get her there safely and keep an eye on her. Mom didn’t look too happy at that suggestion but she reluctantly joined them to convince me she would be fine.
Frankly, I was too tired to fight another moment, feeling defeated and exhausted. I gave in and let Kelley quietly sweep me away.
“I’m disappointed in myself,” the words came out soft and broken but they felt like glass cutting my tongue.
“Mack, it was your first race.”
“Does that mean I can’t be disappointed,” I bit back.
“I understand your disappointment, I do, but this was your first race. You took second, you were on that podium.”
“I lost….to Chase,” I said, the sting on my tongue making me cringe as his name passed my lips. Kelley laughed and pulled my hand into his lap.
“You’re too hard on yourself, Kiki. What this Dr. prescribes is a sweaty distraction until your mind is completely wiped. Fortunately for you…I didn’t race today so I have a lot of energy.” He walked around the car and pulled me from my seat. “Frankly,” he said, flipping my braid over my shoulder sliding the rubber band off. “Watching you drive my car,” he twisted his fingers in the braid and began to unravel it, my hair falling loose and wavy around my shoulders. “Well, it took every ounce of will I possess to not undo you in the middle of that garage. I need to take you for a drive. Now.”
***
“Tell me about your boyfriends,” he pulled a damp curl between his fingers and waited. I was spent and sweaty and he pounced on the opportunity.
“No boyfriends to speak of really.” It wasn’t a lie. There weren’t very many boys I spent more than a few weeks getting to know and nobody I ever ventured or wanted to call my boyfriend.
“No boyfriends? You trying to tell me that you have never had a real boyfriend?” He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at me, face skeptical, hand roaming.
“I’ve had boys,” I paused, considering how much to share before deciding to go all in in in the face of his disbelief. “Boys that I played with.”
“Boys that you played with?” He responded with a quiet shock that I secretly loved.
“Sonja had me locked down when I was young. Every activity that I could have signed up for, I was in. We lived with my grandparents. I had no freedom. There was no dating. When I got older, there were boys I liked to play with, flirt with, make them crazy, it was fun.” There was a long silence between us and I could see him mulling it over.
“Do I want to hear this,” he asked with a half grin and I could see his curiosity would win out.
“I don’t know, do you?” I challenged.
“Yes, yes I do.” The glint in his eye and smirk on his lips said he wanted it all, so I gave it.
“Ok,” I started, “there were the boys who wanted to date me because of who my dad was. They treated me like a prize, but all they ever did was talk about him. They wanted a piece of me, so they could have a piece of him. I never let that happen. I never talked about him, never answered their stupid questions, and never gave them what they were looking for.”
“Good girl,” he muttered.
“Then there were the boys at the track. The boys who could not wait to fuck the girl who had just beat them, and I did beat them, Kelley. My record was legend. They were fun, they tried real hard, and they had something to prove. Hard workers.” I barely managed to get it out before a giggle erupted from my chest.
“Makayla Love was a player,” he said through a wide smile.
“I wouldn’t say, that I just always knew what I wanted and was never going to settle for less. I’m human, I have needs, but I never wanted a relationship. I didn’t mind that Mom had me locked away like that, all I ever really wanted to do was race, you know that. I was focused and I was fine. Boys would have gotten in the way.”
“Sounds kind of lonely.”
“Not lonely, unencumbered. I watched my girlfriends have relationships and lose sight of their own plans only to get their hearts broken. Why would I subject myself to that?”
“So you’ve never had your heart broken…not once? Not one of those boys got under your skin”?
“Once. I’ve had my heart broken once, Kelley. I was twelve.” I watched his face fall and felt mine do the same. Watching each other or a long silent moment before the weight became too much.
“What about you?” I asked breaking the silence, wanting to change the subject.
“Turnabout is fair play; I want to hear about you”
“Me? I thought you said you have been watching my exploits,” he teased.
“Right, clearly, the newspapers don’t report everything with complete accuracy.”
“Well,” he looked sideways at me, “In all honesty, what the papers are saying is more interesting most of the time than the truth. Jo and I had been together for a long time on and off but managed to keep it relatively quiet. It was easy, mostly. We had the same friends, moved in the same circles, we vacationed in the same places, it was just natural. We went together. We would end up together at the end of the evening, it was easy, it just happened. It started to get messy this last year, she was getting squirrelly, wanting more. It’s not what I wanted, not what she wanted either, not from me. I think she was restless here, thus her move to Mercedes.” He muttered barely hiding the bitterness in his voice. “I wish her the best, but we have run our course. Other than her, the last serious girl I dated…. was a 1970 Dodge Charger.”
“Oh come on! You are a playboy Kelley. You have to have had so many women in this bed.”
“No Makayla, I told you that first night. There have been no women in this bed, none. Not even Jo. This is my bed.” I looked up at him with a soft grin, my fingertips scrolling across his chest, making tight circles around his nipples.
“I’m here,” he looked down at me with warm eyes and smiled.
“You are. You’re special. You’re mine as well. So…you see. It’s still mine, in my bed. Mine.” He declared. I giggled in jest but secretly loved it.
“What an egomaniac you are.”
“It’s a healthy ego, Mack.” He pulled me on top of him and pressed my lips to his throat, taking a hit off his neck.
“Right let’s get up then.”
“Why?” I whimpered, not wanting to move a muscle, not sure I could after the row and the race.
“It’s Sunday, Kid. Pub time, Rose will be waiting.” He got dressed quickly and walked over to fetch Rose while I pulled myself together for supper at the pub.
***
“Mom?” I reached over a sleeping Kelley to grab my phone.
“Hello, Pumpkin. I hope you are feeling better.”
“A bit,” I lied. “Is everything ok?”
“I am really proud of you, Makayla.” She said quietly and it sent my heart racing.
“Mom.”
“No, Makayla, I mean it. I am so proud of you, pumpkin. Your Daddy would be proud.” A long silence settled between us as I struggled to swallow back the tears, not wanting to wake Kelley, not wanting to let that damn break.
“I’ve decided to go stay in London for a few days, do some shopping, maybe some sightseeing.”
“Maybe I can come with you. We don’t go to Australia for ten days. I’m sure Robert…” She stopped me, her tone urgent and insistent.
“You have a lot going on here. You are at the beginning of race season, we both know how that is.” Her voice softened slightly. “I…. I cannot say I am thrilled about all of this Kiki, certainly not about the way it has come about, but, I am proud of you and I love you. I can see that this is where you belong. I will call you once I am settled in London. And Kiki,” She paused.
“Yeah, Mom?”
“I would love to come back and visit if you will have me.” I choked on a tear and smiled so wide it hurt my face.
“Please come back. I’ve missed you.”
“I miss you too, Pumpkin.”
Chapter 22
Going Down Under
First race of the season, Australia
Kelley did not make pole position and he was livid; losing the pole to Mario, made it infinitely worse. He paced the garage wildly, hovering over everyone, every detail checked, then checked again. Makayla sat with the engineers and went over the track specs but could hardly tear her eyes from his prowling. He was methodical, going down a mental checklist as he paced.
She had seen Dale do the same thing and there was an odd comfort in watching Kelley prepare the same way. He stopped and closed his eyes, visualizing the track, the lines, the turns, and the start. That was the most vital part of the race, especially without a pole position. If he wanted to place, if he wanted those points, he had to have a strong start; he had to break out of the pack.
There were few moments in sports more exciting than the start of a grand prix.
As the drivers lined up on the grid and begin to furiously rev their engines to warm them up, they all shared one thought. Get to that first corner as quickly as possible. Race strategy has always been part science, part dark art and always evolving, but a strong start was always vital. The pressure was immense, make a good start and you are that closer to good results, make a bad start, and it could be a very long race. The start was everything; this was the time when drivers were the most focused.
The one-minute signal was issued and t
he crew backed away. Engines revved and filled the air with beautiful, angry noise. Heat rose in waves from the pavement and they waited like wild animals for their cages to be opened. 15 seconds later the green light went up and they moved out in a single formation, warm up. Drivers weaving and jerking their cars across the field in hopes of getting the brakes and tires warmed up for a good start.
Mario held the pole position and lead the pack, careful to keep his speed reasonable, wanting to keep the cars behind him at a pace that suited him. Kelley was in the backfield weaving widely across the track.
Though a pole position was always favorable, Kelley felt confident. He knew the track well, and he knew that he had an advantage as the cars slowly took their place on the grid, his brakes and tires nice and warm, while Mario sat in the pole position, his brakes cooling but his engine getting hotter with every moment as the sun rose in the sky and the rest of the cars took their positions. This was the detriment of the lead car, Kelley knew it was to his advantage, he could get ahead of him, he just had to clear the field first.
The drivers turned their eyes to the gantry and their ears to their crew chiefs as they waited. One by one the red lights went dark, and as the last one popped the cars took off. The field accelerated towards the first corner and the drivers jostled for the upper hand, teams trying to either consolidate or gain position. Kelley made a good start and was through the field and four cars behind Mario when they broke around the first curve and hit a series of tight turns before spilling onto a short straight.
Kelley was on a mission, moving past two more cars on the straight, he had Mario in his sights and he was not about to let it go. He moved into the slipstream of Nico Grassi and rode him until he cut across the corner and overtook him, putting him square in Mario’s rearview. For several laps they jostled for position, the field of cars behind them jockeying happily for second and then it happened. Lap 11. Kelley was going to take Mario on the corner, his brake line was too wide and Kelley saw an opening but Mario wasn’t about to let him go. He cut in and they collided. Mario bounced off of Kelley’s nose and the nose cone fell to the track followed swiftly by pieces of Mario’s car. They were still moving but the flag had gone up and they were both ordered to the pit for repairs.
The Curve Page 17
