Starbright

by Richland, Alexandra

  A crinkle of her nose was her only reply.

  Olivia giggled. “If you had followed my advice and wore a light cotton dress like me and Beth, perhaps you’d feel more comfortable.”

  Connie’s frowned deepened. “I don’t see what’s wrong with my outfit.”

  Olivia looked her over with raised eyebrows.

  Connie dressed in a form fitting pink blouse, navy blue pencil skirt, and matching stiletto heels. Her white gloves, dark sunglasses, and wide scarf, which she wore like a headband, made her look glamorous and pretentious, not desert or race-appropriate.

  “Just be glad you aren’t in a suit,” Matthew said, referring to the attire he and Nathan wore. He placed a kiss on Connie’s cheek and her sour puss transformed into a gleaming smile.

  “They should be calling up the drivers shortly.” Nathan put his arm around Olivia. “They’re just restoring the track after the last race.”

  “I’m so excited!” Olivia looked to Beth. “Aren’t you?”

  Beth pushed aside her concerns about Aidan racing. No one else seemed to share her reservations, and she didn’t want to dampen the mood.

  “I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve seen so far,” she replied, putting on her best smile. “With Aidan competing, I think my excitement will rise to a whole new level.”

  Matthew grinned at Connie. “See, darling. Women can enjoy racing, too.”

  Connie sighed and looked away, fanning her face faster with the racing program.

  Extra conscientious of the high press turnout at the race, as not to make any wrong moves and draw suspicion about the true reason for her attendance today, Beth spotted a reporter heading toward the group before any of her friends did. He wore a press pass around his neck, a pencil sat tucked behind his ear, and he carried a small, spiral-bound notepad.

  His grin widened upon his approach. “Clark Huston, entertainment writer for the Los Angeles Times. Do y’all mind if I ask you some questions?”

  “That’s fine. But please make it quick.” Nathan’s reply was all business. “We don’t want to miss the next race.”

  Mr. Huston nodded. “Sure thing, Mr. Taggart.”

  Beth wasn’t surprised the reporter knew Nathan’s name. Though not a public figure, he was well known to everyone connected to the movie industry.

  Connie lowered her sunglasses and flashed Matthew a look that said, not again, but she didn’t make a fuss. Most likely, she knew, as Beth did, that it was impossible to avoid the press altogether.

  Connie was the reporter’s first target.

  “Miss Murphy, what brings you to the races today?”

  The smile she presented Mr. Huston was nothing short of red carpet-worthy, indicating her movie star persona was turned on in full force.

  “Matthew has long held an interest in sports cars,” she said in an extra sultry voice. “As his girlfriend, I’m happy to be here and support his love of racing.”

  The reporter wrote down her reply. “Mr. McKenna, have you ever considered racing yourself?”

  Matthew straightened his tie, a proud aura accompanying his poise. “I own quite a few fine automobiles, and as Connie said, I do love the sport. For now, though, I think I’ll stick to being a winner on the music charts instead of the racetrack.”

  The reporter chuckled and wrote down his response.

  “And Miss Sutton, what brings you to the race today?” Mr. Huston looked to Beth in anticipation of her answer.

  Beth took the question in stride. Nathan had coached her beforehand on what to say. “I’m here with my roommate and Starlight Studios stylist, Olivia Weston. Nathan Taggart is her beau and a good friend of Mr. Aidan Evans. I’ve come to offer additional support.”

  After a few more questions, the reporter tipped his hat and left. It was just as well, because what transpired next would’ve been hard for Beth not to react to.

  There was a grand shift in the atmosphere as a buzz of excitement stirred the crowd around her. Then Aidan appeared, strutting along the sidelines with Ralph, his mussed artist hair glinting copper in the late afternoon sun. He walked on the opposite side of the road, but Beth could still make him out perfectly in all of his racing glory. He wore a dark blue racing suit zipped to mid-chest, revealing a white T-shirt underneath, and black boots. A cigarette dangled from his lips. His eyebrows were drawn over dark sunglasses as he listened to his mechanic.

  Beth had never seen Aidan in full racing attire before and couldn’t decide whether he looked sexier like this or in his usual garb. The female spectators seemed as captivated by him as she was. Even other drivers, who stood nearby, stopped what they were doing to stare at him.

  Beth wanted to call out to him, but there was no way she could do so without raising questions. Nathan and Matthew announced a collective decision not to disturb him because he was deep in discussion. All she could do was wait and hope he would notice her.

  Only one reporter had the gall to scramble after him. The rest instructed their photographers to snap pictures at a distance.

  Aidan’s irritation was written all over his face as the reporter approached. Without breaking his stride, he tossed what looked like a terse remark over his shoulder and took an intense drag on his cigarette. As he exhaled, he popped the collar of his racing suit, accompanied by a cocky shrug, and resumed his conversation with Ralph.

  The reporter fell back and returned to his post.

  That was when Aidan spotted Beth. She knew the moment it happened, even though he wore sunglasses, because her favorite smile of his appeared—the one he faithfully shared only with her. It lit his face brighter than the desert sun.

  Beth’s heart pounded like it was trying to break through her ribcage as she lifted her lips in her own secret smile. Then, as quickly as he arrived, he was gone, ushered in the direction of the pit road by a racing official. The crowd settled, and Beth returned her attention to her friends, but her exchange with him remained at the forefront of her thoughts.

  Soon, revving car engines could be heard in the distance, sending shockwaves through the ground and jolting the crowd back to life.

  Beth grasped Olivia’s hand and squeezed.

  Cars emerged from the pit road in pairs and drove onto the course. Beth knew what Aidan’s Porsche looked like, but the easiest way for her to identify him in the group was from the number twenty-four he’d painted on it. He wore an open-faced white helmet, dark goggles, and his gloved hands gripped the steering wheel.

  “Go Aidan!” Matthew bellowed.

  Connie darted her eyes at her beau. “Be quiet. You’re causing a scene.”

  Matthew laughed. “Come on, darling. Our boy needs some encouragement.”

  Olivia cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Go Aidan!”

  Some of the women in the vicinity shot her stern looks. Olivia merely giggled.

  If Beth wasn’t so worried about her beau’s safety or causing suspicion about the true nature of their relationship, she would’ve called out her support as well, regardless of what others considered unacceptable behavior for a lady.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen,” a man said over the loudspeakers. “Welcome to the 1500 cc Production D Class event of the First Annual Santa Barbara Road Races!”

  The crowd clapped, and some men whistled their enthusiasm.

  Beth squinted against the sun, anticipating the race as the drivers came back around the course and waited for the go-ahead.

  A racing official waved a green flag.

  “And they’re off!”

  At the starting announcement, a streak of cars roared past her along the straight portion of the track and entered into the first turn, their screeching tires stirring up dust as the drivers fought for position. Left behind was the eye-watering stench of gasoline fumes. Beth was so surprised by the speeds at which they traveled she lost sight of Aidan’s car in the group.

  While they tackled the part of the course out of her view, she anxiously listened to the announcer’s commentary
for any indication of her beau’s progress. The only thing she could make out was, “There goes Evans for the pass of Mayfield and Donahue.”

  The roar of engines flared to her right, and then one by one, cars came into her view again, progressing into the second lap. As Aidan barreled passed her, she was delighted to find he was in fifth place.

  The first incident occurred during lap seven when a car broke an axle and the driver was forced to quit the race. Another car was disqualified over reckless driving during lap nine. With all the crazy stunts Beth had seen performed on the track, she couldn’t imagine what the driver had done to be barred from the race on those grounds.

  During lap eleven, in her viewpoint, a car overcorrected a corner and veered off to the side, leaving behind some debris. The driver had been so far behind from the get-go that he decided not to continue. Yellow flags were displayed, marking a caution lap, and the other drivers slowed as they drove past the area. When the track was clear again, the drivers resumed their atomic speeds.

  Lap upon lap, exhaust fumes, dust, loud engines, and enthusiastic spectators bombarded Beth until she was so overwhelmed, she was unable to make out most of what was going on. Her only clarity came in the latter part of lap seventeen when, according to the commentary, Aidan and two other cars gained almost an eighth of a lap on the forth car, distinguishing them from the group.

  Beth waited for them to come into her view and then watched them battle for first position until they disappeared again. By lap twenty-five, Aidan had moved into second place, his Porsche hugging the inner track as he drove into the first turn, trying to gain on the first car.

  Entering into lap twenty-six, Aidan was even with the other car. Approaching the turn, he darted to the outside at an accelerated speed and aggressively moved for position.

  “That’s it, Aidan!” Matthew shouted, much to Connie’s chagrin. “Go for it!”

  Fear inflated beneath Beth’s ribs as Aidan attempted the pass. He gained half a car length before a loud blast erupted, and black smoke billowed from the rear of his Porsche. The sound of squealing tires followed. Beth slammed her hand to her mouth as Aidan’s car careened to the side and launched into a rigorous spin.

  Nathan and Matthew gripped the rope in front of them, their eyes wide.

  “He’s going to crash!” a crowd member exclaimed.

  The next moments unraveled so fast, Beth had no time to react. Aidan’s car spun like a whirligig, enveloped in a cloud of dust and smoke.

  Panic replaced the professionalism in the announcer’s voice as he tried to keep up with describing the Porsche’s movements. Beth latched onto Olivia and watched as Aidan frantically tried to right himself while other cars whizzed by him on the track.

  Tears toppled down Beth’s cheeks. Her body shook as she waited for the impact.

  Waited.

  Waited…

  Dust and debris shot into the air as the Porsche stopped spinning and came to a halt inches from the hay bales.

  “Is he all right?” Beth said to Olivia. “Can you see him? Is he all right?”

  The dust cleared over Aidan’s car, which miraculously remained upright. Though he would be disappointed that he would have to bow out of the race early, Beth was relieved he wouldn’t have another chance to hurt himself.

  She should’ve known better.

  Dust kicked up behind the Porsche’s tires. With a jerk, the car peeled forward. Dark smoke belched from the exhaust pipe as Aidan accelerated and rejoined the race.

  “What’s he doing?” a man in the crowd shouted. “His engine is overheating! It’ll blow if he keeps driving!”

  Dread gripped Beth’s heart as Aidan disappeared into the next turn. She strained over the car engines and the roar of the crowd to hear the commentary, waiting for any news of his condition, expecting the worst and wishing he’d given up.

  “Evans darts to the inside to make a pass on Jones…”

  “Evans brushes the hay bales coming out of turn four. He gets squirrelly into five but corrects it…”

  “Dean overtakes Evans for fifteenth but isn’t strong enough to hold him off in turn six. The two fight for position, rubbing fenders through turns seven and eight…”

  By the time Beth saw Aidan again, the smoke billowing from his engine was thicker and darker, but somehow, it didn’t seem to affect the Porsche’s performance. She could only pray his remaining nine laps progressed without accident or injury.

  The next few laps passed in a blink. During the last half of lap thirty, Beth couldn’t believe her ears when the commentator announced that Aidan had caught up with the top two cars again and was outmaneuvering them at every turn. As he blew past the crowd into lap thirty-five, the final lap, he had a full quarter of a lap’s lead on the second car.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” a man said behind Beth. “The little bastard has gained first place!”

  Despite his advantageous position, Aidan went into the first turn of his final lap at lightning speed and vanished into the part of the track out of Beth’s view with as much gusto as he’d used when he had fought for position with other cars.

  Beth drew deep breaths in and out, waiting for his reappearance, scared to listen to the commentary in case it was bad news. More cars rushed by, nothing but a blur of tires and metal. Then number twenty-four came into view again.

  Aidan pumped his fist into the air as he steered past the checkered flag and the announcer declared him the winner of the race. Beth’s hand flew to her hat to keep it from falling off as he shot past her, sending a gust of wind over her. She watched as he veered off the track and drove down the pit road, where all drivers were required to retire after the race.

  “He won! He won!” Olivia jumped up and down as the crowd, including Connie, exploded into cheers.

  “And by a quarter of a lap!” Nathan’s face flushed with excitement. “That’s huge!”

  “Not to mention it’s only his first race.” Matthew grinned and shook his head. “Man, I can’t believe he pulled it off.”

  The second and third place cars were declared, and the remaining thirty-four cars crossed the finish line at regular intervals soon after. The air rushed out of Beth’s lungs with the arrival of the last place car. She enveloped Olivia in a hug, squeezing tighter than was probably comfortable for her friend.

  When she pulled away, Nathan offered her his handkerchief. With Olivia’s help, she tidied her appearance discreetly, not wanting to reveal her crying over Aidan’s close call to anyone aside from her friends.

  VIP attendees had clearance to enter the pit road, where the victors parked to accept their prizes. Thankfully, women were allowed in the pit at this event, which meant Beth, Olivia, and Connie could go as well. Instead of walking the half-mile to the pit road, Nathan and Matthew secured golf carts for transportation and the group was chauffeured there.

  By the time they arrived, the trophies and checks, consisting of a portion of the drivers’ entry fees and spectator ticket sales, had already been distributed to the top three drivers. Beth was still shaken by the race, but when she spotted Aidan standing beside his Porsche and speaking to the press about his win, all she felt was the sweetness of relief.

  Beth was dazzled by the sight of him basking in the celebration of achieving his racing dream. His damp hair matted to his head, the collar of his dusty racing suit was popped in true Aidan fashion, and his sunglasses hung at his mid-chest, hooked onto the V where the zipper stopped.

  After answering a reporter’s question, Aidan placed his trophy on the ground and crouched to sign an autograph for a little girl in pigtails who approached him with her father, sheepishly extending a piece of paper and a pencil.

  Beth watched Aidan’s exchange with the youngster fondly, noting his gracious smile and the gentle voice he used when he complimented her “very pretty dress” and asked her name so he could personalize the autograph.

  As Aidan spoke with the little girl, he maintained eye contact and gave his undivided atten
tion in what Beth could only interpret as genuine interest and kindness. He took his time with her, ignoring all the adults who clamored for his acknowledgement: prominent people in the film and racing industry who, if he was truly concerned with making a good impression, would’ve been his top priority.

  For years, Beth’s focus had been on breaking free from her hometown of Clarkson, Oregon and establishing a career, but watching Aidan interact with the young girl brought forth a yearning she’d never felt before: the desire to get married and have a family someday—but not with just anyone—with Aidan specifically. It was because of him the idea now seemed so appealing.

  Although Aidan was known as difficult, reckless, and moody in the press, she knew he would make a wonderful father, that he would dote on their children and teach them all about love and living to the fullest with the same passion he exhibited in every aspect of his own life.

  As the young girl skipped off with her father, gushing about her “new favorite race car driver,” Aidan was swarmed by more fans. He denied future autograph requests, explaining he made an exception for the child and was here to discuss the race only. His response earned him a few dreamy sighs from the women in the audience.

  Beth listened in as Aidan answered questions about his car’s handling during the race and his determination to continue after his near miss in lap twenty-six.

  Finally, he discovered her in the crowd, his eyes pegging her like an arrow to a bull’s-eye. He rubbed his hands through his hair, restoring it to the chaotic style she knew and loved on him, and jogged over to her, leaving his trophy in the dirt.

  With her friends in tow, Beth soared toward him. They stopped before each other, leaving a proper distance between them. Although they were pretending to be casual acquaintances and nothing more, Aidan didn’t hide the unhurried top-to-bottom scan of her body that left parts of her molten and longing for his touch. He didn’t have to say the words out loud. Beth could tell by his expression that he thought she looked beautiful. She resisted the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him senseless.