She knew something.
I turned back around, just in time to see the racers cross the finish line, and I wondered if Jared had talked about me with her. It would’ve been unlike him. He rarely confided in anyone, so why her?
“Round two!” Zack shouted over the loudspeaker, making me jump.
I looked over the track, my game face lost, and . . .
And now my blood wasn’t dancing under my skin. It was shaking.
Shit.
“On the track!” Zack shouted, and Ben hooked my elbow, pulling me away.
“Shake it off,” he told me, cupping my face. “His being here doesn’t matter.”
I brought his hands down gently, giving him a half smile. I was grateful for what he was trying to do, but I could take care of myself.
I let Ben kiss me on the lips before I turned away and walked to my car, hearing whistles from the guys in the crowd. Even more so this week with Madoc’s little impromptu wardrobe alteration on my shirt catching everyone’s attention. Sometimes I dressed to kill, simply because it was fun to change it up, but I wanted to be noticed for my driving, not shaking my ass.
Climbing in, I pulled my car up to the starting line and sat next to Jaeger, with Chestwick and Kelley behind us. It was another four-car race, which made it interesting, with the narrow track.
I climbed out of the car to go hear instructions.
All three guys, surrounded by their girlfriends and our friends, crowded around the front of the cars as Jax stood up in the tower doing his techie thing and Zack administered the rules.
I steeled my body, determined that in one minute, I’d be in my car, with my music, and everything else forgotten.
“All right, everyone,” Zack rallied us, his bald head shining in the stadium lighting. “It’s a four-loop race. The top finishers from last week get the two front spaces this week. No rubbing, and no shenanigans.” He pointed around to all of us. “You don’t race clean, you won’t be invited back.”
Rules we already knew and rules that were hard not to break. The track was wider than it had been in high school but not wide enough for four cars. Not rubbing was nearly impossible.
Zack eyed all of us for compliance, and the crowd started chanting names.
“I’m ready,” I said, nodding.
Zack peeked over our heads, toward the bleachers.
“Mr. Trent!” He called for Jared, feigning formality. “How about a turn for old time’s sake, Mr. Big Shot?” he joked.
He held out his hands, trying to make a big show and get the crowd riled up as they started cheering.
“Sorry, man,” I heard Jared say in the distance behind me. “There’s only one race I’ll take, but I’m not sure she’s ready to give me what I want.”
“Ohhhh,” the crowd nearly panted, and before I let his words sink in, I did an about-face and got into my car without giving him a look.
Everyone cleared the road, and I glanced into my rearview mirror as the engines roared to life. He leaned back on his elbows, looking my way, and I averted my eyes, rolling up my windows and turning up Shinedown’s “Adrenaline.”
Nothing. I closed my eyes, letting the music sink in. Nothing was weighing me down.
Med school was a done deal. The house wasn’t important. Ben was no pressure. Jared was nothing but a temptation that couldn’t be trusted.
I was on top of the world.
My car door opened, and I snapped my eyes over to see Jared’s “assistant” climbing into the car.
“What are you doing?” I barked, watching her settle back and fasten the seat belt.
“Coming with,” she answered, pushing her black-frame glasses up the bridge of her nose.
I stared at her, befuddled, because I wasn’t entirely sure if she was trying to be friendly or piss me off.
I cleared my throat and looked at her. “You’re sleeping with my ex-boyfriend,” I pointed out. “Get out.”
She reached over, turning down the volume on my stereo.
“I’m not sleeping with Jared,” she corrected. “I have never slept with Jared, nor do I ever want to.”
I narrowed my eyes, studying her.
She nodded, allowing, “Although we are close, even though he likes to pretend we’re not. I saw him almost cry once, and it kind of made me like him more despite the fact that he maintains it never happened,” she explained. “But he’s not my type, and I promise you of that.”
She looked at me firm and serious, and I kind of believed her.
And then I wondered why I cared.
I turned the volume back up. “Out,” I ordered, but then she turned it back down.
“I’m bored,” she argued. “And I’d like to experience my boss’s humble beginnings. If you’re lucky, I may start to like you.”
I rolled my eyes.
I saw Zack get up on the podium with his megaphone, and I checked to make sure I was in first gear.
“You’re a distraction,” I blurted out, wishing she’d get out of my car. I was tempted to get someone to haul her out, but it would waste my time.
“I’d say you were already distracted,” she retorted, and I snapped my eyes up at her, catching her insinuation.
“Ready!”
I jerked my gaze back out the windshield, not feeling ready.
“Set!” I heard him call, and I blasted the music, shooting her a warning look.
Why was she in my car? Why did she think I was distracted?
And shit, how many laps was I doing again?
Uh . . . four. Four laps. I nodded to myself. Yeah, four.
“Go!” he shouted, and I sucked in a breath, gassing the damn car with all of my might.
I yanked the stick down into second and up into third, smoothing into my gears like always. My car was a part of me, and I checked my rearview mirror, seeing two of the cars still behind me and Jaeger at my side.
Coming up on the first turn, I let Jaeger go ahead, and I drifted behind him around the turn. I skidded, going to the outside, but not having to slow nearly as much.