It made her want to delve deeper, to know him at a level that scared her.
Because she knew that falling in love with him would break her heart in the end.
TWENTY-ONE
QUALIFYING WENT WELL, THOUGH GRAY FELT LIKE HE was rushing to catch up after being gone. Still, he could race in his sleep.
Pushing aside the dark thoughts of what went down at Bill and Ginger’s, he focused on the race, on his car, and what the next race meant for his team. Everything else had to be put on the back burner, though fortunately, Evelyn had taken the ball and run with it as far as Bill was concerned. She was on the phone with Drew and Trevor, and even though she hadn’t met Garrett, she’d made contact with him, too. She was coordinating everything on his behalf.
He didn’t know what he’d do without her, something that gave him a huge sense of relief and a knot in the pit of his stomach at the same time. Because eventually he would have to do without her.
Something he refused to think about as he took turn two at a hundred and ninety-six miles an hour.
Focus on the race. Don’t wreck. This track was treacherous, he was in third place right now on the number sixteen’s bumper and Donny was on his. Having his team member bump drafting him meant they had a shot to win this thing. His race team was in position to have a one-two finish today if he didn’t screw this up. He had to scrub his mind of everything else and think only of racing—of winning. The remainder of the season was ahead of him, and if he won this race, he could lock himself into position to make the finals. That’s what was important today. It was all that mattered.
They all pitted with forty-two laps to go. It went smoothly and Donny took up position on his tail again, but Gray knew the end of this race was going to be anything but easy. Racers always tended to lay back until the end, and soon enough they’d be jockeying for position and making a push on the outside to charge up front.
He was ready. He and Donny had a strategy. They were going to make the same push to get out front and sail through the finish line.
A wreck with twenty laps to go put him on the inside lane, right behind the leader, with Donny on the outside lane above him.
It was go time, twelve laps left, now or never. He knew what needed to be done, so when the pace car pulled off and the checkered flag waved, he pushed the number forty-seven, who had a fast car all day. Donny jumped down behind him and as soon as they cleared the car on the outer lane, Gray pulled up, Donny right with him.
They sailed past the forty-seven, momentum carrying them. The forty-seven, without his drafting partner, was left in the back. Gray and Donny shot forward and took the bottom lane, picking up speed. He knew Donny was going to start heating up, but there were seven laps to go now, and no holding back. He just had to hope their engines would keep going, because without Donny pushing him, he was screwed.
His heart pounded as they held the lead. McClusky pulled to the outside lane, his teammate Darren Lavelle pushing him, but the outside lane was tougher, and Gray and Donny were still holding the lead with three laps to go.
“Come on, baby,” he said, tightening his grip on the wheel as they rounded the curve to take the white flag.
One lap to go.
Adrenaline pumping, he hoped to God Donny didn’t do something stupid like try to pass him for the win. His time would come later, and he wasn’t in the points race. His job today was to push Gray to a win.
As Gray took the checkered flag, he yelled out and pumped his fist, then downshifted, giving Donny a big fucking thumbs-up. He thanked his crew on the radio, then did the burnout of all burnouts for the screaming fans.
Damn, that was a good race. And it put him in solid position in the points.
In the winner’s circle, he climbed out and sprayed soda all over his crew. Donny came up and gave him a big hug. When he pulled back, he slapped Donny on the back.
“You did a damn fine job out there today, kid.”
Donny grinned. “Second-place finish is all right by me, boss. I’ll take it.”
“We’ll get you in the winner’s circle yet. Really aggressive driving. I’m so proud of you.”
After that it was interviews and photos with the sponsors. Today, Gray didn’t care.
He coveted this win and his team needed it badly. Now they were virtually a lock to make the finals, so he handled every interview, and at the end of the day, headed back to his house on the beach.
This morning he’d given Evelyn a key to his house so she wouldn’t have to wait to go back to her hotel. She was already there, and had grabbed them some food. She was wearing a sinfully sexy sundress, her feet bare as she lounged on his sofa, her laptop in her lap.
She put it aside when he walked in and threw her arms around him, planting a seriously hot kiss on his lips.