“Everyone is capable of loving, Paislie. Don’t let what your father did to you lead you down a road you’re not meant to travel.”
I thought back to this morning with Trey. “I did meet a guy last night. We had a . . . um . . . well, we had a good time together.” I felt the heat in my cheeks as Elizabeth covered her mouth to hide her smile.
“Do you like him?”
With a shrug of my shoulders I chewed on my lip. “I think I could possibly like him. He knows how to make me . . . well . . . gosh you know sometimes it would be so much easier if you weren’t a catholic nun!”
With a giggle, she bumped my arm. “I am still a woman though. I have the same desires as you do.”
“Oh, Elizabeth I’m pretty sure your desires are nothing like mine.”
We both laughed as she nodded her head. “Most likely not. Paislie, do me one favor.”
“Anything,” I said with a smile.
“Open your heart and let your father leaving you go. You’re going to meet someone who is going to love you and want to give you every bit of happiness he can.”
Wringing my hands together, I pushed out a deep breath. “I sure hope God will let me know when I meet him. So far he has given me no clues.”
Standing, she reached for my hand. “Trust me. He will. Now help me pick some of this squash. You can take some home with you.”
My heart always felt so much lighter after visiting with Elizabeth. If only I thought the words she spoke were true.
February
“STAY CLEAR OF THAT DEBRIS around turn four,” Dalton said as I focused on my line.
“Yep.”
“Number eighteen is two car lengths ahead,” Russ, my spotter said.
Gripping the steering wheel, I had four laps to try and pass the eighteen car to win the Daytona 500.
“Seventy-eight is coming up on your inside.”
“The fuck he is,” I said as I hit the gas more.
“We’ve only got three laps to go, Malcolm. Easy.”
“Easy? It’s the fucking Daytona 500, Dalton.”
“Where is he?” I yelled out to Russ.
“Lap traffic has slowed him down; looks like you were half a second faster on that last lap.”
Dalton calmly stated, “Keep doing what you’re doing, buddy. We’ll get him.”
The next lap I focused on catching up to the number eighteen car.
“Bumper. Door. Door. Bumper. Clear! You cleared the eighteen,” Russ shouted as I ran the line that had been working for me all day.
“Please tell me Emmit is watching this on TV and wishing his ass was back out here!” I said as I took the white flag.
“One to go. All clear.”
My heart was pounding in my chest as I came around turn three.
“Where is he?”
Russ came over my headphones. “You’re clear by at least two car lengths. Lap traffic coming up, go high.”
Coming out of turn four, I took it high and passed the lap traffic and took the checkered flag.
“I can’t believe it!” I shouted amongst all the whooping and hollering. “We fucking did it, boys! Yes!”
The Daytona 500. I just won the fucking Daytona 500.
By the time I made it back to my trailer, I was exhausted. Almost every other driver had pulled out already as I climbed up the steps and pulled the door open. Sitting on the sofa was a pretty brunette with her hair pulled up and piled on top of her head.
“Congrats on the big win,” she said as she popped a giant pink bubble.
With a grin as wide as ever, I held my arms open as my baby sister bounced up and jumped into my arms. “What in the hell are you doing here, Autumn?”
“Surprising my big brother. Although there is one very pissed off girl who thought she was going to be getting lucky tonight until I had to send her away.”
Laughing, I pulled her in tighter. “Please tell me Sophie is with you.”
“Yep, she is crashed in your bed. Sorry. I know you’re exhausted.”
I held her out and took her in. “You look beautiful. Where’s Jake?”
Her smile dropped and I instantly wanted to hurt the guy just from the look in her eyes. “He um . . . he told me he needed to take a break.”
My head pulled back as I stared at her in disbelief. “Take a break from what?”
With a shrug, she said, “Our marriage. The life we made, the child we have together.”
“That son-of-a-bitch. I’m going to fucking kill him. I told you something like this was going to happen. I never trusted that asshole!”
Autumn squeezed my arms. “Listen, Malcolm, it was a long shot that our marriage would even work, ya know? We got married way too young and had Sophie way way too young.”
“How does he not want his own child?” I fumed.
“I didn’t say he didn’t want her. He doesn’t want her full time.”
My fingers laced through my hair as I paced back and forth. “That doesn’t even make a fucking lick of sense, Autumn.”
The door opened and Hank walked in. Since Emmit wasn’t racing, Hank requested to drive for me. I welcomed him with open arms. The guy was easy going and one hell of a good poker player.
“Hey, Hank. This is my sister, Autumn. This is Hank, my driver.”
Reaching his hand out, Hank gave Autumn a polite grin and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”