“Thank you. So, he said you wanted to come over so you didn’t have to say goodbye at the hospital. Did you really need a party to say goodbye, Flynn?”
“What? You think I came here to let you go? You could not be farther from the truth right now.” I knew this was a bad idea. We shouldn’t be having this talk here, with a room full of people all celebrating my girl being home. “You think, after everything, I could ever walk away from you? This is the beginning, Harper. If that’s what you want. I’m here for you, nobody else.”
Her jaw goes slack as she studies my eyes, looking for signs of apprehension or God knows whatever else.
“I don’t understand.”
Michael takes that precise moment to interrupt. “So, did he tell you our news?” His eyes flit between his daughter and me, before realising what he’s done. “Oops! Sorry, you should just spit it out now, then, huh?”
Taking a deep breath, I take Harper’s hand in mine. The puzzled look continues, only now she’s added worry into the mix too. “You just have to say no and it’s fine. I have options. You need to know there are always options. But please, just hear me out first, okay?”
“I gave Flynn a job! At the track! He’s your new trainee mechanic. It’ll take him a while to get his qualification, but so what, he’s part of the family now!” Michael blurts it all out without hesitation or breath, my chance to ease it in gently gone in a heartbeat. My girl looks ill, as all colour drains from her face, then the shaking begins.
“Harper, honey, he’ll start small and work his way up with Stuart. I wouldn’t trust your safety to just anybody, not again. I know Flynn’s got this. You mean too much to both of us. Are you mad?” Concern is etched all over Michael’s face.
She shakes her head, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on mine. “You’re staying? You’re not leaving me?”
Her father coughs apologetically as he retreats slowly backwards. “I’ll leave you two to, ah, talk.”
I shake my head firmly. If she’ll have me, I’ll stay forever.
“You know I may never race again?” She’s questioning my commitment is to her and not the job offer. I can understand that. She knows my past.
“Harper, I choose you, now and every day that you’ll have me. The job’s just an added bonus, but I have options. If you’d rather I didn’t work for your father, I mean. I don’t have any options as far as you’re concerned. You are my only option. I need you like I need to breathe. I tried to stay away, remember? Look how that turned out.”
My breath catches in my throat as I wait for her speak. When she doesn’t, I realise I’m not above pleading. “Please, say something, do something, anything. I’m dying here.”
As I study her face, I’m reminded of the first day we met. The vacancy in her eyes, taking her to somewhere far and distant. The place she escapes to no doubt when she tried to flee from him.
I’ve lost her. I can see it in her eyes. The distance builds between us as the silence grows. My eyes remain fixed on her face, still searching for some glimmer of hope. A guy can dream.
Lifting her eyes to mine, a smile breaks across her face, lighting up the whole room. She doesn’t speak, she just lets her eyelids sweep downward twice in quick succession.
She’s playing with me.
Wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her skyward, my head shakes from side to side quickly. “Nah, beautiful. That doesn’t cut it anymore. I want the words. Give me words.”
“Yes, I want you to stay, with me, at the track. Yes to all of it!” She squeals loudly as I spin her round and round as the gathered few cheer.
******
Harper
Six months ago I never thought I’d see this day. It hasn’t been easy, coming here was never going to be easy, but it was inevitable. The sound of the tyres on the track, the smell of the oil and fuel mingling in the air is a heady attack on my senses.
I’m on high alert, my senses in overdrive. I’ve eased back into the circuit gently, with a few laps now and again, when everyone else but Stuart had gone home for the day. I didn’t want to get Pops’ hopes up if I couldn’t get my head in the game again. It wasn’t fair to him.
The first time out was horrific, with me abandoning the car after the first lap. I couldn’t even bring it back to the pit. The images of hitting the barrier and his voice in my ear rang true and clear as though I were living it again.
Four days later, Stuart convinced me to give it one more go. We took the training car out that time, so he could ride with me through a few laps, building me back up day by day. It has been a long process.
The nerves are still there, but less so. I suppose the day they disappear altogether is the day I should really worry. After all, I know only too well that if any sport can wreck your life in seconds, it’s racing.
“You ready?” Stuart fastens me into the car before fitting the steering wheel back on.
“As I’ll ever be. Just keep talking to me, okay?” I plead. The last thing I want or need are Phil’s words echoing in my head. If Stuart’s voice is in my ear instead, it’ll all be good.
“You’ve got this. I’m right with you.” Those are the last words I hear before he pushes the helmet onto my head, adjusting the chin strap as he does. A quick slap to the car body signals my movement out to the starting grid.
This is it, now is the time to pull on my big girl pants again. As the engines roar and the vibrations soar through my body, I slip into the zone, focusing on the task in hand. It’s not rocket science, just speed and a constant left-hand turn. I can totally do this.
The sweat runs down the back of my neck, disappearing inside my leather suit. My hands grip the wheel too tightly as I try to calm my nerves and get a feel for the car, and its then I hear him, right in my ear.
“Hey, beautiful. I’m here. I’m right here with you. You can nail this, baby.” Flynn speaks proudly through my earpiece.
He’s right where I need him to be, just as he always is and always will be. With him by my side, I can do this. I can make it back to the top.
He is my saviour.
Acknowledgments
Firstly, I have to thank my family for all their love and support. Without out them I wouldn’t be able to hide away and write the stories that float around in my head. They make me who I am today.
Secondly, my friend and fellow writer, C.R. McBride, thanks so much for the constant reading, brainstorming and tweaking you do for me, without you my stories wouldn’t be what they are today.
Murphy Rae Hopkins, Indie Solutions, thank you for being an amazing editor and doing such a brilliant job. You rock girl!
Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations, what can I say other than, WOW! I don’t think I will ever love another book cover as much as I love this one. You truly are a genius.
And lastly but most importantly, thank you to every reviewer, blogger and every single one of you that has bothered to download and read my books. Thank you for taking a chance on me. You are all amazing!
About the author
Caroline Easton lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and two of her three children, the eldest having flown the nest. Alongside writing and her motherly duties she also runs her own childcare business.
When not doing any of the above she can be found with her nose stuck in her kindle reading romance books or watching superhero movies with her boys. Failing that, you can always find her on Twitter, @carolinelou70 where she rambles about books and life in general.
If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review where you bought it!
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