by Zoë Burton
After some additional conversation about the guys, Liz remembered to ask about going out with them after the race. Jane was all for it, eager for more time with Charles. Finally talked out, and knowing that pre-race ceremonies were going to begin soon, they climbed the grandstand stairs to their seats. They had not been seated long when a teenaged blonde girl approached them.
“Are you Liz?”
“I am.” She smiled at the obviously nervous young lady.
“Oh, good. My dad sent me up with these passes for you. My brother described you to me; I should have known he’d be spot on with it. I’m Georgie.”
Liz accepted the passes, shaking Georgie’s hand and inviting her to sit for a minute after the strenuous climb.
“Oh, thank you, I think I will. I thought I was in better shape than this, but I guess I’ll be upping my exercise regimen after today!”
“Me, too! I should have been focusing on a stair stepper instead of aerobics!” The three laughed and made small talk for a few minutes. When the announcers started working the crowd, starting a “wave” in turn four, Will’s sister took her leave, and Jane and Liz settled in to adjust their scanners and cheer their guys on.
~~~***~~~
The race was thrilling, for both drivers and spectators. There were several caution periods, in part due to a new racing format and in part because of a couple blown engines and tires.
During the first of these yellow flag laps, Will keyed up his mic to ask a question. “Jason, is Coach around?”
“Yep, he’s here somewhere. He had his headset on, last I saw him.”
“Right here, Son. Whatcha need?”
“You get those passes for me?”
“I sure did. Sent Georgie up with them right before pre-race.”
“She find the girls alright?”
Next over the radio came his sister’s voice. “I found them. You described them very well. They’re really nice girls.”
Will breathed a sigh of relief. “Of course I did, and Liz sure is. I didn’t talk to her sister, though. What did they say?”
Will’s spotter, who was called by the nickname Digger, broke in. “One to go. Watch for a truck high in three.”
Will sighed. He really wanted to continue this conversation. “Ten-four. Sis, you can fill me in later.”
Jason’s voice was the next one Will heard, reminding him to check his switches and stay in his lane during the restart. Then came Digger once more.
“Green, green, green!”
Will’s focus was once more on his car and the race.
True to his prediction, Will was the first to cross the finish line, earning him top points for the day and a guaranteed seat in the Sprint to the Championship, the Stock Car Racing Association’s “playoffs.” He did a victory lap, grabbing the checkered flag from the official at the grandstands. To the delight of the fans, he performed a series of “donuts” on the front stretch, holding the clutch part way out while he pressed the gas, causing his rear wheels to spin and burning the rubber nearly off them. Once the air was filled with black smoke, he gunned the engine and made his way to Victory Lane, a small area of pavement cordoned off and laid with alternating black and white painted squares. As he rode, he keyed the mic once more. “Georgie, do you see them?”
“No, not yet, but there’s a big crowd over here.”
“Keep looking. I want to see Liz before we leave.”
“She’ll look, you get that car in here before I come and get you.”
Will laughed to himself. His father acted and sounded tough, and Will knew not to truly cross him, but he was really a teddy bear. Will could hear the pride in the man’s voice as his only son won another trophy. Within another couple minutes, he was slowly inching his machine into place.
The moment he stopped, hands were lowering the window net that protected him on the driver’s side of the car. They reached in to help him unlatch his harness while he pulled the cord to release the head-and-neck restraint device and then yanked the hose off the top of his helmet. Once he had removed the helmet, hanging it from the ceiling of the car on a hook placed there for that purpose, he could hear the screaming of the team and gathered spectators. Though racing is what he lived for, this part of winning never got old. He twisted in the seat, reaching his hands up to grab the top of the window frame and pull himself out. As he stood on the top of the door in the open space where the window would be, a shower of confetti rained down, and he pumped his fist and howled his pleasure. He quickly scanned the crowd on the far side of the car, but saw no Liz.
Jumping down, he accepted a sports drink and a towel from a crew member. Wiping his face, he turned to the reporter who was already speaking into his microphone. Will forced his attention to the man.
“Will, how does it feel to be the first DRI driver to win this season?”
“It’s a great feeling, Steve. We were confident coming into this race that our FirstBank Ford Fusion was dialed into the character of the track, and our practice laps yesterday confirmed it in our minds. We could do nothing but win today.”
“Next week’s racing is in Tennessee. What’s your half-mile program look like?”
“Half-mile tracks, Tennessee in particular, are our best tracks. We’ll be winning there, too, I guarantee it.” Will nodded at Steve, turning his attention to his father and sister, who had stepped up to hug him. He searched the crowd again, disappointed not to see Liz. He queried Georgie about it. “Have you-?”
“Yes,” Georgie replied. “She’s stuck behind some reporters and other fans, but she’s here.” Squeezing his middle, Will’s sister let go to work her way through the crowd to Liz and Jane.
By the time Will had completed the requisite interviews and had begun the Hat Dance—so named because the driver, owner, and crew switched hats with sponsor names on them for each set of pictures taken—Liz and their sisters were in his sight. He breathed a sigh of relief. He did not know why he felt so strongly about a woman he had just met, but he did.
Finally, his obligations were completed, and he could walk away. Immediately, he strode to where Georgie, Liz, and Jane were standing.
“Congratulations! That was some good driving!”
“Have I convinced you to switch drivers yet?”
“Mmmm, no, not yet. I’ll need to see more of your skills before I do that.” Giving him that arch smile that he enjoyed so much, Liz winked and tossed her head as Jane and Georgie laughed.
Will grinned. “Did you ask your sister?”
“Yes, and we would be happy to go out with you and Charles.”
“Great! Why don’t you come to the motorhome with me while I shower and change, then I’ll drive you out to your car, and we can decide where to go.”
“Sounds good! Lead on!”
Once again, as he had when they were first introduced, Will tucked her hand under his elbow and escorted the ladies to a waiting golf cart, which would take them to his motorhome.
Before they knew it, the cart was pulling up to one of the hundred-thousand-dollar recreational vehicles parked in the infield lot. Charles Bingley stood waiting outside, much to Jane’s delight, and kept them company while Will showered and changed.
“So, what have y’all decided?”
Liz’s heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight of him, hair wet and slicked back, wearing a blue polo shirt with the DRI logo and a pair of well-worn, faded blue jeans. The clothes fit his obviously tightly toned body like they were painted on. When combined with the gorgeous blue of his eyes, Will Darcy exuded sex appeal. Liz mentally shook herself. She was not going to be ruled by her feelings, or her hormones. She’d leave that to her youngest sister. Liz intended to be rational and logical and not jump into any kind of a relationship without knowing the man’s character first. She mentally shook herself once more, forcing her gaze away from Will and toward Charles.
“The girls thought that wings might be a good idea. There’s one of those buffalo wing places over in Monroe.”
“Monroe’s how far from here?”
Liz spoke up. “About an hour.” She added wryly, “We couldn’t find anything closer, as usual. Our hotel is down the street from the wing place.”
Will nodded. “That is a good idea, then. We could see you to your door after we eat. Tell you what, why don’t Bingley and I drive you out to your car and we can take two vehicles?”
Liz and Jane agreed, and soon they were all climbing into Charles’ F-150 and heading for the parking lot. Since they were in Bingley’s vehicle, Jane rode with him to the restaurant while Will and Liz took Liz’s truck. As they traveled, the couples shared information about their lives and families.
“Is Georgie your only sibling?
“Yes. She’s ten years younger than I am. Our mother died when my sister was two, and I was twelve.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been hard.” Liz’s tender heart ached at the thought of a toddler and an impressionable boy being suddenly denied their mom.
“It was. Dad has done his best, but we both really needed a mother. I asked him once why he never remarried. He said he loved Mom too much to think about replacing her.”
“Wow.” Liz thought about her own parents and their unhappy marriage. She didn’t think her father would replace his wife either, but not because he loved her so much; more like he would enjoy the peace and quiet without her.
“Yeah. I’d like a love like that someday.” Will blushed, sneaking a look at Liz. “What about you? Is Jane your only sibling?”
With her attention on the road, Liz missed her passenger’s glance. “Nope. We have three younger sisters and no brothers. Jane is the oldest and I’m second, then there are Mary, Kitty, and Lydia.”
Will nodded, wondering what it was like to have that many siblings. “Are you close in ages?”
“Yes; in general, there are two years between each, except in the case of myself and Mary. We are only a year apart. Well, fourteen months.”
“So you’re the closest in age.”
Laughing, Liz conceded. “Yes, but Jane is closest to me in temperament and maturity. Mary is a bit of a nerd, and for nineteen, she’s rather immature. She is the most devout of us and the one most likely to go to church, and she is fond of lecturing the rest of us about our behavior.”
Will winced. “Not good. Is she in school?”
“College, yes. She’s a freshman, majoring in mathematics. Kitty and Lydia are in high school. Kitty is smart enough, but she’s a follower and Lydia is very much a leader.” Liz shook her head. “I worry about them. Lydia is a spoiled wild child. I fear she will come to a bad end and drag Kitty with her.”
Will nodded. By this time, they were pulling into the restaurant, and their conversation had to be put on hold.
Chapter Three
The restaurant was packed, but Will had called ahead to reserve a table, and the group was seated immediately. This was not a quiet place. There were probably a dozen large-screen televisions showing the most popular sports, including post-race shows. People crowded the bar area, and filled every available seat. Thankfully, their table was actually a booth in the back of the restaurant, and was far quieter than the rest of the room, though still not peaceful.
After ordering their meal, the couples discussed the race. Liz and Jane were fascinated with the way the men used their hands to talk and passionately declared their opinions on everything from the officials’ calls to the rookie drivers’ mistakes. Will and Charles were impressed with the ladies’ intelligent questions and obvious understanding of the nuances of racing.
“How long have the two of you been race fans?”
Jane looked at Liz with her brows raised and her lips twisted to the side and asked, “Since we were, what…eight and ten?”
Liz nodded. “Yep, I’m pretty sure you’re right. It was the year Uncle Edward moved back from Alabama. You remember how he was all full of stories about the cars and wrecks and stuff? And he brought a video for us to watch?”
“I do! He made it all seem so exciting, and after that, we bugged Daddy until he got a satellite dish installed so we could watch every weekend.”
Liz laughed at the memory. “Poor Daddy. All he wanted was to be left alone. He still does not understand our fascination with racing. If we could get him out to a track, I know we could change his mind!”
“He won’t attend a race with you?” Will, who grew up in a racing family, shook his head, mystified. He glanced at Charles, who was also looking confused.
“My dad didn’t like racing much, but he hauled my butt around all over the south because I wanted to drive cars. I can’t imagine not sharing that with him.”
Jane tilted her head. “Does he still come to your races?”
“No, not now. Says he’s too old, but I think my sister Caroline manipulates him into staying away. The only thing she likes about racing is Will, here.” Charles laughed at his friend's sour look and rolling eyes.
“She’s never going to get me. I hope you told her that.”
“Oh, I did, but Caro is nothing if not persistent.” He looked at the girls. “I had to ask the sanctioning body to yank her hard card and ban her from attending races. She’s positive that she will be the next Mrs. Will Darcy, despite the fact that he runs the other way when she comes near. Not even a restraining order has kept her away!”
Liz and Jane’s eyes grew wide. “Really?” Liz breathed. She was not certain she wanted to be involved with a man who had a stalker.
Will threw a glare at his friend. “Yes, really; however, a week in jail seems to have cured her of violating it. I have not seen her in months.”
Charles blushed, embarrassed at having annoyed his friend and possibly damaging their chances with the Bennet girls. “I’m sorry. I like to tease Will, and sometimes I get carried away. Caroline took a trip to Europe when she got out of jail in February. She’s not supposed to be back for at least another year. She took a job with a fashion magazine.”
Liz nodded. “Oh, ok. That’s good.”
“Yes,” Jane seconded her sister. “That’s very good.”
There was an awkward silence for just a minute, until Charles cleared his throat. “Well, then.”
Will shook his head at his friend once again before turning his attention to the waitress, who winked at him and, he would swear, wiggled her chest at him as she served his food. Not wanting Liz to think he would flirt with another woman when he was on a date with her, on top of being uncomfortable with strangers, Will first glared at and then ignored the server, earning himself and Liz a dirty look.
Conversation slowed as the group ate. Looking at Jane’s salad, Liz was glad she ordered the cheeseburger. “Is that even good? Will’s wings look better than your meal!”
Jane giggled at the loathing in her sister’s voice. Liz liked salad, but this one did not look particularly appetizing. It was almost as if the kitchen staff had run it through a food processor, lettuce and all, before plating it. “It tastes better than it looks. How’s that greaseball on a bun?”
“It’s actually pretty good. That onion has a kick that will keep me coming back for more!” Laughing at Liz’s imagery, they discussed food and restaurants while they ate.
Meals consumed and bellies full, the large group chat morphed into two small groups. Jane and Charles sat together on one side of the table, having a quiet conversation, while Liz and Will did the same on their side. They talked about themselves—their education, their travels, and their hobbies. A love of racing was not the only thing they had in common, to the relief of both.
For Will, everything about Liz drew him in. Not just her physical beauty, though she had plenty of sex appeal. She was intelligent, with strong opinions. She did not flatter him or agree with every word out of his mouth. One of the drawbacks to dating the famous women he had was that so many of them were either brainless or had some really deep, dysfunctional issues. He had learned to pick up on the clues, and though her younger sisters seemed to be a
handful, Liz appeared to be perfectly normal, as did Jane.
Liz greatly enjoyed the evening, despite the bump in the road that was Charles’ sister. Will was respectful and gentlemanly. He had held opened the car doors for her, and the door to the restaurant. He made sure she was comfortable in her seat before he took his. He listened to what she had to say, looking her in the eye and treating her with respect. He did not interrupt or speak over her, as so many other dates had. He was confident, to be sure. One could almost call him cocky. But she supposed, since he was a top-notch professional driver in the most difficult racing series in the world, that was to be expected. She liked him, a lot. A whole lot.
They were interrupted when the waitress returned and handed Will the check. Thanking the woman politely but still refusing to do more than stare haughtily at her, he looked to his left to see Liz pulling out her wallet. “I’ve got it. My father would skin my hide to find out I took a lady out to eat and let her pay for her own meal.”
Liz hesitated. “Are you sure? You’re not getting anything out of this once you drop us off at the hotel.”
“I’m sure, and I don’t expect anything else. I have enjoyed your company. Matter of fact, I’d like to do this again. Can I call you this week, once I have time to sit down and figure out the logistics?”
Relieved that Will was not planning on trying to spend the night with her, Liz readily gave him her cell phone number. Another sign of respect, she thought, very well pleased.
After their respective contact information was exchanged and the waitress had dealt with their bill, the four rose, making their way to the front. The guys decided a pit stop was in order, so Jane and Liz used the restroom, as well. Liz, always quick to do her business and get on with her day, let her sister know that she would wait in the lobby. Knowing as she did that Liz enjoyed watching people, Jane agreed.