by Zoë Burton
Liz stood along the wall as guests came and went. She mostly observed those in her direct vicinity, but after a few minutes, turned her attention to those seated just beyond the hostess center. Her attention was suddenly arrested by the profile of one of the diners. Liz could swear the girl was Will’s sister, but she never turned around. The guy she was with appeared to be a lot older than Georgie, though, with a hardened look that Liz didn’t like. She’s old enough to date, if that is her. Liz mentally shrugged, as her shoulders raised and lowered slightly. It wasn’t her business, anyway. Surely, her dad wouldn’t allow her to go out with someone that much older. Must not be her. Liz shrugged again and looked away, certain the girl could not be Georgie. At that moment, Will, Charles, and Jane all exited the restrooms and Liz’s attention was drawn from her observations.
A few minutes later, Will and Liz stood to one side of the door to the girls’ hotel room, with Bingley and Jane on the other side.
“Thanks for going out with me. I had a great time.”
“Thanks for asking. I enjoyed it, too.”
“I’ll be calling in a day or two. We fly back to North Carolina early tomorrow, and Tuesday we’ll have meetings at the shop, but I should know by then what our plans are for the rest of the week.”
“That’s great; I look forward to hearing from you. You know, though, I’m not sure we can get away again next weekend. We have jobs we have to get back to.”
“No problem there. I’m a licensed pilot with access to more than one private plane. I’ll come to you, and I’ll make sure to have you home by midnight, so your glass slippers don’t get lost.” Will leaned over Liz, his hand above her head on the wall. “I’m going to kiss you.”
Liz felt the breath leave her body at his nearness. When his lips brushed hers ever so slightly, she gasped as a spark jumped from his lips to hers. When his mouth settled more firmly on her still tingling one, she had to stifle a moan. Heavens, he tastes good! She struggled to remember why it was she refused to give herself to someone she was not married to. I’ve never had a kiss like this before. This must be why Lydia is such a floozy. At that thought, Liz’s mind snapped back into focus. She did not break the kiss, but she didn’t allow it to deepen any further either.
Will knew the moment Liz realized what was happening. She went from soft and pliable and melting into him to firm and withdrawn. Immediately, he pulled back, as well, softly ending the kiss and leaning his forehead on hers. “Wow.”
Liz giggled nervously. “Yeah, wow.”
“I intend to repeat that again soon.”
“Yeah.” She nodded and moved away. “I should let you go.” She nudged Jane, who was deep in a kiss with Charles, then unlocked the door and pushed it open. Liz looked back at Will. “Thank you. Good night.”
“’Night, Sweetheart.” He pulled Bingley away. “I’ll call soon.”
~~~***~~~
True to his word, Will called Tuesday afternoon. “How’s my favorite Social Media Marketer?”
Laughing at his words, Liz replied, “Busy. How are you?”
“What? I’m not your favorite stock car driver?”
“Ha! No, Mark is. You have more work to do to prove your worth.”
“You’re a hard woman, Liz Bennet.”
“So I’ve been told,” she responded dryly. “You, sir, are a flirt.”
Will’s warm chuckle filled her ear. Liz swallowed a sigh as the sound seemed to settle in her chest. It would not do to give in to this man too easily, in any area. He had the potential to not only break her heart, but grind it into the ground and burn rubber over it.
“Are you busy tomorrow night?”
Liz’s brows rose. “Tomorrow? Are you sure you can get away in the middle of the week?” As she spoke, she pulled up her digital calendar.
“Of course I can! Do you doubt me?”
“Should I? Or do you take that as a challenge?”
“I’m a racecar driver. I can find a challenge in anything.”
Liz rolled her eyes. “Alrighty then. I’m free tomorrow after five. What did you have in mind?”
“I found a very nice place to take you. Not fancy, so you don’t need a little black dress or anything.”
“Any clues where it is or what it’s called?”
“Nope. Total surprise. Text me your address, okay? I’ll pick you up at quarter after five.”
“Sure. See you tomorrow.” Liz hung up the phone with her head shaking. She knew she’d make herself crazy trying to figure out where he was taking her, so she put it out of her mind, instead texting him her street address and then getting back to work.
Liz was just cleaning up her desk when Jane arrived home at their shared apartment. Jane was an interior decorator and also worked from home, but her job required her to be out and about more often than Liz’s did. Jane also sold makeup on the side; interior decorators were not in high demand in the part of Ohio where the Bennets lived, and she needed something to supplement her income. Selling makeup, mostly through her social media contacts, was a lucrative business, and if decorating was not her first love, she might give it up entirely.
Both girls enjoyed being able to work from anywhere, and not being tied to a desk in an office. Liz worked mainly for her father, who ran a small software development firm, but she freelanced on the side for other businesses. She hoped to one day start her own social media marketing company.
“How was your day?”
Jane huffed. “Two words: Mrs. Merrick.”
“Oh…that bad, huh?”
“Yes, that bad. We got the room completely painted with the color she insisted on today, and were cleaning up to leave when she came in and demanded that we change it…to light blue! Do you know how many coats of paint it’s going to take to cover the dark green she originally chose?”
“Oh, Jane! I’m so sorry. I know she has frustrated you from the beginning.”
“She has! But, I refuse to think about her any longer today. Charles is supposed to call in a few minutes. I need to jump in the shower; if I’m clean, my mood might improve.”
“True. I started supper a while ago. While you shower and wait for your call, I’ll get it ready to dish up.” Liz was speaking to Jane’s back, as she had already shut the bathroom door. Amused at her sister’s eagerness to get past her difficult client, Liz headed to the kitchen. She threw together a salad to go with the spaghetti and meatballs she had prepared earlier.
When Jane finally came out of the bathroom, she was already on the phone. From what Liz could tell, it was Charles she was speaking to. Taking her meal to the living room to give her sister some privacy, Liz turned on the television. She was halfway through her plate of pasta when her own cell phone buzzed. Picking it up, she saw that it was a text message from Will. Wavering for a few seconds, she finally decided to wait to look at it until she had finished eating. She was serious in her intent to not allow him to wrap her around his little finger.
Several minutes passed as she leisurely consumed her meal. She spent the rest of the evening exchanging texts with a persistent Will Darcy.
Chapter Four
The next afternoon, Will pulled up in a rented sports car, dressed much as he had been after the race on Sunday, and carrying the biggest bouquet of wildflowers Liz had ever seen. He took her across the state line to a fun little pizza place located in an old stone church building, complete with bell tower. The wood-fired pizza was cooked in an open oven, and diners could see the flames inside. The atmosphere was relaxing, for all that the place was obviously very popular. Will and Liz talked nonstop from the time he picked her up until he dropped her off at her door with another heart-stopping kiss. Despite her best intentions, Liz walked into the apartment with stars in her eyes. Though she gave herself a stern talking-to, it could not prevent her from constantly thinking about him—searching his social media accounts, jumping at every ding of the text messaging app on her phone, and even doodling his name all over every piece of paper on her desk.<
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~~~***~~~
Will spent the next couple days in the car, completing practice and qualifying sessions, and making appearances at and near the track. Though he was busy from morning to night, between his driver responsibilities and those of his father’s company, Liz was never far from his mind. He had come to realize over the last few days of interactions that she was a strong woman, independent-minded and firm in what she saw as right and wrong. She was not going to fall for his charm as easily as other women had, and that captivated him. It also made her a challenge, and there was nothing Will liked better than a challenge. He found himself texting her every time he got a spare minute.
Hey Sweetheart
Hi
Whatcha doing?
Making supper. U?
Heading to an appearance with some other guys. What are you cooking?
My specialty: spaghetti and meatballs
Yum.
☺
We’re here. TTYL
Have fun! TTYL
Friday arrived, and with it came Liz and Jane, Will having sent one of DRI’s pilots up to Ohio in his private jet to get them. Georgie picked them up at the airport and drove them to the track, where they would stay in the motorhome lot with her and her father. Both Bennet girls tried to convince the Darcys and Bingley that they could get a hotel on their own, but were unsuccessful. In the end, Liz and Jane decided to make the most of it and soak up everything they could about what it was like “behind the scenes” at a race.
Will’s dad had gotten the girls hot passes for the garage area, which meant they could wander up and down and through the garage all weekend, talking to drivers, crews, team owners, as well as celebrities, series bigwigs, and media members. In general, they spent time with Charles and Will in their garage bays, but they did make full use of the privileges. They got selfies with several drivers and celebrities over the course of the weekend. On Sunday, which was race day, both sat atop pit boxes during the race. All in all, it was a glorious way to spend a weekend.
As with most races, there were some tense moments. Will got tapped by a rookie who had gotten loose in turn four and slid; Liz sat with her hand over her mouth and her heart in her throat as Will’s car spun toward the inside wall. He was able to regain control before he made contact, but Liz didn’t relax until she heard his voice assuring Jason that he was well. Will was furious, and he let the other driver know with a tap of his own. After that, things settled down a bit; the focus was on lap times and fuel mileage, but Will’s chance for a win had disappeared. He had gone a lap down after the incident and was not able to get it back. This made him even more aggravated, but he kept his focus on getting the best finish possible.
In the end, it was Charles Bingley in the winner’s circle, with Jane at his side. It had become obvious over the course of the weekend that the two had become a couple. Unless Charles was in the car, they were inseparable.
Immediately upon exiting his vehicle, Will sought Liz, who was standing on the other side of the wall separating the pit stall from the pit box and tires. He grabbed her hand, though he would have rather pulled her in for a hug, and brought it up to his mouth to kiss. “What did you think about watching the race from the war wagon?”
“It was great! I never realized how much information your guys have to process during a race, and how busy the crew is between stops.” Liz’s hand tingled from his touch. She found herself wishing he would hold her.
“They are busy.” He nodded as he looked around at the guys tearing down the pit box and loading parts and tires onto dollies to take back to the hauler. “The whole crew works hard behind the scenes so I can stand in the winner’s circle with that trophy. I couldn’t do it without them.” He paused. He was exhausted and in need of a shower and a change of clothes. “Come on, let’s head to the motorhome so I can clean up. I’m sure Charles is going to want to celebrate later.” Keeping his hold on Liz’s hand, he turned toward the exit. “Do you mind if we walk? Sometimes it helps me work through things.”
“Not at all! Let’s go.”
The couple had walked to the edge of the motorhome lot when Liz saw a man who looked vaguely familiar come out of the garage area. She wrinkled her brow as she tried to work out where she had seen him before. Will, who had been flirting with her since they began their trek, instantly noticed that she had become distracted.
“What’s wrong? I didn’t offend you, did I?”
“Hm? Oh, no, not at all! I saw someone a few minutes ago, and I’m trying to figure out how I know him.”
“Here? I thought you didn’t know anyone here.”
“I don’t. I must know him from somewhere else. It’ll come to me, probably when I least expect it.”
“If you describe him to me, I might be able to help you out. I don’t know every person who has a garage pass, but I know most.”
“It was a guy, probably your age or a little older. Dark hair.”
“That could be anyone.” He opened the trailer door, motioning Liz in then following her up the steps. “Did you notice anything else?”
“Not really; but I know I did not meet him at the track.”
“He could be anyone. Your description is pretty vague.”
“I know.” Liz sighed. “It will come to me. Go ahead and shower. I’ll wait out here for you.”
“You could always wash my back.”
“I don’t think so, Romeo.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” With a wink, Will dodged the throw pillow Liz tossed at his head and headed to the back.
Fifteen minutes later, he returned and sat beside her on the couch. “Well?”
Liz shook her head. “Nothing yet. I might be trying too hard; if I relax, it will hit me.”
Leaning toward her, he responded, “I can help you relax.” Capturing her lips, he kissed her deeply.
“Mmmm,” Liz sighed. “That was nice, but we should do something else.”
“You’re a hard woman, Liz Bennet.” After a quick peck of her lips, just because he could, he stood, pulling her up with him. “Let’s go see Dad and Georgie and then visit Victory Lane for a few minutes.”
Coach’s motorhome was parked just three spaces down from Will’s, so within seconds, Will was pulling the door open. Though he usually waited for Liz to climb in first, the sound of his father and sister arguing propelled him up ahead of her.
“I’m seventeen! You can’t keep treating me like a baby!”
“Yes, you’re seventeen, not twenty-seven, and I am in charge of you. I said you are not dating George Wickham and I meant it! He’s too old for you, for one thing, and he is not appropriate husband material for my little girl. On top of it all, he is suspended from the sport and is not permitted on track property.”
“Who said I want to marry him? It’s one date, Dad. One!”
“I don’t care. I said you’re not going out with him and that’s that. And, if I see him at this or any other track, I’ll have him arrested for trespassing.”
Georgie, who had seen her brother enter, turned to him, hoping for his support. “Tell him, Will! My grades are good, I work hard all weekend for DRI, and I am not looking to get married. There’s no reason I can’t go out with George!”
“I’m sorry, Sis, but I have to side with Dad on this one. There are things about George Wickham that you don’t know. He’s not an appropriate date for a young girl, even if he wasn’t twice your age.”
At this, Coach nodded. “I’m happy to see one of you use the sense God gave you! I have a poker game to get to. Can’t let Childress and Gibbs think they got the better of me. Talk to her, Son. And you, Daughter; you had best be in that bunk when I get back.”
Georgie did not reply, refusing to even look at her father. No sooner had the door shut behind him than she turned on Will. “I knew you’d say that. George told me how you did him wrong and got him fired from DRI.”
“Knowing that you probably saw him here, I’m not going to ask where you were that yo
u could talk to him. However, I did not get him fired. He failed a random drug test, Sis, and he was put on probation and into the substance abuse recovery program. He failed repeatedly to pass the tests. Repeatedly. Coach and I did everything we could to help him, but DRI has a no-tolerance policy, as does SCRA. He got himself fired, Georgie, and permanently suspended from the series. I don’t even know how he got on the grounds; he’s not supposed to be anywhere near a race or a sanctioned facility. I had nothing to do with any of it.”
Georgie huffed but was prevented from replying when her aunt, Audra Fitzwilliam, entered the motorhome. Looking from Liz, who was a stranger and obviously embarrassed, to her angry-looking nephew and niece, the woman said the only thing that she could think of at the moment.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Aunt Audra. How are you?” Will approached to hug her.
“I’d venture to say I’m better than you right now. I just spoke to your father, and he seemed rather put out himself.” She glanced at Georgie, who had not acknowledged her presence as of yet. “Is there a problem?”
“A little bit of one. Georgie wants to date someone that Coach doesn’t approve of, and she’s upset.”
Georgie snorted. Upset. That doesn’t begin to cover it. I will go out with him one way or another, but it would have been nice to have my family support me.
Pretending she had not heard her niece’s huff, Audra turned to Liz. “Hello, dear. Who might you be?”
“This is Liz. She’s my date. Liz, this is Audra Fitzwilliam.”
Liz offered her hand and a smile to the beautiful woman. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
“And I, you. I had heard our Will was dating someone new. What do you think of us and our obsession so far?”
“Liz shares our love of racing, Aunt Audra.”
Audra’s face lit up. “You do? How wonderful! That will take you a long way in the world of racing wives and girlfriends. We much prefer making friends with others who understand what our men go through.”
Liz was a little uncomfortable at what she saw as presumption on the other lady’s part. Seeing it, Will saved her from having to respond.