Of course, that was one more thing to add to my guilt list, but this party will make up for it. I struggled with the idea when they first told me about it. Before we made up, I didn’t think I’d be there, but I still wanted to get her something. I was just thinking about sending it with Ron, but now that things have changed, I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I want to be there for her every step of every day; I don’t know how I’m going to handle her leaving again.
I’ve decided it won’t be long before I get to see her again though, I just have to figure out how I’m going to do it. I’ve already picked up her gift for tonight; I just hope she likes it. With the way things have turned out for us, it’s a good indication she will. I have a locket that I’ve been holding on to for quite a long time. I also bought her a gift card to buy plane tickets so she can come home more often. I figured she’d like to visit her parents, and flying back and forth will allow her more time to spend with them and still get back to work easily.
And of course, now that we’re together, it’ll make it easier for her to come home to me—a win-win solution.
She parks her mom’s car and locks it up after grabbing her purse, coming over to my truck. I’m already out and holding the passenger-side door open for her. I lift her into the seat and get her buckled up. She flashes me that million-watt smile of hers, which makes my heart skip a beat every time. I shut her door, jog back around, and jump in my seat, starting up the truck. I’m not really sure where we’re going, but I don’t care as long as she’s beside me.
“So, did you have any place particular in mind to eat?”
“Uh, no, I haven’t really thought about it. Is there some place you want to go?”
“Hmm . . . I think I know a place you may not have been to yet.” With the decision made, I head out. We aren’t very far from this little restaurant I found a while back; they’d just opened apparently and weren’t too busy. I hope they can hang on to the business until they get good and advertised. It would be a shame to let this place go to waste; the food is amazing.
I’m also hoping Andi still has a taste for the fast lane. I inadvertently found this restaurant when I went to the racetrack up the street from it and the races had rained out about midway through the night. Since I hadn’t eaten, and I suddenly had time on my hands, a couple of the other racers and I decided to grab a bite to eat before heading home. That night was the first time I’d been to the track since Andi and I had gone right before graduation, before everything went to shit with us. A big smile crosses my face as I think about that night; it was actually the last fun time we had before graduation itself. That is, until now. I would say last night was definitely one of my top ten favorites so far.
We drive out of town and hit the highway. I have one hand on the steering wheel and the other lying on the seat, Andi’s fingers laced together with mine. I’m amazed at how such a strong girl has such soft hands. Even though I use gloves when I work on cars, my hands look so much harder than hers, full of scars and calluses. I never really thought about them before. Oh well, I don’t think Andi minds much; she knows the line of work I’m in, and she’s been known to turn a few wrenches herself. Not to mention, her dad owns the shop and has worked on cars since he was a kid.
We continue our drive in a comfortable silence. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed having someone in my truck. Come to think of it, I haven’t really ever had anyone ride with me, besides one of my friends, and I don’t really hang with any of them too often.
Andi has always been my best friend though. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t talk for four years; it just means we have much more to catch up on. Besides, after all these years, I feel like I can finally be me around her. No more hiding how I feel about her, beating myself up with worry about telling her. She wants me just as much as I want her, and I’m so glad to have it out in the open.
I see our exit coming up, so I ask if she knows where we are yet.
“Well, I know there are a couple shops off this exit, and of course the race track, but I haven’t seen or heard anything about it in years. As far as I know, they didn’t put any restaurants up here, did they?”
“Actually, they did. I came across it one night after the races were cancelled. Me and my buddies were hungry and decided to grab some food. We saw this new place and decided to check it out. It’s small, but they have the potential to be great. I really hope it takes off. It’s family-owned, and they’re all really nice people. Needless to say, I’ve come back a few times. I think you’ll like it.”
“Sounds like I will. Plus, I’m starving.”
“I imagine you are. I’m hungry myself.” I easily find the place; who could miss the gigantic hand-painted oval sign with a smiling face saying, “Come on in and cool off with a big ol’ glass of sweet tea.” Cheesy, yet the southern charm tells you it’s probably good home-cooking.
I pull in and park, bringing her hand to my lips before planting a gentle kiss on the top. She gives me a big smile, and I feel my heart tug a little more. Man, have I missed her smile. I know I’m going to be lost when she leaves, but it’ll help knowing she’s mine now and all this separation won’t be permanent. I hope not, anyway.
I reluctantly let go of her hand and climb out of the truck, zipping around to pull her door open before she has the chance. Taking her hand, I help her down. Without even thinking about it, I pull her tight to my chest and place a long, slow kiss on her lips. She doesn’t hesitate, wrapping her hands around my neck and holding me in place.
As much as I don’t want to, I need to let go and take her in to eat; I can’t have my girl starving. I pull back and give her a quick squeeze.
“Come on, baby, let’s get you filled back up.” I place my hand on the small of her back and we go to the front door. I reach ahead and open the door for her, my hand still on her back as I guide her towards a booth in the back. This way, we can still talk without a lot of people. I might be a little selfish, but our time is limited and I want as much of her as she’s willing to give.
We’re sitting across from each other in a booth by the windows, where we can still see my truck—not that I’m paying it much attention anyway. A waitress comes bouncing over to us.
“Hi, y’all, and welcome to the Country Kitchen. We have soup beans and cornbread with fried potatoes for our special today. What can I get for you?” She stares at me the entire time, hardly acknowledging Andi at all. I’m not really happy that this girl has the nerve to disrespect her like that.
“Uh, my girlfriend and I would like to see the menu, please. It’s her first time here, and I told her how good the food is. So I’d appreciate it if we could look at them so she can see what she might like. Thank you.”
She gives a little huff and starts to walk away to get the menus.
“Hey, it’s okay, Ethan. I can tell she aggravated you, but she probably can’t help herself. I mean, if I hadn’t known you for forever, I would’ve been staring at you too. You’re hot!”
She makes me blush a little. I know girls have found me good-looking or whatever—it comes with being fit, I guess—but I never paid any attention to them. I’ve only ever had eyes for one girl, and now she’s mine.
“I don’t care if she thinks I’m ‘hot,’” I say, using air quotes. “I won’t stand by and let anyone disrespect you.”
Andi lets out a little giggle. “You’re so sweet, you know that?” She leans across the table and I meet her in the middle for a quick kiss.
I chill out knowing the waitress probably didn’t mean any harm. She comes back with the menus and takes back off quickly. I just chuckle a little and hand Andi a menu. I tell her a few of my picks and we are ready to order. The little waitress comes back with a smile on her face; this time, she asks us both if we’re ready and is careful not to stare at me. I didn’t mean to scare her, and I kind of feel bad. We place our orders, and Andi excuses herself to go to restroom.
Hmm, I wonder why Ethan got so uptight about the waitress. I have
to admit she was rubbing me the wrong way a little bit, but it’s not the first time I’ve played second fiddle to a girl batting her eyelashes at him, trying to get his attention. I learned to deal with it a long time ago. This time is different though; this time, he’s really mine, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel maybe a tad bigger pang of jealousy than I should have.
I know I don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to Ethan though; he’s as loyal as they come. I still can’t believe he called me his girlfriend. When he said that to the waitress, my heart did a little flip. The thought pastes a smile on my lips that I’m sure will probably never come off.
I finish in the restroom and go back out to the table. There’s a guy standing there, and I don’t recognize him from behind. I quietly walk up, slide into my side of the booth, and take a quick drink of my water.
“Wow, Andi, I haven’t seen you in a few years. How have you been?”
“Hey, Steve. I’m good. Great to see you, it’s been a while.” I stand up and give him a quick hug. “How have you been?”
“I’m good. Ethan here tells me he’s finally gotten up the nerve and told you how he feels. I’m so proud of him. I think he’s actually growing up on us!” Steve says with a laugh.
“Ha-ha, you’re so funny, Steve. At least I am growing up,” Ethan says, giving him a bro-punch in the shoulder.
“Ah, just giving you some shit, Ethan. We all knew how bad you both had it for each other, and I’m stoked you guys have at long last figured it out.”
“Thank you, Steve, we appreciate it. You can join us if you want, we just placed our order a few minutes ago.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve already eaten. I’m on my way out to the track. We have a special team doing some trial runs today, and we’re getting ready to get started. Hey, after you guys eat you should run out and see this one. You might be surprised,” Steve says, wiggling his eyebrows. “I can leave instructions to let you in for a VIP view with gate security if you want to come by.”
“What do you think, Ethan? Do we have time to go out there?”
“Sweetheart, we have plenty of time. Sure, Steve, we can come over. We’ll be out as soon as we get done here.”
Ethan stands and gives him a bro-hug.
“No problem, see you guys soon.” With that, Steve heads out the door.
I’m excited to go to the track. The last time I went was with Ethan—of course, most times I went were with him. Dad would go with us some, and we loved it either way. I think that was our last good time out before graduation. One of our favorite racers ended up winning that night, I got caught up in the excitement and jumped into Ethan’s arms.
Now that I think about it, I felt the same jolt of electricity run through me then as I do every time he’s touched me since I’ve been back. How could I not have realized it then? Oh, how stupid I was—or we were, I guess, since he obviously felt the same way.
“Earth to Andi, are you okay?”
“Huh . . . Oh, yeah, I’m good. Sorry, I got lost in thought for a minute. I was just remembering the last time we went to the track together. I had so much fun that night, and when TJ won the race I ended up in your arms.”
“Yes, you did, and I was so damn happy it was my arms you went to. If I remember right, there was a guy there who was very nice to you. When you ended up jumping to me, my head swelled like a balloon. He got the message really quick,” Ethan says with a laugh.
We’re both still laughing when the waitress brings our food. She seems to have relaxed a little, which I’m glad to see.
After taking a couple of bites, Ethan says, “So, I chatted with Steve for a couple minutes while you were in the restroom, and he and Darlene are doing pretty good. They got married a few years ago.”
“Oh, they did? I’m not surprised at all. That’s great, they were such a cute couple. I figured they were a sure thing.”
“Yeah, I did too. You know everyone’s always said that about us, don’t you?”
“Well, I’m starting to figure that out, actually. I mean, I always knew how I felt, of course, but I was terrified you would never see me the same way. You know, like I was only your friend who could turn wrenches in the daytime and dress up and hang out in the nighttime. I couldn’t risk losing you.”
“You will never lose me, no matter how much you try or how long you’re gone. I’m sorry, baby, but you’re stuck with me.”
“I’m so glad to hear that, because I don’t plan on letting you go,” I say with a giggle. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll mind being stuck by me.
We continue our meal, which is amazing. Looking around while I eat, I notice I could do all kinds of updates and advertisements for this place. This food is too good for people not to know about it; I can see why Ethan was so excited for me to try it. This could definitely be a regular pit stop on our way to the track.
We finish our food and get ready to go. Of course, Ethan won’t let me pay for mine. I’m not surprised; we used to fight about it when we were teenagers. I finally convinced him to switch off with me without a huge fight every time.
Ethan places his hand on the small of my back again, leading me out the door and to the truck. I’m starting to really like the feel of it, the heat through my shirt reaching to my core. He again opens my door, lifts me into the seat. After latching my seat belt, I grab his cheek, turn his face up towards mine, and place a sweet kiss on his lips. I wish I could get lost in his mouth for hours. I can’t seem to get enough of him.
After making sure my door is shut, Ethan jogs around the front and gets into the driver’s seat. He takes a look at me and laughs out loud; as soon as he shut my door, I quickly unbuckled, slid over to the middle, and was buckling my seat belt once again when he opened the door.
“What’s so funny? Do you not want me to sit beside you?”
“Oh, nothing really, I guess you just took me by surprise. I actually like the thought of having you closer to me.” Ethan gives me a wink and puts his seat belt on. Then he lays his arms around my shoulders and pulls me to him, placing a soft peck on my head, which is resting on his shoulder.
“Andi, you are always welcome by my side, anytime, anywhere.”
“When did you become so sweet?”
“Probably the same time you said you like me too,” Ethan says with a laugh. He starts the truck and pulls out onto the highway. I can’t wait to get to the track. I’ve missed the feel of the vibration in my chest from the engines firing up; it sets off a deep rumble in my veins. A shiver runs through me just thinking about it.
“Are you okay, Andi?”
“Yeah, I’m great, actually. I was just thinking of how excited I am to go to the track. I know it’s just trial runs, but I didn’t realize how much I miss it.”
“It’s so much better being the driver. I mean, it’s a whole different world when you sit in a car you’ve spent countless hours molding into something unique, something yours. When you take that same car and crank over the engine, firing it up, you realize you have all this vibrating power just begging to be let loose to go screaming down the track. You swing it around to the burnout box and warm up the tires, let a little smoke roll. If your heart isn’t hammering to the revolutions of the engine by that point, it’ll be beating out of your chest with the adrenaline pumping through your veins.”
As Ethan’s saying this, I realize he’s been racing himself. I had no idea he actually drove a racecar. Holy shit, I hope he’s careful. Racing is awesome, but it’s also a very dangerous sport. There are so many ways something could go wrong with the car, track conditions, or the driver. While it is a huge adrenaline rush, if the driver doesn’t keep calm and focused, he could easily lose control.
“I had no idea you were racing, Ethan. When did you start? I can tell you like it, what are you racing?”
“Well, I’d actually steered clear of this place for a while, since this was something we’d always done together. I know it sounds corny, but I was missing you li
ke crazy. Eventually, I started catching up with some of the guys, and they talked me into coming one night. It was so easy to see your face anywhere that I realized the track was no different. However, driving a car down the track was. Of course, Ron comes with me a lot, so really the only thing missing has been you.”
We pull up to the gate, so I don’t get the chance to reply. I’m actually glad, because I need a few minutes to process all this. I’m so grateful Ethan and Mom and Dad have a good relationship, but I’m a little sad that I missed out on seeing all Ethan’s races. Surely, someone took some videos or pictures or something.
I wonder what kind of car Ethan drives, or what bracket he runs. I know he likes it, but I hope he doesn’t go too fast—the faster you go, the more dangerous it is. I’m sure he’s a good driver though; he’s always had a knack for driving, and I always felt safe with him behind the wheel, no matter what the conditions. Not to mention, he has a sixth sense with cars; it’s like he can anticipate what’s going on with it. He does a great job working on them. We both learned our way around a car growing up with Dad, but I’m nowhere near the mechanic he is. I enjoy turning some wrenches now and then, but not for an everyday life. Ethan, however, picked it up quick and soon became a master like my father. That’s why they work so well together—they have a mutual respect for one another.
And I’m sure it helps that Ethan is probably like the son he never had. My parents had tried for another child, but they never could get pregnant again, so I grew up an only child, Dad’s tomboy and Mom’s princess. They never really forced anything on me though; I just liked being with Dad at the shop as much as I liked going shopping with Mom and dressing up.
I never felt slighted for not having a sibling because when I was old enough to think about it, there was Ethan. We became close friends fast, and I was never bored. I’ve always cherished having Ethan in my life.
I’m stoked about my girl being back at the track with me. Man, it feels good to think of Andi finally being my girl. Even though we’ve talked with each other several times since she’s been back, the racetrack hasn’t come up. We actually haven’t talked much about the past four years at all. We’ll have to change that very soon.
Cherishing You Page 9