Hot Laps

by Shey Stahl

  Logan gave me a wave but paid little attention to me and more to the shorter guy standing next to him with orange hair.

  Charlie didn’t introduce the other one, they seemed busy, and instead punched the shoulder of a rusty haired guy who bared a strong resemblance to Jameson with his bright grass green eyes. Though it’d been weeks since my interview, I couldn’t forget that color. No way.

  The guy rocked backwards playfully keeping his eyes on mine in a way that made me nervous. When his eyes traveled the length of my body without a shred of reserve, I felt my cheeks warm.

  “This is Casten Riley, Jameson’s son.” He gave him a nod. “Casten, this is Tate’s niece, Hayden.”

  Casten was just as pretty as his daddy and more polite than the other two when he actually spoke to me.

  “Nice to meet you, Hayden.”

  His hand immediately reached out to touch mine and I was done for. Done for I tell you. He was tall, lean, and oh so adorable. What stood out the most was his rusty hair that fell in wavy loops over his ears sticking up in odd angles. He smirked, the same sexy smirk his dad had.

  Again, I was done for and without thinking, replied with. “You look like you’re up to no good, sugar.”

  That’s what I say right then? Kill me. Just kill me.

  Sweet love of God, what the fuck is wrong with me? Have you lost your last few brains cells?

  Casten replied immediately with, “I am up to no good.” And then followed his statement with a wink.

  Charlie shook his head. “No, that’s not happening, ever. Stay away from her, Casten.”

  Casten let out this laugh that had me melting because it was equally as loveable as it was sexy.

  “Hey, Charlie, give us a hand over here,” Logan called out while Casten leaned against the engine hoist next to him, appearing comfortable.

  He was confident that’s for sure.

  Charlie eyed the two of us, a warning I’m sure, but I could give a rat’s ass what Charlie thought about whom I dated. He thought for sure he was supposed to protect me but he was nothing but a friend and I wasn’t going to have him interrupt this.

  Hold up, dated? Who said I was dating him?

  Control yourself you slut. You have no clue if he’s actually thinking of you that way. Oh, but wouldn’t that be nice.

  I had to take a deep breath to calm myself. That’s when I took a looksee at Casten who was still smiling at me.

  “You look like you’re thinking something dirty?” I spit out before my tongue could stop me. I don’t know where that came from.

  You’ve lost it. Officially.

  Casten laughed again, scratching the back of his head with the wrench in his hand. His head bent forward and then he looked up at me through dark lashes. “First I’m up to no good, and now I’m dirty? I’m a lot of things this morning, aren’t I?”

  I nodded, thankfully keeping my mouth shut but smiled despite my muted self.

  “Well … I guess you’ll have to see for yourself about that pretty girl, won’t you?”

  I guess I will, won’t I?

  Turns out having a job might be amazing.

  Gearhead – A device that reduces motor speed and increases motor torque.

  When I got off work on Tuesday, I rushed home to get changed and grabbed the spare set of keys to my dad’s Ford truck he didn’t know I had.

  Rosa was there, not cleaning, and watching a movie in the movie room. Peeking my head in, I laughed at her lounged in her sweatpants and one of my dad’s t-shirts I was sure he didn’t know she had stolen. “Stealing clothes now?”

  Rosa sat straight up and looked over her shoulder, mid-drink of what I was sure wasn’t just Pepsi. “I didn’t take this shirt. He gave it to me.”

  I laughed, rolling my eyes. “Sure he did. What happens when he comes home?”

  “I’ll take it off. It’s just …” Rosa sighed and flopped back against the leather recliner, her legs kicked out, “his shirts are comfortable.”

  “So buy some like his.” It seemed like an obvious solution to me.

  Not to Rosa though. “How else would I annoy him?”

  “Good point, Rosa. Very good point.”

  We always agreed with each other and I know she wasn’t a good maid and honestly had no idea why my parents kept her around. I think she was like a stray dog. You don’t need a dog, but they grow on you and then you can’t get rid of them. They become part of your family despite the fact that they piss all over the place and infested your house with fleas.

  Rosa lived in the guesthouse above the garage but spent a lot of time in our house and no one but my dad thought it was weird.

  “What are you watching?”

  She didn’t look back at me hanging inside the door with just my head. “Nothing in particular. Wanna watch a movie tonight?”

  “Sure. I’ll be back in like three hours.”

  We agreed on our date night. I had a lot of movie dates with Rosa. We always seemed to have the same tastes in what we liked to watch and she didn’t judge me that I enjoyed romantic comedies.

  I left after that and met up with my grandma at Tenders Fresh Foods. She loved their milk shakes. And, I have to say, they’re pretty tasty.

  When I got to the restaurant, my grandma’s Mercedes my dad and Uncle Spencer bought her for her birthday last month, was parked outside.

  I parked my Ford truck next to hers. All the guys in our family had Fords. Naturally. They still sponsored Dad’s Cup cars so we got good deals on them. This one I bought with my own money and his discount. It felt good to have something of my own.

  Inside I found her at a table in the back, same spot we always sat. Her rusty loops were fading to gray these days but she didn’t let them go completely. Being gray scared her. She’d just turned sixty-seven and you’d never guess it looking at her.

  “Hey, Grammy,” I sat down next to her at the table, my arms wrapped around her fragile frame. “How was your day?”

  She smiled and sighed, as if she’d been waiting all day for me. When we started having our dinners, I didn’t realize how much she looked forward to it. But soon, I understood how much it meant for someone who no longer had her partner, to have something to look forward to.

  “Oh, honey,” she leaned into me. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “You didn’t think I forgot, did you?” Kissing her cheek, I moved to sit across from her where we could talk.

  “No.” Her eyes followed a little girl bouncing in with her dad, squealing in delight when she saw they had ice cream. “Just good to see your smiling face.”

  We got the same thing every time we came here. I got the chicken strips, fries and extra creamy garlic sauce with my usual strawberry milkshake. Grandma got her hamburger and chocolate milkshake, always chocolate.

  Most of the time when we were together, I just let Grandma talk about anything she wanted. It didn’t matter. She was heavily involved in the driver development program Grandpa started years ago to help kids who didn’t have the money still race. It was very important to him, and my dad, that kids get to follow their dreams regardless of the fact they didn’t have any money.

  “Do you think if Grandpa would have lived, he would have went back to racing?”

  “Without a doubt. He loved it. Just because he retired didn’t mean he wasn’t going to race. He just wanted a break. Nothing would have stopped a man like him.” Her eyes got that misty far-away look she had whenever she remembered him. “Jameson is so much like him in many ways my dear. Neither one of them could ever walk away completely.”

  I knew the feeling. Most thought I gave up completely but they didn’t know me that well, I guess. At the time when Ryder died, I was racing his USAC midget. His parents said the car was mine if I wanted it. I thought about continuing back then, racing for him even, in his memory.

  Being eleven when he died, my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Much like my dad when he retired, he needed a break. Just like Grandpa, I did, too.

&n
bsp; I never raced with the intensity Axel did. Never won any major races either. I wouldn’t go so far as to say I didn’t have the talent. I suppose I did. I just didn’t have that Rowdy Riley thing going on.

  “Are you thinking about racing again, sweetie?”

  “Yeah.” I gave a small nod finishing my milkshake and then set the plastic cup down on the table. “I guess I am. Ryder loved the Chili Bowl. Thought about running it for him this next year.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  I nodded, once again. “Dad and Tommy got a car for me from Leddy. Same number four and colors that Ryder ran. Wouldn’t be that big of a deal to run. Barely any work.”

  “That would be great for his family, honey. Ryder’s mom would love that.”

  Grandma had a group of women she hung out with and always had. Ryder’s mom, Linda, was one of them. Every year in April they went on a cruise to the Bahamas together. I was glad she had some good friends to hang out with.

  I was mid-bite of the tastiest chicken fingers around when I saw Hayden walk in. I recognized her right away because she was still wearing that sexy black dress from earlier only now she had a gray hoodie over it and flip flops.

  She looked fucking cute.

  I was never attracted to anything but blondes, but Hayden, even with her long straight brown hair, had me take notice and I was definitely attracted.

  Wide brown eyes found mine but didn’t say anything.

  “Hayden?”

  “Oh, hey, uh … yeah,” she was fumbling over words and sighs. “Hey …”

  She was nervous.

  But you know what?

  I couldn’t for the life of me speak either. Maybe it was the fact that I was here with my grandma and it threw me a little to see Hayden.

  Not sure what my deal was but I said nothing and Hayden seemed even more uncomfortable that I wasn’t saying anything.

  My eyes finally locked with hers and I smiled. “Hey there.”

  Sensing her curiosity for who was with me, I introduced Hayden to my grandma. “This pretty girl here is my Grandma, Nancy.” Ruffling her hair playfully, Grandma leaned her head against my chest as I wrapped my arm around her. “Grammy, this is Hayden. She’s Tate’s niece.”

  “Nice to meet you, Hayden.” Grandma offered her hand.

  Hayden’s eyes found me and I could tell immediately she was nervous so I smiled.

  After shaking my grandma’s hand, Hayden stood there for a minute until she gave a small wave of her hand, her eyes locked on her feet. “Okay, see you.” And walked out before I could say anything else.

  Only problem was when she turned I think she caught her flip flop on the edge of our table and fell.

  I jumped up, scared she hurt herself only to see her laughing.

  “Are you okay?” she let me help her up but then turned and headed for the door.

  “I’m okay.”

  Watching her walk away, I was both amused that she just got up like it was no big thing, and slightly annoyed at myself.

  I felt like I should have invited her to eat with us but then again, no one ever ate with us so I didn’t say anything. Then I kind of felt like an ass.

  “I hope she’s okay.” I took my seat next to Grandma again.

  “Casten,” she gave me a little slap to the back of my head. “Why didn’t you invite her to sit with us?”

  “She was getting take out?”

  “So. Be a gentleman.”

  Just as I was getting up to go ask her if she wanted to eat with us, she was getting in her car.

  I shrugged flipping my palms up and raising my hands slightly. “Sorry.”

  Grandma shook her head. “Next time be a gentleman.”

  “Yes, Grammy.”

  I always did everything she said and never once got in trouble with her. I was always the good child. At least around her.

  “So …” Grandma smiled as we ducked down in the shrubs eyeing my dad’s truck parked in the driveway. “Did you bring the goods?”

  “I did. Went milk this time,” I held the bottle up and she let out a giggle, “since he hates it.”

  “Do you think he knows it was us last time?” Grandma had this innocent look of a child, no doubt a little worried, but still entertained.

  “Nah. We’re pretty sneaky.” Popping the hood, I placed the rotten milk that I let sit in my truck all day in the windshield washer fluid and then replaced the cap. “Besides, if anything he’d think it was Spencer paying him back for filling his truck with those peanuts.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Can you believe how mad he was about that?”

  “Yes. I can. He had some kind of phobia with that shit.”

  Grandma giggled wrapping her arms around my waist as I walked her back to her car. She just lived down the street from us and our property was gated, but I never let her walk alone.

  “Have they always been at each other like this?”

  “Yes,” she laughed, warm and flowing as the memories were to her. “Spencer loved having a little brother. Jameson didn’t. He never wanted to be touched and Spencer used that to his advantage.”

  “What was the first joke you can remember them playing?”

  “The one that comes to mind was Spencer with his glitter bombs. He knows Jameson hates anything on his skin and would fill his helmet with it. He’s been doing it since Jameson started racing quarter midgets.”

  “Did Dad ever get him back?”

  “Yeah. Jameson always did everything in less obvious ways like knowing what he was allergic to and then dumping it on his sheets. That ended when we had to take Spencer to the ER one night because he had developed a serve allergic reaction to flour.”

  I started laughing. We did that to Charlie two weeks ago.

  “Spencer also went through a football stage too when he was thirteen. Always had one. So naturally Jameson put super glue the football.” She clutched at my side, her laughter taking over and I couldn’t help but laugh, too. “Spencer had that damn thing on his hand for a week but refused to admit it was glued on him. Wouldn’t give Jameson the satisfaction of knowing it.”

  “I bet that pissed Dad off, huh?” We were at her car now in my parent’s driveway standing near the door. I reached down and opened it for her.

  “Very much so. He was so mad that he’d sit there and glare at Spencer and try to get him to just say it or throw the football to him. He never would.”

  Grandma hugged me as we laughed and I held her close kissing the top of her warm head. She tucked in nicely under my arms and hung on for a moment. “I love you, sweet boy.”

  “Love you too, Grammy.”

  We parted ways that night until Sunday when we had movie room. All the lights were off in the house, my parents probably in bed already on the third floor they occupied all to themselves.

  Rosa was still in the movie room, snoring now curled up on the reclining leather couches in the front of the room. She woke up when I got inside and put on Ride Along since I hadn’t seen it yet.

  Ten minutes into the movie and I was sound asleep on her shoulder just like every other night.

  Formation Lap – A lap where the cars get their starting order figured out before the green flag is thrown.

  On the way home from work, in a Casten daze, I forgot to get something for dinner. I’d skipped lunch earlier too. With the amount of alcohol I’d consumed the night before, it was definitely time for some food.

  There was this amazing fast food place up the street that I usually went to drunk but guess what, I was sober. So I called in my order and then picked it up on the way back to my apartment.

  As I waited for my chicken fingers and creamy garlic sauce, my thoughts drifted to that sexy engine builder and the possibility of getting to know him a little more.

  Who knew working could be so great.

  Anna worked, her parents made her, and she told me all these horror stories about office drama. Given, she worked for an insurance company in Charlotte with a bunch of snotty asshole
s, including her mother.

  Me? It was determined today that I worked with the hottest man on Earth and his son would be mine soon.

  Obviously, my mind drifted to him inspecting me like he did that engine in his stall today. After we met, I watched him work. My desk overlooked the shop through these large glass windows.

  Lucky me, huh?

  He spent the afternoon in what Bailey told me was a tear down of an engine. His head never lifted, his hands thoroughly studying every part he removed. The determination he put into just an engine let me know that this boy wasn’t just a boy. He was a gifted motherfucker and I intended to find out just how talented he was.

  Oh the possibilities.

  “Here ya go, Hayden,” John called out to me.

  “Thank you much.” I did a little bow to John, the owner who gave me free food all the time and spun on my tip toes with my bag of awesomeness. That’s not that easy when you’re wearing flip-flops.

  “Hayden?”

  I turned around when I heard my name. I recognized that voice anywhere.

  My eyes froze on Casten about ten feet away with an older woman, eating.

  “Oh, hey, uh … yeah,” I was like some kind of fish out of water, gasping for words instead of air. “Hey …”

  Casten’s eyes locked with mine and he winked. “Hey there.”

  I don’t know why, but my cheeks immediately turned red. I could even feel the heat radiating from me and warming the air.

  Blinking, I settled my stare on him and his hands wrapped around his milkshake. Look at those hands! So strong, long fingers that could surely inspect any block. Thoughts quickly turned back to his engine work today and his meticulous work. I knew then Casten Riley would be very good at anything he chose to do with his hands. I came to that conclusion right then in front of him and his grandmother.

  Oh God, gain some fucking control over yourself.

  Please tell me he couldn’t hear my thoughts.

  Just then, Casten’s brow came together, briefly, before he grinned and relaxed his expression.

  Okay, maybe he heard. Damn it.

  Up close, laid back and wearing shorts and flip flops, he was even more gorgeous if that was possible. I couldn’t understand how one family could have so many pretty people in it.