It was subtle, but Liam pumped his fist.
Brian saw it and smirked. “You’re pretty intense.”
Liam ignored Brian and continued to watch intently while pretending to be unimpressed.
All three drivers whizzed past the booth. An almost deafening whistle rushed past the spectators. They were moving so fast they looked like blurs. The race had the energy of a real qualifying event.
“Asher’s psi is dropping in the right tire,” Ben said. Cyrus wasted no time informing him.
“What does that mean?” Brian asked.
“His tire pressure dropping is going to affect his speed.” Ben shook his head. “He’ll have to adjust. If it gets too low, he’s going to have to bring her in.”
“Asher seems to have made the decision to go all out since there are only four laps left,” Cyrus said.
Ben leaned over toward Cyrus. “She hasn’t topped out yet.”
He grinned. “I know.” Cyrus turned to Liam and Brian to explain further. “I think she might be letting Asher wear himself out like a boxer might do in the first few rounds. He’s underestimating her acumen.”
Colby was indeed doing exactly what her father thought. She had to bring Asher’s car to her level to have a shot a winning.
“They’re about to round curve three,” Ben said. “Asher’s figured out she can take him around those curves. She’s better at them than he is.”
Sure enough, Asher tried to block her move during turn three, but Colby countered by downshifting to fourth gear, slowing her car and causing Asher to overshoot his block, then she shifted into fifth and overtook him. Not only did she take him, she finally accelerated to top speed.
“Holy shit!” Cyrus said.
Colby’s focus now was time. Asher led for six laps. She had to make it up in four—in a shit car.
Jordan was no longer in the conversation. He was at least two car lengths back. The competition had become a two-person race.
“Lap seven is in the books,” Cyrus announced.
“Colby James in the lead,” Ben said. “Hot damn. You don’t know how long I’ve waited to say that. Get used to it fellas.”
The entire Lockwood team watched in awe. Colby finished lap eight and maintained her lead.
“Shit. Winds changing,” Ben said nervously.
“Yep” was all Cyrus said. He had to project calm when he was anything but. That was his baby girl out there. He spoke to the drivers. “Winds changed. SW fifteen.”
“What does that mean?” Before Brian could get the words out, he watched Jordan start to struggle to maintain control of his car.
Jordan didn’t adjust soon enough as they rounded curve two in lap eight, causing his tires to lift slightly and spin out of control into the grassy center of the raceway. He was done.
Colby and Asher both adjusted in time. However, as they entered the straightaway of lap eight, Asher tried to make a move to pass Colby.
She managed to block him and used the shift in the wind to her advantage. As they entered curve three and came out, Colby had finally caught Asher’s time.
“Lap eight is in the books,” Ben said anxiously.
Asher was one full car-length behind as they entered lap nine.
Asher’s engine was built better than Colby’s, but she knew how to make allowances for the shortcomings of her car. Asher was really at a disadvantage in that he was new to his own car. Still, he had skills.
“Lap nine is in the books!” Cyrus announced. “Last lap. First one across the finish line wins this damn thing.”
Colby maintained her lead through curves two and three. She knew Asher wasn’t going down without a fight. It was only a matter of time before he pulled a trick or two out of his bag.
Like clockwork, Asher made a move in the straightaway. This time Colby wasn’t able to prevent it. He pulled up alongside her.
They were both driving at least 195 mph as they jockeyed for position, each gunning for the lead. One second the nose of Asher’s car was ahead of Colby’s; in the next, the nose of Colby’s car overtook Asher’s.
The finish line was in sight.
They were neck and neck.
And then the checkered flag came down.
“Holy shit! Did you see that?” Brian was speechless.
“I saw it,” Liam said.
Ben slapped Cyrus on the back. “I knew she could do it!”
Cyrus was bursting with pride. “She beat Asher McKay by two-tenths of a second in a car that shouldn’t have won.”
“That was crazy!” Brian was pumped.
“Kinda like the good old days,” Cyrus said to Ben, who nodded knowingly. As the cars made their way over to the pit, everyone in the booth went to meet them.
It felt like Liam had been holding his breath the entire race. He didn’t realize he’d released it until Colby got out of the car and began to walk toward them. She took off her helmet. Her smile took over her entire face, and she was beaming.
It was a beautiful sight to see. Liam finally had to admit, at least to himself, that he was attracted to her.
Asher got out of the car cursing. “Piece of shit car!” He pointed to Brian. “This race doesn’t mean a thing. I would have won if I had a better car.”
Colby gloated. “Take your loss like a man, Asher. Own it. I’m a better driver than you. I always knew it, and now, so does everyone else.” She turned to Brian and held up a single finger. “That lead driver position belongs to me.”
Asher couldn’t believe he’d lost. “Don’t think for one minute that you’ll ever lead even one lap in any NASCAR race.” He was both pissed and embarrassed. Asher stormed off, bumping into Ben and Cyrus as he brushed passed them. “I’m done with this.”
“Don’t forget our agreement!” Brian laughed as he called out after him. “Half the season belongs to me, and I’ve got witnesses.”
Given a fair chance, Colby knew she could drive with the big boys. And that was the problem. She had never been given one—until now. Now that she could get into the conversation, her dreams of revenge were a real possibility.
“How about we finish up here, call it early, and meet at Georgia’s for a celebratory round,” Brian said. “I’m buying.”
“Hell yeah, if you’re buying,” Gonzo responded.
As they started to leave the track, Jordan called out to Colby. “Hey, Ms. James!”
She turned.
He walked up to her. He had a serious look on his face.
She didn’t know what Jordan could possibly have to say to her.
“You were um . . .” He lifted his fist for a pound. “You were nice out there.” Colby had gained his respect.
She smiled and touched her fist to his. “Thanks. Sorry, your car had a spinout.”
He shrugged. “No, you’re not.” Jordan laughed. “But it happens. Are you going to Georgia’s?”
“I might stop by for a bit.”
“Cool. Hopefully, I’ll see you over there.”
Chris walked up to them. “Colby James. You did the damn thing. You handled my car better than me.” He leaned in. “I knew you would.”
Her smile widened. “Thanks.”
Liam couldn’t hear what was being said, but he watched their exchange. He wasn’t sure if it was friendly or something else. Either way, he didn’t like it.
Colby could feel his eyes watching her. It was both unnerving and exciting. She turned just a little in his direction and glanced over at him.
He was watching her watch him.
She wondered what he was thinking. Colby did her best to appear as if she were unaffected by offering Liam a conciliatory shrug. He offered a slight head nod in return.
Colby forced herself to sever whatever invisible string they were attached to and walk away with her friends.
“What’s with the frown?” Brian asked.
“What?” Liam asked.
“The frown. Every time I catch you watching Colby, you either have this intense look or scowl o
n your face.”
“You’re imagining things,” Liam said.
“Am I?” Brian shook his head. “Why don’t you just ask her out already?”
Liam lied, “Because I’m not interested.”
“That’s what you’re going to go with?” Brian chuckled.
“It’s the truth.” Liam didn’t see the humor.
“If you say so.”
Liam changed the subject as they began to walk back to the garage. “You know, you can’t let her drive in the Atlanta Cup.”
“What?”
“She can’t drive.”
“Hold up. You engineered this entire thing, and now, you’re saying she can’t drive?”
“We have bigger fish to fry.”
“She won the spot, Liam,” Brian countered.
“Asher’s a dick, but he wasn’t completely wrong.”
Brian's face grew tight. “My decision is final. She’s driving.”
“You’re new to the NASCAR club. Being new is going to come with its own set of challenges. Colby’s a woman, and she’s . . .” Liam hesitated.
“See, this is what I was talking about yesterday about you and Dad. She’s black. Damn. She’s BLACK!” Brian said out of frustration. “Can you even say the word, and why should it matter?”
Liam snapped. “Of course, I can say it. Colby James is a black woman who is also an incredible talent, and it doesn’t matter. Today was fun, but I need you to remember why we are here in the first place. Your goal is to win this race. It’s messed up that NASCAR won’t give her a fair shot, but that is not our problem. It’s bigger than us. Don’t lose sight of the real reason we are here, and that is to make sure ownership of our company remains in Lockwood hands.”
Brian was irritated. “What am I supposed to do? She earned the chance to be our lead driver.”
“She did, but you’re going to have to figure out how to undo it.” A call was coming through to Liam’s cell. Before he answered, he needed to make sure Brian understood his point. “Colby James cannot compete in Atlanta.”
Angrily, Brian stuck his hands in his front jean pockets. He needed to get away from Liam. He stalked back across the street, leaving his brother behind.
Liam didn’t follow. He would give Brian time to calm down. Instead, he lifted his phone to his ear. “Lockwood, do you have the projections?”
Chapter 14
“I already canceled my flight for tonight. I am about to head over to Georgia’s.” Brian had had some time to cool down and think about his earlier conversation with Liam. As much as he wanted him to be wrong, ultimately, Brian knew Liam was right. There was no point in being angry with him and belaboring the point.
Brian rubbed the back of his neck as he stood from his desk. “Are you coming?”
Liam had been stewing over Brian’s words ever since he’d said them. Liam was nothing like his father. Or was he? It bothered Liam to think maybe he was more like his father than he realized. He needed some alone time to get his thoughts together. “I have a few more details to finalize regarding security, and then I have a conference call. You go on.”
“You’re doing that OCD thing.” Brian rolled his head around his shoulders. “Liam, Markos has it under control.”
Liam lifted his head from the report he’d been reviewing on his laptop. “I’m not OCD, just cautious.”
“And overbearing. A control freak and too many other descriptors all of the same ilk.”
“What are you talking about?” Liam asked, truly confused.
“You seem to have forgotten that Lockwood racing is my company. Did you even think to consult me before you picked up the phone and started handling things?”
“You’ve been involved in every decision that’s been made.”
“See!” He pointed at Liam. “That’s what I’m talking about. I shouldn’t have been involved in every decision. They should have all been my decisions to begin with. If you had reservations about security and my living arrangements while in town,” he paused, “even Lila, you should have addressed them with me and not have her investigated, or take it upon yourself to fix my company. What if I wanted to use a different security company than the one you hired?”
Brian had valid points. “You needed security, and my team is loyal and trustworthy. I thought you would be pleased that Markos was able to verify that Lila wasn’t a spy and hasn’t had any contact with Anthony since college.”
He was, but Brian said, “That’s not the point.” Frustrated, he raked his hands through his hair. “I know that I haven’t always made the best decisions, and that makes it hard for you to trust me. I get that. But you’ve got to give me room to grow. You’ve got to allow me the space to make mistakes so that I can learn from them.”
Liam could understand his brother’s position to a point. “We’re dealing with the Luccesses.”
“I understand that. Look, you know that I respect and even admire you. You’re one hell of a businessman, but at the same time, you have to let me make my own decisions. I’m trying to be my own man. One that you don’t have to rescue constantly. How would you feel if you walked into your office, and I was on the phone with some decorator about your conference room? And then I asked your opinion on the color of the new drapes? What if you didn’t want to change the damn drapes?”
Liam listened to Brian’s every word. He was right. Liam was just so used to cleaning up Brian’s messes that he’d made a habit of doing what needed to be done. And, in this case, the stakes were high. One wrong move, and Brian could end up dead. Hell, they both could be dead. Liam had to give credit where credit was due. Brian had been impressive with every decision he’d made since the initial one. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course,” Brian said.
“Was Lila the reason for the bet with Luccesse?”
Brian dropped his chin to his chest then slowly lifted it, running a hand down the back of his head. “If I’m honest, every decision I’ve made since college has, in some way, had to do with Lila.”
Liam watched Brian intently. “You loved her that much?”
Brian exhaled. “Yeah, I did.”
Liam pondered Brian’s words. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in love,” he said thoughtfully.
Brian sat up straight. It wasn’t like Liam to talk about his feelings. He wasn’t exactly surprised that Liam hadn’t ever been in love. It was Liam, after all, but at the same time, Brian was kind of surprised. “You mean like never? In your entire thirty-seven-year existence, you’ve never been in love with anyone?”
Liam frowned as he racked his brain. “I don’t think so. I’ve always been too busy building my company. I didn’t have time.”
“Believe me. You would know if you’ve ever been in love. It’s a feeling unlike any other, and sometimes, it just kind of falls on you. You don’t really have a choice in the matter. I mean, you get to choose whether you act on it or not, but you don’t get to choose who you love. It can be maddening. But man, when it’s good. It’s damn good.”
“Is that how you felt with Lila?” Liam asked, genuinely curious.
Brian was slow to respond. “In the beginning, yes. In the end, it was like a death—probably more like a murder.”
“Why would anyone want to experience that?” Liam asked.
“Like I said, when it’s good, there is nothing else like it,” Brian said. “It’s more than worth the risk. You’re a gambling man, so I know that you can understand that concept. When you win in love, there is no bigger high.”
“Interesting,” Liam said.
“It is. You should try it. You’re not getting any younger old man.” Brian glanced at his watch. “Speaking of, I’m about to head over to Georgia’s. Colby will probably be there. Are you coming?”
Liam tried to conceal his reaction to hearing her name. “Why would I care if Colby was going to be there or not?”
“Because I have a feeling that you’re into her but too stubborn to admit it.”
“Yeah. Okaaay.” Brian was skeptical.
“I might head over a little later.” Liam wouldn’t make eye contact. Instead, he focused on his monitor. “I need to finish reviewing this report, and then I have an important video conference call.”
Brian wasn’t going to push. “We drove in together, so I’ll just hitch a ride with one of the guys.”
Liam waved him off. “No. Take the car. I’ll call the driver when I’m ready. Georgia’s is not too far for him to swing back around.”
“About that?” Brian rubbed the back of his neck.
“What now?”
“Dude, it’s crazy to be riding around in this small town with a driver. It screams we’re outsiders. We really need to rent a couple of cars.”
Liam conceded. “True, but our driver doubles as a bodyguard.”
“You have an entire army of security here and at the hotel. Knowing you, there is probably somebody secretly assigned to me too.”
Liam wouldn’t confirm or deny. “I won’t apologize for trying to keep the only family I have safe.”
If Anthony Luccesse weren’t the death of Brian, Liam would be. Liam meant well, but if Brian had any intention of developing a good relationship with his team, he needed to get over to Georgia’s. He would have to save this fight for another day. “Whatever, man. I’m out. I’ll see you at the restaurant.”
Once Liam was alone, he leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. Have I really never been in love? He thought long and hard. There were a couple of women he’d dated over the years that he really liked but love? No one made him feel the way Brian described.
His phone chirped. Liam glanced down at the screen. It was a message from one of his VPs. It was then that Liam realized that his business had been his greatest love.
Liam typed out a message then continued to review the report he’d been reading earlier.
*****
It was more than two hours after Brian left when Liam finally wrapped up his video conference call. He figured everyone at Georgia’s would be heading home soon. His presence wasn’t really needed anyway. Brian was right. Liam’s role should have been to provide a little backup support. Lockwood Racing belonged to his brother.
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