Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Being a writer, I can do that anywhere, so yeah… where goes Lex, so too do I,” she chirps.
“Sounds like a wild ride,” I say, genuinely intrigued.
“It is—no pun intended—but I love it. Well, I guess I love Lex, so I love anything involving him. What’s your story?” she prompts.
I toy with my coffee cup, nerves flickering. But then I exhale slowly. “It’s a little messier.”
“I don’t scare easy,” she says warmly.
And I tell her.
About growing up next door to the Hemsworth boys. About Lance—the charming, golden boy everyone loved—and how that charm soured into control. About the jealousy. The manipulation. The slap. Reid coming to my rescue and the way he’s facilitated my path out of this mess.
Posey’s face hardens as she listens, her eyes flashing with protective anger on my behalf.
“I’m so sorry,” she says fiercely. “You didn’t deserve any of that.”
“I know,” I whisper. “It just took me a little too long to figure out how to extricate myself from it.”
She’s quiet for a beat, then leans in. “Your tone is guarded when you talk about Lance. But you sound different when you mention Reid.”
I blink, caught off guard. “What do you mean?”
Posey smiles knowingly. “I mean it sounds like your heart’s been tangled up with someone else for a lot longer.”
The heat rushes to my cheeks but I don’t think to lie about it. My truth is nothing to be ashamed of. “I… there’s history,” I admit. “Reid and I—we kissed once when we were fifteen. Then we slept together one summer after uni. But he pulled away after. Said he needed to focus on his career. We never really talked about it again.”
Posey arches an eyebrow. “And now?”
“And now I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I’m messed up. I’m trying to figure out how to stand on my own two feet again. The last thing I should be doing is thinking about falling for someone.”
“But sometimes,” she says, “the right person is the one who helps you find your feet, not kick them out from under you.”
I stare at her, stunned by how easily she’s put words to something I haven’t dared acknowledge out loud. “Sounds like something a romance author would say.”
“Just because I write romance fiction doesn’t mean it can’t be real. Besides, I think this is more than just romance. It’s about history and connection.”
Before I can answer, a familiar voice cuts through the air. “The two prettiest girls in all of FI racing.”
Reid.
He strides toward our table, his smile bright and genuine, but there’s a slight tension behind his eyes. He’s already in race mode.
“You surviving her?” he teases Posey, nodding at me.
Posey laughs. “Barely. She’s a firecracker when she warms up.”
I roll my eyes. “Not the one who pretended to be a reporter to sneak into Crown Velocity,” I quip, knowing instinctually that Posey will laugh at my dig. Because I’ve learned enough about her over the last hour to know that we’ll be fast friends.
Reid leans down and presses a light hand to my shoulder. “I just finished one press interview and now I’ve got a briefing, then qualifying. Just doing a quick check-in… good up here?”
“I’m good,” I say, meaning it.
His hand lingers before he straightens, and I miss the comforting warmth when it’s gone. “Posey, you’re officially hired to keep her out of trouble.”
“Consider it done.” She grins. “Do you mind if I show her around the paddock and take her over to Crown Velocity? I’ll deposit her back here before qualifying starts.”
Worry clouds Reid’s eyes and even I’m a little unsure. His attention focuses on me. “I haven’t seen Lance today, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t around.”
“I don’t think he’d do anything stupid like try to touch me or anything. Worst-case scenario, he’ll probably try to talk to me, and I will tell him to go away.”
“I have mace in my purse,” Posey offers, and Reid chokes on a laugh.
“They let you in through security with that?” I ask.
“No, but Lex gave it to me this morning. Even he worries about me walking around, and while chances of us encountering danger are slim, we could drop an asshole in a nanosecond with it.”
Reid chuckles deep in his chest and points a wagging finger at Posey. “I like you a lot. Lex got lucky.”
Posey winks and once again, Reid turns to me. “If you run into trouble, and he won’t leave you alone, I want you to walk into the nearest garage and ask them to call security. I doubt Lance would be stupid enough to do anything to prompt that because he is here working, but if you promise you’ll do that, I think you’re good to explore, as long as you’re with Posey. The only time you can be without her is here at Matterhorn. Lance isn’t allowed in here.”