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)
I bark out a laugh. “That’s a great idea. If she approaches me again, I’m going full-on gay mode. Guess those big strategy brains of yours are good for more than just winning races.”
We lapse into race talk and I’m fascinated by Bex’s knowledge. I try to include Lance in on the conversation because, while he wasn’t that great behind the wheel, he knows the sport. He wanted an in with Nash and I’m providing it, but he’s weirdly standoffish. Instead, he seems to be glaring at me, but I shrug it off.
“I need to use the restroom,” Lara says, and my stomach bottoms out when she looks up to Lance quietly… as if… asking his permission?
No fucking way. Lara is her own person.
Bex steps toward Lara and takes her hand. “So do I. Come on, let’s go find it together.”
Lance’s eyes narrow as Lara pulls away from him and we all watch as she follows Bex through the crowd. I’d expect that would be a good opening for Lance to talk to Nash, but instead, he says, “If you’ll excuse me,” and then he’s off following Lara and Bex.
“Your brother isn’t the friendliest.”
I turn toward Nash, sighing. “It’s complicated.”
“Let me guess. He’s jealous of your success.”
My eyebrows rise over the conviction in that statement. “Yeah… how’d you know?”
“Only a lucky guess, but it’s usually the cause of strife in most sibling relationships.”
“He races too but never could make it out of FI3.” In fact, he was tossed out just as my star was rising in FI3 and he’s never forgiven me for it.
“But he came here to support you?”
I can’t help but snort. “He’s here to make contacts. Thinking he can talk his way onto a team, but honestly… he’s washed up and has a bad reputation for being too inconsistent to take a chance on.”
“His fiancée seems nice, though,” Nash says lightly.
“Yeah… Lara’s the best. The three of us grew up together in Torquay, been surfing since we learned to walk. Lara’s quite good. Better than me and Lance.” I glance toward the bathrooms but can’t see my brother. Not wanting to talk about him anymore, I ask Nash, “So, how does it feel to be back in Formula, and do you miss Indy?”
Nash is the hottest topic in racing these days. After walking away from a fiery crash a handful of years ago, he never came back to Formula racing, instead making a career in Indy. However, the new Titans Racing owner, Brienne Norcross, apparently swooped him up in a deal that has him back in the big leagues.
“I don’t miss it at all, but I guess I could ask you the same… do you miss rally?”
I grin at the question, but I don’t answer right away.
Do I miss rally? Yeah. Parts of it. The chaos. The grit. The way your heartbeat syncs with the hum of tires ripping over gravel, not knowing what’s around the next bend until you’re already halfway through it.
But my path here wasn’t exactly typical.
I started in karting like everyone else—small circuits, bigger dreams. But instead of jumping straight into open-wheel like most of the guys on this grid, I veered sideways.
Literally.
Took a sharp left into rally. Dirt tracks. Forest stages. Mud. Breakneck speeds. I spent years in it—earning every inch with nothing but instinct and a white-knuckled grip on the wheel.
It made me fearless. Maybe reckless.
Eventually, someone noticed. I was twenty-one when I got my first shot in FI3. From there, it was a grind—FI2, then finally here. Formula International.
“Nah, mate. I cherish those experiences, but I don’t miss it at all. This is where I’m supposed to be.”
“That’s how I feel too,” Nash muses.
Bex appears out of nowhere and throws her thumb over her shoulder. “Reid… your brother said they were going back to their hotel and he’d catch you sometime tomorrow.”
“No worries.” I don’t know why the thought of him and Lara leaving abruptly bothers me so much, but it does. I’m uneasy, but I try to slough it off. I wonder if I can catch up with them, make sure she’s okay.
I clap Nash on the shoulder, tell a little white lie. “I see someone I need to talk to. It was great catching up with you.” I then turn to Bex and kiss her knuckles, giving her a playful wink. “Bex… it was an absolute pleasure to meet you, and I hope I’ll be seeing you around.”
I move through the crowd, eyes peeled for my brother and Lara. I don’t know why I’m doing this. Lara hasn’t been a part of my life for a long time and while I’ve seen her here and there over the years on the few occasions I’ve been home to visit, I haven’t been overly drawn to her.
But something about tonight claws at me. There’s something off and I’m worried.