Page 39 of Endurance

“You’re not wearing pants,” I pointed out.

She flushed, and I felt my amused grin widen.

“You know what I mean. It’s just an expression. Would it have been better if I said, ‘under my skirt?’”

“Much better. Does that mean you’re going toletme try to get under your skirt later?” She didn’t answer but merely smiled in return before taking another forkful of salad. “Alright, since you’re going to play coy, why don’t you tell me about these signs you speak of?”

“Nope. I already told you—business first. You need to have patience.”

“Patience is the most overrated virtue.”

“Maybe it is,” she replied with a shrug. “But you don’t have much choice in the matter now, do you?”

I eyed her curiously for a moment before going back to my food. “Fine. Have it your way. You want to talk shop, then I’ve got some news for you.”

“Oh?” she asked, looking up from her plate with interest.

“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

“Yikes. That sounds scary. I didn’t realize there were both. Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.”

“Milo called. He—” I stopped short when I saw her cringe. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just don’t like Milo. I mean, I’ve only been around him a handful of times, so it’s not like I know him all that well. It’s just a feeling I have. I’m not surprised his name is attached to whatever bad news you have to tell me. I’ve deliberately not looped him in on some of the events we had scheduled with Corporate Cares because I don’t trust him. Whenever he’s around, he gives off negative vibes.”

I pressed my lips together in a tight line, understanding her astute observation perfectly.

“You’re not alone there. Not many people like him, but he’s good at his job.” I paused, unsure if I wanted to fully commit to the words I was about to say. “I don’t really need him anymore. I can cut him loose if it makes you feel better.”

“No, it’s okay. We all have to work with people we don’t like. What did he want when he called?”

“Tanya Griffin’s parents filed a lawsuit.”

Kallie froze, her fork hovering over her plate.

“That’s not good, Sloan. After all the work we’ve put into—”

“Hang on. Let me finish. We both knew a lawsuit was coming. That’s the bad part, but not a surprise. The good news is, because of all the positive press you’ve been getting me, my lawyer thinks we’ll be able to settle reasonably out of court.”

Kallie’s shoulders sagged with relief. “That’s good to hear. That last thing I wanted was to face a public trial while we’re trying to rebuild your image. People don’t need a reminder of what happened. Any news on the little girl?”

“She’s fine, from what I’ve heard. Full recovery. That fact helps my case a lot too.”

“That’s also good, which brings me to tell you about the opportunity I lined up for you earlier today that could heighten your positive PR even more.”

Having finished my food, I pushed the plate away, topped off our wine glasses, and sat back in my chair. “More positive press is good. Let’s hear it.”

“Well,” she began, seeming somewhat apprehensive. “Have you ever heard of Wings Halfway House?”

“The name rings a bell. Why?”

“It’s a place for teens struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. I spoke with a man named Jeremiah Lanford, the owner and head counselor over there. Considering your accident and what happened afterward, I thought speaking to the teens about your experience would be an opportunity for you to do some good. Jeremiah thought it was a great idea too.”

I pressed my lips together in a frown. I understood what she was trying to do, but public speaking wasn’t exactly in my wheelhouse. Talking to a reporter after a race was one thing, but reciting carefully-orchestrated words to a crowd of teenagers struggling with addiction was different altogether. I may have been on a collision course, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, but I didn’t know enough about addiction to give advice. The most I could say was, “Hey, kids. Don’t fuck up like I did.”

“I’m not sure if that’s the right gig for me, Kallie. Isn’t there something else you can set up with Corporate Cares?”

“I already have stuff lined up with them. Wings would be different. Given your past, you understand the destruction that can come with excessive drinking and drugs.” She paused and reached over to place a hand on my knee. “Not to mention, your notoriety could really make a difference for one of these kids. Jeremiah offered to let you come in and speak with them sometime within the next couple of weeks. If all goes well, he said he’d be interested in exploring mentorship opportunities too.”

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