Page 74 of Happy Hour

Spencer yanked the jack out waving to Kyle.

“Go, go, go! Clear all lanes.” Kyle shouted when they let the car down.

Emma was practically sitting on my lap now as we held each other tightly, talk about excitement.

Jameson made it out before the pace car came back around, staying on the lead lap. When the green flag flew at lap one twenty five, he was in thirty-eight with seventy-five to go.

Where was Darrin?

Third.

This had disaster written all over it. Jameson was the type of guy that didn’t forget and Darrin was about to see that side of him.

“This guy is such an asshole!” Emma screamed in my ear. You could barely hear anything over the noise from the cars. “Why doesn’t NASCAR do something?”

“I know,” I agreed. “Is he always like this?”

“No,wellyes, every week it gets worse. He seems to be on a mission this weekend though.”

“What’s his problem? I mean, I know it has something to do with Mariah but how is Chelsea involved.”

“Darrin thinks Jameson slept with Mariah...” My eyes widened, Emma held up her hands defensively. “He didn’t, that Iknowof. He swears he didn’t and I believe him. Anyhow, after the race in Daytona, Darrin confronted Jameson about it. Of course, Jameson denied it and told Darrin to basically fuck off and called Mariah a whore. From then on, Darrin has had it out for him. Even back in USAC they had rivalry but this is out of control. I’m not sure how Chelsea got involved but she issomehow. She is supposedly dating Tate but I’ve neveractuallyseen them together. It just didn’t make sense how a guy like Tate Harris, would date Chelsea Adams. Besides, not that this really makes a difference but he’s like thirty-four and she’s twenty-two.”

I listened to everything Emma had to say wondering what they were up to with Jameson and how Tate, who gave Jameson his start, was involved.

I’ve met Tate on many occasions and I never once got the feeling he was the kind of guy who would back stab Jameson, he was a nice guy.

Tate raced on the Outlaw Series with Jimi before he made his start in stock cars, so the fact that he knew Jimi just made it all seem that much more impossible.

Not only that, but Tate Harris was the one that helped Jameson get the sponsorship from Simplex after he won the Chili Bowl. Knowing that, it just didn’t seem likely for him to be with someone like Chelsea.

Throughout the remainder of the race, I thought of ways to figure out Chelsea and Mariah but I kept my eye on what was unfolding on the track.

By lap one seventy-two, Jameson was in thirteenth and moving through the field steadily. He was running lap times that would break the track record.

The caution came out with twelve laps to go and that single minded-athlete returned.

“Any changes, bud?” Kyle asked as the cars slowed down the front stretch as the yellow flag was displayed.

I watched as Jameson’s black car fell into line behind Darrin.

“I’m not pitting.” Jameson stated resolutely.

Rolling my eyes with a shake of my head, I knew damn well what was about to happen.

“Youneedtires.” Kyle argued throwing a hand up. “You’ve been on the same ones for over sixty laps. Just bring it in.”

“Not pitting.”

Kyle ripped off his head set and threw it across the pit box. “Oh Goddamn him!”

There was no convincing Jameson to do something when he made up his mind but it didn’t stop Aiden from trying as well. “I think you should get tires, Jameson. The top five cars are coming in, so should you.”

“If Iwantedyour opinion, I’d ask for it, Aiden.” Jameson spat.

Aiden didn’t say another word and sure enough, everyone pitted leaving Jameson by himself out there on used tires and a questionable amount of fuel.

When they lined up to take the green, it was Jameson, Bobby, Darrin, and then Paul.

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