Page 172 of Black Flag

“Yes,” I said in aridiculous attempt at trying to actually be a big girl and not be apathetic-love-sick-emotional-knocked-up-pigizzle. It was a failed attempt and Iwas losing it. “Good luck and bring home that championship!”

“I’ll try, are yougoing to watch it on TV?”

“Are you serious?That’s probably the dumbest question you’ve ever asked me.”

“I know.” he laughed.“I love you.”

“I love you too. Becareful and I expect you to blow me another kiss from victory lane.”

“I will.” He said andhung up.

Once again, I brokedown into hysterical tears because he was there listening. The biggest race ofhis career was today and he just listened to me for an hour complaining about amovie without bringing up his own problems. That right there showed what typeof person he was.

Looking back on thoselast three weeks apart, I saw what he’d become. Inside he was still the manthat could make me burn with a single look. He was the man that held me while Icried, the man who kissed me until I was breathless, and still the boy thatcaptured my heart surrounded by methanol and clay. And when combined with whathe’d become, he was unstoppable, unavoidable and an overpowering greatness thatno one stood in the way of.

Splash N’ Go –Jameson

I woke up the morningof the final race in Homestead, a mess and stared at my ceiling, wondering whyExcedrincouldn’t just walk out of my bathroom cabinet, hop onto my bed and summersaultits way into my mouth. I had no intentions of getting it myself. I had aheadache from hell but I was inclined to think it had something to do with thefact that I hadn’t had sex in a really long fucking time. Talk about tension. Ineeded relief badly.

Spencer enjoyed thisthe most and every chance he got, he brought up the wordpenetration.Who knew he could use the word in context that much. If I wasn’t so irritated,I would have actually been proud of him. I wasn’t though—I was just annoyed.

When I got the textfrom Sway wishing me good luck I jumped out of bed with an alacrity my bodyhadn’t seen in three weeks.

Cal, who drove my motorcoach for me to the various tracks, made coffee. I went through my normalritual of drinking a few cups and mentally trying to prepare myself for thebiggest race of my career when my dad walked into my motor coach.

“How did it go?” He hadgone to the arraignment the other day.

“Better than I expectedbut,” he took a seat across from me reaching for a slice of bacon Cal set onthe table, “you won’t be happy,”

“Why?” I growled backat him, this was not improving my mood or helping with my insane headache.

“Chelsea, well, sheonly got two years at a women’s correctional facility.”

“What the fuck?” Ishouted, losing my temper once again. My dad patiently waited for me to calmdown before he continued.

“Mariah got ten yearsand is being charged with a felony. Gordon, well he had a good fucking lawyerand got away with two years.”

This was not what Iwanted for these fuckers but at that point, after everything we’d all beenthrough, I was relieved that Darrin was gone and that no other lives would bedestroyed because of him. I was relieved that Mariah, Chelsea, and Gordon wereat least punished for their involvement but nothing would be sufficient. Iwanted them to get life in prison but things don’t always work that way,especially when you’re dealing with the criminal justice system.

What the hell is wrongwith me? Why aren’t you freaking out about this?

Look at me, growing up.Sway would be proud. I smiled to myself that she has this effect on me and thatI’m no longer ruled by my incredible hulk tendencies.Hah, well Iwouldn’t go that far, but I am making considerable progress.

“Who are you and whathave you done with my son?” he asked staring at me intently.

I just laughed takingsome bacon. “Blame the girl.”

“Huh, who knew a girlcould have this effect on you...whydidn’t I ever think of that?” he muttered rhetorically walking out.

Once he left, I proceededto get ready for the drivers meeting but I had a big fucking problem. I wasmissing my lucky shoes, well, one shoe.

“Where’s Jameson?” Iheard Alley ask as she walked inside panicked. “He’s supposed to be at thedrivers meeting.”

“Something about onlyhaving one shoe,” Spencer told her as he and Aiden continued to play the Xbox.“He’s back there somewhere.”

“Jameson?”

“Yeah?”My head was buriedinside the closet looking for my other Puma shoe. “Have you seen my blackPumas?” I tossed a pair of boxing gloves over my shoulder.

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