Page 35 of Dirt Driven

Her eyes moved from Caden in the distance to mine. “What do labor pains feel like?”

“Cramps.”

“Oh.”

“Oh,” that was all she said. Qualifying finished up by the time we made it to the pits. Distracted by the raucous in the pit area, engines running, tools clanging around and my husband’s laughter when they announced he’d held onto quick time for the night, I’d forgot about Kinsley’s overdue baby wanting to join the pre-race activities.

Rager smiled as Dad congratulated him. “Fuck, man, I had that goddamn gas pedal shoved through the fucking floor panel.”

Dad shook his head, smiling. “I did, too, and still couldn’t knock you off that top spot.”

Rager’s attention moved to mine, his smile igniting mine. “Good job. You’re in the second heat with Caden and Axel.”

Nodding, he stepped toward me, his arms finding their way around my waist. “Where are the kids? I promised Knox and Pace they could help spray down the car before the heat.”

“With Rosa.” He frowned. “And Lily,” I added, and he relaxed. “They’re eating some dinner.”

Gray finally emerged from the hauler for the first time today when she spotted Caden. “Can I spray the cars down?”

Lane handed her the Sure Shot, kneeling next to Rager’s right rear tire checking air pressure. “Knock yourself out.” He turned and stared at Jensen. “What was the stagger?”

Jensen mumbled something to him, but I couldn’t hear him over the clanking of tools and Casten’s car idling beside us.

Rager laughed when he noticed Casten. “Is he eating a cheeseburger?”

I peered over at him. “Looks that way.”

“No way I could do that. I’d have the worst stomach ache.”

It was true. Most of the guys didn’t eat before the main events. They ate dinner afterwards to avoid cramps and stomach aches. Casten didn’t give a fuck. He ate when he ate. Which is also why he frequently got sick after races.

Kinsley moved to Caden’s pit next to Dad’s. I motioned to her with a flick of my wrist. “Did you know she was due last week?”

“Kinsley?” Rager craned his neck to the side and eyed her. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

Tightening his hold around my waist, he buried his head in my neck. “Do you remember when you went into labor with Knox?”

A snort escaped me. “How can I forget.” Rager loved to think he broke my water by having sex up against his sprint car. I’d already been having labor pains and knew it was a possibility to go into labor. But I let him believe him and his super sperm were what did it.

AS THE NIGHTprogressed, Rager won his heat, which put him on the pole in the dash and starting third in the A-main event. I’d love to say I watched the main, but I didn’t get a chance.

Remember that girl that swore she wouldn’t have the baby tonight? Well, guess who went into labor when Caden brought out the caution in the main after flipping down the backstretch?

Yeah, Kinsley.

“We should take her to the hospital,” Hayden noted, staring at Kinsley doubled over in pain and a puddle of water at her feet in front of the merchandise trailer.

“I feel like her head is coming out.” Kinsley squeezed her legs together. “Guys, that’s bad, right?”

Hayden, Lily, and I stared at each other before Lily took control of the situation. And Rosa appeared with my mom. “Let’s get her into Caden’s hauler,” Mom told us, helping Kinsley walk. “There’s more room there and Dave’s truck is parked out there. It’d be easier than trying to get the motor homes out.”

She had a point, but one mentioned of Dave, and Kinsley wasn’t having it.

“Fuuuuuckthat.” She stopped walking, holding her stomach with one hand and waving her other around in the air. “That crazy bastard isn’t driving me and my baby anywhere.”

Kinsleyalsohad a point. No one in their right mind would get in a car with him, aside from Tommy, but I thought we all agreed Tommy wasn’t in his right mind. Ever.

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