Page 24 of Speeding Hearts

Just like Dean had done just now.

I sighed, getting into my car to head home. It coughed as I started it up. I really should fix this car up for good or get a new one, but I was hanging onto it out of sheer stubbornness at this point. It was a symbol of me, really. Tough. Determined. Could use a tune-up.

Once I got it running, I angled the mirror so I could see my face. My cheeks were streaked with dirt, my hair flattened to my face from the helmet. Maybe I was taking the wrong tack. Maybe I should show people how versatile I was. Maybe if I dressed up in a power suit, strode into Colin’s office and told him all the things he could be doing to get his ailing racetrack back in business, he’d be forced to take me seriously—forced to listen when I told him I wanted to race in the qualifier.

Maybe Dean would quit worrying about me too.

I could try that, but I knew the only thing that would really work would be to show Colin I could handle a car. And that would take more practice. Once a week wasn’t enough time to practice. But I couldn’t ask Dean to spend any more time here with me. He had a life to deal with. A dad to look after. His mom’s house and maybe fledgling vacation business to sort out.

A beautiful ex-girlfriend who was clearly not over him.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Victoria in that restaurant, how she’d looked close to tears when she’d seen us.

I was only here to race cars. Not to barge into Dean’s life and destroy what could be a perfectly happy life for him with her.

Never mind the nerves that were cropping up about racing. And never mind the feelings that were cropping up about Dean, either. I needed to focus.

But that night, all thoughts about racing and even Dean were shoved to the wayside by the cacophony going on at the motel.

A group I’d mostly avoided at the other end of the property were throwing a party. The people staying there didn’t look like the friendliest types, but after tossing and turning for an hour through their thudding bass and raucous shouting, I’d gotten up and angrily pulled on my shoes. I was just tromping down the outer corridor to go down there and ask them to turn it down when I was startled by a hand landing on my arm. I bit down the yelp, relaxing when I saw it was the old guy in the room a few doors down.

“I wouldn’t go down there on your own, Missy,” he said.

I frowned. “I can’t sleep with this racket.”

“Those guys aren’t from around here—came from the city, I think. I been here fifteen years, and it’s never been this bad.”

I swallowed, scared for the first time at being here.

“You should go back to your room. Sit tight. Nice girl like you should maybe find someplace else to stay.”

I bristled at the ‘nice girl like you comment,’ but by the concern etched on the man’s face, I knew he meant well. And that he was right. A beer bottle smashed just then, and I nodded, thanking him and retreating to my room, my heart thumping in my chest.

Dean was right, I needed to find somewhere else to stay. Tomorrow, I’d call my brother Hank. He and his fiancé were doing well for themselves right now, and he’d give me money to stay somewhere else in a heartbeat, even if it cost an arm and a leg. Hell, if either of my brothers saw where I was staying, they’d physically carry me out and throw me in the Ritz Carlton.

Another beer bottle smashed. I wasn’t a wuss. Far from it. Being tough was my very identity.

But I wasn’t an idiot, either.

Once back in my room, I locked the door and shoved a chair up under the handle for good measure. I shoved ear plugs in and cranked up the white noise on my phone, thinking about calling the cops if things got any worse.

But I didn’t have to—the sounds of sirens came through my defenses, and soon red and blue lights danced across the windows. When I peered outside, I saw a couple of guys getting led away in handcuffs even as they shouted and jeered at each other.

Though the rest of the night was quiet, I tossed and turned, unable to properly fall asleep until nearly dawn.

I woke only a couple hours later, wide awake with my eyes dry and burning. I felt like I was hungover, even though I hadn’t had a drop to drink, but I also knew I wasn’t getting back to sleep. It was only six, but I got up anyway, blasting myself with a cold shower to calm my still-jangling nerves. I resolved to call Hank later in the morning to ask for help, and to make plans to find somewhere else to stay. Even though it was summer in Oak Bend, with literally everywhere else in the town being a desirable tourist destination, therehadto be something if I upped my price point. I’d figure it out, just like I figured everything out.

The thought crossed my mind to call Dean to help, but I couldn’t bother him at all anymore. I needed to lay off the texts and calls and give him space to take care of his own life. Maybe he’d come around and start seeing Victoria, and all would be well in Oak Bend.

The thought made me slightly nauseous, but I shook that off too. Dean’s love life was none of my business.

From this point forward, once I sorted my new place out, I would narrow down my focus to one thing only: racing. I’d been getting nervous because I hadn’t thrown my everything into it—that was all. But that changed now. I was going to practice on my own. I had the keys to the stock that was parked out by the Back Track—might as well take advantage. I’d get good enough to demand Colin let me participate in the qualifier. Then, presuming I made it, I’d race in the actual Oak Bender. After that, I’d know for sure if I wanted to stick with racing.

Feeling good about having a solid plan, I toweled off and fixed myself a good-sized breakfast from the supplies I’d stuck in my little mini-kitchenette. Oatmeal with a banana and some peanut butter on toast. I threw in some awful instant coffee I’d bought for emergencies, and I was good to go. I even packed a PB&J sandwich and a bottle of water for later. As I headed outside, I felt energized enough that I almost forgot I was running on only a couple hours sleep.

The motel was quiet as I jogged down the steps to my car. Apparently, everyone was sleeping in after last night’s shenanigans.

Except the guy from the front desk. I caught him standing outside the lobby as I cut toward my car. I ducked my head, hoping he wouldn’t see me.

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