Page 39 of Full Throttled

Before the middle of the song most of the crowd is singing along with me. I haven’t felt this good in a long time. My heart is light and full. I’m loving this and the fact that the old me is coming back to the surface. I’ve missed her. After the song ends, the crowd cheers for another. I meet Drake’s eyes and he nods his head in approval. I give the DJ another song. I think the crowd liking me has more to do with song selection. I sing the anthems that everyone knows. By the third song, I’m in need of a break.

I get off the stage and make my way over to the table where a plate of food is sitting. A bacon cheeseburger with onion rings. A side of ranch is sitting beside the plate because like Drake said he remembers everything, even the fact that I love ranch dressing with my onion rings even though Burt’s, our normal hang out refuses to carry it. In the middle of the table is an appetizer that has way more food than we can eat. I sit down. “Were you hungry when you ordered?”

Drake chuckles. “No, I just knew you’d need to try all of this. It’s the best on the menu. I try to come down once every couple of weeks and get an order to go for Aubree and me.”

My heart skips a beat to hear him talk about Aubree, the way his eyes soften around the corners and his smile lights up. It’s hard not to fall for a good man…but a good father…it’s impossible not to fall for that. I sigh. “Where is Aubree tonight?”

“She’s having a sleepover withsomeof her cousins.” My eyes go wide because I don’t know how anyone could handle that many children at one time. Drake laughs. “That would be my reaction too, but luckily, it’s Kynlee, Hollis, Londynn, and probably Dawsyn. She can never stay away from the kids for too long. She’s so much like our mother.”

“That’s a good thing. I’m glad though she’s having fun tonight. I didn’t mind doing something with you and Aubree, though,” I tell him. I mean it too. I love that little girl already.

“Next time,” he replies. He motions to the food. “Now, eat up because apparently I have a duet to sing and somewhere else to take you before this night is done.” I look up, I’m sure shock is written on my face. I didn’t expect him to have anything else planned. I mean this date is more than enough. Drake just winks as he digs into his burger.

Drake was right, of course, the food is amazing. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until the waitress came by and took all of our plates away. Shockingly enough they were all empty as well. I’d be embarrassed if it wasn’t so good. “Okay, as much as I hate to admit it, you were right. That food was amazing.”

“I don’t like to say it, but I told you so.”

My head falls back in laughter. ‘You’re kidding me, right? You love to say that, just like every other man on the planet.”

Drake shrugs. “Well, I can’t beperfect, thatwould be unfair to the rest of the men on the planet.”

“Oh my god!” I exclaim, as I push his shoulder while laughing. “When did Drake James get an ego?”

“I got a lot of things Darlin’,” he tells me, as he wiggles his eyebrows causing my cheeks to flame and my mind to wonder. “So, are we going to do this duet thing or what?”

“No better time than now, I guess,” I tell him, as I stand up. As we make our way to the DJ, Drake takes my hand in his. “Did you have a song in mind?”

Drake smirks and winks before he steps around me and speaks to the DJ. Drake hands me the mic. “Just follow my lead.”

I give him a curious look, but he pulls me on to the stage with him before I question him. Drake is a natural in front of people. Every girl in the audience is already swooning before the music even starts. The moment that the beat drops, I know instantly what we are singing. It might not have been what I would have picked for us, but it will definitely be memory worthy. Good Vibrations by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch blares through the bar. I’m shocked and impressed by Drake’s rapping skills. I laugh the entire time but still manage to get my part of the song out. When we’re done, we get almost a standing ovation which makes sense, since so many people were up and dancing during the song.

As we step off the stage, Drake checks the time on his watch before meeting my gaze. I notice and recognize the ornery gleam in his eyes. “Are you ready for the next part of this date?”

I look around at our surroundings. “After all this, I’m not sure, but let’s do this!”

****

I’m sitting on the edge of my seat trying to figure out where we’re headed to next. This night has already been so much more than I could have anticipated, but then again Drake has that way about him. He has never failed to make me smile, laugh or feel better about myself even in moments when I didn’t fully deserve it. Drake wasn’t like most of the people I grew up around. He was caring and compassionate. He put others first just because it was the right thing to do in his eyes. He would go out of his way to make someone else feel better. It was easy to fall in love with him. If I had allowed myself to see that back then I might have ended up in a better place.

I sigh as we drive along the coast of the ocean. The sand and waves beckon me under the moonlight. It’s hypnotic and the pang of homesickness hits me out of nowhere. I never gave it much thought through the years. I missed the vastness of the ocean. So many nights that I had come down to sit in the sand, staring at the ocean, reminding myself that I was just one person amongst many. That my problems were small compared to some. That this point in my life was temporary because life was always changing, so this would too. I forgot how much the ocean and it’s steady waves chasing to the shore calmed me in the midst of my chaotic mind, until now.

I’m so lost in my own thoughts, that I don’t even notice where we are until the thumping of bass from outside the Mustang draws my attention elsewhere. I move my eyes to take in the area in front of me. The streets are lined with flashy cars. Guys stand in groups as they talk or smoke with fellow drivers. Girls dance around in skimpy outfits to gather the guys attention. Music comes from various cars. Excitement fills in the pit of my stomach. Pedal to the Metal, the local Saturday night street races. I haven’t been to a race in years. The buzz in my gut makes me sit up a little straighter as I take in my surroundings.

A chuckle breaks through my excitement. I turn to find Drake staring at me before he makes a show for the crowd, quickly flipping the car around and reversing into a parking spot. The crowd around us cheers. He revs the engine with that signature James boy smirk before cutting the car off. He meets my heated gaze and winks before getting out of the car, waving to a few people who call out to him as he makes his wayto my side of the car. He opens the door and extends his hand for me to take. I know what this means. Once I’m standing beside him, Drake warps and arm around my waist and leads me towards his father and uncles. The James brothers still seem to hold the local street racing scene captivated. I can’t blame them though. The James brothers are not only handsome and charismatic but they ruled these streets and despite having families now and not attending Pedal to the Metal as often as they once did, something tells me they still own every mile of them.

I look up at Drake before we reach his family. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

Drake gives me that smirk again and I feel every part of my body heat under his gaze. “Yep, just like I always wanted to.”

My teeth sink into my bottom lip. Showing up at the street races with a girl in your car, one that you make sure is by your side onceyou'reparked is a big deal. It’s staking a claim. It’s showing this part of the world what’s yours. Right now, I belong to Drake James as much as his car does and I’m perfectly okay with that.

Thirty-Two

Drake

I hadn’t planned on making an appearance at the street races tonight. It was supposed to be about Zoey, but my uncles kept calling and texting, bugging the shit out of me while Zoey had been on the stage during one of her karaoke songs, so I finally agreed. Besides, I knew Zoey had always loved the thrill of the street races, they were addicting that way. Zoey had been in my car plenty of times in the past, but it was never like this. I never laid my claim on her in front of our racing community because there was always someoneelse going after her attention. Tonight this was about us. I finally got to do what I had always wanted to do. It felt right. It felt natural.

I’d been to the races since she left too. Sons of Sin had gotten pretty popular within this realm of things as well.Ransomand Calibur were pretty well known for street racing their motorcycles. While Zayde, Talon, and I raced, but weracedin our cars. I loved my motorcycle and the club that had become like a family to me, but I still love my good ol’ American muscle.

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