Page 38 of Rivals

I shake my head and tuck away my thoughts and feelings for Sutton away. “Hey, sorry I was a little zoned out.”

“Yeah, I caught that. I also caught that you brought another damn girl with you. What the hell dude?” Ryann places her hands on her hips. It’s the stance that lets everyone know she means business.

I sigh and rub at the back of my neck. “Tabitha, go on ahead and check the stuff out.” She nods and makes her way through the crowd. I wait until she’s gone before I turn back to my sister. “Not that it is any of your business, but I’m not really with her. Kevin, my agent if you can remember, likes to set up these “dates” that are mutually beneficial for us. That’s all this is but last time I checked I didn’t owe anything to anyone.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Is it?” I ask, my eyebrows raising with the question.

Ryann scoffs and shakes her head. “Why are you so damn stubborn? You have feelings for Sutton, I know it.”

A few of the people standing just a few feet away from us turn to look and I curse under my breath. I grab my sister’s arm and pull her back into the tunnel that leads out of the racetrack. “Will you keep it down?”

“Rathe, what’s going on? Seriously? I mean, Sutton is great. She’s beautiful, helping you get over your fear of really letting go while racing again. I know you like her and I’m pretty damn sure she likes you but then you show up with the wannabe Barbie which is confusing.” I can see Ryann trying to figure out what’s going on and I know I might as well tell her because if I don’t, she’ll just pester me until I do.

“Look, I like her. We had a great time while on the tour and I think she’s amazing, but it’ll never work. We can’t be together.”

Ryann laughs. “You’re being a little dramatic, don’t you think? I thought that was normally my role.”

“I’m not being dramatic Ryann. We literally can’t be together because it’s in our damn contracts.” I explain everything to her, and I watch as her face grows sad.

She sighs. “This sucks. I was rooting for the two of you.”

“Yeah, well even if the contract wasn’t a factor, I don’t think she roots for the two of us.” I look out and see her standing with Evanna and some of the kids from the Corporate Cares program. Before Ryann can start in, I tell her, “We should get back out there.” I lead the way. I busy myself throughout the first part of the day and by busy myself I mean avoid Sutton. I’m thinking I can keep it up until I end up talking to Colton. We may be big rivals on the track, but I have mad respect for him as a person. He clearly loves his wife and does everything he can to help raise money for the program where she works. Colton and I are talking when Rylee, Colton’s wife, and Sutton approaches us.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but I was just talking to Sutton and she brought up a great point. Why doesn’t Corporate Cares expand over to include orphaned girls as well as orphaned boys? I mean, I know I discussed it with Teddy when I first started working with Corporate Cares and again recently, but just trying to get the funding for the boys was a struggle so we put it back on the shelf again. Sutton reminded me of why it was so important to have a stable environment for the girls as well.” Rylee’s face is flushed with excitement but when I brave a glance at Sutton, I see nothing but uncertainty.

“Sounds like this is something that you’re passionate about Sutton. I mean my wife doesn’t get this excited over just anything,” Colton tells her.

Sutton plasters on her fake smile. It’s scary that I can actually distinguish which smile is real or fake. “I just know from personal experience that having a stable living environment like the ones being provided to these boys would have meant the world to me. Granted I wouldn’t have met my best friend if I hadn’t been shuffled from foster home to foster home...but the idea of actually having a place to call home and people to rely on. That’s every child’s dream.”

My heart stops. Sutton was in the system? I’m an ass. Things start to make sense. Her wall of defense, the loneliness I see in her eyes sometimes and the way she spent so little of the money she got for signing the contract. Yes, she bought a house and a car for herself and one for Evanna, but she bought a house and cars that just about any working-class person can afford. For her, that’s all she needs because it’s a safe place. I want to reach out and pull her into me, but I know I can’t. At least, not here, right now and that makes me so mad. This whole time I thought she was some spoiled, rich princess but it turns out she couldn’t be farther from it.

“You know maybe CD Enterprises and Revv-It Racing could work together during this race season to help secure the funding to add the girl’s home to the Corporate Cares agenda.” Colton smiles as his thoughts unfold.

I clear my throat and manage to tear my eyes back away from Sutton. “I’d like to help with that. I think that’s a great cause.”

“Hell yeah, man. I’m glad to hear it.” Colton and Rylee start brainstorming ideas but it’s Suttons eyes I feel on me. When I brave a look at her I see so many questions hidden in those pools of blue gray. I can’t read all of hers, but I hope she can read mine. It’s my apology and my promise to make it up to her. It’s letting her know that I want nothing more than to hold her right now even though I can’t. It’s me telling her that I’m falling for her...hard and fast and I can’t stop it even if I wanted to. We’re racing on this track now, just the two of us.

Forty

Sutton

Somehow, I managed to get out of a full day on the track with Corporate Cares. I hadn’t expected Rylee to be so excited about my question concerning female orphans. I also hadn’t expected her to run right over to her husband who was talking to Rathe, so she could discuss it with him. A part of me loves the fact that she loved the idea, wants to pitch to the main guy in charge and even has my input on certain things. Another part of me is mentally beating myself up, because I don’t know why I even brought it up. It’s not like I walk around telling people about my past. There are actually very few people that know I was in the foster care system.

I sigh as I examine myself in the mirror. Tonight, is the charity gala for the Corporate Cares and CD Enterprises. It’s formal so a gown and heels were necessary, but a large part of me wishes I could just skip this all together. I mean it’s going to be hard to avoid Rathe and talking about my past with tons of potential donors for the foundation. I already know that my story is going to become the platform that Corporate Cares uses to help launch the female orphan homes. I’m glad I can help and possibly make a difference for some other girl who finds herself in a situation similar to mine, but it doesn’t make me any more comfortable. I also don’t want a bunch of fake pity for how my life was growing up. I’ve let go of my past the best I can and moved forward and I don’t want to dwell on it now, nor do I want anyone else to. I’ve seen enough of those fake saddened eyes to last me a lifetime.

Evanna appears in the door. “You look amazing, even though I know you aren’t feeling it.”

“I’m really glad you picked the green,” I tell her. Evanna knows today was a rough one for me. She knows that I’m not looking forward to tonight but as always, she’s stayed by my side all day. She helped do my makeup and hair and then pick out a gown for me to wear. When she first pulled the form fitting, strapless emerald green gown I cringed. It had ivy like lace over the fitted bodice and flared like a mermaid mid-calf. However, the shock factor is the sheer ivy designed lace covering my sides where the bodice disappears, leaving my skin exposed with just the lace to cover. The dress is sexy without being in your face. As I stand in the mirror and examine all of the hard work that Evanna has put in, I can honestly say I feel as if I look the part. For the first time since I signed the contract with Revv-It I feel like I fit into this world. Evanna left my hair down and curled it with a large curling iron, creating perfect waves. My makeup is light with a nude lip, but a smokey eye. My dress fits me like a glove, and I can feel my inner confidence doing a dance.

“Me too because you rock the shit out of that.” Evanna comes into the room and stands behind me. Her caramel colored skin is flawless as usual but it’s her honey colored eyes so full of emotion that make it hard for me to breathe for a moment. “I know that this isn’t ideal for you. Things with Rathe seem to be one way then another. Now, you’re going to have to talk about your childhood and what you experienced in the system and I know it’s not a subject you take lightly or like to talk about but I’m so proud of you Sutton. I’ve always known that you’re this amazing, beautiful, talented and caring person. You just have a hard time showing it but now the world is getting a glimpse of her.”

I look away, unable to deal with the emotions that her words are creating within me. “You know if you keep this up, I’m going to cry and look like a drowned rat by the time I get to the gala and all your hard work will have been for nothing.”

Evanna laughs then sniffs. “Oh no, we can’t have that.” The doorbell echoes throughout the house. “That must be your limo. I’ll go grab the door.” I watch as Evanna disappears out of my room. I do one more look over to make sure I look my part, before grabbing my clutch and heading out to the limo Revv-It Racing has sent over. I grab Evanna in the doorway and hug her goodbye before actually leaving.

The limo ride is quiet and surprisingly quick. When I pull up, I’m shocked to see the amount of media in front of the hotel where the gala is being held. I shouldn’t be shocked considering that Colton Donavan is often in the media spotlight but somehow, I just didn’t think it would follow him into the Corporate Cares world. Seeing all the flashing cameras makes me realize how wrong I was. Nerves hit me full force. All of these people are going to know about my past. They will post about it online as well as in newspapers and magazines. It’ll be out there for the world to see. I had been so focused on the possible donors that I didn’t consider the rest of the world.

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