Page 7 of Rivals

I hold up my hands in defense. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It was just the first thing I noticed about her.”

She smirks before taking a drink of her water. “Of course, it was. So, did you see her race and was she any good?”

“We caught her laps on the track and yeah she’s got some talent there. She took the curves with ease, didn’t let up on the accelerator too soon and she’s confident as hell so that’ll help her, especially in the male dominated sport. She’ll need the thick skin that confidence will provide.” I think back to Sutton now that I’ve had time to cool down and realize that she was in fact a damn good driver but under that confidence was an uncertainty I noticed in the depths of her eyes and it made me curious.

“Well, I hope she joins the team and I hope she gives you a run for your money because you need a challenge,” Ryann tells me, as she sticks her tongue out at me.

“Yeah, yeah, eat your damn food,” I tell her, as the waiter appears with our plates, but her words linger. Maybe, a challenge is what I need to get me to kick my ass into gear. Maybe, the rival of Sutton will be exactly what I need to truly race again.

Seven

Sutton

I barrel through the door of our apartment with my arms full of take out. I figured if I had to make some big life decisions then I need pizza, wings, pasta and Evanna to do it. “Honey, I’m home,” I call out.

Evanna appears in the doorway of her room, takes one look at my arms which are just about to give out and darts over to take some of my load. “You know I would have come down to help you with some of this right?”

I shrug. “Yeah, but I managed pretty well on my own until I had to open the door.”

Evanna shakes her head. “Okay there, Miss Independent, by the looks of all this junk food we are either celebrating, which I hope we are, or we are making big decisions, so which is it?”

I laugh as I place the stuff still in my arms on the kitchen counter. “Well, it’s possible that you know me too well.”

“Completely possible, also completely true but beyond the point. Also, don’t think I don’t know that you’re trying to change the subject right now by having this discussion. So, are we celebrating or making decisions?” Evanna stares me down from across the small kitchen island until I start to squirm. When she raises her eyebrow, I cave.

“Fine, we’re making decisions.”

Evanna rolls her eyes, true to her style. “Then that’s easy, you take the job if they offer it to you. You’d be crazy not to, but I would just like it noted that I told you this was legit.”

I sigh and hop onto the counter to sit. “Yes, you did. I’m sorry for doubting you and your mad skills.” Evanna spins and does a curtsey. “But you know making this decision is not that easy.”

Evanna shakes her head at my words. “Please, tell me which part is so difficult about this decision because I’m just not seeing it.” I sigh and look away, but I can feel her presence as she moves across the kitchen despite the fact that she’s so quiet when she moves. “Sutton, what’s really holding you up?”

That was the million-dollar question and one that I had the answer to, but I had yet to say it out loud to anyone. Evanna would probably be the first person I’d tell when I’m ready but I’m not there. I may never be. I shrug. “I don’t know. You know me. I worry about every little thing, every little change.”

“Yeah, you do but there is more to this and I know it. If you don’t want to talk about it you know you can just tell me that, right?”

I nod my head after a few moments. “I’m just not sure how to talk about it yet.”

“Okay, that’s fine. I’m here when you want to but for the record you deserve this opportunity and I think you’d be crazy not to take it. You’re so talented and this is basically a once in a lifetime chance.” Evanna opens the wing box and grabs one before hopping onto the kitchen island. “So, you do what you have to do, and I support you no matter what.”

“Thanks,” I tell her, as I reach over and grab a wing as well. I really am lucky to have her to call my friend because I know that no matter what she has my back and that’s not an easy thing to come by. Evanna looks up and smirks. “What?”

“So, have you met Rathe McCall?”

Her question throws me for a loop because I can’t even begin to figure out how she knows anything about Rathe McCall. Then there’s the odd fact that I’m overly attracted to him for no reason at all. “What do you know about Rathe McCall?”

She smiles. “A lot more than you think. I may have spent my day doing some down and dirty research on your competition in case you take this job. One, I found that the Indy racers are either hot as hell or way too old for us. Two, Colton Donavan and Rathe McCall are on the top of mine and every other females’ list. They are seriously hot. Also, Rathe will be your teammate if you race for Revv-It Racing, which I think you should.”

I shake my head because I should have known she’d instantly get to work on digging up every last bit of information she could find on all things Indy racing. That’s just how Evanna is. She’s always been a planner. “I met Rathe,” I admit quietly, and watch as her eyes go wide.

Evanna jumps off the kitchen island and comes to stand in front of me. “Way to hold back…that should have been one of the first things out of your mouth when you walked through that door. I mean, seriously! How hot is he in person?”

I shrug. I’m trying to play like I don’t care, act nonchalant, but I know that Evanna probably sees right through it. “He’s okay. I met him and his head mechanic, Maxton.”

She scoffs at my reaction. “He’s okay? What? Were you blind at this particular moment in time?”

I laugh. “No, I just don’t happen to think Rathe McCall is all that great. His mechanic was nice though.”

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