Page 31 of Getting Off

“It’s not.”Lucas seemed so off-hand and certain about this staggering amount of money.“You’ll probably need more.The cost of going pro is significant, but this will get you started.If you need more, we’ll sit down and talk about it.”

He shook his head slowly.“Crashing that fancy party was the best idea I ever had.”

Lucas gave him a huge grin.“We agree on that.But I have a lot of faith in you.You’re a great driver.You’ve got excellent instincts and work ethic.I admire that.This is a sound investment.”

“I can’t wait to tell Brooklyn.What are we doing tonight anyway?”

Lucas’s lips curved into a smile, and his dark eyes lit up with pleasure.“Brooklyn suggested we meet at my place this evening.I think she likes the view.”

“Who wouldn’t?You can see the whole damn strip.”He paused, frowning, his thoughts shifting to the three of them and what they shared.“I want to make this work, Lucas.You feel that way too?”

“Yeah.I want this, you crazy bastard.I want Brooklyn and I want you, and I think the three of us can somehow make this work.It blows my mind to even imagine it.But it’s going to be amazing.”

“Hell, yeah.”He was beaming.He couldn’t help it.He knew he looked like someone had just handed him two million bucks instead of two hundred grand.But damn…twohundredgrand!“I’m heading back out to the club to talk to my managers.We’ll be pushing forward with the pro tour.I’ll send you a business plan and a schedule.And we’ll need your company logo to add to the paint job too.”

“Listen to you, sounding professional already,” Lucas said with obvious pleasure.“I can’t wait to see my name at the top of your sponsor list.”

Lucas’s smartphone began to chime.Dylan recognized the ringtone.It was the one Lucas used for Brooklyn’s calls.

“She has great timing,” Dylan said as Lucas pulled out his phone and answered.

“Hey, sweetheart.”Lucas’s eyes lit up with joy every time he was talking to Brooklyn.It always warmed Dylan’s heart to see it.“We were just talking about—”

He cut off and his expression darkened into a scowl.

Not good.Dylan’s stomach seemed to drop somewhere into his boots.So much for this being the best morning ever.Something told him the news from Brooklyn wasn’t good.Last night, she’d been upset.Someone had videoed her driving Bubba.He thought that was awesome—a sexy doctor who churned up dirt, racing in her free time?Hell, yeah.But apparently one of her bosses or whatever had a stick shoved sideways up his ass about it.

“I see,” Lucas finally replied.If anything, his scowl had deepened.“I hope you know that’s complete bullshit.”

Dylan mouthed the wordsWhat happened?to Lucas when the man glanced his way, but Lucas only shook his head.He was focused on listening to her.

“Dylan’s here with me.You want us to come to see you?Moral support?”

From Lucas’s frustrated expression, she’d turned him down.

There was another long pause as he listened to her.Then he said, “We’ll see you tonight, Brooklyn.”

He disconnected and set the phone down in front of him.

“What happened?”Dylan asked quietly.

“That prick Gibson kicked her out of the running for the trauma center director because of that video of her racing around in Bubba.”

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling as if he’d been punched in the balls.“Shit.She’s losing her chance at her dream because of me.”

Lucas glanced at him, frowning.“Why do you say that?”

“It happened at my club.Those were racers at the placeIwork.”

“No one had any idea this would get back to some administrator with his tighty-whities in a twist.Gibson wants one of his cronies to have the job.He’s wanted it from the start.He was looking for a reason not to give it to her from the beginning.”

“I feel terrible for her.What the hell are we going to do?There has to be a way to help her.”

A look of grim determination showed on Lucas’s face.“There is.I’m going to call the board of directors.All of them.It’s time to put my money where my mouth is.”

Uh-oh.He didn’t like where this was going.“Brooklyn begged you not to get involved.You promised.”

“Brooklyn has pride.I get that.But she can’t stand against this kind of bullshit alone.No one can.I’m not going to sit idly by and watch a woman I love be passed over for her dream because some lickspittle administrator thinks she doesn’t glad-hand donors well enough and wants his own buddy to have the job.”

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