Page 58 of Rush
‘You’d do that?’ Calvin looked like he might cry, whether it be with excitement or gratitude or both. Savi felt like she might do the same.
‘Of course. You’ve welcomed me here with open arms, it’s the least I could do.’
Calvin pulled him in for a hug. ‘You are the best fake son-in-law a man could ask for.’
‘Dad,’ Savi laughed. ‘That’s such a weird thing to say.’
‘Your actual boyfriend never even offered to let us attend a local show, with or without you in attendance. He does realise nobody knows who we are, doesn’t he? Your ma and I weren’t going to blow your cover if we were in the crowd amongst thousands of people.’
‘You don’t even like his music that much,’ Savi tutted.
‘That’s beside the point.’
Savi sat down with her cocktail, homemade with a little too much alcohol as per usual. She was never able to get it quite right, even when she followed a recipe. She spent her summers as a teenager making punch bowls for her friends’ house parties, playing beer pong in basements and drinking in the fields and the mountains, not having much else to do when she wasn’t riding the horses, doing schoolwork or karting. But cocktails were an art, and she had given up trying to perfect her attempt at a tequila sunrise.
She watched her dad in his element, happily grilling away. Marco was allowed a couple of goes before he somehow set fire to a mushroom and was sent to join her, Bonnie and Wes in shame. He told them stories of his own childhood and summer evenings with his family. Despite the clear divide in wealth, his stories weren’t all that different to hers. They played board games, charades and did karaoke, all things that her family did. Maybe he was right; maybe their families would get on.
‘This food looks incredible.’ Marco took the piece of corn Savi passed down the table to him. They’d laid out all the food like a buffet in the middle of the table, all the mains and sides and condiments they could want. Not once did Savi or her family complain about the lack of meat available tonight. They weren’t hunters like a lot of people around here.
‘How’s the corn?’ Weston asked, right as Marco was mid-bite.
‘Amazing,’ Marco mumbled through his mouthful.
‘So, your next race is Le Mans?’ Calvin asked them.
‘Indeed. Savannah’s first time racing in such a prestigious event.’ Marco had butter dribbling down his chin, and Savi couldn’t resist getting a napkin and dabbing at it. ‘She’s in for a hell of a ride, but it’ll be the best race of her life. That I can assure you.’
‘If I even make it to the finish line this time,’ she muttered, staring down at her plate.
‘Will you stop beating yourself up about that? The car had issues, and the team made the wrong call. None of that was on you, Cowgirl. And hey, us guys won in theother car so we still got a podiumandwon the hundredth race.’
‘I just know Kodie and Miko won’t forgive me if there’s a repeat. I’m already skating on thin ice within the team for launching what they think is a very real relationship to the public so early in the season and taking the spotlight off them.’
‘The three of you just need to get in that car and give it your all. So much happens at Le Mans, it’s a miracle ifanyonecrosses the finish line. Mistakes are made, things go wrong, but as long as you have done the best you can, that is truly all that matters.’
‘Fuck me, it’s like Ghandi is here with us,’ Weston said, munching his way through the beetroot salad. He’d taken the whole bowl and gone in with a fork, rather than putting some on his plate.
‘Mars is pretty wise, actually. He’s not just been there for me with the Jesse drama, but he’s helped with my anxiety on a couple of occasions.’
‘You’re still struggling with that?’ Bonnie asked, concern etched across her face. ‘Sav, if you need to go back on your medication…’
‘No, Ma. It’s not that bad. I can handle it, but you know, the start of the season has taken some adjustment. We’re a few races deep now and I’ve got more of a handle on everything, even with what’s been happening the last few weeks. Being home with you guys helps, reminds me I’m just some girl from Wyoming at heart. I’ve always got an escape route.’
‘You’ll never be just some girl, Savannah.’ Marco was watching her with a look on his face that she couldn’t quiteread, and it was making her cheeks heat up. The sky was streaked with pink and orange as the sun went down, but nothing would hide how rosy they were under his gaze. ‘Anyway, Weston. Been meaning to ask, what’s your story?’
‘My story?’ Weston quirked a brow. ‘Well, I was born in Sheridan. In Dad’s old truck on the highway, actually. I was just so excited to see the world, I couldn’t wait for the hospital.’
‘Wes, you idiot.’ Calvin threw a balled-up napkin at him and Weston dodged it. ‘You know that isn’t what he means.’
‘I know, I know. Sorry.’ Weston rolled his eyes. ‘I was in a rodeo accident. Fell off a bull and it trampled me. Was in a coma, woke up paralysed. That’s really all there is to it.’
‘Shit, man. That’s intense.’
‘Wes was a rodeo star,’ Bonnie chimed in. ‘He was right up there in the rankings; had all the sponsorships he could dream of. That wasn’t the first accident he had, but he had problems with his back after the previous ones and was warned against competing again.’
‘Yeah, but us Harts don’t do things by halves. I had to go out with a bang.’ Weston took a swig of his bourbon. ‘Rodeo was my thing, you know? It was what I was good at, what I wanted to do until I couldn’t anymore. And here I am. Never expected it to end quite like this, but I’m still glad I had all those years of competition in me. I’ve got a collection of trophies in storage to rival yours, I imagine.’
‘He’s serious,’ Savi smiled. ‘I don’t advertise that we’re related because Wes disappeared off the face of the earth after the accident. He doesn’t want all that attention again. He gets to live his life in peace, and now it’s my turn.’
