Page 17 of You Wish
“And two weeks is too long.”
With a ten-year gap between them, they didn’t have a lot of time together growing up. Compound that with the fact that while Jake was sent back to Pine Village, Rachel grew up in Europe with their parents. Now they were thick as thieves—unless she was lecturing him.
“I already ordered for us.”
He smiled. “Of course you did.”
On top of being stubborn, she was a control freak. Which had benefitted him many times in the past. Even though he had an agent and a lawyer, there wasn’t a deal made or contract signed that she hadn’t scrutinized—or negotiated. Her fearless tenacity and bull-dog personality had earned her the name “Queenpin” and made her one of the most respected and feared managers in the sport. Like the other five drivers she managed, Jake trusted her implicitly as she’d never steered him wrong. Even times when he thought she was out of her mind, like having him sign a one-year contract with Nova back in the day, she’d been right.
Most people would have gone for the four-year contract, but Rachel convinced him that he’d get more money if he proved himself first. It had worked. His next contract was triple what they’d originally offered him.
“How’s your neck doing?” she asked.
“Better. PT is really helping.”
He watched as, in a matter of point-two seconds, her face went from sister to reaper—eyes narrowing, jaw locking, the vein in her temple ticking like a metronome. She planted her hands on her hips and took a step closer, and he suddenly felt like a teenager caught sneaking in past curfew.
“Then what were you thinking, flipping off Stellan?” she asked in quiet demand.
“He ran me off the track.”
“He’s a rookie,” she whispered back.
“He’s a pile-up waiting to happen.” Jake’s tone was cool, but his pulse was anything but, thrumming as she stared him down like she could throttle the recklessness out of him. She hauled back and socked him in the shoulder. “He had to give you back your spot, so why take it to an unsportsmanlike place?”
“Ow.” He rubbed his arm dramatically. “And the stewards made a shit call. Giving me a five second penalty.” That penalty had cost him first place.
“Oh, I know. The world knows because you let loose on your radio. Which the stewards heard and now they have it out for you.” She shook her head as they took their seats across from each other. “You know better than that.”
“It was supposed to be my comeback race.”
“Shit happens, but we don’t go pissing off the board of people who decide all your penalties for the rest of your career. Plus, it pissed off some of your more family-friendly sponsors. I’ve been on the phone for the last twelve hours trying to smooth things over.”
“I’m sorry, Rach.” He ran a hand down his face. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“Just like you didn’t think to tell me that you’re the newest ambassador for The Wish Project?”
How the hell had she heard? He hadn’t told a soul that he’d agreed. He was waiting for the right time to bring it up with Rachel. Seemed he was too late, and that made him feel like shit.
“The last thing I wanted was for you to find out from someone else before I had the chance to talk to you.”
“You agreed a week ago, leaving plenty of time to tell me.”
“I wanted to do it in person.”
“Any reason?” She gave him a look that said, “Tell me everything—or suffer my stare.”
Oh, there were several reasons, but one stood out above the rest. Reading him like a lie detector, she added, “My bet would be that you were afraid to tell me Georgia is heading this project.”
“That’s why I wanted to tell you in person.”
“Don’t you see that every time that woman is around you lose focus? I mean, did you even check before you agreed that you weren’t in some breach of contract?”
“Shit. Am I?”
“Friends of Families have an exclusive on you for the next year. That means you can’t do another children’s charity.”
“I’m sure we can work something out. She wouldn’t screw me over. It isn’t her style.”
