Текст книги "Ignite"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 3 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

“SHIT. WHERE IN THE HELL did this rain come from?” Robert asked as he sat in my bus. Robert had been on my pit crew since day one and had become more than a friend to me. He was like my brother.

I pushed the air out of my lungs as I glanced over to the TV and shrugged. “Who knows, it’s Texas. The weather here can change in a heartbeat.” Lola barked and jumped up as she looked at the door.

The doorbell rang as I got up and made my way to the bus door. It was probably Waldo giving us an update. He knew I didn’t watch anything to do with the race on TV. From day one I thought it would be bad luck, so I didn’t listen to what they were saying as they talked pre-race shit.

Opening the door, I smiled. Adaline was standing there with an umbrella over her head as the rain came down steadily. “Hey. I had to ask which one was your bus. You’ve gotten a different one.”

My smile faded some as I nodded. “Yeah, well a lot of things are different now.”

Adaline’s face fell as she asked, “May I come in?”

“Um, yeah but Robert’s here and—”

Robert pushed past me and waved to Adaline. “Hey, Adaline! Great seeing you again. I’m headed back to the hauler, Emmit. See ya later.”

Slowly shaking my head, I shot daggers at my so-called best friend.

Lola barked and Adaline let out a gasp. “Oh, my gosh. There’s a dog!”

“Always were observant, Adaline.”

Adaline shot me a dirty look as she slowly nodded. “Well anyway, I’m sorry Robert ran off. I’ll let him know he can come back.”

Adaline turned and walked off as I squeezed my eyes shut and cursed under my breath. “Fuck!” I hissed through my teeth. Stepping out into the rain, I called for her. “Adaline, wait. I’m sorry, if you want to come in, you’re more than welcome to.”

Turning around slowly, Adaline raised an eyebrow. “Anyone else in there?”

I didn’t even care I was getting wet. “Like who?” I asked with a confused look.

With a shrug, Adaline walked back over to me and started up the steps as I stepped back in and told Lola to sit. Adaline stepped into my bus and looked around as her eyes widened in surprise as she glanced back toward the bedroom. “Oh, I don’t know, Cookie maybe?”

Holy living hell. Adaline was jealous.

Choosing to ignore her reference to Cookie, I said, “Ashley and her two friends are hanging out in the hauler.”

“Oh,” Adaline said, barely above a whisper.

I took her umbrella and shook it out as I placed it by the door. Lola quickly made her way over to Adaline. Instead of doing what she normally did, rollover and demand a belly rub, she jumped up on Adaline.

“Oh, my!” Adaline said as she took a hold of Lola.

“Lola! No, that’s a bad girl. Time out!” Lola jumped back down and ran back into the bedroom and jumped on the bed where she promptly began to pout.

“Wow. That’s impressive. She must be really smart,” Adaline said as she sat down on the tan leather sofa.

I sat across from her and smiled as I looked at Lola. Damn I loved that dog. “She is, but we also spend a lot of time together. I worked hard on training her when I first got her.”

Adaline looked directly at me as our eyes met. “Oh.” Adjusting in her seat, she asked. “Um, how old is she?”

“One tomorrow.”

Adaline smiled. “Did you get her a birthday present?”

My heart slammed against my chest as Adaline talked about Lola. Nodding, I said, “Yes.”

Looking away, she said, “Good.” Adaline glanced around my bus as her knee bounced nervously. “So, wow. You got a new bus.”

Looking around, I nodded. “Yep. About a year after you um . . . well, after you started school. I started making pretty good money, so I upgraded.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Want to see all of it? I mean there’s really only the living room here, the kitchen, the bedroom, bathroom and the closets.”

With a grin, Adaline said, “Sure, I’d love to see it.”

My stomach felt like I was on a roller coaster. All I really wanted to do was tell her how much I’d missed her. I reached for her hand as I stood. When she placed it gently in mine, we both looked into each other’s eyes. I was almost positive she felt it too.

The love was still there.

As I guided her back toward the bedroom, I focused on my breathing. Stepping into the room, Lola jumped up and wagged her tail as Adaline started giggling. “I guess she thinks time out is over.”

I nodded my head and laughed. “She’s a good girl.”

Adaline sat down on the bed and began petting Lola. “How does she do on the long drives?”

With a shrug, I said, “Good. She doesn’t really know any different. She loves when we head back to North Carolina, though. I bought a new place with lots of room for her to run.”

Adaline glanced up at me. “That’s wonderful. I bet she loves it.”

Leaning against the closet door, I smiled and said, “Yeah. She does. She is the only constant in my life. I guess you could say she keeps me grounded.”

Adaline’s eyes turned sad as she looked back at Lola. “Have you, um, dated very much?”

I could either skirt around it, or just be honest. I decided to go with the later.

“No. I’ve fucked around a lot, though.” Adaline’s head snapped up as she looked at me as her mouth fell open. I could tell she was surprised by my honesty. “I’m not going to lie and sugar coat the last three years of my life, Adaline. My heart broke in two when things between us ended. The only thing I knew to do to try and forget you was drink and fuck woman.”

Adaline stood up quickly and headed back out toward the living room. “Like last night, Emmit. Did you fuck, Cookie?”

I let out a fake laugh as I shook my head. She was actually pissed off. Well fuck this shit. Who in the hell was she to get pissed at me? She turned me down.

“I almost did. Something about the woman you loved more than life itself showing up and acting like she has survived just fine since she ripped your heart out, well hell, it kind of fucked me up all over again.”

Adaline’s eyes turned dark as she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her left eye at me. “Survived just fine? Really, that’s what you think, Emmit? That I survived just fine?”

With a smirk, I said, “Well you sure didn’t try and make things work, Adaline. You walked away like what we had meant nothing to you.” Not sure if it was anger or hurt that moved across her face, but whatever it was, it caused tears to build in her eyes. Turning her back toward me, she spun back around and walked up to me as she poked me in the chest.

“I was confused, Emmit. I wanted the life I had dreamed of too. I couldn’t have that life while you followed your dreams. I didn’t want to make you think you had to give up your dream for me to follow mine! If we had stayed together, I knew you would start feeling guilty and you would have come after me, Emmit.”

I took in a calming breath as I looked into her eyes before I started talking. “We could have made it work, you weren’t willing to try, Adaline.”

A single tear fell from Adaline’s eye as her shoulders sagged and she let out a defeated breath. “You’re so wrong, Emmit. I walked away from us because I loved you that much. Do you remember when I went to camp the summer of our senior year? I was gone for two months. You couldn’t stand the time apart, and you gave up two months of racing and came to camp. Do you remember that?”

“That was a few fucking dirt track races, Adaline. This is NASCAR. My dream. I would have figured out a way to see you and keep doing what I loved doing. Don’t blame this on me; you’re the one who doesn’t want this life.”

“I didn’t say that, Emmit!” Adaline screamed out. “I said I wanted time to follow my dreams. Traveling ten months out of the year, I would have never been able to go to college and get my degree. I did what I thought was right. It seems to me though you weren’t that heartbroken if you started bringing whores to your bed every night.”

With a toss of my head back, I laughed. “Oh please. Like you didn’t ever date or fuck other guys, Adaline. I’m not stupid.”

Placing her hand over her stomach, Adaline took a step back as she pressed her lips tightly together. Grabbing her stuff, she headed for the door. She turned and looked at me. “I dated a few guys, but none of them were you. I haven’t been with anyone since the last night we spent together. I couldn’t because I was still in love with you. I guess I’m the fool in this situation.” Closing her eyes, she let out a quick laugh. When she opened her eyes, she glared at me. “That is one situation I intend on fixing right away.”

All the air left my lungs as I grabbed onto the counter top to keep from falling over. I slammed my hand over my face and dragged it down. What in the hell? Adaline hadn’t been with another guy. Holy fuck did I mess up. I quickly made my way after her.

I stepped out between the buses and glanced both ways. My heart stopped the moment I saw Adaline talking to Malcolm. He looked over her shoulder directly at me as he smirked.

Malcolm looked back at Adaline and nodded as he put his arm around her and led her back to his bus.

I was frozen in place. Opening the door to his bus, Adaline walked into it while Malcolm turned and gave me a smile that would forever be etched in my memory.

The door to his bus shut as I stood there like an idiot and watched the door for Adaline to come back out. I felt numb as I walked back to my bus before I stopped walking.

“Fuck that.”

I started running over to Malcolm’s bus. Pulling the door open, I stumbled inside the bus only to find Adaline talking on the phone. Her eyes widened as she looked at me with her mouth gaped open. Looking to my right, Malcolm sat on the sofa with his arm around some girl.

“What are you doing here?” Adaline asked as I looked between her and Malcolm.

“I um . . . I saw you walk in here with Malcolm and I thought—”

Adaline lifted a finger for me to stop talking. “Yes. I have the locator turned on. Nothing. Okay, I’ll have to just buy another one I guess. Thank you so much.”

Hitting End, Adaline walked over and handed Malcolm the cell phone. “Thank you for letting me use your phone.”

Adaline looked at me with a disgusted face. Making her way over to me, she pushed me as hard as she could, causing me to stumble. “You asshole! You really thought I would just stop at the first guy I saw and fuck him?”

“Well no, but I saw you come into his bus and my mind started racing.”

Tears fell freely from Adaline’s eyes and it felt like someone had stabbed my heart with a knife. “I lost my cell phone. I was going to ask you to use yours but we got to talking and well, I saw Malcolm and asked if I could use his phone. Fucking around is not my thing, Emmit. That’s your m.o.”

Adaline pushed me out of the way and took off again. Only this time, I didn’t go after her. I closed my eyes and dropped my head as I muttered, “Fuck.”

“Lewis, this is going to be the one and only time I’m straight up and honest with you,” Malcolm said as I lifted my eyes to look at him.

“You are a damn good race car driver. Probably the best I’ve ever seen and I will deny I said that until the day I die. But dude, you are handling this all wrong. Fucking other women to try and forget the love of your life will never work. Trust me. It. Doesn’t. Work. Stop approaching your feelings for Adaline like you do a race. Listen to your heart, not your head.”

I opened my mouth to talk, I was rendered speechless. Squeezing my eyes shut, I opened them again and said, “Who the fuck are you, and what did you do with asshole Malcolm?”

With a shrug of his shoulders, Malcolm said, “I have my moments. Now go back to your bus, focus on the race and worry about the rest tonight.”

Not knowing how to even respond to Malcolm, I slowly made my way out of his bus, but not before turning one more time and looking at him. When he blew me a kiss, I huffed and said, “Asshole, I’m not going to let you lead one fucking lap today.”

Malcolm laughed and called out as the door shut, “That’s the Emmit I know and love!”

WRINGING MY HANDS TOGETHER, I sat next to my father as I watched Emmit race. The rain had caused a three-hour delay, but once they got to racing, Emmit had been leading a good portion of the day. Looking over to my father, I gave him the look. The look that silently asked if he thought Emmit might win.

I knew better than to ask the question out loud. First off, Emmit started in the pole position, and for him to actually win the race as well wasn’t really a common thing. Second, Daddy had called for four tires when mostly everyone else took on two. Emmit fought to get back into the lead and was currently in second place, behind Malcolm Wallace, who was hell bent on keeping his position.

Emmit’s spotter started talking over the radio. “Number twenty-three is one length ahead on the outside.”

Emmit came over the radio and said, “I don’t give a fuck where he is. Just tell me who the fuck is around me. I don’t give two flying fucks who is in front of me and what the fuck they’re doing.”

I shook my head and smiled. “I see his temper hasn’t changed any.”

My father huffed as he said, “Calm down. Keep your cool.”

His spotter came back over the radio. “Coming up on slow traffic. Keep your line. You’re gaining on twenty-three.”

“Fuck,” Emmit said as came up on Malcolm. Sitting up, I held my breath as they approached the turn.

I grabbed onto my father’s arm as I watched Emmit go for the lead. “Twenty-three is going high, go low.”

Malcolm came down and bumped Emmit, causing him to go loose.

“Shit!” I said as I closed my eyes and looked away.

“Motherfucker. I want to talk to, Wallace.”

“Emmit,” my father said in a warning voice.

“Just wanting to say hi is all.”

A few moments later, my father said, “You know you can’t.”

“Fine, tell that motherfucker he cut me off and pay back is a bitch!”

With that, Emmit made a move to the outside.

“Bumper . . . door . . . clear!” Emmit’s spotter said as Emmit overtook Malcolm for the lead.

Emmit was silent for the next twenty-five laps as he led. He had pulled five car lengths ahead of Malcolm and was gaining.

“Man’s on a mission,” Daddy said as he sat and watched Emmit do what he did best.

As I glanced down, I saw Ashley and her two friends. I couldn’t help but stare at Cookie. The insane amount of jealousy that was building up caused me to look away.

“Green flag, no traffic!” the spotter called out.

“Take it easy, Emmit. You’ve got this.”

“Is Addie still there?” Emmit asked as my father and I looked at each other.

“Yeah she is,” Daddy said.

I couldn’t help but notice how my heartbeat increased and my hands shook. To know that Emmit was about to win a race and he was thinking about me did something to me. Smiling, I looked back at the track and watched as Emmit took the checker flag. Everyone started going crazy as my eyes never left Emmit’s car, even when Daddy hugged me.

I smiled until it felt like my cheeks would be frozen in that state; I watched as Emmit did his normal victory spin outs and then took the checkered flag and drove down the track.

“Come on, he’ll be looking for you in victory lane,” Daddy said as he took my hand. Shaking my head, I pulled my hand back.

“Daddy, we’re not together anymore. I don’t think he’ll be looking for me.”

My father gave me a look of disappointment. “Adaline.”

Ashley and her two friends started toward victory lane. “Oh, I’m going to try like hell and kiss Emmit while the cameras are on him!” Cookie said as she skipped by.

Narrowing my eye at her, I said, “Okay, I’ll go.”

I stood off to the side as I watched Emmit crawl out of his car and hold up his fists and yelled out, “Yeah!” The camera crew was there waiting and ready to talk to Emmit. I couldn’t help but glance over at Cookie standing slightly behind everyone and behind Emmit’s sister.

The last time I stood in victory circle, Emmit had won his first NASCAR race and he had searched the crowd for me. This time, he went straight to the camera and began talking as he took small sips of something someone put in his hand. Robert reached over and changed out Emmit’s baseball cap to another sponsor’s hat.

My lower stomach tightened as I watched Emmit’s every move. His sweat-soaked hair peeking out from under the baseball cap lit a fire in my body that I tried desperately to ignore.

Bastard.

I wanted to be angry with him, but I couldn’t.

“He’s so damn good looking. What I wouldn’t do to spend just one hour in his bed,” some girl behind me said. Turning, I gave her a fake smile. “Tell me you don’t agree,” she said to me.

With a smirk, I said, “I’ve graced his bed plenty of times.”

With a huge smile, she said, “Lucky bitch.”

I rolled my eyes as I pushed all thoughts of Emmit and my horny body away.

The freedom of not feeling the need to have Emmit’s hands all over my body lasted for a whole minute. Once his gray eyes found mind, I held onto my breath.

There was so much more to Emmit than how he made my body feel during sex. One of my favorite things he ever did was place his hand on my lower back as he guided me through a room. Or, to a table for two in the corner of a romantic restaurant. Oh, yes . . . there was so much more to him.

Giving me a smile, Emmit said something else to the reporter and then nodded his head and turned to his team as they continued to celebrate. Daddy had gone up and given Emmit a quick hug and said something to him that caused Emmit to let out a laugh and agree with whatever Daddy said.

Emmit took the champagne and shook it up as he sprayed everyone. Security had allowed Ashley to go up to Emmit. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her for a good thirty seconds before pulling back and kissing the tip of her nose. Cookie was jumping and calling out Emmit’s name, but he either didn’t hear her or he ignored her. Both thoughts made me happy.

My heart dropped as I thought about how much I wished that had been me. I started making my way through the crowd. I needed to go back to the hotel and think over what Jack and I had talked about earlier.

I chewed on my lip as I thought about his offer. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he had offered me a job. And a job that paid top dollar. I had until next Saturday to give him my decision.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I watched as Emmit posed for pictures and continued to celebrate his win. Turning back to the front, I wondered if he would even notice I had left.

I made my way past the garages and headed back to my father’s bus. After everything settled down, I’d catch a ride back to the hotel. The buses usually pulled out pretty quickly after the race. I was guessing Emmit would be here longer since he needed to do more interviews and pose for more pictures. I’d seen enough guys win to know what the deal was.

As I walked, I glanced and saw another girl walking slightly behind me. Looking at her, I smiled. She gave me a smile back and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.”

I reached my hand out for hers and that’s when I noticed she was pregnant. “My father is Waldo Morgan.”

Her eyes lit up as she looked me over. “Wow. You’re the girl.”

Taken aback by her comment, I asked, “Excuse me?”

Holding her hand up, she said, “Oh my God, that was so rude of me. I’m so sorry. My name is Kristin Whitmore. Doug is my husband. Number seven. Doug and Emmit are pretty close, as well as teammates. We’ve spent many a night with him and well, when he gets to drinking too much he talks a lot . . . about you.”

I pulled my head back as I stared at her with a dumbfounded look as my stomach dipped. “W-what?”

“Adaline!”

His voice invaded my mind, and my body immediately came to attention as I spun around and watched as Emmit ran up to me.

He came after me.

He noticed I left.

A rush of excitement tingled throughout my body as I watched Emmit make his way over to me. Stopping in front of me, he gave me a smile that melted my heart and had my insides shaking. “Hey, before you go I wanted to ask you . . . well . . . I mean . . . I wanted to say thanks for sticking around and watching the race.”

I was positive a look of disappointment washed across my face, I glanced over to Kristin and then back at Emmit. “Oh um, of course. It was one of the whole reasons I came this weekend.”

Emmit lifted his eyebrows. “One of the reasons?”

“Emmit! Emmit over here, can we talk to you for a few minutes?”

I bit on my lip as I watched Emmit’s smile grow bigger. “Don’t leave yet,” he said as he turned and started answering questions.

I turned before the whole world could see how Emmit Lewis just made my entire body flush with three words. I started walking again. Kristin walked next to me, and when we got far enough away she bumped me on the arm. “Please tell me you’re not going to leave ’cause I’m dying to know what happens! I’m a romance reader and this is like a live action romance book!”

With a giggle, I shook my head. “I’m sure it’s nothing but Emmit wanting to apologize for our fight earlier. That’s all. He probably has a date with Cookie.”

“Cookie? Like as in a cookie you eat?”

I shook my head as I laughed. “No, her name is Cookie, and he didn’t get to hook up with her last night, so I’m sure that’s why she’s here.”

Kristin’s eyes widened in horror. “He told you that? Why would he tell you that?”

With a shrug, I didn’t even realize I walked right past my parents’ bus. “No. He didn’t tell me that, but he did fill me in on the last two and half years of his life. One thing about Emmit is he has always been one-hundred percent honest with me. I guess he felt like he needed to let me know he turned into a male slut over the last few years.”

Kristin laughed and shook her head. “You have to know that men are stupid. They think mindless sex is the cure-all for everything. Doug told Emmit once to go out and just get screwed. He said it might make him . . . well um . . . oh gosh how do I say this?”

My attention was dangling on the edge as I waited for what she was about to say. “Say what?” I asked.

“Well, I don’t want you to have a bad impression about my husband, but he was the one who told Emmit, and I quote, ‘If you get laid, you’ll forget about her’. I guess you were pretty hard to forget because well, Emmit tried really hard to forget about you.”

Jealousy flowed through my veins as I thought about other women in Emmit’s bed. We had been each other’s first and knowing that Emmit had slept with other women killed me. I knew it was my fault and I couldn’t be angry. Okay, I could be and I was. “Kristin, may I ask you one thing and I’m not even sure why I’m asking?”

“Sure you can.”

I glanced down at my feet as I kicked at the ground. “Did he bring them back to his bus?”

I hadn’t been on the road with Emmit very long in the beginning, but the times we shared on his bus were some of the most amazing moments of our relationship.

“God no! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl in that bus except for Lola and Emmit’s assistant.”

I tried not to smile as I nodded my head and started toward the door of the bus. Going to open it, it was locked. When I turned to see I was at Emmit’s bus, I blushed and took a step back. Lola started barking and the door opened. A young boy walked out and said, “May I help you?”

Kristin was smiling from ear to ear. “Funny where your heart leads you, huh?”

I went to say something but instead, I stood there in silence. I had nothing to come back with.

“Johnny, this is Adaline. She’s a very good friend of Emmit’s. You let her in and out of his bus until he gets back okay?”

My head snapped over to Kristin as I said, “Oh no, I meant to go to my father’s bus and well we were talking about Emmit and—” I pointed to the bus and tried to think of the next words that should be flowing from my mouth.

“And you decided to arrange for dinner after Emmit’s long day at work. So sweet of you, Adaline.”

Lola came up and stood at the entrance of the door and wagged her tail in excitement. Blowing out a breath of air, I looked at Johnny and then back at Kristin. I knew what Kristin was doing by planting that in my head. “Well, I mean I guess he does have to eat and all.”

Lifting her brow, she agreed. Waving as she walked away, she called out, “So amazing meeting you! Can’t wait to tell Doug. See you next weekend!”

“Oh, no . . . I won’t be at that race!” I called out.

With a brush off of her hand, Kristin said, “Uh-huh!”

I dropped my shoulders and huffed as I watched her walk away. I knew damn well I would most likely be at next week’s race.

“He likes fried chicken. A lot. He eats it all the time,” Johnny said.

“Emmit does?” I asked as I reached over and gave Lola a pat on the head.

“Yes ma’am. He’s always ordering it from either my daddy who works for Mr. Elliot, or somebody delivers it.”

I got an idea as I gave Johnny a wink and said, “You want to ask your parents if you can take Lola for a ride in my daddy’s truck while we go get Emmit some real food?”

Johnny smiled and nodded his head. “That sounds like fun.”

I watched as he pulled out his phone and hit a number while I chewed on my lip. “Mom, Emmit’s girlfriend wants to know if me and Lola can go get him some real food.”

With a frantic wave of my hands, I said, “No! No I’m just a friend. Not his girlfriend.”

Johnny nodded at me. “She says she’s just a friend. Yes ma’am, her name is Adaline.”

Wait. What? How in the hell did this woman know my name?

“Okay, bye!”

Reaching for his phone, I said, “No! Wait, Johnny, who are your parents?”

“Robert and Kate Elliot.”

Robert was Jack’s son. He was a few years older than Emmit, and I was pretty damn sure he didn’t have a son three years ago.

“How old are you, Johnny?” I asked as I watched him put the leash on Lola and step out of the bus.

Johnny shut the door behind him as he smiled. “I’m eight years old. I’m adopted. My parents adopted me when I was six.”

“Really?” I asked as we walked back over toward my father’s truck. “Do you like traveling with your parents from race to race?”

The smile that spread across Johnny’s face said it all. “Oh, yes ma’am.”

As Johnny and I got to know each other better, I found out he went to a private school that was four days a week. He and his mom flew in each weekend for the races. During the summer, they all traveled together. Johnny went on and on about his grandpa and how amazing he was. Then he turned to Emmit.

“I love Uncle Emmit a lot. He’s super cool.”

“Uncle Emmit?” I asked with a smile.

“Yeah, he lets me hang out in his bus and plays video games with me. I always tell him he’s gonna make a great dad someday ’cause he’s lots of fun.”

My heart melted on the spot. “Yeah, he will make a great dad.”

Johnny carried a bag full of food and held onto Lola as he said, “You gonna be Emmit’s wife and have his baby, Adaline?”

I shook my head and laughed. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Emmit and I are just friends.”

As we got into the bus and Johnny gave Lola some water and helped me take the food out of the bags, he turned and looked at me. “Is it okay if I ask you something, Adaline?”

“Of course it is, Johnny,” I said as I heated up water for the pasta dish I was making.

“If you and Uncle Emmit are just friends, how come he stares at a picture of you all the time and told my daddy you were the only woman he’d ever love?”

Tears built up in my eyes as I gazed into the eyes of this sweet, innocent little boy. Pressing my trembling lips together, I tried to let Johnny’s words sink in. “When, um, when did Emmit say that?”

Shrugging, Johnny set the last of the contents of his bag out on the counter. “This past Christmas after we all ate. Uncle Emmit drank too much punch and got drunk. Mamma said some people get drunk when their heart’s hurt cause they think it will numb the pain. But she said it doesn’t. She said Uncle Emmit would always love you.”

A knock at the door startled me as Lola barked and Johnny ran over and answered it. Throwing the door open, he said, “Hey there, Mom!”

Kate stepped up into the bus and ran her hand over the top of Johnny’s head. “Hey, Adaline! Great seeing you again. I’ve got to run, but I hope we can catch up sometime if you happen to come to another race.”

With a wave, I somehow managed to smile and act like her son hadn’t just rattled my whole entire world. I nodded and said, “Yeah. I’d love that.”

“See ya!” Kate called out as she shut the door, leaving me standing in the middle of Emmit’s bus with his dog looking at me like she was judging my every move.

I picked up the heavy cream and pointed to her. “Don’t look at me like that, Lola. I loved him first.”

Barking, she laid down and watched me as I moved about the tiny kitchen, making Emmit what I hoped was still his favorite dish.