races in person. Hopefully I can keep it up for a couple of months.”
My career and your trust are both depending on it, in fact.
He grinned, his happiness obvious. “I
told
you it was an incredible piece. So can I meet up with you in California, after quals next Saturday? I mean, maybe not at the track, but somewhere we can hang out without getting mobbed by the cameras. Since we have to keep things on the down low.”
Oh, yeah.
Thank God
he’d
remembered. She nodded. “Yes. I’d love to.”
“I’ll call you in the meantime,” he promised, then dropped one more kiss on her lips before heading out the door.
* * *
“First position, Ty! Yeah, man! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Cody Niederman, one of the younger Riggs Racing drivers, slapped Ty on the back when the results from the qualifying round at Auto Club came up. Ty tried not to look too proud over it.
Not too bad for a Saturday
morning.
He knew that both of his laps had been fast as all get-out, and he wasn’t surprised that he’d earned first pole position.
He knew Cori was out there in the press box, watching him, and he’d wanted to impress her. He’d been thinking about her nonstop since their date at her house a week ago, and he was practically vibrating with the excitement of seeing her this afternoon.
She was certainly good inspiration to work hard. To be better. If he couldn’t stop the investigation or come to Dad’s defense the way he wanted to, he could at least bring all his fight to the track. It had made the race more fun, in a way.
And for the first time in what felt like years, even though it had only been a couple of weeks, he wasn’t thinking about how everyone was probably questioning his small victory. He wasn’t thinking about what might happen if Dad’s past actions were found out.
He was enjoying the moment and thinking about the girl he’d kissed a week ago.
Dad came over to where Ty was standing in the pit and gave him a rough hug before barking over his shoulder, “Niederman! Quit wasting time and get ready for your race!”
Ty laughed. Twenty-two-year-old Cody was a rookie in the Nationwide series—just one level below the big time. The Diamond series drivers raced on Saturdays, after the Intercomm drivers—the top tier—had qualifying rounds. Ty usually stayed to watch those in support of his teammates, then raced in the Intercomm series on Sunday.
But today, he had somewhere more important to be.
Speaking of . . . he had to get back to the hotel and shower. He didn’t want to meet Cori when he was all grimy and gross. Not when he wanted to kiss her again.
He finally slipped away amidst the bustle in the pit, the crew preparing for the upcoming race, and made a dash for his rental. He felt like he was driving back to the hotel even faster than he had in the quals.
When was the last time he’d been this keyed up over a woman?
Never.
He made it to the hotel in record time, parked the car, then ran inside, still in full racing gear, only to be swarmed by fans who had apparently been waiting for just this chance.
“Ty! Oh my God it’s Ty Riggs!” Two teenaged girls ran over to him, practically deafening him with their squeals.
Damn.
He wished he’d brought Frank with him to field this mess, but he couldn’t let Frank know where he was going. Frank was even more paranoid than Dad, and would no doubt insist on clearing Cori through a security check first and then setting their date up like a sterile interview instead of casual coffee.
The girls jumped up and down, brandishing glossy photos of him—where the hell did they get these things, anyway?—to sign, and when he looked up, he saw a line forming behind them.
Damn again. He was going to be late to meet Cori.
But he looked out over the group of people gathered patiently behind the excited girls, who—despite their initial squeal attack—politely asked to take a photo with him, and he knew he couldn’t just walk away. There were
My career and your trust are both depending on it, in fact.
He grinned, his happiness obvious. “I
told
you it was an incredible piece. So can I meet up with you in California, after quals next Saturday? I mean, maybe not at the track, but somewhere we can hang out without getting mobbed by the cameras. Since we have to keep things on the down low.”
Oh, yeah.
Thank God
he’d
remembered. She nodded. “Yes. I’d love to.”
“I’ll call you in the meantime,” he promised, then dropped one more kiss on her lips before heading out the door.
* * *
“First position, Ty! Yeah, man! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Cody Niederman, one of the younger Riggs Racing drivers, slapped Ty on the back when the results from the qualifying round at Auto Club came up. Ty tried not to look too proud over it.
Not too bad for a Saturday
morning.
He knew that both of his laps had been fast as all get-out, and he wasn’t surprised that he’d earned first pole position.
He knew Cori was out there in the press box, watching him, and he’d wanted to impress her. He’d been thinking about her nonstop since their date at her house a week ago, and he was practically vibrating with the excitement of seeing her this afternoon.
She was certainly good inspiration to work hard. To be better. If he couldn’t stop the investigation or come to Dad’s defense the way he wanted to, he could at least bring all his fight to the track. It had made the race more fun, in a way.
And for the first time in what felt like years, even though it had only been a couple of weeks, he wasn’t thinking about how everyone was probably questioning his small victory. He wasn’t thinking about what might happen if Dad’s past actions were found out.
He was enjoying the moment and thinking about the girl he’d kissed a week ago.
Dad came over to where Ty was standing in the pit and gave him a rough hug before barking over his shoulder, “Niederman! Quit wasting time and get ready for your race!”
Ty laughed. Twenty-two-year-old Cody was a rookie in the Nationwide series—just one level below the big time. The Diamond series drivers raced on Saturdays, after the Intercomm drivers—the top tier—had qualifying rounds. Ty usually stayed to watch those in support of his teammates, then raced in the Intercomm series on Sunday.
But today, he had somewhere more important to be.
Speaking of . . . he had to get back to the hotel and shower. He didn’t want to meet Cori when he was all grimy and gross. Not when he wanted to kiss her again.
He finally slipped away amidst the bustle in the pit, the crew preparing for the upcoming race, and made a dash for his rental. He felt like he was driving back to the hotel even faster than he had in the quals.
When was the last time he’d been this keyed up over a woman?
Never.
He made it to the hotel in record time, parked the car, then ran inside, still in full racing gear, only to be swarmed by fans who had apparently been waiting for just this chance.
“Ty! Oh my God it’s Ty Riggs!” Two teenaged girls ran over to him, practically deafening him with their squeals.
Damn.
He wished he’d brought Frank with him to field this mess, but he couldn’t let Frank know where he was going. Frank was even more paranoid than Dad, and would no doubt insist on clearing Cori through a security check first and then setting their date up like a sterile interview instead of casual coffee.
The girls jumped up and down, brandishing glossy photos of him—where the hell did they get these things, anyway?—to sign, and when he looked up, he saw a line forming behind them.
Damn again. He was going to be late to meet Cori.
But he looked out over the group of people gathered patiently behind the excited girls, who—despite their initial squeal attack—politely asked to take a photo with him, and he knew he couldn’t just walk away. There were
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