you, Harper.”
All eyes looked through the mob of people at the voice that had interrupted the celebration. They parted as Kevin Grimes made his way through. Everyone in the crowd knew the history surrounding the two men. On the second day of kindergarten, Kevin had pushed Wayne off the merry go round, splitting his chin open, causing him to cry. They had flat out hated one another ever since.
Sneering, Wayne did his best not to let the other man get to him. “Nah, there don’t need to be one up there with you on it. You just keep your car in second place where it belongs and I’ll keep on gathering up these trophies and the first place cash.” The cash was never enough, but it was one more thing he could brag about.
Kevin opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but at that moment David Lewis made his way down to the celebration and turned all attention towards himself. Quickly he announced to anyone that would listen that in celebration of Wayne’s win, he was offering free ice cream. With the stickiness of the June night, everyone was excited as they split off and headed towards the Lewis Market.
“Well, I better get going. If dad’s serving free ice cream, he’s going to need some help. Y’all are coming, right?” Clementine asked Wayne and his crew.
“Of course we are, it’s in our honor. If you can hang around for a bit, we can take you over there,” he offered, running a hand through his shaggy dark hair. It was always in need of a cut, but it was something he never had the time to do, or the money to afford.
She shuffled her feet, wanting to say yes, but knowing that they would never get her there in time. “I’d love to, but I think I’m riding over with dad. Don’t forget about me when you get there though. I’ll wait and have mine with the winning team.”
“I’ll hold ya to that.”
Wayne watched as she ran to catch up with the crowd, her long ponytail flopping with every step she took. Lee, who had watched the conversation from afar, came over to his brother, clamping a hand on his shoulder. “Cute girl. Too bad she don’t date drivers. You better forget all about that.”
With a shake of his head, Wayne helped the guys push his car to the trailer. “When I get to the big time, I won’t have to do shit jobs like this after I win a race,” he grumbled good-naturedly as they secured the trailer to the back of a pickup. It went without saying that they couldn’t afford much more just yet – and some of them were wondering if they would ever be able to.
Lee laughed. “Yeah, you’ll be finding some pretty girl to go off and celebrate with while the rest of us try and pick up your scraps. Right?”
“Nope, I’ll always take care of my big brother,” he promised, grabbing the clothes he’d brought to change into out of the truck. “I’ll be right back.”
He jogged to the bathrooms, securing himself inside one as he peeled off the sweat soaked fire retardant suit he had to wear. One day, he told himself, he’d be able to take a shower after a hot race. Soon, he hoped, he could do the things he wanted to do, instead of making do with what he had. Forgoing his t-shirt for the moment, he dressed in his jeans and shoes before placing a hat on top of his head. Running back out to the truck where his crew had gathered in the bed and anywhere else they could sit, he got in. “Let’s get the hell outta here. I could definitely use some ice cream right about now.”
*
Clementine pushed the hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ears as she helped her father hand out ice cream at the store. Most of the town sat or stood in groups talking about the night’s race, much like they had the ones previous. It was always Wayne and Kevin at the end, Wayne coming out the victor each time.
“Wonder when that Grimes boy is ever going to figure out how to take care of business? His daddy got him everything money can buy in that car and he still can’t beat your little operation, David.
All eyes looked through the mob of people at the voice that had interrupted the celebration. They parted as Kevin Grimes made his way through. Everyone in the crowd knew the history surrounding the two men. On the second day of kindergarten, Kevin had pushed Wayne off the merry go round, splitting his chin open, causing him to cry. They had flat out hated one another ever since.
Sneering, Wayne did his best not to let the other man get to him. “Nah, there don’t need to be one up there with you on it. You just keep your car in second place where it belongs and I’ll keep on gathering up these trophies and the first place cash.” The cash was never enough, but it was one more thing he could brag about.
Kevin opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but at that moment David Lewis made his way down to the celebration and turned all attention towards himself. Quickly he announced to anyone that would listen that in celebration of Wayne’s win, he was offering free ice cream. With the stickiness of the June night, everyone was excited as they split off and headed towards the Lewis Market.
“Well, I better get going. If dad’s serving free ice cream, he’s going to need some help. Y’all are coming, right?” Clementine asked Wayne and his crew.
“Of course we are, it’s in our honor. If you can hang around for a bit, we can take you over there,” he offered, running a hand through his shaggy dark hair. It was always in need of a cut, but it was something he never had the time to do, or the money to afford.
She shuffled her feet, wanting to say yes, but knowing that they would never get her there in time. “I’d love to, but I think I’m riding over with dad. Don’t forget about me when you get there though. I’ll wait and have mine with the winning team.”
“I’ll hold ya to that.”
Wayne watched as she ran to catch up with the crowd, her long ponytail flopping with every step she took. Lee, who had watched the conversation from afar, came over to his brother, clamping a hand on his shoulder. “Cute girl. Too bad she don’t date drivers. You better forget all about that.”
With a shake of his head, Wayne helped the guys push his car to the trailer. “When I get to the big time, I won’t have to do shit jobs like this after I win a race,” he grumbled good-naturedly as they secured the trailer to the back of a pickup. It went without saying that they couldn’t afford much more just yet – and some of them were wondering if they would ever be able to.
Lee laughed. “Yeah, you’ll be finding some pretty girl to go off and celebrate with while the rest of us try and pick up your scraps. Right?”
“Nope, I’ll always take care of my big brother,” he promised, grabbing the clothes he’d brought to change into out of the truck. “I’ll be right back.”
He jogged to the bathrooms, securing himself inside one as he peeled off the sweat soaked fire retardant suit he had to wear. One day, he told himself, he’d be able to take a shower after a hot race. Soon, he hoped, he could do the things he wanted to do, instead of making do with what he had. Forgoing his t-shirt for the moment, he dressed in his jeans and shoes before placing a hat on top of his head. Running back out to the truck where his crew had gathered in the bed and anywhere else they could sit, he got in. “Let’s get the hell outta here. I could definitely use some ice cream right about now.”
*
Clementine pushed the hair that had escaped her ponytail behind her ears as she helped her father hand out ice cream at the store. Most of the town sat or stood in groups talking about the night’s race, much like they had the ones previous. It was always Wayne and Kevin at the end, Wayne coming out the victor each time.
“Wonder when that Grimes boy is ever going to figure out how to take care of business? His daddy got him everything money can buy in that car and he still can’t beat your little operation, David.
Similar Books
