Trying to run some errands but I can’t find my wallet. Might as well let him in on my miserable start to the day. It was only nine o’clock and I was ready to throw in the towel and go bury myself under a pile of blankets.
Oh crap. Anything I can do?
The man was hundreds of miles away, and he was trying to help me. Unless you can tell me where my wallet is, then I think I’m on my own.
When was the last time you had it?
I tipped my head back and tried to think. Thursday, I had ordered three things off Amazon and lunch from the diner three blocks away from the shop. Online shopping and food. The lightbulb went off, and I remembered setting my card next to the phone at work after ordering my food, but I couldn’t remember putting the card back in my wallet, or my wallet back in my purse. I think it’s at work.
Did you leave it at work? Remy's text came in two seconds after I hit send. LOL Bet it’s at work, baby.
You’re totally right.
Text me after you find it. Gotta get back to the car.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and headed back into the house. Looked like I was going to have to stop at work, and then on with the rest of my plans for the day.
Qualifying started around noon today, and while I had set it to record, I still wanted to be home to watch it. Yesterday, I had managed to catch a glimpse of Remy, and he had played it up for the cameras, winking and giving a little wave. He was handsome as hell, and I was sure I hadn’t been the only one whose heart had given a little flutter.
I had today and tomorrow to get through before he was back, and I had never been this excited since I was little, waiting for Santa Clause.
Hell, Remy was giving Santa a run for his money.
*
Chapter 22
Remy
The phone rang four times before I heard her sweet voice on the line. “Remy?”
“Hey, baby. I got a little down time before the next qualifying run, and I thought I would give you a call.”
There were muffled voices in the background, and it sounded like she was outside in a group of people. “How is the car running?” She had told me she would be watching today, so I wasn't sure why she was asking how the car was running.
“Uh, so far, it’s good. We definitely made it to the big show on Sunday, so now Brooks is just driving the wheels off the car trying to break the track record.”
“As long as he doesn’t break the car trying to break the track record,” she giggled.
“Yeah, that is a possibility, but Frankie and I have been kind of bored lately since the car has been running so good. A little fixing and tinkering would be okay with us.”
“Uh, I’m on the phone with him,” Harlyn’s voice was muffled like she had her hand over the receiver of the phone. “You really want me to tell him that?”
Who in the hell was she talking to? And how did they know who I was? “You okay?” I didn’t want to demand to know where she was and who she was talking to. Although it was damn annoying that whoever she was with didn’t have the common courtesy to shut up while she was on the phone with me.
“Um,” she drawled. “I’m actually doing really good.” The phone got muffled again, and she hissed they could talk to me.
What in the hell was going on? The phone was muffled again, the sound of it being dropped thudded in my ear, and Harlyn cussed. At least, I assumed it was Harlyn.
“I’m sorry, Remy,” she called distantly.
“There ain’t nothing you need to be apologizing for, girlie.”
“Mom?” I squawked. What in the hell was my mother doing with Harlyn?
“You know, it’s pretty damn sad the only way I am able to get you on the phone is by kidnapping your girlfriend.”
“You kidnapped Harlyn?” My mom was officially crazy.
Batti.
Insane.
Off the deep end.
“And I knew this was going to be the only way to ever meet the girl. I thought about calling the shop this past week so I didn’t spring this on her, but you know I hate talking on the phone. Cyn, you need to get the blue one. It matches Rigid’s hair.”
“Cyn? Mom, what in the hell is going on?” I demanded.
She sighed, and I imagined she also rolled her eyes and shook her head. “It’s Rockton Days, Remy. The club has their ride this afternoon, and then the craft show.”
These were all things I knew since I had lived in Rockton all my life, but I had no clue as to why my mom thought Harlyn needed to be there. “Can we go back to the part where you kidnapped Harlyn?”
“Kidnapping is a such a strong word, Remy. You sound like Lo.”
“And you know the reason why I sound like Lo is because we both have to figure out what your looney butt is doing, right?”
“Looney butt,” she laughed. “Now you sound like the PG version of Lo. He would have just called me flat out crazy.”
And the man would not have been wrong. “Does he know what you did?”
“If you mean does he know I drove to Leeds Square to meet your girlfriend, then yes. He knows. I can’t seem to leave the county without him having eyes on me and knowing what I’m up to. Although, the rest of the girls have the same problem too. Damn men,” she mumbled.
A chorus of “yes” and mild grumbling went up around her in the background. “Who the heck are you all with?”
“Uh, well, Cyn drove with me to Leeds Square last night, and you know if she made the trip with me to snatch Harlyn, you better believe she wasn’t going to be left out of all the stuff I had planned. And the usual are with us, too.”
“Usual meaning?” I drawled.
“The club and the girls.”
The girls alone were eight, and then along with the club, there was easily at least twenty-five people in my mother’s plans. “Care to explain to me why you have a plan that includes Harlyn?”
“I told you. I wasn’t going to wait around for you to bring Harlyn to me. I did all of the work. Besides, she needs to have a life when you aren’t around, Remy. You’re gone all of the time.”
“We’re gonna need to rewind this crazy train a little bit more, Mom. I told I would bring her around after I got back.”
“Doubtful,” she replied simply.
“Mom.”
“Don’t you do that one word thing with me, Remy. I deal with that enough with Lo. All he says is ‘Meg,’ and I have to stop what I’m doing. Don’t you do it,” she warned.
“I didn’t figure Lo would let you actually kidnap someone.”
“He didn’t let me, per say. He had heard the tail end of my conversation with Cyn and Ethel, and he all but had to drag every single word out of me. He was trying to be loyal to you, hon, telling me I couldn’t do it, but you know me. In the end, I have Lo wrapped around my little finger.”
That I definitely did. Although, it was only that way because that was what Lo let her do. It may seem like my mom was in control of their relationship, but I knew Lo liked my mom’s crazy. He also would reel her in when her crazy got to be a little bit too much. Like I would have thought he would have done when she came up with the kidnapping Harlyn idea. “Mom, what are you doing?”