I knew it wasn’t, but I didn’t know what else to do. Brooks was afraid of something that no one could predict would happen next. “Why don’t you call the doctor and run it by him? See what he has to say. If he doesn’t think it’s a good idea, then we’ll come up with something else.” The race was over seven hours away by car, and the team was heading out at two in the morning the next day. While it wouldn’t be ideal, Brooks could always fly home after qualifying each night then fly back in the morning, though that was going to be pure hell on him.
“I don’t know what to do, Frankie.” He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.
“Do you want me to stay here while you call the doctor?” I wanted to do whatever I could to make things easier on Brooks. “You could also ask your mom and just see what she says. For all we know, she could hate going to races and would refuse to come. That would solve your problem without even having to call the doctor.”
He sighed heavily. “I’ll call Mom. I’ll put her on speaker.” He grabbed my hand and pulled us behind his desk. He sat down in his chair and patted the desk for me to sit down. “I’d put you in my lap, but I’d get too distracted.”
I hopped up on the desk and handed him the phone. “Ten bucks says she jumps for joy when you ask her.”
“I don’t know about that, doll.” He pulled up her number on his phone and put it on speaker.
“Brooks?” She called.
“Hey, Mom. It’s me and Frankie.”
“Hey, hons. Everything okay? Susan and I are at the store picking up a cake for dinner.”
“We’re having cake for dinner?” I asked. Now that was a meal I could go for. Forget lasagna and tacos when you had cake.
“For dessert, dear,” she laughed.
I wrinkled my nose and pursed my lips. “I’m totally eating my cake before dinner.”
“Hell yeah,” Susan echoed in the phone.
“You’re on speaker too,” Christy laughed.
“Ma, you just said you were in the store. You can’t have the phone on speaker while you’re shopping. Everyone will hear us.” Brooks was such a stick in the mud when it came to his mom.
“Stop being a stick in the mud, Brooks,” Christy scolded. “I’m trying to push the cart and grab stuff.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that Brooks’ mom and I had the same thought.
“Ask her,” I hissed.
Brooks rolled his eyes. “Look, Ma, I was calling to see if you want to come to the race with me this weekend.”
Susan scoffed. “It’s about damn time he offered to bring us along. The man’s traveling the country while you and I watch reruns of Dexter and knit like a bunch of old ladies. Count us in.”
“Mom?” Brooks called.
“You’re sure you want me there? I don’t want to embarrass you or anything.” Christy talked quietly, and I could tell she was nervous about coming to the race.
“You’d never embarrass me, Mom. I want you at all of my races, but I didn’t know if you would be up for it.”
“You never asked, dumbass, so you never would know if she was up for it.”
When I talked to Susan, I felt like I got a glimpse into the future and knew I was going to be exactly like her. Even more sarcastic than I was now and spunky as hell.
“How would you feel about me hiring a new nurse?”
I busted out laughing, and even Christy laughed.
“You signed a contract, so you’re stuck with me for at least eleven more months.”
“Dammit,” Brooks whispered. “Did you want to come with, Mom? Frankie thinks it would be good for you.”
Of course he was going to state that it was my idea so just in case thinks went horribly wrong, I would be the one who got blamed. “You can come and hang out with me in the pits, Christy, and we’ll get you a pair of those booty shorts the AC Cola chicks wear.”
“What?!” Brooks shouted.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” Susan hooted. “Count us in.”
“I’ll be there, but I’m not too sure about the booty shorts,” Christy laughed.
Brooks asked her three more times to make sure she was certain before he finally hung up. He tossed the phone on the desk and leaned back in his chair. “If I see one pair of booty shorts close to my mother, there will be hell to pay,” he warned.
I hopped off his desk and leaned into him. I rested my hands on the arms of his chair and stepped between his legs. “What if a pair of those booty shorts happened to find their way into my bag?”
He grabbed me by the waist and lifted me onto his lap. “Now that is acceptable.”
I rested my hands on his shoulders and locked my eyes with his. “Are you okay?”
“You’re in my arms so all is right in the world.”
I rolled my eyes. “What utter bullshit,” I laughed.
“You doubt it, doll, but I’m serious when I say you just being with me makes everything good.” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “Hell, I’ve just sunk basically all of my money into rebranding and I’m going to take my mom on an eight hour road trip. I should be freaking the hell out, but all I can think about is what color underwear you’re wearing today.”
“You’re such a man.”
He lightly smacked my ass. “That’s one of my best qualities.”
I slid my fingers across his scruffy cheek and smiled. “I could think of a couple of other qualities I’m fond of.”
“Oh yeah?”
I nodded and glanced at the door. “You didn’t by chance lock that when we came in here, did you?”
I sly smile spread across Brooks lips, and he nodded.
By the time I walked out of Brooks office, Harlyn had put his calls on hold for over an hour while I went over all of the “qualities” of Brooks I liked.
Being called into the boss’ office really wasn’t that bad.
*
Chapter Thirty-One
Brooks
“You ready, Brooks?”
The car vibrated to life, and I gave Roc the thumbs up.
“Bring it home for King Racing.”
I didn’t know how it happened, but King Racing, in their debut race, had made it all the way to the finals. The car had run like fucking magic all weekend, and I was ready to put it through its final paces to bring the Meyer Royal win home to Leeds Square.
I went through the motions of rolling though the water box, burning out to warm up the tires, then crept toward the start line.
I had my crew chief/business partner in front of me and the best pit crew on the AC Cola circuit behind me. All of the cards in the deck were stacked in my favor, and it was up to me to bring it home.
Time stood still as the three yellow lights lit up, then I rocketed off the line. My eyes stayed on my lane, and I felt the force of the car course through me with each foot that passed.
“Woo!” Roc shouted in my ear. “We fucking did it!”
I shut the car down and came to a rolling stop. I pounded the steering wheel with my fist and waited for the crew to get me out of the car so we could celebrate.