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"Franco? Really? He's gay."
"Oh, I know." She laughed. "But he is a mean flirt."
"Oh dear," I shook my head and chomped down on my lip to keep myself from laughing hysterically. "I'll have to see this flirt for myself."
"Oh, he is gaining quite the clientele."
"I'm sure." I nodded. "So, everything is going good?"
"Yes. You're not needed."
"Thanks." I replied dryly. "How kind."
"I'm just telling you the truth." She said sincerely. "So, your turn."
"What?"
"I'm being all forthcoming. It's your turn." I could practically see her rolling her eyes. "Come on, out with it."
"Out with what, exactly?"
"Out with why you can't come in. Out with what happened with you and Jace last night. Out with,"
I interrupted her. "Out with why my best friend called the man I've been broken over for the last seven weeks when I was finally finding some semblance of normality with my friends?"
She huffed. "We've been over this. I was worried about you, Liv. I care about you. And, you weren't finding any semblance of normality. You were trying to drown yourself in tequila."
It was true, but I wasn't about to tell her this. "Whatever. I'm not coming in because I have somewhere to be. And as for the night with Jace, it was great…it's facing the day with him that's hard."
"Why is facing the day with him hard?" Trisha asked. I could hear the tenseness in her tone and I shook my head incredulously.
"It's hard because," I paused. "I'm at my stop, love. I've gotta go."
"Wait! Liv!"
I hung up the phone, passed the cabbie some cash and opened the door. I climbed from the back seat and stepping onto the asphalt. A rush of adrenaline soared in my veins and I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be. In this moment, the only thing that could have made this any better would have been if Jace was here and I was in the passenger seat of the Bugatti.
A bald headed man appeared from the door. "Olivia! You're here!"
"Hi Kyle," I smiled and he grinned easily in return."
"You're looking good." He nodded his approval. "What happened?"
"Jace happened." I smiled shyly. I'd spent a few nights riding with Kyle when I left Jace. We never spoke about it. I'd never wanted to. But he always made it clear that he was there to listen if I ever needed it. But I think he knew as well as I knew what I really needed. I needed the thrill of the speed. The smell of burning rubber on the asphalt. The scream of the engine as gears revved. The sweaty palms and the flutter in the stomach. But what I needed most was the reminder that I was capable of feeling. I needed to know I was still alive and driving on the track did it for me. The speed did it for me. It helped me numb my mind and just feel alive. It was beautiful. It was a feeling that simply couldn't be rivaled.
Kyle rocked back on his heels, bringing me back down to reality. "You're seeing Jace Rush again?"
I nodded and fought the urge to wince. "I am."
"All right, Kid." He sighed. "It's your choice. But, I just didn't like seeing you the way you were the last few weeks, ya know?"
"I know, Kyle." I nodded. "I'm happy now though."
He chuckled half-heartedly, running a hand over his bald head. "If you're happy - why are you here?"
"Because I will always love this speed. It will always help me when my anger or anxiety becomes too much." I shrugged. "Some people like yoga. I like this."
He grinned. "You're my kinda girl." He thumbed in the direction of the track. "Let's get out there."
"Really?" I sighed in relief. I hadn't called and I didn't know if it would be free and open. Kyle told me to call anytime and so long as he was here and there was no one else on the track he would take me out. Thankfully he didn't make me pay or I would be broke!
"Yes, really kid." He started walking and I followed.
***
I sat in the passenger seat of the familiar blue Nissan GT-R and swallowed my swollen heart. It was up in my throat. But it always was right before Kyle was about to take off. My palms were moist and I wiped them down on my skirt. Kyle looked across the car at me and grinned. He waggled his brows and I knew we were about to take off. I set my eyes on the road ahead. The engine revved and we took off. My back pushed flush against the leather seat and my stomach tightened. The car climbed gears and the speedometer was close to redlining. For the first time since driving, I closed my eyes and just let myself feel the speed. The rush of the car splicing through the air at killer speeds. It was fantastic and so completely peaceful. There was nothing that could compete. It was exhilarating.
