It’s a blur. I still can’t believe it when I’m presented with the trophy. I stare down at it until Skylar nudges me.
“Embrace it or I will.” He chuckles, and my shock bursts into joy as I grin and look down at it. My name is engraved on the front, and I thrust it into the air as the crowd screams and claps. Moments later, Champagne is handed to me, and a wicked grin crosses my face as I hold the open bottle.
Shaking it, I spray it over Skylar and Jordan as they laugh and reach for me. I’m drenched and sticky, but I grin and hold out the trophy to Skylar. He takes it, looking confused. “It belongs to both of us.” Wrapping my arm around him, I pose for photos, and then I nod. “I wouldn’t be here without you. It’s as much yours as it is mine, and next time, I know you’ll win.”
“You bet your ass. Now go, I think you have something to do, right?” He grins, and I know what he means.
Nodding, I lick my lips, tasting the Champagne, then I find him in the crowd and leap down. I push through the throng, ignoring the questions, until I stand in front of Noah. I see flashes, but he’s all I’m focused on.
Noah frowns. “Mackie?”
Thrusting the trophy at him, I smile nervously. “I told myself when I got this, I’d tell the whole world. No one can say it affects our business.”
“What do you mean?” His eyes widen as I yank him close and kiss him in front of everyone. The shouts and shock are louder than even when the champion was announced, but I ignore them as I pull away and smile at Noah.
“I’m done hiding.”
He searches my gaze, his smile slow but huge as he takes my hand. “Me too.”
“Mackie, Noah, Mackie!” I turn to the cameras, smiling directly into them. “What does this mean?”
“It means what you think it does. Noah and I are dating, have been for a while. We are just done hiding it.” I tug him with me to the podium, and Skylar whistles and claps.
Shaking his head, Noah grins at me. “Crazy, I should have known you were the first time I met you,” he murmurs.
“Yeah, but you love me.” I look at Conan, and he blows me a kiss, letting me know it’s okay. I spoke to him about it. He’s happy with our love being just ours, but Noah needed to be loved openly.
I’ve never been so happy, and as I stare out at the crowd, I know my life couldn’t get any better.
SIXTY-ONE
Leaning against the wall at the back, I watch the press conference. Mackie is sitting in the middle, Sky is to his left, and Jordan is to his right, still in their suits as they answer questions and recap the race for the interviews. It was always one of my favorite parts, and judging by their smiles, I can tell it is theirs too.
I can barely believe it. I have two champions, Skylar and Mackie.
Not only did Mackie win, but he beat my record. I’m so fucking proud of them, but my boy? I want to cry for him. I know how long he’s dreamed of this, and when his eyes find me, he smiles. I see cameras flash as I return it, but I ignore them. It has nothing to do with them.
Even now, my lips tingle with the remains of his kiss. I should probably worry about what it means for him, but right now, I’m too happy to care. I want the world to know as well, and now they do.
“Skylar, I have a question.”
“Well, I hope so, or why are we here?” he teases into his mic as he sits back, crossing one leg over the other.
The crowd chuckles as Mackie shakes his head, grinning at Sky’s antics, which never change. I could tell Mackie was worried about Skylar being second, but Sky loves Mackie, and he’s so happy for him.
“Didyou let Mackie win?” the interviewer calls when it calms down.
Mackie’s mouth drops open. I expect Skylar to be angry, I even straighten, but he smiles calmly. “I didn’t need to let Mackie win. He did it all on his own. He’s an incredible racer who deserves the podium. He’s also my friend and brother, but I wouldn’t just give it to him. He took it, and he deserves it. In fact, I made it extremely hard for him. We both knew it would boil down to us racing each other, and I couldn’t be happier he won. There is no one else I would rather lose to. He deserves respect, not to be treated as second rate to me, as he’s proven today.” He smiles at Mackie. “I found my brother working at Starfire, and if he wins or I win, that won’t change, but I will never let it be easy for him.”
“Me neither,” Mackie teases. “I have to make him work for it, plus he lost, which means he’s buying tonight.”
The crowd laughs, and I relax once more. They answer question after question before they focus on Blizzard, and then the interviews start to taper off and wrap up. Sky stays behind when someone asks him something, but Mackie heads my way.
Mackie lets Skylar have his spotlight as he joins me at the back of the paddock, away from prying eyes. “Where’s Conan?”
“Went to get you some clothes and food,” I relay.
Nodding, he eyes me nervously. “Are you okay with what I did earlier?” he asks. “I should have asked?—”
