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“Because,” I say with way too much anger and then force myself to calm down. “Because the real me made you sad, and when I changed you became happy. You wanted me to like shopping, so I did. You didn’t want me to like cars, so I hid it. My panic attacks made you cry, so I lied. ”
The rumbling sound of my Mustang echoes behind me. I slowly back away from them and toward the door. “I’m done making this family happy. ”
West and Jack begin to move in my direction and I realize I won’t make it.
“Rach!” Ethan yells, waving them off. They give him space as he grabs my arm. I jerk, but he subtly shakes his head. Ethan shoves my small purse into my hand and abruptly opens the door. “You owe me. ”
Chapter 71
Isaiah
AT THE DRAGWAY, I PARK Rachel’s Mustang next to Echo’s ’65 Corvette and smile when I hear the sharp intake of air from Rachel.
“She’s beautiful. ” Either forgetting or not caring she has no shoes, Rachel plops out of the car in full ball gown and heads for the ’Vette. “Are those the original fenders?”
Standing next to each other, Echo and Noah laugh. Echo answers, “I don’t know. ”
Completely floored the owner of such a classic doesn’t know the answer, Rachel turns to me. I sweep her up into my arms, hating that she’s barefoot on gravel, and she squeals when I do it. “The car belonged to Echo’s brother. ”
“Oh,” she says, remembering how I explained that he died.
“I’m rethinking that double date,” says Noah. “One car freak is enough. ”
“Tough,” I tell him. I nuzzle the top of Rachel’s head, inhaling her sweet ocean scent. P
art of me is higher than I’ve ever felt in my life. She chose me and I chose her. Nothing will stop us. “Echo, do you have clothes?”
“Yep. ” She shows a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. “They’re mine so they’ll be a bit too long. ”
“And I brought shoes. ” Abby magically appears beside Echo. She gives Rachel the pair Abby most often wears, and I set Rachel down. With a quick peck to my lips, Rachel goes off to change.
“Do you have the money?” I ask Noah.
He hands me an envelope and it feels heavy. This is how much it cost me to be free from the system. “You really did have my back,” I say to him.
Noah shifts so that his hair hides his eyes. “I would do anything for you or Beth. ”
“Sorry, man. I’ve been a dick. ”
“Yeah, you have. ” He smiles and so do I.
“We’ve got two hours until this place closes. ” I take the rest of our money and slip it into the envelope. Thumbing through the cash, I realize there’s more here than there should be, even with the money Beth put up. “I thought you said you only borrowed two thousand. ”
“I did,” says Noah. “Abby said she chose a side. We need to win nine hundred. ”
The girls come out of the bathroom. Rachel drags the dress along with her. “We could use this thing as a parachute. ”
I stare at Abby as she walks by, and my never-ending gaze makes her squirm.
“What’s your problem?” she asks.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Pissing Eric off is fun. Besides, it was your money to begin with. ”
No, she did it because she and I are friends.
“I got us races. ” Noah leans on the driver’s-side door of the Corvette. “Since you were taking your time winning the girl. ”
