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Because Beth is a fucking hurricane and would have blown into town regardless of what anyone else thought or desired. Yeah, I understood that, too. I may not like what happened between me and Beth, but I can respect the guy for being loyal to her.
“To be honest,” says Logan. “I could use your help. ” He gestures at the dragway. “And nothing in Groveton can offer me that type of rush. ”
“Can you pay me?” I ask.
“Not if I buy the supercharger. But if you agree to help me put the charger in and help make some other modifications, then I’ll give you anything I win at the dragway. ”
I had planned to ask Noah to help drag race my way out of the debt, but he’s been slammed with his own problems. “Have you drag raced before?”
“Illegally, on backcountry roads and with other guys’ cars. ”
“Are you any good?”
He shrugs. I can tell by the cocky way his shoulders flex that the kid’s an ace. Or at least he’s won against his redneck friends. “I’ve won a few. ”
I can’t believe I’m going to explain this or that I’m making the offer. No one other than me drives my car, but desperate times. . . “Rachel and I are in some bad shit. I’ll be racing her car to win money. If you want, you can race mine. ”
The parts I intend to add to her car will mean speeds that will put me against better racers. Better racers translates to bigger bets.
“You owe money,” Logan says—a statement, not a question.
“To the wrong people, and they won’t take kindly to anyone helping us. ”
His smile widens, proving the kid is bat-shit crazy. “A debt, a villain, speed and bad odds. This is something I definitely want to be a part of. ”
Amused, I shake my head. I’m joining forces with a fucking country-jock. I extend my hand. “We got a deal. ”
He has a strong grip and doesn’t fear eye contact. I already like the son of a bitch. Logan jerks his thumb at Rachel. “Is she your girlfriend?”
My eyes shoot to his, and he immediately holds up his hands. “Beth’s my friend, and with that handshake, you are, too. I am neutral territory. ”
“We’re friends,” I answer in regards to Rachel.
She spent the first part of the evening trying to ignore me. Eventually, she broke down and talked cars, but it’s obvious she meant what she said to me in the garage: that she and I would work together and nothing more.
Zach rests his hands on the roof of his car and leans down to put his head closer to Rachel’s. She still sits in the driver’s seat with both hands on the wheel. Because fate has taken pity on me, she’s totally absorbed with the machinery and not with Zach. It’s like he knows nothing about personal space.
“You look like the two of you are just friends,” says Logan.
“I’m just watching her back. ” I promised Rachel and myself that I’d protect her—from Eric, from the world.
“So you’re telling me that you’re into delusional shit?”
My spine straightens. “What did you say?”
Not giving a damn that I’m two seconds away from throwing a fist into his face, Logan lazily hooks his thumbs into his pockets and slouches to the side. “I got this friend Chris, right? He fell for another friend of ours, Lacy, but he didn’t want to admit it. Claimed the friend card, just like you, but for six months he looked at Lacy just like you’re looking at Rachel. ”
“How’s that?”
“Like she amputated part of you and took it with her the last time she walked away. ”
“Naw, you have it wrong. ” But as my gaze switches to Rachel again there’s an ache growing in my chest. “Rachel and I are complicated. ”
“Does your homeboy know you’re in a ‘complicated’ relationship with her?” asks Logan.
Since I’ve never brought a girl to the track before, you’d think my “homeboy” would be reserved. “Not sure. ”
“So you’re standing thirty feet away because. . . ”
