Page 63 of First in Line

“Pick whatever your heart desires the most, Hot Wheels.”

“Well, I can’tnotsay world hunger. So, I’d rather end that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“How selfless of you.”

“I can always win all the races next season.” It’s her turn to laugh. I think for a moment, look down at her hand on the hood and her bare finger, then ask, “Would you rather tell me why you’re not wearing your ring anymore, or walk all the way back home?”

“Is that a threat?!” she wonders with a gasp, looking up at me.

“Maybe. I’m not sure. I haven’t thought this through.”

She shakes her head, eyes on the setting sun before us, and thinks about what she’ll say next. “I’m not wearing the ring anymore because I gave it back to Nate.”

“You told him to get you a bigger one?”

“Ah-ha. No, I told him I couldn’t marry him anymore.”

If I weren’t so keenly aware of my body’s well-being, I might have worried about the way my heart slams against my ribs. But I’ve aced all of my physicals for as long as I can remember, so I don’t let it distract me from the meaning behind her words.

As casually as I can, I ask, “Why?”

She rips her attention away from the sky this time and stares at me instead. “Because it wouldn’t be fair to him.”

She doesn’t say more, but she doesn’t have to. I know what this means, as clear as day. What I don’t know is what to make of it. Does she want to try again with me? Is it why she’s here?

Refusing to get ahead of myself, I return my focus to the sunset. “Your turn,” I say.

It takes her an entire minute to think of the next question, and I use every ounce of strength I have not to look at her again. I’ll mess this up if I read her admission wrong, and I’d hate to ruin the moment.

“Would you rather we’d never met one another or keep living with this ache forever?” she asks in a small, conflicted voice.

My entire body prickles at her question. This isn’t a game anymore, and I’m immediately aware of it.

Now, that’s one cue really fucking hard to miss, isn’t it?

CHAPTER

TWELVE

Evangeline

“And he has done it again! Number fifty-six, Jackson Reyes, has won another race this round!” the commentator announces.

I’m hunched over my phone in the walk-in freezer at work, trying to hear what’s being said despite having the sound on the lowest setting.

Jax is in Pittsburgh, where he just won another F4 race. It’s the fifth time in three rounds, and I’m so proud of him I could cry. To think he was almost ready to give up when we had our talk that evening, four months ago… But once again, I was right. I knew he could win and be as good a driver here as he was in Colorado.

The cracked screen of my phone is so small, it’s almost frustrating to watch it this way. But the TV in the parlor is reserved for music clips and doesn’t have YouTube anyway, so I couldn’t switch to the race.

I wish I didn’t have to do this in the freezer, though, but if my manager catches me, I’ll be in trouble again.

As if to punish me for the thought, the heavy door opens. I slam the phone over my chest and spring to my feet, only to notice it’s Mariana, my coworker.

“Sorry.” She winces. “We’re almost out of mint chocolate chip.” She grabs the tub, then motions at my phone with her chin. “So? Did he win?” she excitedly wonders.