Page 9 of High Velocity

“CC?”he practically whispered.“Is it really you?”

Charli stood, towering over the man by at least six inches.“It’s me, Cookie.”

The man threw his arms around her, pulling her in for a fierce hug.“Damnation, it’s good to see you.”

Charli returned the hug, clinging to another link to her past.“Damn good to see you too.”

When they pulled away from each other, the man had tears in his eyes.

“Now, don’t you dare start that, or you’ll have me a blubbering mess.”Charli teased.

Cookie sniffed and nodded.“Yep, yep.Okay, okay.Sit, sit, eat ‘fore it gets cold.”

Charli sat, still looking up at the man who’d always been nothing but kind to her as a young girl.

“You save room for my pie,” Cookie said.“Got that apple with the caramel crumble topping just like you like.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Okay then, got orders to pack, but we’ll catch up.”

“We sure will.I’m back, so be prepared to feed me.”

Cookie sputtered with laughter before nodding and heading back to the kitchen.When Charli faced Harvey, his smile couldn’t be any prouder.“Welcome home, Charli.”

Chapter Three

Roark—the track

The buzzing inside Roark’s head wouldn’t stop.Didn’t help he promised to be here tonight to help with the races, and the engine noises were a constant drone, adding to the pounding headache.He ate, drank his pop, and took ten minutes to shut himself inside the trailer with noise-cancelling headphones.

Nothing.

The caffeine and quiet hadn’t touched the bastard of a skull crusher he felt.He’d taken a headache powder earlier but still felt no relief.

“Fuck.”He threw off the headphones and opened the locked cabinet where he kept items he wanted no one besides him and Bradley to touch.He pulled out the pill bottle and popped a tiny tablet he kept for times like this when nothing else would put a dent in the pain.They were a prescription steroidal anti-inflammatory.He hated relying on meds for anything.Luckily, he only needed them on rare occasions.