Page 17 of Homecoming

“Oh, c’mon, don’t be like that,” Colton jogged after me.

I stopped, turned, and snapped, “What do you want?”

We weren’t friends, we barely knew each other. So, for him to seek me out was not a normal occurrence, even if he was bored with the season.

Then it came to me. “Did Rylee send you over here to get something out of me?”

“Well,” he drawled. “She’s worried. And I don’t like it when my wife is worried. Not if I can help it. And for her, I can do just about anything.”

The man was rambling; it was a sight to see.

“You just keep telling yourself that,” I said evenly. “Tell your wife everything is fine. I haven’t talked to Lola, I haven’t even seen her.”

“Good, that’s good,” Colton said absentmindedly, looking toward his garage. He was obviously done talking to me. He got what he wanted, and now he was ready to leave.

“Is she here?” The question burst out of me. If she was here, I needed to find her.

“Who, Rylee?”

“Don’t play dumb, Donavan, you know who I’m talking about.”

“Listen, Williams, I wasn’t going to come near this. I really wasn’t, I just wanted to try to ease the situation for Ryls.” He seemed at war with himself for a moment, before he sighed. “Lola is a good girl, Rylee likes her. If you have any shred of conscience, you won’t fuck with this girl. Just leave her alone, you already did enough damage,” he said the last part as he walked back towards his bay. “Oh, and stop winning. It’s not fair, other drivers need a chance too.”

“Fat chance of that,” I threw back.

Damage?

What damage?

And then it flashed, Stacey.

She was hurt by seeing me with another woman.

I wasn’t the only one feeling an intense need for her.

Lola wanted me, too.

Or at least, she was jealous of seeing me with someone else.

It was the best wake-up I could get.

I walked out back into the sun after being stuck in a white room with at least twenty monitors and as many mechanics for the last four hours. Every minute of the last race was commented on, with statistics of the car and my times being discussed. It was mind-numbing. I couldn’t focus on shit.

All I wanted to do was get out and search every inch of this place until I found Lola.

“Where are you going?” A mechanic, he was new on the team so I still didn’t remember his name, asked.

“I have to take a walk, man. Too long in a room, I need to focus,” I answered as I walked out. Only to bump into someone. “Sorry,” I reached out to steady the person I collided with.

“Oh,” a feminine voice said, and when I saw who it was, my mouth split into a satisfied grin.

Once Lola looked up, her eyes widened in horror.

“Are you stalking me?” I joked, but hearing my words, she paled.

“No!” Lola shouted right in my face, wrenching free from my hands.

“Let’s try this again,” I chuckled.