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Fine. You’re such a scrooge she replies back.
I wave the next few cars into their parking spots without checking my phone again. Up ahead, I can see Molly still waving cars toward me, a smile on her face as she stops and chats with nearly everyone that drives past her. Another truck pulls forward, ignoring my signaling, but I recognize it this time so I’m not terribly offended. The tan Ford belongs to Jason, my dad’s former employee who joined the Marines a year ago.
I smile at him as he pulls in front of me, rolling down his window. “Hey girl,” he says, smiling back at me with his chiseled jaw. His hair is shaved into a buzz cut and I can tell from out here that he’s gained a ton of muscle since he left.
“Hey Jason,” I say. “You’re not the first person who’s ignored my signaling tonight.”
“People are jerks,” he says with a nod. “But I’m not because I’m here to relieve you.”
“Really? You don’t have to. I’m fine here,” I say but even as I say it, I’m thinking about Ash’s present with Shelby and how I kind of desperately want to know what it is. I hope he’s given me exactly what I asked for.
Jason shifts into reverse and backs into a spot at the end of the row behind us. Then he hops out of his tall truck and heads over to me, arm outstretched for the flashlight. “I don’t mind. I’m quite good at standing in one place for a long time.” He winks. “Plus I get to check out the girls in each car that parks—maybe find a Christmas date.”
“Oh my god, you’re ridiculous,” I say. But I shove the flashlight into his hand and start walking away before he can change his mind. “Have fun!” I call out as I break into a jog.
There’s something about no longer working that seems to lift my spirits almost instantly. Suddenly I do care about Christmas Eve and I even care about this stupid party at the track. Fireworks will be fun to watch, and if I’m lucky, Ash’s present will be exactly what I’ve been asking him for: his favorite zip up jacket, sprayed in his cologne so it smells like him.
I smile at the thought, and even when I walk past that stupid truck that ignored my signaling and parked at the end of another row, I’m still smiling. Screw that guy. I hope he and his stolen parking spot are very happy together.
Chapter 4
I don’t realize how freaking huge this place us until I’m forced to walk it all on foot. Normally I have a four wheeler, or I can catch a ride with Teig on the back of his dirt bike. Too tired to keep jogging, I’m walking across the kid’s practice track and headed toward the night track where Shelby and everyone else enjoys the festivities. Dad will be lighting the fireworks off the top of the score tower so being at the night track is the best place to see them.
My fingers feel a little frozen as I type out another text to Shelby. I’ve made it past the parking lot field and across the vast area of the day track.
Where are you? I’m on my way over there.
My phone lights up but the message is from Ash, not Shelby. My heart hurts as I read those four little words. I miss you babe.
I miss you more, I send back.
Shelby replies a second later, telling me they’re at the bleachers on the bottom row. I find her and Jake, exactly as I had expected, cuddled together like the lovebirds that they are. Gag.
“Hey,” I say, kicking at her foot as I approach them.
“There she is,” Shelby says, standing up. Her blue eyes sparkle underneath the lights and if I hadn’t already known she had a present for me, I would have known now. She is terrible at hiding her emotions. “I have something for you,” she says, bouncing on her toes.
“Oh really?” I say sarcastically. “That’s such a surprise because you’re so good at keeping secrets.”
“Oh hush,” she says, swatting at me with her hand. “I do have a surprise for you. It’s right here.” She turns around and reaches for something on the bottom rung of the bleachers. When she stands up, she hands me a small red box with a silver bow. “Merry Christmas!”
A lump forms in my throat. “Is this from you . . . or?”
“It’s from Ash, duh. You’re getting my present tomorrow.”
I take the present and try very hard to smile. Shelby puts a hand on her hip. “You haven’t even opened it yet. Why do you look so sad? Trust me, I know my brother and he’ll get you an awesome present.”
“Yeah I know, it’s just . . . this is a small package.”
“I thought girls loved small packages,” Jake says, chiming in over his tray of nachos.
I shrug and pull at the ribbon that ties the box together. “I was hoping for something bigger.”
“Like what?” Jake says, lifting an eyebrow.
“She wanted his jacket,” Shelby says, rolling her eyes. To me, she says. “You are so weird.”
“I know that sounds weird,” I say, forcing a smile. “And whatever is inside this box is probably wonderful, but I really really wanted the jacket.”
