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“Ah, you see, I met a woman who needed rescuing, so I helped her out.”
“I think you’ll find I take care of myself just fine, thank you very much.”
“I’ve no doubt at all. You’re quite resourceful under pressure.”
His dark, brown eyes glowed as he held my gaze, as if I was the only one who mattered. He hadn’t even noticed any of the women in the bar, who were all checking him out. An ache throbbed between my legs as he continued to scrutinise me.
I’d had my fair share of being poked, prodded and scrutinised, having to bare my body to medical specialists every year.
But this man’s eyes. His gaze was thrilling and yet nerve wracking. I found myself hoping he liked what he saw.
“So, you’re a race driver who doesn’t race, and won’t tell me your name.” His voice had become deeper, dangerous. “What can you tell me about yourself?”
I couldn’t help but look at his full lips. He spoke with confidence and authority like he was someone you could trust. His smile invited me to share everything, anything.
Maybe it was the high of winning the race combined the thrill of being with this guy. But I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“Only two people know about what’s on this piece of paper but I haven’t had a chance to tell them about it yet.”
I’d been secretly studying an interior design course online for eighteen months and had recently submitted the last assessment. Sam knew about it as well as my neighbour on the western border of our farm, Granny Lynn.
I placed my folded paper of my assessment results on the table, my hand trembling slightly.
“I’ve been wanting to tell someone all afternoon and … this is just the best news. I’m scared and excited at the same time. And no one knows about it except me. I just want to shout across the loudspeakers and tell everyone about it, but I can’t. Not yet anyway. And now you know, too.”
His face lit up. “What is your news?”
I’d received the results by email. I’d printed the email, and stuffed it into my pocket, not looking at them until we reached trackside with my uncle and Phil. I’d received honours for my project on restoring heritage buildings. I’d been bursting to tell Sam in private but had never got the chance.
“I proved to myself I can do something. Something I’ve wanted for a very long time.”
“Something about drag racing?”
“No, it’s a new future. It’s …” I blinked rapidly. “Better than drag racing. Better than the race today.”
A laugh escaped my lips. I clutched my coat, a little dazed I’d just said that. I loved the buzz of racing but these course results were truly the best thing that had happened to me in … ever.
“It’s true. Today was just amazing and yet, this news is even better but it’s so different to anything I’ve ever done.”I just want to do something creative and start my own business. I inhaled slowly. “I just don’t know how my family and friends are going to react when I tell them. But I’m going to do it anyway. You probably think that sounded dumb.”
“Not at all,” he said quickly, reaching for my hand and squeezing it. “Why will it be hard for your family and friends to support you?”
He traced circles with his thumb on my palm, comforting and electrifying at the same time. Those brown eyes of his were focussed so intently on what I was going to say.
“Everyone thinks I should do what I’ve always done. But what I have always been doing for work is not what I really want to do.”
I held his gaze, willing him to feel what I felt. “I want this so badly every part of me aches.”
His eyes burned. I licked my lips and he watched.
I tugged my hand free, and slipped my results back into my coat pocket, heaving a sigh of relief. From what I wasn’t sure.
“It seems I’m confessing all my secrets to you today.”
“You know, confessions are usually made to a priest.” His voice was a low rumble. “I’m definitely no priest.”
I laughed and he winked.
“You really do have a nice laugh, Not Phil.” He raised his beer bottle. “We need a toast. How about ‘to chasing your new future’?”
