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“Yeah, but you’ve got mad skills. Seriously, a lot of people would’ve overcorrected when they hit that patch of gravel, but you handled it like a fucking boss.”
I shrug, my stomach getting queasy at the reminder of how I almost walked in my mom’s footsteps yesterday. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”
“With almost skidding road?” he teases me with a smile.
I roll my tongue in my mouth, trying not to smile back. “No, with racing.”
“I know. I was just messing with you.” He lightly tugs on a strand of my hair and grins.
It takes a hell of a lot of effort not to smile back at him, because honestly he looks absolutely adorable grinning like that.
“What’s that look for?” he asks curiously.
Great, apparently my thoughts are showing in my expression.
“What look?” I play dumb.
He smiles, his lips parting, but the words fizzle on his tongue as his phone buzzes from inside his pocket.
He digs it out and looks at it. “How long have you been doing it?” he asks, frowning at something on the screen. “I mean, racing?”
I wonder what’s on his phone that’s got him looking all upset.
“Since I got my driver’s license. But I started going to drag races when I was, like, four.” There I go again. Talking about my life aloud to a Porterson. Have I not learned my lesson?
His gaze elevates to mine in surprise. “Since you were four? Holy shit, that’s so young.”
A slow breath eases from my lips. “My mom was into it and wanted me to be into it, too. Guess it worked.”
“Shewas?” he asks with a hint of pity.
My chest tightens a bit. “She died a while ago.”
“Oh Hadley, I’m so sorry,” he says with such sincerity it makes my heart hurt. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows hard. “That’s got to be hard. To lose your parent at such a young age, I mean. Blaise and Jaxon’s mom died when they were both young. My mom actually raised them. Well, until Blaise was old enough to get guardianship of us. That was one of the best day of our lives.”
Wow. No wonder I couldn’t find anything online about Blaise’s mom. I feel bad for him and Jaxon, and kind of for Rhyland and Alex, too. If their eighteen-year-old brother got guardianship of them, things with their mom had to be super effed up.
I suddenly have the weirdest urge to hug Rhyland. I’m not even sure why, other than maybe I lose my mind for a moment. Thankfully, Blaise walks in and interrupts our moment.
“What was the best day of your life?” Blaise asks, his gaze dancing back and forth between Rhyland and me, and his lips sinking into a frown.
I realize how close Rhyland and I are sitting on the sofa but I’m not sure why that’s making Blaise frown like that.
“The day you became my dad.” Rhyland grins as he rises to his feet.
Blaise rolls his eyes. “How many times have I told you guys not to call me that? You’re almost as old as me.”
“Which is why we do it.” Rhyland walks up to Blaise and whispers something quietly enough that I can’t hear.
Blaise grimaces, grinding his teeth from side to side. “Fine, I’ll handle it.”
“Sorry, man. I’d do it myself, but you know he won’t be as cooperative if I go.” Rhyland pats Blaise on the shoulder then smiles at me. “Thanks for talking to me this morning, beautiful girl. We should make it our morning routine for the next month.” He winks at me while Blaise gives him a slightly annoyed look.
“Don’t call me beautiful girl,” I warn, pointing a finger at him. “You should know by now that I hate pet names.”
“Right. My bad.” But he’s struggling not to grin.
So am I.
