AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Long story. But no. We’ve been married since high school. Like I said…” I added when his brows lifted. “Long story.”
He grinned. “I’d be interested to hear about that.” His finger circled to indicate the area. “What happens around the fire stays here. You don’t have to worry about me running to the press.”
I groaned at the reminder about my recent media coverage, but his sister, who had to be in her early twenties—maybe—waved. “I’m Novalee, but everyone calls me Novie.” She smiled at Bristol. “Besides traveling with Huck, I work for him. It’ll sure be nice to have another girl around. Are you going to be traveling with Axel for the whole season?”
“Yes,” I said before Bristol could even think to say otherwise. My wife grinned at me, but rolled her eyes.
With a quiet chuckle, she turned back to Novie. “I am staying for as long as I can. We just bought a new place, andsomeoneneeds to oversee our move for at least a few days.”
“It can wait,” I grumbled under my breath, but I was close enough to her ear that she heard.
“It can wait,” she agreed. “But not long.”
She sat in the chair closest to Novie. “But yes,” she continued. “I’m going to be around.”
I sat beside Bristol and stuck my drink in the chair’s holder, then looked over at Huck.
“Thanks for setting this up.”
He gave me a chin lift. “I didn’t say it earlier, but welcome to the team.” He raised a brow. “And not a second too soon.”
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“You’ve always been a bit of a recluse, so I guess you haven’t heard the gossip.”
I frowned. “I’ve been the center of plenty of it.”
He blew out a disparaging breath. “Oh, that bullshit? Whatever. No, this is bigger than that. More serious.” He leaned forward. “Career damaging.”
I leaned in, confused and wondering if I was about to be the butt of some joke, falling for something “serious” that turned out to be a laugh.
Huck glanced around. “You know I’m friends with guys on most of the teams,” he said so quietly, I almost didn’t hear him. “One of them is friends with someone on your old team. There are rumors of cheating.”
I sat back, shaking my head. “I… I never did. I…”
Huck waved away my words, while Bristol reached over and took my hand. “Why do you think no one has believed the shit that was shoveled around about you lately—no one on the circuit, anyway? You’ve never been that guy. There’s not a lot of talk between the crews about specifics, but your guys always mentioned—and bymentionedI mean griped—about what a pain in the ass stickler you are since you get right in there to the grease and bolts.” He looked down a second before pinning me with his gaze again. “Something to think about when you suddenly found yourself without a car.”
I stared at him. Fuck, was he saying my uncle was pulling even shadier shit? Yeah, as of late, that came as no surprise. My mind drifted back to the recording of Marta that Bristol had taken. I needed to listen to it again.
“I guess so…” I murmured.
“You ever wonder why your old teammate, Waldecker, always wrecks the backend of his car when he burns out? Is he hiding something, you think?” He raised an eyebrow and my mouth dropped open.
“I…”
“Shit, I wasn’t gonna open with that,” Huck said. “Sorry.”
“Straight to the chase. Again,” Novie said, rolling her eyes at her brother. “He’s like that. No foreplay, just rushes right in.”
“Novalee!” Huck admonished. She ignored him.
“So how are you liking things with Pressure Racing, Axel?”
My head shook slightly as I caught up with the change of subject, still lost in the fact Darius was a dirty team owner. “It seems real good. I’ve followed Troy’s career for a long time.”
“He’s a great guy,” Huck agreed. “Gave me my big break three years ago.”
I nodded, wishing it were the case with me…except he hadn’t started his team six years ago.
