He hit top speed and his mind went blank, like it always did when he surrounded himself with a great track and an awesome car. Ian and the crew had done their jobs this week. The number fifty-three was running in optimum condition, and by the time he finished his laps he was sure he had a good shot at grabbing the pole in this weekend’s race.
“That was a good run,” Ian said after Gray climbed out. “Keep running like that and you should kick everyone’s butts in qualifying.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for. The car’s running good. The only thing I felt was a shimmy in the left front when I hit top speed.”
Ian nodded and plugged that into his notebook as they walked along. “We’ll take a look at it. Probably nothing.”
Gray hoped not. He was ready to race.
He hung around to watch Donny during his practice run. The kid did decently, seemed to have a little more focus than he’d had the previous week, and his speed was where it needed to be.
He also noticed Evelyn hanging out in the stands with Stacie, the two of their heads bowed together during Donny’s run. He hadn’t spoken to her since last night, figured she wouldn’t even show up at the track today. Instead, she’d been there as soon as the track opened, sitting in the stands. Stacie had joined her there early, too, both of them hanging with the other women watching all the drivers.
Whatever. He didn’t care what she did as long as she stayed the hell out of his way.
She’d shown what she was after last night and he wanted no part of it.
“So what’s the deal with the new chick?” Donny asked as they made their way to the garage to go over their cars’ performances.
He shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Stacie seems to like her. She came back to our trailer the other day busting my balls about ‘Evelyn said this and Evelyn said that.’ Kept me up half the night wanting to talk. Man, I hate talking.”
“Yeah, well, Evelyn doesn’t know everything.”
“So you think I’m right.”
He paused in the walkway, his head filled with track speed and not focused on what Donny was talking about. “Right about what?”
“On wanting Stacie to stay with me this season. She said Evelyn was filling her head with going back to school.”
“Look, Donny. Whatever your relationship is with Stacie is none of my business.
That’s up to the two of you to figure out.” He started walking toward the garage.
When they got there, Donny said, “That’s what I told Stacie. But no, she has to talk to all her girlfriends about what’s best for her. For us. Things are working fine.”
“Are they?”
Donny frowned. “Huh?”
“Are they fine? Because it seems to me your woman isn’t happy.”
Donny looked down at his shoes. “Okay, maybe she isn’t.”
“Then figure out a way to make it work so that you’re both happy. It isn’t always just about you and what you need. Sometimes you have to meet your lady halfway.”
“She wants to finish school. I want her with me. She can do school during the times I’m not racing.”
“Which is what? Two months out of the year? Not very practical for her, is it?”
Donny stared at the ground.
“Do you want her with you because you’ll miss her, or because you’re afraid if she’s not with you all the time she’ll find someone else?”
Gray caught the worried expression on Donny’s face.
“I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, you know,” Donny said. “I barely got out of high school. And Stacie—God, that girl is smart. Sometimes I don’t know what she’s doing with someone like me.”
“She’s here, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe she loves you, though God only knows why. You’re a dick sometimes, you drink and party too much, and your head is up your ass more often than not. But she does care about you and she sacrifices a lot for you. Maybe you should consider doing the same thing for her. If you love her.”
He lifted his chin, clearly pissed off. “I do.”
“Then trust her. That’s what love is built on, Donny. Without it, you’re toast and so is your relationship.”
Donny clamped his lips together as they walked, then finally nodded. “You know what? You’re right. If I don’t start trusting in her—in us—I’m gonna lose her. I can already feel her slipping through my fingers.”
“Then do something about it. You worrying about your girl makes you lose focus on racing, and that’s where I need your attention to be. Understood?”
Donny gave him a quick nod. “Got it, boss.”
Gray slapped Donny on the arm. “Good talk. Now let’s figure out what’s going on with your engine. I heard something I didn’t like during your practice run today.”
*
EVELYN HOVERED NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO THE GARAGE, having overheard Gray’s conversation with Donny.
Stacie had taken off for her trailer, claiming she had some laundry to do, followed by studying. Since Evelyn didn’t have access to Gray’s trailer, and since she needed access to Gray, she figured the only thing she could do was suck it up and talk to him, much as she didn’t want to.
But then she overheard him giving Donny advice on his relationship with Stacie, and good advice at that, which surprised her.
It seemed like he was always surprising her, either in good ways or bad. The man was utterly unpredictable, which wasn’t a good thing at all. She liked the people she worked with to be dependable in their actions and responses. Gray seemed like a wild card to her, and she couldn’t trust what he’d do or say.
At least in politics she knew all the players. This was Gray Preston, an unknown, who lived in a world she had been thrust into and was utterly unfamiliar with. It was already clear he was nothing like his father, who was a known quantity. Mitchell Preston had played the political game for years. He knew the score, and so did Evelyn.
Gray wasn’t going to play the game her way. He was already angry with her for trying to help out his friend. Favors were done all the time in Washington. Sometimes they came with a price tag. The one she’d offered to do for Miranda last night had been offered without strings. Because Gray didn’t know her, he just assumed she’d want something in return. Or that his father would.