Page 41 of Love Collided

“Congratulating you.”

“It feels like more than that.”

“Does it? Maybe you’re just finally warming up to me.”

Fox yelled behind us and I let her go. “He said we need to go,” I said, quietly.

“Go where?”

“It’s a surprise, as far as I understand. Do you want to ride with me?”

“I don’t think I should.”

“That’s why I asked. I thought it would be more fun.”

She bit at her bottom lip, and for one breathless heartbeat I thought she might consider it. There was no way she was going to trust being alone with me in the car right now, though. I don’t know what happened over the past few days, but it had led me to this moment, standing in front of Scout, ready to rip her race suit off and learn every inch of what was underneath. I reached out, hooking my finger on the zipper that was pulled down to her stomach now.

How could something be close enough to touch, but I still wasn’t allowed.

“I’ll see you there,” she finally said.

“I wouldn’t miss it.” I said, making her scowl. It wasn’t that I was trying to take jabs at Jesse on purpose, not completely, but he made it so damn easy.

She spun on her heel, heading towards the cars as Fox yelled to me.

“You coming?”

“Meet you there,” I said, needing to make one stop before getting to the restaurant.

An hour later,I pulled up to the restaurant Fox told me to meet them at. The line of modified cars in a bright array of colors confirming I was in the right place.

I grabbed the box I had stopped for off my seat and headed inside. The restaurant wasn’t packed, but the back room was filled with the crew and a few people from the track I recognized.

I could see Scout set at the head of the table, smiling and laughing with Quinn next to her.

The moment I walked into the room, Scout’s smile faded, her gaze shifting from me to the person on her right. Fox waved me next to him and Ash, the open seat apparently reserved for me even if I had been hoping for the one next to Scout.

As soon as I sat down and looked over, I knew why that seat hadn’t been empty for me.

“Did Jesse seriously show up to this after missing the races?” I asked Fox.

Fox curled a lip, a look that seemed ten times more intimidating with the giant scar on his face.

“Yeah. He somehow made it here right when we did. Weird how he can time out free food and drinks, but not several hours at the track.”

“And she let him stay?”

“I wanted to tell him to get the fuck out, but she asked me to let her handle it. Scout’s tough and all, but I think she’s been avoiding the conflict.”

I rolled my shoulders, stretching back in the chair to look at Jesse. “I personally don’t mind some conflict.”

“We don’t either,” Jax said, grinning.

The waitress came over, taking our orders and interrupting my making Jesse leave.

“Let’s eat first and then I have something that might…help.”

Thirty minutes later, I pushed my chair back, picking up the box I brought and heading towards Scout.

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