Page 116 of Love Collided

“Scout?”

My name caught both of our attention, my heart rate spiking because I knew how obvious it would be that Chase had been about to kiss me.

“Dad?”

This was even worse than one of the crew catching us.

“Scout! I’ve been looking all over for you,” he said, the smile plastered on his face as fake as the gold chain around his neck. If it had been real gold at one point, it had been pawned off since then and replaced with a fake.

Chase’s hand tightened on my arm, and I let him pull me in, moving as close to him as I could. I didn’t think my dad would make a big scene in public, but having Chase here was comforting.

“What do you mean you’ve been looking all over for me? How did you know where I was?”

“Your races. I saw your name on the list back at Holt and that you made it here,” he said, his smile growing, but it wasn’t a comfort.

“And?” My fingers dug into Chase’s side, unease settling in my gut.

“And I wanted to come to cheer you on, of course.”

“But you didn’t bother to come to my other races back home?”

He was shaking his head before I even finished my sentence. “No. No, between these guys finding out where I lived, and having some trouble with the Sheriff there, I didn’t want to risk going back. I’m so happy you made it here now. At least now I can watch you today.”

“I believe those are called debts and warrants,” I said, knowing damn well that if the Sheriff was looking for him, it was because of a warrant. It wouldn’t be his first, or his last. “Did you really get tickets to come today?”

“Well, no. I assumed I could get in with you to watch.”

That was the first thing he would want, free tickets, which would turn into a food and drink tab.

“No. My team is full. I don’t have any free tickets.” Chase was still quiet next to me, but I could see my dad looking at his arm over my shoulder.

“Don’t I know you?” my dad asked, his eyes lingering a little too long on the new watch Chase was wearing. It was probably another ridiculously expensive watch, one my dad would want, not knowing that Chase had already given up two for him.

“Probably,” Chase said.

My dad’s eyes narrowed before he started nodding. “That’s right. You’re the lawyer’s kid. Jake Parker’s son, right? Your dad sure is a big deal back home.”

“Yeah, so I’ve heard.”

“Interesting that you are here with her, then.”

“Why?” Chase asked.

My dad looked me over with a scrutinizing gaze and then looked at Chase. “I don’t think I need to explain why that would be strange. I know your dad well enough. I can’t imagine your dad knows about this? Or if he does, he sure as hell isn’t happy about it.”

“What I do is none of my dad’s business.”

“Isn’t it? Aren’t you set to inherit everything, including his law firm?”

“You seem to know an awful lot about my dad.”

My dad smirked. The small joy he was getting out of this was setting me further on edge. “I do, don’t I? Interesting how people come to know each other in smaller towns. Here, I’m invisible,but back at home? Everyone starts to know each other. It’s both a curse,” he said, his smile growing, “and a blessing.”

Chase didn’t reply, but his arm tightened around me. If my dad noticed the sudden shift in us, he didn’t dwell on it more.

“There’s really no way to get me in? I’d love to see my only kid win a few races,” my dad said.

“Would you like to help me spend the prize money, too?”

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