Page 87 of When I Had You

“Tomorrow. Three more weeks until I’ve wrapped.”

“I can’t wait to have you to myself again.”

I’m so excited to tell him I was cast in the play and will be signing a three-month contract for Broadway, but today is about him. So I tuck that tidbit into my pocket, and I’ll pull it out after the race post-celebration.

Taking my hand, we walk back inside, but he corners me under the stairs. “I haven’t told Cullen we’re a couple. I wanted to do it when you were in town. What about after dinner tonight? I can talk to him one-on-one, and then the three of us can discuss it and see if he has any questions.”

“You sure he doesn’t know already?” I glance outside, wondering if Cullen saw us already. Add this to the time we woke up to him in the bedroom, and I’m thinking it won’t be such a surprise to him that we’re dating. Cash has millions on the line for him and the team, and he’s made me feel like a champion. “If you feel the timing is right.”

“I do. I don’t want to hide us around him. It’s good for him to see a happy couple in his life.” He kisses me, and it almost feels like it’s just because he can. When he does it again, my suspicions are confirmed. “I’m so glad you’re here. Best surprise ever.”

“Mm, I can argue that. Flying across the continent for one hour of sex is a pretty great surprise.”

“I flew for you. The sex was just the reward for both of us.”

“I need to go, and I won’t see you again before the race.”

As much as I love the Warren surname, on the track, this legend only goes by one name. I lift to kiss him and whisper against his lips, “I love you, Cash Ryatt. You remember that.”

I meet up with Laura and Cullen, giving both a big hug. We spend a few hours walking around, then let Cullen nap in Cash’s dressing room since he’s warming up and won’t be using it.

We’re tempted to wake him so he can watch the start of the race, but Laura thinks it will be better for him to be rested. Since we have two hours ahead of us, we let him sleep.

When Cullen wakes during the last thirty minutes of the race, I put on his protective headphones, and we walk to the viewing area on the side of the paddock. I’m nervous, and I’m not the one driving. Holding Cullen’s hand, though, is somehow reassuring. I pick him up and anchor him on my hip when we start getting down to the final laps.

“There’s your daddy.” I point out just as he clears the third turn on the second to last lap. The crew is excited, the cheers keep drawing my attention between them and the TV screens. “Your daddy is in third, Cullen. Do you know what that means?”

He looks at me with that same grin he got from his father. “He wins?”

Tapping his nose, I smile because this kid is just the cutest. “Yes. It means he wins third place and a spot on the podium.”

“Yay!”

I laugh. “Exactly.” Cheering with our hands, we both yell, “Yay!”

Laura can’t stand still and looks away from the screen more than she watches. “It’s so close.”

“I can feel it. Something big. He’s going to win.”

I shift Cullen to my other hip and take hold of Laura’s hand. We share a quick glance and then turn our nervous energy toward the TVs.

The volume is turned up, and the announcers talk about Breckon Rhodes, the other Westcott Racing driver, who took a swipe at Cash two laps ago. “It’s a rivalry that’s been a long time in the making.”

The other announcer says, “Rhodes is not giving way for Ryatt despite the team direction. They’re coming up on the final lap and hitting the chicane. Oh—Ryatt’s been hit!”

“Is that Daddy?”

The look of horror on Cullen’s face has me running to get him away from the devastation. The crew runs out during the snippets of announcements I hear. “Spinning toward the wall . . .” I run to his dressing room with the volume still blaring in the garage. “Fire . . . no sign of him getting out—” And I slam the door shut.

26

Marina

I stand when Harbor opens the door, expecting to see Cash or even Laura coming to check on us. I moved Cullen on autopilot, but now reality is sinking in.

Cash is not okay.

Wiping my hands down the side of my jeans, I glance from him to Cullen who’s playing an online puzzle game on my phone as a reminder to be careful of what he says.

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