Page 102 of Finish Line

“Yes and no,” I say.

“Well, that clears things up,” he snarks.

I reach over and punch his shoulder. “Ha ha, jerk. My goal is to race again, but I have to have a side job. In the past, Cin always talked about opening a garage together. But, while I’m good with cars, I’m not mechanically inclined.”

Nick chuckles. “Oh, I’ve heard. Cin’s told me many stories of you trying to fix something and making it ten times worse.”

I mock-glare at him.

“We’ve talked about getting an apartment together.”

“My escape plan and partner-in-crime are gone.” I fake a frown. “Thanks a lot, brother.”

It must be convincing because Nick sputters, trying to find the right words.

Unable to hold back my smile anymore, I laugh at him. “Joking. I’m happy for both of you. I figured as much with how you two are together.”

Nick’s frown morphs into a sly smile. “You have four guys who would be more than willing to be your partners in crime to help you leave here and want to live with you.”

He glances pointedly down at my left ring finger.

“He’s right, Shelby. If you want to move out, one or all of us will move in with you,” Luke says from my doorway.

My hand flies to my chest, my heart racing a second time. “You scared the shit out of me. Wait, how did you get in here?”

Nick’s brow shoots up. “Was the front door unlocked?”

“Yes, why?” Luke’s face darkens.

“Shit.” We jump up.

I pull out my knife, and Nick pulls out his gun.

“With everything that happened, we lock the doors, even when we’re home. Well, Dad, Shelby, and I do. Patty isn’t as cautious,” Nick says.

Luke’s body stiffens a bit. “Okay, maybe Patty came home and didn’t lock the door behind her?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. She hasn’t come to pay me her daily visit, where she tells me everything I’ve done wrong.”

Nick looks at me before turning back to Luke. “Roger paid Shelby a visit after work today.”

Luke’s face hardens. He pulls out his gun and nods toward Nick.

They search the house, and I follow behind them, but stay out of their way.

When we reach the hallway to the primary bedroom, the rustling of paper and other objects is faint inside the room.

Luke glances over his shoulder, and Nick nods. Luke takes a breath, then kicks open the door.

He points his gun in the room. “Freeze!”

Nick sweeps around him to do the same.

A high-pitched female scream pierces the air before I walk through the door.

“What the hell?” Mom yells with her hand on her chest.

Her eyes are glazed in an expression I haven’t seen since she went to rehab and I was shipped off to Ashland. She shoves things back into her purse.

---