Page 56 of Refuel

“Black is my favorite color. I was raised by a single mother. In and out of trouble with the law when I was younger, and some say even to this day,” Kamden talked as he drove.

“I was pretty much a book smart and street smart type of kid. I was spoiled, but I worked my butt off with good grades and have been working since I was sixteen,” I explained.

“I’ve never had a girlfriend, until now. So, it’s expected that I’ll make mistakes,” Kamden said.

I jerked back at his comment.

“Expected?” I questioned, pushing my ear closer to hear his response.

“Baby, I’m saying I won’t cheat on you. Sometimes, it’s more than a sexual connection. Emotional distance because of work,” Kamden informed me and leaned back in his seat.

“I hear you.”

He peered over at me and smiled before turning onto the 101 Freeway into traffic to take the long drive to his mother’s place. An hour later, he pulled in front of her place and shut the car off.

“Anything I should know about, so I’m not caught off guard?” I asked.

“Just be you. I promise it’s not all bad,” he joked.

“Well, I can’t say the same for my family,” I responded, watching him get out of the car and walk around to my side and open the door.

I lifted my head to meet his gaze, and he smiled back at me.

18

Kash

I pushed my hair behind my ear, stretching my arm around her shoulder as we stepped up on the porch of my mom’s house. The door opened, and my mom smiled wide when she noticed Arianna.

“Kamden, who do we have here?” she asked.

“Ma, this is Arianna Pierce, my girlfriend,” I replied, and Ari looked up at me in shock.

“Girlfriend. Well, you come inside. I didn’t expect another person for dinner, but I can throw another steak on the grill.” She stepped aside to allow us inside, and I closed the door behind us.

“Arianna, nice to meet you! My son has never brought a woman to meet me,” Mom said.

I groaned at her statement and rubbed a hand up Arianna’s back. I motioned for her to take a seat on the couch. I moved toward my mother and kissed her cheek as she headed to the kitchen.

“So, Arianna, what do you do?” Mom called out.

“I work in event planning, and I recently started driving,” Ari said.

“Really, you are?” Mom asked.

Ari nodded in answer.

“Your parents aren’t scared?” Mom questioned.

“My family knew I’d always wanted to be a race car driver when I was younger, and my cousin owns Pierce Motors, so it’s kind of in my blood,” Ari answered.

“That’s right. You came in second place at the race a few weeks back,” Mom stated.

“She lost a bet that if I won, she had to go on a date with me, and if she won, she could name any price for me to donate to the charity,” I informed my mom.

“Are you driving in the charity race?” Mom asked, coming into the living room with two glasses of wine.

I took it out of her hands and passed to Arianna.

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