Page 79 of Refuel

25

Kash

Once I finished talking with Colton, I came down to the track to get in a few runs to clear my head. Tennessee was standing near the pit watching as I pushed the gas harder and sped up as I reached the right corner. This was the only way to get the stress out of my mind and focus on how to get my girl back. I pulled to the side next to the garage, turned the car off, and jumped out, taking off my helmet.

“How’s she handling?” Tennessee questioned.

“Good. I might do another lap in a few minutes,” I said.

“You talk to Arianna today?” Tennessee asked.

“She needs space, so I’m doing what she wants, but if I don’t hear from her by tomorrow, I’m busting down her door,” I replied, following behind him into the garage.

“Women are something else,” Tennessee said.

“Yep, and she’s pregnant, which makes the guilt even worse.”

“Don’t blame yourself for Ronald and Josie,” Tennessee said as he picked up a towel and wiped the grease off his hands.

“I brought Josie into this mess.”

“She knew it wasn’t a serious thing with you guys. Hell, I heard she was dating some other reporter at the same time she was dating you,” Tennessee explained.

“What about Ronald? That’s for sure my fault.”

“Ronald has always been jealous of you though. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to notice all the fake smiles and jokes he tried to brush off,” Tennessee mentioned.

“I was trying to be cool with him. Even offered to work with him on his driving.”

“Which would have caused an even bigger problem,” Tennessee said.

“Let’s change the subject. You want to get something to eat?” I questioned.

“Where do you want to go?” Tennessee asked.

I was about to say the shop Colton told me about when a text message came in from Arianna that said she was going to a doctor’s appointment in a week. I replied okay, closed out my phone, and slipped it in my pocket.

“Are you going to any of the trials?” Tennessee asked.

“I doubt it. I hate to make it into a bigger media circus with me being there,” I said.

Thirty minutes later, Tennessee and I ended up at the sandwich shop that I brought Arianna to and sat in the back corner away from the paparazzi sitting out front, waiting to get a shot of me. Some girls walked up to my table to get an autograph, and at first, I wasn’t going to because sometimes they’d end up getting sold to the highest bidder, and I didn’t understand why people would want to purchase my autograph that bad. The waitress dropped our sandwiches and drinks down on the table, and we ate while talking about the trial.

“I still can’t believe Ronald was that hard up over you guys.” Tennessee bit into his sandwich and drank from his root beer.

I popped a fry in my mouth and nodded in agreement.

“Same, man. Arianna is pregnant and having my baby,” I said, still in shock.

“Do you want a girl or boy?”

“I don’t care, as long as the baby is healthy.”

“Who are the godparents?” Tennessee asked.

Drinking my Sprite, I shrugged my shoulders, not having an answer to the question.

“I haven’t thought about that honestly.”

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