Page 154 of Forgive You

“You see us raising a family there?”

She smiles in reply.

“You think it’s perfect for us? You, me, and our future?”

“Yes.”

The expanding balloon explodes, filling my body with something I can’t even describe. It’s light, and it’s heavy. It’s bright, and it sparkles. It’s uncomfortably comfortable, and I imagine it comes close to that unwavering love they talk about when you become a parent.

I can’t fucking wait.

“Then I’m sure it is.”

Her eyes beam, though still a little reluctant. “You’re not mad?”

I shake my head.

I’ve been mad at her plenty. And I’m sure I will be once more. But her being so eager to build our life together is not a reason for me to ever be mad.

“You forgive me?”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t forgive you, baby.” I kiss her fiercely, the heat of our lips merging us as one, before I pull back. “Now the question is, will Jordan forgive us?”

“For what? Moving?”

I smile. “No, for being late.”

Loving the angst? How about angst in the fast and steamy world of F1 racing, with an obsessed world champion on the verge of crashing from his podium?

43

“Yeah, we fancy like Applebee’s on a date night…” I sing as the rhythm of the Walker Hayes song rolls through my mind. My hips sway as I dance my way forward, shuffling my feet over the metal ramp.

I spin myself around, facing the portable Callahan Motors motorhome, with a grin infectious enough to bubble up Axel’s full laugh. All I need is a cowboy hat and I’d fit right into a honky-tonk, but I don’t care. I’m the kind of person who starts dancing when I’m cheery.

And I have every reason to be cheery.

Finally, my car feels great. The first rounds of free practice went better than expected today, making me believe this is going to be a good weekend, and I needed some good news.

For this first half of the season, luck hasn’t been on my side. I’ve had a rough start this year, having a hard time getting the car to do what I want on the track. But today is the start of a new phase. I can feel it tingling in my bones. I’m going to make it work and show the world I deserve another championship.

That I’m not some fluke.

“You really are a bit kooky, aren’t you?” Axel’s gaze aligns with mine from under his glasses, a dark eyebrow popping above the rim. My mouth crinkles with a smile as I hold my agent’s eyes. We’re nothing alike; he’s the yin to my yang. The Patrick to my SpongeBob. Can’t tell him that, though, because he’d probably fight me on it, arguing that he’s not the pink thing with the pointy head. But he’s also been my best friend since the fourth grade, the one who’s been there for as long as I can remember. And for the last few years, the man who makes sure my career stays right on track.

“Come on, X-man.” I glance up at the clear blue sky, the pine-scented breeze ruffling my already messy hair. “The sun is out. We’re in Spa-Francorchamps. Free practice wentsplendid. It’s gonna be a great weekend!”

Francorchamps is only a small village in the Belgium Ardennes, but the track is fun, and this circuit is known for its rainy days. The fact that the sun is out should be considered a blessing from the racing gods.

“Splendid? Really?”

We walk into the motorhome, taking the stairs to the executive office on the top floor. These portable constructions are the size of full, two-story buildings, and Callahan’s is known for the fully windowed front with a huge logo on top. It still amazes me every season how a line of massive motorhomes creates an equivalent to the main street of a small town. It’s a long way removed from the simplicity of the kart tracks, where I started my career once upon a time.

“Not good? Isswellbetter?” I goof.

“Definitely not.” The wrinkle in his forehead is holding small drops of sweat, and he rolls up the sleeves of his gray dress shirt to let the AC cool his skin.

He’s, without a doubt, the more pragmatic one of the two of us, always keeping my ass out of trouble and looking the part of myadvisor in every way. But I can’t help trying to poke him out of business mode every now and then, just because I know he’s got a fun side to him. The side that turns him into a dauntless Steve Irwin when he’s had a few drinks.

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