Page 12 of Wrecking Boundaries

I eye his cheeky grin with suspicion. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move from that spot.”

An oversized suite was a good idea when the room was reserved. Now, it means allowing Jack Knowles to root through my suitcase in search of…what? I’m being paranoid.

No, I’m being rational. Jake Knowles can not be trusted.

Jake rubs his hands together when I return. “Looks delicious.”

I’m still suspicious. “Did you move?”

He raises his arm as if to say, “Who? Me?” “Feet bolted to the floor.”

I don’t trust his smile. Jake’s smiles are flirtatious, not innocent. My laptop screen is open but still in the same position. A pen lays across my notepad, right where I left it.

Am I that paranoid? If Jake saw my new dating profile, he would comment. He’d offer another evening of no-obligation fun. At the very least, he cannot resist teasing me.

Dismissing my thoughts, I say, “Why is there so much food, and how did you know where it came from?”

“I assumed you would order from that nearby dessert place. I called them, told them to triple your order, added a generous tip, and gave them my credit card number. You’re welcome.” Jake’s smile turns from innocent to angelic.

He bought me dinner; I can be polite for an hour. Thirty minutes. “Plates are in the kitchenette,” I say.

“Fruit and some veggie sandwiches?” he asks, inspecting our dinner with disdain. “You lack imagination.”

“It’s enough for a light meal. You can leave if it doesn’t appeal.” I shut the laptop and place it over my stack of papers. “Plenty of room to eat.”

“I’m not leaving, even with the lack of appeal,” he says whilesitting across from me. “Why didn’t you respond to my texts?”

“I was busy. Also, I accidentally threw my phone in a lake.”

His smile turns cocky. “Busy dreaming of me? That’s sweet.”

“If you must know, I’m going back to school. Sort off.” Why did I admit that? It’s not even wholly decided. “It’s a literature program. I attend in person every two weeks, with the rest online, so that I can keep up with work and travel. It’s for fun, not an actual program.”

Jake lets out a low whistle. “That’s awesome. I’m proud of you, Princess. You’ll do amazing.”

My cheeks flush at his cheerleading. I wish they wouldn’t. “It’s not a big deal.”

“You’re so smart. I noticed that right away.” He picks up my hand, manipulating it to give me a fist bump. “I know you haven’t enjoyed the past year; seeing you do something for yourself is wonderful. You’ll be amazing.”

His effusive praise is uncomfortable, not because it’s from Jake, or maybe it is. Hearing so many admiring words, I don’t know what to do with it. Sure, I’m great at my job, and everyone atRivers Motorsportsrespects me, but this is different. “How do you know I haven’t enjoyed this past year?”

Jake’s head tilts to one side. “I know you more than you think I do.”

“I doubt that.”

“You’re wrong.” His face twists with amusement and indulgence. “I’m proud of you. It’s about time you take charge of your life, especially after fixing your brother’s love life. I have two sisters in college, you know.”

His statements, all smashed together, make me dizzy. I don’t know which to respond to. Naturally, I pick the easy one. “Both in college?”

“One is in her final year and wants to be an elementaryschool teacher. The other wants to be a veterinarian or a nurse.” Jake claims he is proud of me, but his face is lit up with emotion now. “My guess is vet school. She always brought stray animals home when we were younger, more than we could handle.” He coughs and finishes his sandwich in a couple of large bites.

Jake rarely mentions his family. I know he has younger sisters, and his father died several years earlier. Past that, he never talks about them. He’s among the few drivers in the entire Cup Series whose family never shows up for races. Some, like Boone, have family nearby for every race. Jake has his spotter and his team.

“Did you ever go?” I ask, wondering what other information he’ll reveal about himself tonight.

“Me, no. My education was on the race track. I graduated top of my class.” He leans back in his chair and winks at me. His shoulders shake with laughter. I don’t join him. “I took a few adult classes on business. Those were useful, I guess, but college isn’t for me. I wasn’t designed to sit in a classroom. In high school, I negotiated my electives to be used for track racing.”

“How did you do that?”

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