Page 21 of Full Throttle

“Oh, you mean that look men give when they can’t figure out what alittle ladylike me is doing working in a place like this? Or the one where they are trying to figure out if I have a girlfriend?” Colby couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Yeah. I saw it.”

“There’s nothing about you that makes a man wonder if you have a girlfriend. Well, maybe those ugly ass coveralls.” He laughed.

Colby pushed him gently in the center of his chest.

“I know there have been some bums with paper-thin egos who have used that as a go-to after you’ve verbally kick’d’em in the balls. Just remember, it’s them, not you.”

Colby couldn’t help but smile. “I have been told I clean up quite nicely.”

“Don’t get the big head. Seriously, anybody can see that you’re easy on the eyes, even covered in grease, which is why we are all so protective. In my case, if we hadn’t shared the same training pot growing up, I might not think it would be gross to kiss you. You’re like a sister to me and all the guys.”

“That and your girlfriend would kick your butt.”

Gonzo laughed even harder. “You know she would.”

Their laughter died on their lips when the door to the offices opened, and everyone filed out. Colby and her friends looked about the room anxiously at one another, wondering what the future held for them.

Tom looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.

Gonzo leaned over. “Tom looks happy. That might not bode well for the rest of us.”

Colby’s eyes connected with her father’s as he walked with the group down to where they all huddled together.

He winked.

It was a positive sign. Colby breathed a sigh of relief and exhaled. “I think we’re going to be just fine.”

“Can everybody gather around?” Tom asked. “I have an announcement.” He waited a few moments for the team to get together. “I want to introduce you to the new owner of Daughtry Racing, Brian Lockwood.” Tom deferred to him. “Would you like to say a few words?”

Brian stepped forward and began to speak as if he’d been closing business deals his entire life. “As of this afternoon, I am the new owner of Daughtry Racing. I know many of you have questions about what this means for your jobs. Currently, there are no immediate plans to replace anyone. I don’t want to interrupt the good work that I’ve seen firsthand. My goal is to build on it and take this team as far as we can go—not only to get on the track but also to win a few races. Over the next few days and with the assistance of your legendary crew chief, Cyrus James, we’ll be rolling out new plans for this year’s NASCAR season.”

Colby was surprised to hear that the team wasn’t owned by BrianandLiam Lockwood. It didn’t really matter. At least Brian was showing her father a modicum of respect. That was good. Her gaze panned from Brian to Liam and lingered. He looked like a proud father. It was obvious he was the defacto decision-maker. Colby had to be careful around him. He seemed to notice a lot but didn’t say very much, which made it difficult to tell what he was thinking. He could potentially be the loose lynchpin to blowing up all of her plans.

“Now that we’ve concluded today’s business, anybody know a good place to go celebrate?” Brian asked.

Someone called out, “Georgia’s,” as the room erupted into a celebration.

Leave it to Brian to always find the party spot,Liam thought. He had earned it. Liam glanced out at the group, and one face stood out.

Her smile was dazzling. As if she felt his gaze, her head turned toward him. For a brief moment, they just stared at one another. When Colby realized it, she looked away.

Colby had an energy that was different from everyone else Liam had met at Daughtry. He saw it last night and again today. Those big brown eyes were not only beautiful but calculating, fierce, and filled with a heavy dose of unmasked intensity.

They hadn’t said much more than a few words to each other, but his instincts were always dead on. Something was going on with Ms. James other than the obvious. It stirred something inside of him. Liam wasn’t sure if his feelings were a sense of foreboding or excitement. Maybe it was a little of both.

Colby was a wild card. A blind spot. Liam wasn’t a man who flew blind. He leaned into Markos and whispered, “Find out everything you can about Colby James.”

Chapter 8

Colby was exhausted when she pulled up into her driveway. After sleeping for only a few hours the previous night and with the emotional toll of the day, she just wanted to face-plant into bed.

Colby drug herself out of the car and began walking toward the house while talking on her cell to Gonzo. He was still on a natural high. His mouth was moving a mile a minute, but the sound was going in and out. Colby’s Bluetooth was starting to die.

She quickly switched the phone to speaker as she stepped over the threshold of the door. “Dude. I’m exhausted. I don’t feel like hanging out at Georgia’s.”

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to blow off the new owner’s party invite?”

Colby yawned. “What part of ‘I’m not an official member of Daughtry Racing’ does everybody forget?”

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