Page 30 of Forsaken Oath

“Thanks, guys,” I say, grinning as I down the tequila. The fiery liquid spreads heat through my veins. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s another pre-qualifier in two days, and we don’t even know if I made the cut yet.”

Margot scoffs, waving me off. “Oh, you made it. You killed it tonight, Louie. Ain’t no one touching you.”

Nate leans back, the corner of his mouth lifting as he sips his drink. “She’s right. You were phenomenal out there. That move to escape the box? Fucking genius, Thorne. That’s not something I taught you.”

“Sometimes we get lucky,” I say, trying to suppress the smile pulling at my lips.

Even with tonight’s win, the looming pressure of the Gauntlet wraps around me, squeezing tight. The race pulses through my memory, the thrill of victory tangled with the anticipation of what’s next. But for now, Margot’s right—it’s worth celebrating. We’ve learned to savor the little things, even if they’re fleeting.

Margot tilts her head, watching me with that knowing smirk. “So, what’s the plan for the next couple of days? You heading to Clearwater?”

“You know it. Gotta get a read on the competition.” I tear off a piece of tortilla and pop it in my mouth. “I want to see what kind of drivers they are.”

My dad used to talk about competition, about racing with a kind of reverence. I can’t tell anymore if those are real memories or ones I’ve created to comfort myself. Sometimes, they blur into hazy, dreamlike fragments, leaving me wondering what’s real and what’s a dream.

Or if I’m so desperate for something happy in my childhood that I made it all up and told myself it’s a memory.

“Damn right,” Margot says, leaning over the table and smacking my arm with playful encouragement.

“Getting serious about the Gauntlet, huh? I like it,” Nate says, his voice softening, a smile tugging at his lips. It’s the kind of smile that says more than it should.

I force a laugh, brushing it off. “Yeah, well, I figured I should, since you two assholes conspired against me and signed me up.” I cut him a look, dragging it to my sister. “Which I haven’t forgiven you for yet, by the way.”

“Not even after tacos and tequila?” Margot’s expression is all mock innocence.

“It’s going to take more than fish tacos to make up for that,” I say, rolling my eyes as I grab a tortilla chip.

“Yeah? What about five hundred grand? Would that do it?” Margot grins as she throws it back at me.

I flick the chip at her, unable to hide my smile. “Brat.”

Margot laughs, dodging the chip easily. “Whatever. I’m not wrong, though. Anyway, I’m out.”

“You’re going home already? Celebratory tacos was your idea.”

She smirks as she stands up, brushing off her shirt. “It was a great idea, right? But I’ve got plans to meet a friend. I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

I narrow my eyes, sisterly intuition flaring. “What friend? Someone in the neighborhood?”

“Nope. Just a friend from class. We’re hitting up that diner with the decent coffee. Not the one with the sticky tables.”

Before I can press further, she’s halfway out of Nate’s yard, moving with the kind of confidence that makes me proud and nervous all at once.

“Be careful!” I call after her.

“Duh!” she shouts back, her voice disappearing into the night.

I chuckle, turning back to Nate. His eyes meet mine, that quiet warmth in his gaze making the air between us feelsuddenly heavy. I shift, fiddling with the napkin in my lap, searching for something to break the silence.

“So, what are you going to do when you win this thing?” Nate asks, his voice low and serious.

I shrug, looking up at the string of lights casting soft shadows across the yard. “Pay for school for Vivie and Margot. Maybe splurge on steakhouse dinners a few times.”

Nate’s smile turns wistful. “You wouldn’t leave Seven Pines?”

I let out a laugh that feels thin. “Where would I even go?”

“Maybe somewhere with more . . . options,” he says, the unspoken question hanging in the air between us.

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