Page 36 of Fast

I was almost positive I would pass on an evening rubbing elbows with whatever group of constituents Scott wants to woo this time. The great food at the Club’s restaurant isn’t enough of an incentive to get me to wear my “Sunday best” and sit through long-winded speeches for the best part of the evening.

Chance also asked me to be there for his first meeting with the new stepsister, and that was a no brainer. We always support each other, and I was curious anyway.

I was hoping Kelly’s daughter would be hot, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

Zara.

I thought I would never see her again, but I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t thought about her from time to time.

As usual, there’s no one in my house but the housekeeper. My parents always work late into the evening; they always have, butonce I was old enough not to require a nanny, they even stopped calling to check on me.

They’re probably going to be at tonight’s dinner. They’ve been close to Scott even before the twins, Chance and I came along.

They’ll probably change at their office. They both have a full closet there. This big mansion is just a place to crash at night and a status symbol, not a real home.

Their distracted, cold parenting style used to bother me when I was younger, but now I’m used to it. I actually enjoy the complete freedom of practically living alone.

Without anyone stopping me to ask me about my day, I get ready in record time.

I walk back to Chance’s front door just in time to see Zara step outside with my best friend in tow.

Earlier, I tried to be discreet when I checked her out. Now?

Day-um.

She’s a vision in a little black dress with a sweetheart neckline that shows off her perfect tits, but manages to stay on the right side of classy. The same thing is true for the way the flowing skirt flirts with the creamy skin of her lower thighs, showcasing a pair of gorgeous, shapely legs.

I don’t know about Chance, but I’m very interested in finding out if his new stepsister is still the little daring, wild thing she used to be two years ago.

Zara heads toward the back door of Chance’s truck, and I’m by her side in a heartbeat.

“You should have shotgun, pretty girl.” I guide her to the passenger door by putting my hand on the small of her back.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” I whisper, her smile reward enough for giving up the front seat.

Chance has been following the whole exchange, and his amused smirk tells me that he noticed my interest in his new stepsister.

Truth be told, I haven’t seen Chance smile like that since the last time Zara was hanging out with us. Since that fateful day when his family got ripped apart on the racetrack, my best friend—and the rest of his family—hasn’t smiled that much. Not even winning a state championship with our hockey team has put that genuine smile on his face.

The same thing can be said about Scott. The only time I see our new mayor smile is when Zara’s mom is around.

Maybe these two women are what the Hunter family needs to heal and feel whole again.

That doesn’t mean that I’m not gonna throw my hat in the ring if Zara is single and interested in exploring the attraction that hopefully is still there. I know it is for me.

“So,” I smile, leaning against the front seat. “Is this crazy or what? What are the chances that your mom got engaged to Chance’s dad?”

She meets my eyes in the front mirror. “I’m still trying to process the shock. I just flew back from my friend’s house in Florida this morning. I had no idea that Mom was even dating anyone.”

Chance turns to look at her for a split second, before focusing back on the road ahead. It’s impossible to miss the way his jaw ticks. “You seriously didn’t know?”

“My mom and I,” she sighs, “haven’t exactly spent a lot of time together since the last time we all saw each other. She decided that boarding school was the only way to tame me, and shipped me off to Connecticut. I was pretty mad at her at first and then… I guess the distance between us grew and neither of us knew how to build a bridge between us.”

That makes sense. As someone who might go weeks without actually bumping into my parents, I don’t have a problem believing that.

“Well, it was a really nice surprise to see you again.” I use my flirtiest tone. “And it sounds like we’re all going to school in town?”

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