Page 69 of False Start

“How’s the race going?”After five minutes of making sure the light was just right for the interview, Ashley stood behind a small handheld camera on a tripod.

Kit and I sat on the picnic table, squished against each other and angled slightly to the right to avoid the glare from the sun. I rested a hand on the table. My forearm brushed her back. I tried not to let the contact distract me.

“Fine,” Kit answered with a tight smile. “Other than losing our route book. Thankfully, another team let us take a picture of theirs so we haven’t missed any stops.”

“And what would you say is the most challenging part of the rally so far?”

“So far? Gas station food,” I said, knocking my shoulder into Kit.

Her lips slanted into a wry smile. “I was going to say Trent’s podcast selection.”

“I guess that means you’re getting along a little better than day one?”

“We got along fine on day one.” Kit rolled her eyes.

“You said we weren’t friends,” I said, my mind racing off to the night before, outside the bar, the taste of cherry on Kit’s lips.

“Alright, maybe we’re getting along slightly better than day one.” A splotch of red bloomed on her cheeks. “I’d say we’re friendly acquaintances now.”

“And we’ve been having a blast, working our way up the rankings,” I added.

“I think everyone is a little surprised by how well you’re doing. Think you’ll place in the top three?” Ashley asked.

“First.” I placed my palm on Kit’s waist. “Definitely first.”

She wriggled away. “We’re just happy to be racing. But if Trent is hellbent on winning, I’m sure he’ll find a way.”

“He’s generating quite a lot of chatter. We’ve gotten more traffic on our website this week alone than we have over the last five years.”

“How does your counterpart feel about that?” I asked, already reading the answer on her face.

“He’s warming up to the idea of having an NFL player on the rally.” She dropped her voice. “Or at least that’s what he’s told the rest of the racers. Now, back to the interview. What’s been your favorite stop so far?”

Kit glanced over at me, inclining her head. “The Land Time Forgot?”

“Absolutely,” I agreed.

“I remember that picture. Trent coming out of his shell. So adorable,” Ashley gushed, but my mind focused on holding Kit in the moonlight. The charged air between us and the way her frizzy brown hair grazed my face and the sound of her laughter.

“Kit likes the offbeat stops,” I said, shaking away the memory.

“So, you’re not a fan of the quick stops?” Ashley asked Kit.

She shook her head. “Nope. The world’s biggest peanut does nothing for me. I want an immersive roadside attraction.”

“Which is probably the reason you’re doing so well in the rally.” Ashley adjusted the phone on the tripod. “Even if there’s been some not-so-supportive press.”

I tamed my expression, not letting a frown cross my face. Sure, Ashley and Tom weren’t reporters. They also weren’t gossip columnists. They weren’t probing for a gotcha moment, but I still kept my guard up. “The press is part of my job. It’s wish they’d give me a break during the off-season, but obviously, I generate a lot of interest. I’m flattered, but not paying attention to any of it.”

“Even stories about?—”

Kit interjected. “None of it. We’re having a great time and we’re focused on winning. Whatever stories are being circulated on gossip columns really aren’t our concern.”

Her clipped tone put an end a quick end to Ashley’s line of questioning. Normally, my agent was the only one shutting down interview questions, but Kit did it with ease. Standing up for me when she didn’t have to.

Ashley raised an eyebrow, her eyes meeting mine. I held up a hand, holding back a smile. “I agree with my partner.”

“Why don’t we talk a bit about the car?” Ashley cleared her throat. “How’s it holding up? Kit, I heard you wanted to sell the Mercury Cougar at the end of the rally.”

---