Page 168 of Trading Paint

No women in their right mind could stand me. Look at the women in my life now. Emma called me an asshole daily, Alley thought I needed anger management and my mom, well she thought I was perfect but she didn’t count.

So who could stand me? I could hardly stand myself sometimes.

But,we had the sexual attraction so if we had that, maybe someday she would want more. Maybe someday there could be a place for us. What’s the harm in starting with physical love first?

I called her before practice began to let her know I made it to Talladega. She seemed down and to be fair, I sounded the same with the goblin running rampant in my gut.

I could hear commotion in the background and wondered who was with her, hopeful it was not Blake.

“Who’s there?”

“Tommy.” She sighed frustrated. “He’s eating all my food.”

We got on the topic of some of my recent interviews when she called bullshit on me. I denied the fact that I nicknamed “Rowdy Riley” now.

“It’s on Wikipedia Jameson.” She said with absolute solemnity, “therefore it’s valid.”

I rolled my eyes, not ever wanting to open the whole, “truth about Wikipedia” discussion again. “Don’t believe everything you read Sway.”

“So they don’t call youRowdyRiley at the track?”

“No they do. I just don’t want you believing everything they write about me. Not all of it’s true.” I wanted her to understand how the media had the ability to pad the truth with their own beliefs.

After meeting with Melissa to go over a few sponsor obligations for the weekend, I was able to relax for a few hours. Bobby stopped by my motor coach and we chatted for a few minutes before he left for dinner with his girlfriend.

After that I decided to take a shower. Being back in the southeast and humidity, I smelled.

Once inside the small bathroom, I leaned against the shower wall. The aches and stresses of the day clustered in my shoulders, my tight muscles relaxing as the hot jets of water pounded against my back. I stared as the water flowed off my shoulders and down the silver drain. The black granite glistened.

My thoughts went back to Sway and how much I missed her. Every time I saw her, she lifted the weight the world was putting upon me and she made spring adjustments at just the right times.

The shell I put around myself cracked every time I saw her, breaking away piece by piece. Images of her lying under me on her floor flooded my brain as my breathing accelerated; she was so captivatingly beautiful. I meant it when I told her I’d pay money to see her come apart. It had been a fantasy of mine for as long as I could remember.

I had an interview in less than an hour so when my groin began stirring I turned the water off. I didn’t have time for that right now, even though I wanted to. It’d been at least a week since I had any attention down there and though I needed the relief, I didn’t have time.

The interview was held in the infield media center with one of the track promoters. The same series of questions usually flowed but tonight, he asked one that caught me off guard.

“If you could pick one person who has influenced your career both emotionally and for opportunity, who would it be?”

I hesitated for a moment running my hand through my hair. Looking at Emma and Alley standing alongside reporters, I felt one person missing. Sway.

I couldn’t say it’s one person because it wasn’t just one person. It can’t be in a sport like this.

“I can’t say just one person has helped me.” I told him. “My dad has given me so much emotional and financial support. My mom believes I can donothingwrong.” I chuckled lightly when a few women in the audience cheered. “My brother is there each week helping on the car—he’s the jack man for our team. My sister runs my fan club because heaven knows I wouldn’t be able to. My sister in-law keeps me out of trouble and then I have my best friend, Sway, who without her, you wouldn’t want to know me. We’ve been friends since I was eleven. She keeps me in line.”

“Fame hasn’t lost that?”

“No.Never.She’s what keeps me grounded. If there is ever a time when she thinks I need a reality check, she lets me know.” I said with a laugh.

“Would you say they are a big part of your operation?”

“Yes.Very much so.Ever since I started racing, family has always been there.”

I could feel the interview getting more and more personal and my theory was confirmed when he asked his next question.

“Now I hear you’re single?”

Shifting uncomfortably, I heard the women screaming from behind me, eager for my response.

---