Page 6 of Purr For Me
When his mirth had subsided sufficiently, Sully said, “I appreciate the offer, but no. You’re gorgeous, honey, but just not my type.”
Lexie’s shoulders slumped as she feigned disappointment. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for getting drunk then.”
Casting his eye over the crowd gathered around the pool, Sully grunted. “I’m sure all these other guys would line up for a crack at you.”
Gazing around Sully’s guests of race car drivers, mechanics and car enthusiasts, Lexie admitted that there was a lot of male eye candy present, and they might have some info about Jason. “What a great idea.”
“Okay, but don’t get totally blitzed,” Sully warned. “Don’t need you having a hangover tomorrow.”
Lexie barely registered his statement as she watched a couple who were all over each other on the far side of Sully’s yard. Their tight embrace and passionate kissing brought tears to Lexie’s eyes, as memories of how she and Jason had acted like that when they’d first gotten together flashed through her mind. She’d thought they’d been so in love, and Lexie still didn’t understand what had happened between them.
Liar.Cocaine. Boozing. Jason was addicted to both. Why hadn’t she read the signs? Perhaps she’d been too young when it had happened to her mum. Or was she simply repeating her mother’s mistakes? Men with problems. They drew her mother like a bee to flowers. Plus, Tom had tried to warn her, but she didn’t want to listen.
Averting her eyes, Lexie finished her beer. “Thanks for the drink and company, Sully. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Anytime, Lex. If you want some advice, speak to Pace Masters. He’s a good guy.”
Glancing back at the couple, Lexie said, “Yeah, I could do with some nice guy right now.”
“You won’t get an argument from me.”
She rose and made her way over to where the “boys” were standing by the grill. Most of them she knew from her time working on the European race circuit.
“Hi, Lexie. Long time no see.”
She smiled at Pace and nodded. “Hello, boys. Behaving, I hope.”
There was a general chuckle. “Not usually,” Dave Chester added.
“I heard you’re working at Bad Boy Autos. If you ever feel like coming back to the circuit, I’ll always have a job for you.”
“Thanks, Pace, that’s so nice, but my days working with racers are over.”
“Yeah, I heard about you and Jason. What a jerk.”
The boys all agreed with Simon Walker’s words, and she tried to keep a smile on her face.
“You’re better off without him. Way too good for the likes of Jason Colter.”
She hoped she didn’t have to listen to this all night. Just ask the questions and get it over with. She didn’t know how long she could hold it together. “Yip. I really can pick them, can’t I? Now the bastard’s disappeared and I’m trying to find him. Divorce papers, you know.”
Pace frowned. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him around for a while. Have you guys seen him?”
Most of the men shook their heads, except Simon. “I saw him a while back. Said he was heading to the NASCAR Cup in Michigan.”
Every muscle in her body went ridged as she fought to keep from showing how important this information was. She could pass this on to a friend working at NASCAR. Perhaps Jason was following the circuit. She swallowed down the excitement because Jason could have lied to Simon.
Since NASCAR was mentioned, the conversation soon turned to racing, and she was about to slip away when Pace reached out and took her hand. “It’s nice to see you, Lex. You look really good. I know you’re probably not looking for anything serious but if you’d like to have dinner with me one night, it would be my pleasure.”
“I’d like that.” And as she gazed into Pace’s handsome face, she meant it. She’d walked out on Jason nine months ago but their marriage had been over about a year before that. It was time to move on. That’s why she wanted her divorce. She held out her phone to share numbers. “Call me.”
“You can count on it.”
Striding away from him, Lexie barely recognized the hum inside as happiness.
She almost skipped up the driveway to where her tricked-out Jeep Eagle was parked. Driving away from her friend’s large place back to her studio apartment hovel, Lexie, for the first time in a while, had something to look forward to.
She pressed dial on her hands-free phone. “Kevin, I’ve got a lead. I learned Jason said he was going to the NASCAR Cup in Michigan.”
