Page 59 of Racing Heat
“Because the woman in question here just happens to be my girlfriend’s best friend. There will be consequences when this goes south, and I’ll have to help clean up the mess along with Mac. I care about Cassie too, don’t get me wrong. I can’t let you do anything that might hurt her or her career. Because this could blow up in an epic way.”
I’m still not sure how much of my cards I want to put on the table. “I was dancing with her. I took her outside to get some air, and then we came back in and joined the rest of the group.”
“Jase.” He says my name in a scolding manner. “You’re leaving something out. And don’t give me that gentlemen-don’t-tell bullshit, because I don’t fucking care. What did you do with Cassie?”
“Danny, I like you. I want to make that known. But right now, I’m trying to figure out why you’re asking questions the way that you are. Are you doing this out of sheer concern for Cassie or for your own relationship? Because depending on which choice it is, your interest changes. My answer changes too.”
“It’s not that simple. You and I both know that. This is messier than Mac and me.”
“Which is why I think I would have been granted some leeway with you. And that this conversation would orshouldbe going differently.”
“So, something happened?”
I look out the window and try to decide how I want to answer him. He can’t have it all, that much I’ve decided. I have to protect her. Someone has to, and I want that person to be me, not him.
“You think you have it all figured out then, huh? You know exactly what took place from the moment you didn’t see us from the moment that you did? So why the phone call? Are you calling to help or to hinder?” He’s playing a game with me, so I play it right back.
“I thought this conversation would be simpler,” Danny admits.
“I thought so too, but you’re not presenting this like you’re on my side.”
“I am on your side, but this is messy.” His voice is strained, like there’s more he wants to say but he doesn’t. “What happened? Will you tell me that much?”
“I’m not going to give you details, Danny. It’s not happening. We’ve done something—you’ve pretty much figured that out. So, what do you need from me right now?” My temper is flaring a bit because this conversation got so much more complicated than I thought it would. If he was coming from a pure place ofprotection for her, it would have been different. But he’s also worried on how this impacts him and Mac. That, I’m not so happy about.
Danny sighs. “I don’t want to be this guy” is all he says.
“Then don’t. It’s that simple.”
“How can I not be?” he asks me. “I’m not asking for a blow by blow or anything. I just want to know what you’re doing here. Is she just someone you’re having fun with, or do you care about her? If I knew, maybe I could help you.”
I pull into the parking lot and pinch the bridge of my nose. Fuck, I’m here and I’m not sure if she’ll be getting out of the car and coming over to me or not. Before my game is not the time to tell her about my phone call with Danny. That will need a much longer conversation.
“I care for her. I’m not sure where her head is with me. I know that there’s the chance of this blowing up and one or both of us losing our jobs. I don’t want that for her. I can figure something out or go back to Manchester. She’ll be finished and that’s my concern.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear. So, you want something more than a quick and dirty fuck.”
I laugh at what he says, because that’s kind of what just happened between the two of us that night. “Yes.”
“Yes?” Danny asks with a laugh. “I’m not sure that that answers any question that I had.”
“Look man, you may or may not know this about me, but I’m a gentleman, and I refuse to kiss and tell. Call it being so much older than her. Call it all that’s at stake here. But I refuse to be the one who brings her down with gossip or spills all the intimate parts of our encounters. Especially when I really haven’t had a chance to talk much with her since it happened.”
“I get it. And I respect it. You’re kind of old school, and I like that,” Danny says with a laugh. I laugh at his calling my respectfor her old-school, but I don’t say another word, because he’s talking again. “Where is she now?”
“Here to watch me play pickup.”
“Have fun, you two, and let me know if you need anything. Like a place to lie low or if you two want to come hang with Mac and me in the open. You can, you know. Whatever you need,” he offers.
“Appreciate it, man. But let me talk more with her. We might be getting ahead of ourselves here.”
“Alright. Well, let me know what you need or how I can help.” Danny sounds sincere in his words.
I look in my rearview to see it looks like she’s behind me, on her phone maybe. It’s hard to tell. “Does Mac know that you think something is going on with Cassie and me?”
“Ha, I don’t think—I know. And I believe you just confirmed it. But no, she has no idea. She was pretty wasted last night. While you two snuck out to do whatever you were doing, we all had another round.”
“Ah, well, that’s good because I’m pretty sure she’d cut my balls off if she suspected anything differently.” I’m half kidding, but part of me thinks that shewouldcastrate me if I did anything to hurt her friend.
