Page 21 of Rider Forbidden
“No, not at all . . . you’ve met my dad, right?” I laugh “When they found out I was pregnant, my mum was upset but my dad . . . he went berserk and he said some mean things - like I went and got pregnant on purpose - I was twenty for god's sake. They had a problem with the way it happened - I wasn’t serious with Bobby, I’d only been out with him a few times, and they were disappointed in me, I guess. I had nearly finished Uni, I just had one more year of work experience and study to go then I’d be able to teach - but I dropped out of Uni, not a decision I took lightly, and I decided to move away, bring up Elijah on my own. I knew if I stayed home that mum, dad and I would fall out - that they would try and control how I raised the baby. I mean, yes he was unplanned, but as soon as I found out I was pregnant I loved him, and he was mine. It's weird the strength you can find when you’re a parent, I found a strength in me I didn’t know I had, but I knew what was best for Elijah.”
“So you moved away on your own, without your dad's money, to start a life somewhere where you knew nobody?”
I nod “Sounds crazy when you put it like that. I did have a trust fund, but apparently, I have a stubborn streak, I refused to dip into it unless it was something I needed for Elijah. But I got a job, found good childcare and made it on my own.”
“God, I couldn’t have got it more wrong, could I?”
I look at him confused. “What do you mean?”
“Before I met you - rich bitch, stuck up, privileged. I am learning my lesson tonight to not judge a book by its cover.”
I give him a small smile. “See, I’m helping you grow as a person.”
He gives a short smile. “Maybe you are, or maybe I’m beyond that now.” He looks at me for a while and says quietly “I’m sorry.”
I nod “It’s OK, we're starting afresh remember?”
“Yeah I know, but truth is I’m surrounded by money all the time, with the job I do, people throwing it around as though its nothing, while mum and dad struggle, you know? That’s why I do this, I want to be successful for them. Don't get me wrong I fucking love racing, but I want to make their lives better just like they made ours - but that made me judge you because you have money, I presumed you’d be the same.”
“From what I hear of your racing you're very good, I think they’d be proud of you whatever.”
“Bet you didn’t think you’d be saying those words to me last week, did you?”
I laugh “Definitely not, I said a lot of nasty things about you in my head last week.”
“Hmmm . . . thinking about me a lot, were you?”
“Not like that.” I feel myself blushing.
“So you’ve not imagined what I look like naked?”
Shit, I’vetotallyimagined what he looked like naked . . . many times.
We have a fun flight, the drinks flow, and we get on great now that apologies were out of the way. I get merrier and merrier as the flight goes on. There is flirting between us and looks between us are getting longer.
We arrive at the hotel, the evening is balmy, its ten pm now - the hotel looks nice, we go into reception to check-in, I'm sharing with Sophie and she text me to tell me they were all at the bar, so we make our way out there, even with our suitcases. I don't want to go to our room without Sophie, as she’ll already be settled in.
“Hooray!” Cheers break out around us as we enter the bar area. Obviously, these guys have had as much to drink as me. It's great to see them.
I hurry over as fast as my wheeled suitcase will let me. “Hey everyone.”
Sophie gets up and throws her arms around me, “Hey, so glad you're here, come on I’ll get you a drink, you have some catching up to do.”
I feel Jack come up behind me. “Oh, she’s had plenty, don't you worry about that.” He smirks
I turn my head to look up at him, jeez he’s tall. “Shut up, it's your fault, you were trying to get me drunk with that flask of yours.” I smack him on the shoulder.
“I was just trying to loosen you up.”
“You wish I was loose,” I smirk
I hear titters around me.
“Do I Danish?”
Denny pipes up “Dude, why do you call her Danish?”
Before Jack gets the chance to answer I say, “Because he wants to eat me.”
