Page 3 of Throttle

Haisley

Monday

Elle pulls into Wadsworth racing, and I can’t help but stare at the building in front of me. My dreams are coming true. There’s a sense of excitement in my veins, as the butterflies in my stomach resurface. “You alright?” Elle asks as she turns off the car.

I nod. “I think so. This is just so real. I mean, we’re here right now at Wadsworth Racing about to meet the owner and my new racing team.” I turn to her and smile. “We’ve been working so long for this.”

“No, Haisley. You’ve been working so long for this. You’ve worked to distinguish yourself away from the legacy of your father, and you put in the long hours, the dedication. That was all you.”

I shake my head and smile. “But you’ve been my tag team partner the entire time, managing my social media, being my manager of sorts. I really couldn’t have done it without you, El,” I offer back, pulling her to me for a gigantic hug.

“Ready?” she asks.

“As I’ll ever be,” I respond stepping from the car. It’s about ten in the morning, and we would be meeting with Hunter Wadsworth at 10:15. From signing the official contract to touring the shop and meeting the car’s team, today is set to be an amazing day.

“How are you feeling after the other night?” Elle asks as we step through the main entrance and walk towards the reception desk.

“I’m good, but damn that guy was a walking asshole, no?”

Elle laughs. “Overly protective, but there was something hot about it as well.”

“Don’t even go there. We’ll never see him again,” I shoot back as the receptionist acknowledges us.

“Hello. How may I help you?”

I offer her a smile. “Haisley and Elle Meyers here to see Mr. Wadsworth?”

“Please have a seat and I will let him know that you’ve arrived.” I nod and look around to find the seating area behind us, but that’s not what interests me. The lobby is filled with models of the stock cars and INDY cars that Wadsworth Racing has raced and holds the charters to. I meander through a few of them, running my hands over the length of the window openings. Elle is behind me typing away on her phone. She’s a year older than me, but she already has her own public relations company and, of course, is my acting manager.

Elle and I are cousins, both raised by our grandmother, my mother’s mother. Elle’s parents died when she was young, and my mother decided she didn’t want to be a mother after my father refused to marry her, or support her or me. Every once in a while growing up, I’d receive a card from him, but not often. My grandmother was incredibly involved in raising us two girls—and let me tell you that she had her hands full.

I hear the clicking of dress shoes on the laminate and turn to see Hunter Wadsworth walking towards us. “Haisley. Elle. So good to see you both.”

“You as well, Mr. Wadsworth,” I say accepting his hug.

“Please call me Hunter. Mr. Wadsworth sounds so damn formal.”

I chuckle. “Very well, Hunter. We are both pleased to be here today. Thank you for having us.”

“It’s our pleasure. We’re excited to have you on our team. I feel as if we are going to do great things this year. Your accomplishments in midgets and late models is exceptional. And it doesn’t hurt to have the daughter of a stock car hall of famer in the ranks either. Please follow me,” he replies as I shoot a glance over to Elle. She nods and offers a half smile. She knows I don’t want any mention of my father.

“Well, I wish I could say I learned everything I know from him, but unfortunately I can’t,” I quip back as we follow him up a flight of stairs to the upper floor.

“But I’m sure there’s an innate talent in your blood, Ms. Meyers,” he answers, holding open the door to the conference room. “Please have a seat.”

Elle and I sit to his right, and his assistant brings us both a coffee. “Hunter, I’d like to negotiate a slight change to the contract,” Elle dives headfirst into conversation.

“What’s that?”

Elle slides a presentation over to him. “Let’s re-negotiate the bonuses for Haisley finishing in the top five. I propose an additional quarter million for each top five finish.”

Hunter chuckles. “You have faith in her, don’t you?”

Elle nods as I chew on my fingernails nervously.

“Well, I don’t see a problem with that. Honestly, first year drivers in the INDY series are going to be lucky to break top twenty. So, if she breaks top five, I’ll give the additional bonuses,” he replies and signs the agreement.

“Very well, and you obviously don’t know our Haisley very well, Hunter. But you will. I’m guessing at least three or four top fives,” Elle challenges as I nudge her under the table. She lets out a low laugh, and I shake my head.

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