Page 128 of Boost

Where Arlo would have made a song and dance about it, Tremayne nodded while he processed. I knew that closed expression; it was one where dreams dangled just beyond reach, and the suggestion that they would get a little closer was too good to be true.

“What’s it gonna be?” I taunted, with my arms thrown wide.

He met my eyes and thrust his hand between us. “They say that Supra’s fast. Gotta see it for myself, man.”

Epilogue—Part B

Raf

Idling at the start line with nitro pulsing through my veins, I glanced into the late model Civic next to me. I wasn’t met by a smug-ass grin like when I faced off against Arlo. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Tremayne’s hands wrung the steering wheel and his lips moved silently, as if chanting affirmation after affirmation. When I caught his eye, I recognized what he hid from the outside world; the struggles in his life, the being here out of need instead of simply indulging in the pure joy of racing, the necessity to take a chance to earn quick money.

I saw my eighteen-year-old self reflected in his eyes, and it pulled in my chest to know I was the one who held his cards in my hand. One flick could tear a promising future out from beneath him.

Fuck, I really had gone soft.

The flag girl took center stage in front of the seven-car line-up and forced my attention to return to the race. It surprised me to realize that my heart was less set on winning tonight and more focused on seeing what skills Tremayne had behind the wheel. And those foreign thoughts hadeverythingto do with my entire world waiting for me at the finish line. Mamacita.

Yeah, I reallyhadgone soft.

When the flag girl waved her top, then whipped it to the ground, I accelerated hard and punched through the gears each time my Supra hit the red line. I assumed this race would be a walk through, but as soon as Tremayne cut past on a tight right-hand turn, I knew the kid possessed something special.

Being pipped on the inside was the kick up the ass I needed. I dropped a gear, immediately demanding more performance from my car. The rest of the pack pin-balled behind me, dodging in and out of each other as Tremayne and I broke away.

Tit for tat. To and fro. Every goddamn corner we came to had the other taking the lead, and he was giving me exactly what I wanted him to—a decent fucking challenge.

This wasn’t a kid here with only his over-inflated ego. Fuck no. This was a kid driving for his future, and he was proving his point loud and crystal clear.

The home straight stretched out ahead of us and we screamed neck-and-neck down the deserted street. The roar of the high-torque engine working its ass off under the hood spoke to me on every level. It gave my soul life, and I would miss the fuck out of it when it was all over.

I gritted my teeth, knowing my finger would instinctively feel for the NOS button on the steering wheel. I expected Tremayne to hit his any second, but much to my surprise he held off much longer than any rookie would.

The kid had smarts.

I waited until the last possible second and then one more before flicking off the cover and slamming my thumb down on the NOS button,split secondsafter Tremayne did the same.

The finish line passed in a blur, and I chocked down a couple of gears before cruising in a wide arc, circling back toward the partying crowd.

My heart pounded so hard it left me breathless. This was the first time in over a decade I legit didn’t know if I’d crossed the line in first or second. As soon as I stood from my car, Greer was in my arms and squeezing the ever-loving-fuck out of me.

“Who won?” I gasped.

“It doesn’t matter, because either way I really want to get you home, if you know what I mean.”

Sex aside, she had no idea how much it mattered. It was really fucking important.

Shady Sam and Tremayne pushed through the bodies surround us, both of their eyes wide and wild.

“Who?” I demanded, barely able to speak around how dry my throat had become.

“Brother, don’t shoot the messenger, man, but fucking kid-driver pipped you, Raf. Barely three-split in it.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. I couldn’t have it both ways; Iknewthat before we started.

“You wanna check the photo, brother?” Shades asked.

“Nah, man, I trust you.”

---