Page 61 of Truck You

Warren chuckles. “It’s a party, numbnuts. Go celebrate your win.”

I glance around and my eyes narrow in on Liam’s truck. A small smile spreads across my face. “You knew about this?”

“I might have spoken to Liam before I called you.” I can hear the humor in his words. “He’s proud of you. Let him do this for you.”

“Liamis responsible for the party?” I ask as I pull my truck up next to my cabin and throw it into park.

“The others helped, but it was Liam’s idea. They’ve been planning it for weeks.”

I shake my head and stare at the group of people huddled around the bonfire. Liam can be hard on me and act like he’s my dad, but he’s also the one that cheers me on the most.

“But what if I lost?”

“But you didn’t. Now go enjoy yourself and be nice to your girl. I hear she’s great.”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me. “Oh, and I supposed you talked to Liam about her too?”

“You know I did. Why do you think I called him first? I needed the scoop.”

“Bye, asshole,” I say with every intention of it being an insult, but I can’t stop smiling.

He must hear the lack of conviction in my words because he laughs. “Talk to you soon.”

We hang up and I stare at my phone for a moment before I get out. I hope what he said about moving back home is true because I miss my older brother. He’s the only one that’s not here, and it doesn’t feel right with him being gone.

I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and look to the side. Liam and Christian are approaching. As soon as I hop out of my truck, Liam pulls me into a hug.

“You did it, bro. I knew you’d win.”

“Thanks.” I pat his back before he releases me. “What are you doing here?”

I glance over Liam’s shoulder and wave at Christian. I’d hug him too, but he’s not much of a hugger.

“You didn’t think we’d miss this, did you? We drove up early this morning so we could watch the race.”

My smile grows so wide it hurts. “You guys were here?”

“Of course.” Liam squeezes my shoulder and nods toward my cabin. “Now go clean up. You smell like shit.”

I shove him off me and walk backward toward the cabin. “You would too if you spent your day sitting in an oven on wheels.”

I rush inside, smiling at Sophia’s clothes tossed on the twin-sized bed. Grabbing a clean change of clothing, I quickly shower and rush back outside to join the party.

The bonfire is blazing. There are burgers, hot dogs, chips, and several kegs. I make myself a plate and grab a beer. Each of my brothers comes up to me and congratulates me again. As much as I love my family, they’re the last people on my mind.

There’s only one person I want to see right now. And she’s standing on the other side of the bonfire with her cup raised to me and a smile on her face. The blazing fire lights up her hair, making it even more red than it already is. She’s stunning.

A little more of the hard shell I’ve built around my heart cracks. Suddenly, all I can think about is her naked and sprawled out on that tiny bed for me to play with.

Fuck celebrating. Who needs to celebrate with family when there’s a beautiful woman with her eyes on me?

* * *

Sophia avoidsme the entire evening. I drink beers with my brothers, shoot the shit with a few racing buddies that stopped by for a while, and stare at Sophia, wishing she were by my side.

But every time I get close to her, she moves before I reach her. It’s like we’re playing a game of cat and mouse, only I don’t want to play.

It’s driving me fucking mad.

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