Page 21 of Truck You

* * *

Win or lose,I always enjoy the afterparties we hold at the Meadow. What’s not to love about an open field, fresh air, a bonfire to beat all bonfires, Bacardi 151, loud music, all my favorite people—and a few I don’t like—an endless supply of beer, and mud running through the logging trails?

Sometimes we even get a local band to come out and play. Those are my favorite nights. Nothing soothes my troubled thoughts better than good country music.

Unfortunately, tonight I have to do with the sound system and my favorite playlist. It gets the job done, but I prefer live bands.

We arrived about an hour ago, and I’ve been keeping to myself. Chase keeps eyeing me like he wants to talk, but so far, he hasn’t said anything. I’m pretty sure he’s the only one that knows I’m struggling to get my head back in the race.

The rest of my brothers are leaving me alone—for now—because they think I’m sulking in my loss. I’m not sulking—much. At least not about the loss. I’ve lost countless races over the years. And if I keep racing, I’ll lose a lot more.

I’m pissed at myself. I just don’t know how to get out of my head.

I’m also pissed at Sophia. Way more than I probably should be. I’m not mad she won the race. Good for her. She drove like a pro. It’s the secrets that are bothering me. I feel like she lied to me, and nothing gets under my skin more than a woman who lies.

Thanks to my worthless piece-of-shit mother, I have trust issues where women are concerned. It doesn’t help that every example of a woman my dad brought home was also untrustworthy. He’s picked some real doozies over the years.

So the fact that Sophia didn’t tell me the real reason she’s in town rubs me the wrong way. She had to know I’d find out. Hell, there’s no way she didn’t know I was in the race today.

Since she knew exactly who I was, she deliberately didn’t tell me.

Headlights crest the treeline, and I don’t need to see the truck to know who it is. Only one person in this town has blinding spotlights on the roof of his truck. Tanner Fucking Koch.

I don’t like any of the Koch brothers, and not just because of the feud they insist on maintaining, but because they’re all assholes. But Tanner is the worst.

He’s flashy and cocky and has zero respect for anyone outside his family.

He pulls up next to Linden’s truck. Linden’s the oldest of the Koch brothers. He’s the same age as Liam, and by far the quietest, but also the meanest son-of-a-bitch I’ve ever met. Rumor has it he doesn’t like anyone, not even his own family.

Aaron Koch is a necessary evil we all have to deal with sometimes. He’s the only doctor in a twenty-mile radius. Sometimes we have no choice but to see him in emergencies.

The youngest Koch brother, Jason, doesn’t cause much trouble for us. He went to school with Ash, and Ash says he doesn’t care about the feud. As far as I can tell, that’s true. Jason never takes part in his brothers’ antics. Overall, he seems apathetic to all of us.

As does their only sister, Amelia. She’s always been friendly when we see her around town. She’s one of those people that likes everyone no matter their flaws and seems to be liked by everyone as well.

Tanner hops out of his truck and zeros in on me immediately. The grin on his face screams he’s ready to cause trouble. Normally, I’d be ready to give it right back to him, but tonight, I want to be left alone.

“Heard you lost to a girl.” Tanner calls over the low rumble of voices. He’s loud enough that everyone heard him, and all conversation immediately stops.

“Are you suggesting women can’t race as well as men?” I retort.

His smile fades slightly. “Not at all. Just pointing out that you lost to one.”

I take a long pull from my beer before I narrow my gaze at him. “I’ve lost plenty of races to plenty of talented drivers. Today is no different. I don’t see why it matters if the driver has a dick or not.”

Tanner puffs his chest out and steps toward me. I feel the presence of every one of my brothers behind me. Even Garret is here tonight.

“Are you suggesting that I don’t think women can race cars?” he asks.

I mimic his stance. “You said it, not me.”

Tanner eliminates the remaining space between us until his face is in mine. I fight back a smirk because he has to lift his chin high to do it since I’m a good four inches taller than him. “I don’t like what—”

“Tanner. Enough.” Amelia grabs his arm and tugs him back a few feet. “Stop trying to start shit. Leave ‘em alone.”

Tanner glares at his sister, then pulls his arm from her grip. “Stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, Lia.”

Christian steps up next to me and flicks his cigarette at Tanner. It hits his pant legs before it falls to the ground. Tanner lets out a low growl but says nothing. Probably because of the death glare Christian is giving him.

---