Love in the Fast Lane

Chapter One

Prologue

The sound of engines revving is deafening. I can hear them, coming closer and closer. Suddenly the smell of gasoline and burning rubber overtakes me, second by second. My heart beats faster and faster, filling my ears. I open my eyes, and it’s all gone in a flash.

ONE

I have been working here at my family’s race shop, Riley Motorsports ever since I can remember. This place is my second home. I am the spotter for my older brother, Kevin, and it’s been that way ever since the team became full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2005. We have been the most successful single-car team in the business; never finishing lower than fifteenth in the points standings and succeeding at least three wins per season. This team is my commitment.

When I’m not spotting for my brother, or working on cars at the shop, I am in the motor coach on my laptop, video chatting with my best friend back in Virginia, Krystina.

“Hey Brooke! How was the track today?” was the message I found today as I came in from a long, frigid February day of rain.

“We may have gotten two laps in today,” I was explaining to her as I got my mid-afternoon snack of my favorite chocolate chip cookies and a blanket before cuddling up on the couch, “You wouldn’t believe this crazy weather here in Florida! They all say it’s sunny year round, have they ever been here?”

“Oh, that’s rough,” she replies, looking down at what appeared to be homework, “How much beach time have you gotten since you’ve been down there?”

Sighing, I replied, “Exactly none. It’s too rainy. Plus, Dad and Kevin have got me working nonstop preparing for the season opener. And all this rain is completely screwing with us!”

“Are you serious? You’ve been down there two and a half weeks and you haven’t gotten to the beach! Your dad does know you’re a girl right?” Krys asked as I peeked through the curtain to see that the sun had come back out and I’d be dead if I Dad found me without a wrench or an air gun in my hand.

“Krys, I’d rather be here at the track. I’m not a beach person. I have to go, the sun’s back out and Dad will kill me if I’m not down there for at least some of practice. Talk to you tonight.”

I shut my laptop and sat it on the table. I suddenly heard engines revving and knew I’d be dead if I didn’t hurry down to the garage.

“Brooke, where have you been?”

Those were the first words out of my father’s mouth when I made my way into our empty garage stall.

“Yeah, we’ve been down here working, even though it’s raining and you’re up goofing off in the motor coach,” joked Alec Gordon, Kevin’s tire changer, best friend since high school, and nephew of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jeff Gordon. I had always had a little crush on him, since the first time Kev had brought him to the house after school one day to help him with his first Late Model car.

Dad shot Alec a look.

“Kevin is sitting in tech inspection at the moment. You better get up on top of the stand,” Dad said as he grabbed his headset from the side of the toolbox and placed it on his head as he made his way up to the top of the hauler. I picked up my own headset, fixed my frequency, and headed the opposite direction up to the spotters’ stand.

Walking out of the garage, I heard someone jog up behind me.

“Hey,” Alec said, making me jump, “Sorry for getting you yelled at, I was just kidding with you.”