Wildest Dreams

Chapter 10

Jocelyn woke up fairly early, even falling back asleep after Ty had left even earlier. She hated that she had snuck him in while everyone else went to bed, like she used to do with her high school boyfriend. She pulled herself out of bed and headed downstairs for coffee. Jocelyn found Evan already up and drinking a cup when she walked into her kitchen.
"Morning, Evan."
"Morning." They stood there in silence for several minutes before Evan spoke again. "Can you tell me why I found Ty Gibbs leaving your bedroom at 4 am?" Jocelyn's cup of coffee stopped half way to her lips.
"Shit."
"What are you doing, Jocelyn? Six months ago you were getting ready to marry Ben and then all of a sudden, you're here, not married to Ben, and sleeping with some 20-year-old."
"It's none of your business, Evan."
"You used to tell me everything.  What happened? Ben called me after you called off the wedding."
"Why did he call you?"
"Because you didn't call me. He told me you went on some rambling tangent and just chucked your engagement ring at his head and left." Jocelyn sighed. "What happened because I never thought in a million years you would be sleeping with some 20-year-old at your age."
"How would you feel if your life with Julia was a complete lie?"
"Joce..."
"He cheated, Evan. He had been cheating for years."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want you to think I was stupid enough to not see the signs."
"I would never."
"I knew. For years that this was going on. It started after my dramatic miscarriage." Evan had no idea. "I was fine with it. Figured he didn't want to touch me after all of that, especially learning I couldn't get pregnant again. I'm just surprised he proposed."
"Jocelyn, I had no idea."
"It's much worse. So much worse." Jocelyn broke down and told him all about Rebecca. Before then, she had never uttered a word about her. "You're the first person I've told anything about her."
"Marisa doesn't even know?"
"If Marisa knew, she'd be serving two life sentences back to back right now."
"That is true. You've always been the reasonable one." Jocelyn laughed, wiping a stray tear off her cheek. "I just wish you would have told me all of this."
"If I did, you'd also be serving a life sentence." Evan nodded his head in agreement.
"So is Ty some rebound?"
"I don't think so."
"You actually have feelings for the kid, don't you?"
"I do. It kind of hit me out of nowhere to be honest."
"I should have known something was going on between you two with the way you were acting at the race shop yesterday. Walking into the meeting yesterday together, both looking very guilty of something."
"Was it that obvious?" Evan raised an eyebrow. "Nobody else knows. Just you and Marisa." He didn't need to know that Christopher knew as well.
"You told Marisa about this?"
"Like I had a choice. She all but beat it out of me. Ty and I want to keep this private. About as private as we can."
"Considering the circumstances."
"Yes."
"Is he going with you to Marisa's wedding in Nashville in two weeks?"
"Yes. I know what you're going to say. None of them watch NASCAR, so none of them know who he is. And Marisa already told them no photos of him on social media. Nothing to raise suspicions."
"You've thought of everything."
"She definitely did."
"How are you going to get him into the bars because I know you're bar hopping Thursday night."
"Well..."
"It's just like high school with you two. I don't know how you two got fake IDs and kept them from dad."
"Very carefully." Just then, Mercer and Sutton came bounding down the stairs. "Good morning, you two! How did you sleep?" Besides listening to both dad and Sut snoring, pretty good." Mercer said, getting a laugh from Jocelyn and Evan, while Sutton rolled his eyes at her. "What's for breakfast?"
"I figured I'd take you guys out for breakfast. I have zero breakfast food in my house. Go get dressed and we'll be out of here in 10." The kids went back upstairs.
"You want to invite Ty?"
"To have breakfast with Mercer, the biggest JGR fan I know?"
"Just thought I'd ask." The pair went upstairs to get dressed. While she was finishing getting ready,  Jocelyn got a call. From Ty.
"You got caught this morning." She said without greeting him.
"What now?" Jocelyn laughed.
"Evan saw you leaving my room at 4 am."
"Oh crap."
"It's fine. Really. It just sparked a conversation I should have had with him ages ago. What are your plans for today?"
"I've got a couple of appearances, a workout session with Sammy and John Hunter. What are you guys up to?"
"Breakfast first, after that, I'm not sure. Evan asked if I wanted to invite you, but I'm not quite ready for Mercer and Sutton to know."
"I get it. Mercer has to be the biggest fan of the team I have ever met." Jocelyn laughed. "When can I see you before the race Sunday?"
"We'll be at the track pretty much all day tomorrow and Saturday with your team. For both races."
"I forgot about that. So, there isn't any way I can get alone time with you until they head home?"
"Probably not. I have to get going. I have some hungry kids to feed. I'll see you tomorrow at the track."
***
Ty saw the four of them standing over by 19 Xfinity hauler with his Xfinity crew chief, Jason Ratcliff and his PR rep. This was the first glimpse of her since the morning before when she was still half asleep as he left her house. Jocelyn decided to go casual at the track with a pair of jeans and a generic Joe Gibbs Racing t-shirt. Her hair was up in a top knot with a headband tied around her head. The sun was shining, so naturally she had sunglasses over her eyes. He took a breath before heading over to the group.
"Here comes the driver now." Jason said as he got closer. "Obviously you've already met Ty the other day at the race shop."
"So glad you guys could make it! Having fun yet?" Ty asked, settling himself right next to Jocelyn.
"Of course! I've gotten so many pictures with so many drivers already today! I met Harrison Burton today. I'm going to die a happy girl."
"Miss Mercer here has a crush on Harrison." Jocelyn said.
"Oh my God, no I don't!" Mercer argued, her face turning scarlet.
"Crushing on drivers run in the family?" Ty asked in a hush tone, only Jocelyn could hear him. She narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing. "Is Jason about to show you inside the hauler?"
"We already did that. I'm about to show them the pit box." Ty's PR spoke up. "Care to join us?"
"Practice is going to start soon, so I should prep for that." As everyone headed towards the pit box, Ty grabbed Jocelyn's arm and led her inside.
"Ty!"
"Relax, nobody is going to see us." Ty pulled the door closed behind him and locked it. He pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Hi."
"Hi." Jocelyn said with a laugh. "What are we doing?"
"I wanted alone time with you before I don't see you for the rest of the day. And I figured you'd want to help me change into my suit." He said with a wink.
"Where did all of this confidence come from?"
"You." Jocelyn pulled away from Ty, hopping up on the counter.
"How am I the reason behind the newly found confidence?" Jocelyn asked as she watched Ty strip down to his underwear.
"I was an actual fumbling idiot when you walked in that door at JGR." He said, pulling his compression shirt over his head.
"True."
"You didn't have to agree with me." Jocelyn laughed. "I was able to get you being that fumbling idiot, didn't I?"
"True, again." Ty stepped into the legs of his firesuit.
"So, if I was able to get the hottest woman I have ever seen..."
"I'm not the hottest woman you've ever seen." Jocelyn argues.
"To me, you are." Ty pulled his suit up to his hips before sitting down to put his racing shoes on. "I get to be myself with you. If me being able to be comfortable around you me being confident, I'll take it." Jocelyn hopped from the counter as Ty stood up. She helped him put his arms into the sleeves of his suit.
"I'm glad you're yourself with me. I wouldn't want you any other way."
"Good." Ty let her zip his firesuit before pressing her lips to his. When she went to pull away, Ty pulled her back.
"We really should get out of here before Jason comes looking for you." She said against his lips. Ty let out a groan.
"Fine." He gave her one last kiss before they both left the hauler. "I'll see you later."