One For The Road

17: Honor

Charlotte, North Carolina was the NASCAR capital of the world, and most teams set up their headquarters there. Of course, Truscott was a fucking idiot and claimed Baton Rouge as our home, but I wasn't a part of that shit show any longer. No matter how much I liked the culture of Louisiana, Charlotte had it beat in terms of racing.

People there knew about me. They knew that I was a badass woman who would do whatever it took to propel myself back into the spotlight. I did some of my best work under pressure, after all.

The tradition was that the final driver in the field, the fan pick, wasn't announced until right before the race, so I had a few days to kill before I finally got my chance. But that didn't stop me from joining in the interviews, the festivities, and the fun.

Four of the most popular drivers were slated to have a fan Q and A session, and even though I wasn't under contract, no one had forgotten about me. Of course, that group also included Griffin Gallagher, who inherited the title of Most Attractive Driver since I had left, Elizabeth Tonkin, also known as the replacement woman and new driver in town, and Tyler Bailey, my ex and career-ruiner. But I wasn't one to hold a grudge.

Up on a platform, there was a table set with four chairs and four name plates, and my spot was right in between Tyler and Griffin. I smiled. I could tolerate Tyler's shit as long as I had Griffin with me.

It was a Friday afternoon, and the sun shone over the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway track. Compared to Canada, it was hotter than me and Griffin combined, but that didn't stop the fans from packing into chairs just to listen to us talk.

Maybe I could seize the opportunity to do a little bit of damage control. I pissed some people off by being a bitch when I found out Elizabeth was taking my spot, plus too many people bought into the idea that I was an addict. I was addicted to one thing: destruction. A little chaos never killed nobody.

"Oh my god," someone said from behind me, and before I could turn around to say anything to him, he wrapped his arms around me and picked me up just off the ground.

I would have recognized those tatted arms anywhere. "I missed you so much, Griffin."

He let me go, and I turned around to see him. He looked the same as always (but maybe a little more tired than usual), but how much could change in just a few weeks?

Apparently, a fuck ton. A few weeks ago I didn't even know what the hell combat robotics was.

"So how's it been going with you?" I asked.

"It's different. I miss having you around to eat everything horrible that I buy. Elizabeth's too polite to steal it, and the temptation's beginning to get to me," Griffin said.

I smiled. Was he trying to pretend that he didn't buy that shit specifically for me? "You better not eat a single cookie, or you'll never achieve your dream of being in the Sports Illustrated Body Issue."

Griffin laughed. "That's why I need you, Kate. You do everything I'm not supposed to before I get the chance to do it."

"You'll probably never win another race again without me, if you use that logic."

"And even if that's the case, I'll still win before you."

I laughed. "Wow, that's harsh."

Same shit-talking, same Griffin. He just felt so familiar, and even though I was used to change smacking me in the face, the comfort was nice for once. There were no constants on the road, but he was as close to one as I'd ever get.

A tear stung my eye, and before either of us could acknowledge it, I brushed it away and changed the subject. "You know, this race is just going to be pure insanity. I've worked with Paul York and Chris Lancaster for years, but now they work with Elizabeth. And my pit crew is hers now, too. When I climb in that car, I'm not going to have anything that I used to know."