I couldn’t help but see the sadness in his eyes as I looked up at him. “You’re not dating anyone?”
Malcolm laughed. “No.”
I was momentarily taken aback. Malcolm was a very good looking guy, and for him to still be single was surprising to me. “Why not? I find it hard to believe you don’t have women lining up at your doorstep.”
Malcolm’s smile faded for a quick second before he shook his head and looked away. “Oh, I get plenty of fucking.”
“Nice, Malcolm,” I said as I watched Lola try to play with the puppy.
“You brought it up. The problem is, I’ve got plenty of them lining up but they all want the same thing. It’s either to say they hooked up with me or they want money.”
My heart hurt for Malcolm. I hadn’t really thought about what it must be like for a guy like him. Emmit probably dealt with the same thing while we weren’t together. The idea of women throwing themselves at Emmit angered me.
Standing up, I gave Malcolm a smile. “You’ll meet her, Malcolm. When you least expect it.”
Something passed over Malcolm’s face before he laughed. “Yeah well, I’m in no rush.” Looking my body over, Malcolm tilted his head. “You and Emmit back together I take it.”
Grinning from ear to ear, I nodded. “Yes, we are.”
Malcolm gave me a kind smile and said, “Good. He was a miserable bastard for the last three years. Maybe now he’ll stop taking it out on me on the track.”
“I don’t think that is ever going to change.”
Malcolm began walking toward the trailers, “No. You’re right about that.”
With a glance back over my shoulder I asked, “Hey! What’s the puppy’s name?”
“Emmit.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Really, Malcolm! What’s his name?”
Malcolm turned and walked backward; he gave me a wicked smile and said, “Deuce. Since he’s second in command.”
“I like it!” I called out as I started Lola back off on a walk. I was quickly consumed by thoughts of a future with Emmit as Lola and I wondered around for a bit before heading back to the bus.
As I stepped into Emmit’s bus, I went to call out for him when I came face to face with Stephanie. Emmit hadn’t had an assistant three years ago when we were together, so seeing her still caught me off guard.
“Hey, Adaline! It’s so good to see you.”
I gave her a polite smile. “Hi, Stephanie. It’s great to see you again too.” Looking back toward the bedroom, I asked, “Um, where’s Emmit?”
“Oh, he is off to do some interviews and then they have the drivers’ meeting.”
With a nod, I walked around to the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator. “Would you like something to drink?” I asked as I grabbed a water.
“No thank you. Emmit had asked me to stay behind to let you know where he was. Will you be watching the race in here, or with your father?”
My eyes took in Stephanie. She was beautiful. Her hair was pulled up and done in a neat bun. She had on super tight jeans and a T-shirt that had Emmit’s name on it. Her perfectly done nails and designer shoes rounded out the whole package.
Taking in a deep breath, I gave her a grin as I said, “I’m going to sit with my father.”
She looked over at me surprised and asked, “Do you like racing? I got the impression from Emmit that you didn’t. That’s why you broke up with him.”
Emmit talked to her about us? I couldn’t help but wonder when and why Emmit would talk to his assistant about us.
“Emmit told me about you one night when he was pretty drunk. Mr. Elliot had called me to ask if I would come pick him up. He talked about you the whole way back to his house.”
As I stood a little taller, I asked, “When was this?”
Stephanie looked up and thought about it for a few seconds. “Let me think, I had just started working for him not too long before that so maybe two years ago.”
“Huh, well to answer your question, I’ve been around racing all my life. I love it. My life happened to lead me in a different direction before. It had nothing to do with my feelings toward Emmit.”
Stephanie held up her hand and said, “Adaline, I didn’t mean anything by it, and I shouldn’t have even said anything. I was out of line and for that please forgive me.”
Giving her a weak smile, I said, “No worries at all.”
“If you need anything, please be sure to let me know.” Pulling out a piece of paper, Stephanie wrote down a number and handed it to me. “Here is my cell phone number. I have it with me always.”
I glanced down at it and then back at Stephanie as I reached for it. “Thank you so much, Stephanie.”
With a small nod, she started toward the door. “Emmit has a few interviews, then the drivers’ meeting. After that he is open until about an hour and a half before race time. More interviews and then driver introductions. If you would like for me to have food delivered, just let me know.”
“O-okay, thank you,” I said as Stephanie called out goodbye and shut the door behind her. Looking at Lola, I smiled and said, “She seems nice.”
Lola barked and ran over to the sofa and growled. Walking over to her, I bent down and laughed. “I take it you don’t like sharing your man.”
Lola licked me as I fell backward and she jumped on me. It didn’t take long for her to start covering me with slobbery kisses.
“You better hope she doesn’t eat shit.”
I smiled when I turned and saw Hank, Emmit’s driver. “Hey, Hank!” I said jumping up. “What’s up with you?”
With a concerned look, he looked around the bus. “Not much. I take it Emmit’s already headed out?”
Brushing off Lola’s hair from my shorts and T-shirt, I said, “Yeah. Stephanie said he had some interviews.”
Hank turned to leave. Before stepping outside of the bus, Hank glanced back to me. “That boy loves you, Adaline.”
I bit on my lip and grinned before saying, “I love him too, Hank. I always have.”
Hank looked down before looking back up and into my eyes. “Watch your back, Adaline. Not everyone is who they seem.”
My smile dropped as Hank stepped out of the bus and shut the door.
A feeling of fear swept over my body. Swallowing hard, I put my hand to my stomach and said, “Holy shit.”
“Emmit, you want to let me know how you’re doing in that car?” Daddy asked as I glanced over to him and then back out to the racetrack.
Emmit had hardly talked since the race began. “Good. It’s a little loose in the turns still.”
My father looked over at me and winked.
“Bumper, bumper, door, all clear,” Emmit’s spotter said as Emmit passed another car and took fourth.
“Caution,” the spotter and Daddy said at the same time.
“Emmit, we’re going to pit next time around.”
“Make the adjustment, Waldo. I’m fucking tired of fighting with this car in the turns.”
Daddy widened his eyes and said, “Copy that.”
I stood so I could see Emmit and the rest of the cars coming down pit road. “Is everything okay? Why is he so quiet?” I asked my father.
“He’s in the zone. When he gets like this, I tend to just leave him alone. He’s worked himself up from twentieth to fourth, so whatever he’s doing I’m letting him do.”
I couldn’t help but wonder what was going through Emmit’s mind as he raced so hard. The only thing I did know was my leg bounced up and down nervously while I watched as the cars came in. Malcolm was in the pit box behind Emmit. He came to a screeching stop and his pit crew went to work with lightning speed.
“Five, four, three, two, one,” the spotter called as Emmit stopped.
Emmit quickly began talking to his crew. “Let’s go guys! Get me out before the twenty-three. We’ve got this!”
After making an adjustment to Emmit’s car, four new tires and gas, Daddy called out, “Go! Go! Go!”
Making a fist pump, I called out, “Yes!” when Emmit beat Malcolm out. Turning to Daddy, I smiled as he gave me a wink.
Daddy leaned over and whispered, “You’re on TV baby, don’t act too excited.”