“Yes, it counts.” I wait for his eyes to meet mine. The clearest blue I’ve ever seen, and I can’t help but imagine him as a little boy every time I look in them. The light contrast to his black hair brings out the exotic and mysterious side of him. “Thank you.” His eyes study my lips and then close briefly before he nods.
Rob and I have small talk and he gives me the low down on the car racing scene among a little about him during our hour trip. After learning Rob is an only child, his parents own a family printing business in the small town he grew up in, I’m wondering what on Earth his demon could be. He’s open with any question I ask and by the time we drive down the long secluded road in the middle of nowhere; I’m stumped to why this guy poses such a persona. The questions of this other Rob that emerges on occasion is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t ruin tonight. I’m enjoying my time with him too much to spoil it with whatever he does fight on a daily basis.
“This is it?” Car mufflers roar and breaks squeal as we wait in line to pay the fee to get in. Reading the sign that there’s a spectator fee, I reach down for my purse. “Let me,” I begin, but Rob places his hand on my arm and goose bumps shoot up my skin.
“I have you covered.” When I peer up at him, he retracts his hand back as though my skin was on fire. It is, but he doesn’t know that.
I straighten back up in my seat. “Thank you.” Did Rob ask me out on a date? I wrongly assumed this was just a friend thing. My heart skips a beat and butterflies fill my stomach that this was his step. He crossed over and allowed himself to have faith in me.
Shock must fill my face because he chuckles. “I’m not always an asshole.”
“Oh, no . . .” I try to somehow convey to him he isn’t an asshole. I imagine my eyes glossed over with stars bursting out of them from how happy I am that there is something more to us than just attraction.
Thankfully, before I embarrass myself further, he has to pull up to the small red shed with a drive-thru window.
“Hey Wild Card, what’s going on tonight?” A man in his fifties greets Rob while taking the money from Rob’s hand. He leans down to check through the window when he counts the money. “Oh, you got a lady friend with you tonight?”
Rob looks my way and we share a look of amusement. “Yeah, I do.” He faces the guy again.
“I’m hoping to be off to see you race at least once. Last week was just . . . fucking spectacular.” The guy continues priding on Rob. He nods, trying to appear cool and nonchalant, but the small sneak of a smile curling at the edges of his lips signals different. He’s clearly proud of his accomplishments here and he’s made a name for himself. Another side of Rob I’m guessing not a lot of people see.
“Thanks, Jim. See you out there.” Rob shifts his car back into first gear and he’s ready to pull away when Jim places his hand in the car.
“Hold up. FYI, Xavier’s here tonight.” Rob stops the car and tilts his head up to Jim.
“When?” Whoever Xavier is, it’s clear this is not good news to Rob from the scowl across his lips.
“About a half hour ago. The whole group of them.” A loud gruff escapes and his fist slams into the steering wheel. “Hey now. Talk to Dan, he’ll keep you guys separated until you race.” Jim brings out a walkie-talkie and presses the little button. “Dan, Wild Card just arrived.”
A crinkling of static flows through the line and I can’t help but detect the tension encompassing the car now. A deep gruffly voice speaks over the talkie. “Tell him to go around back. Garage four. Tell him eyes forward and don’t start any shit until I get there.”
Jim holds up the walkie-talkie, shrugging his shoulders. Obviously, Dan is the boss from the way he has both men willing to do what he instructs. “Got it. Thanks for the heads up, Jim.”
Rob’s car zooms out of the gate and he roughly slams the brakes. As we wait in traffic to drive wherever Garage four is, he’s touchy on the break and gas, practically giving me whiplash. “Who’s Xavier?” I ask, because I have no filter and I’m a curious being.
“Nobody.” He shakes his head. “Just someone that I don’t get along with. I know, shocker.” His head never spins my way and I stare out the window thinking I shouldn’t have come tonight. “When we get to the garage, I have to talk to Dan, but I’ll be right back. You can wait outside or if you want to, go to the bar and get something to drink.”
I nod. “Okay.” I’m a little uncomfortable about the whole situation.
He reaches over and grabs a hold of my hand. “After that though, I won’t leave you unless I’m racing. I just have to take care of this with Dan first.”
“Oh, I can’t ride with you?” In my mind I was thinking I’d get to experience the thrill he does by just being a passenger.
He shakes his head. “No.” It’s a short word with a lot of punch.
We drive past the lit up strip of pavement with a huge crowd corralled with a gate and a girl excitedly climbs into one of the racing cars, obviously being a passenger. Thinking it might not be the right time for me to argue his rules; I remain quiet, searching the garage doors until number four appears.
The garage door is open and Rob drives right in. A big burly man is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, staring us down as the headlights beam on his body. After he turns off the ignition, he faces my direction. I’m leaning down to grab my purse. “I’m sorry, Paige. If I’d known he was going to be here, I wouldn’t have brought you. I promise this won’t take long.” I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him so sincere. The guilt of him having to desert me is clear in his eyes.
“It’s okay, really. I’m a big girl.” I plaster a smile on my face and he nods.
“So, where will you be?”
“Um . . . the bar?” I shrug my shoulders. I’m not going to stand outside like a moron with the groups of guys and friends all through the area.
“Great. I’ll come and get you.” We each climb out of the car. He never introduces me to Dan, but instead they remain silent until I exit the building.
The door shuts right after I pass under and I gulp, taking in the scene around me. The guy to girl ratio must be ten to one. Sporadic groups of people are huddled around cars as their engines roar to life. As I weave my way through the crowd over to the bar, I see a few guys check out my ass, one even hollering over to me, but I set my eyes on the light-up sign that says Bar. Upon walking in, it’s clear they took a garage and converted it into a bar. Distracting myself while I wait in line, I pull out my phone, noticing I don’t have much of a signal.
Sitting at the bar with a beer in my hands, I take in my surroundings. Guys razz each other about whose car is faster and foreign terms that I assume are car parts are talked about. Competition is at max capacity around here, but there’s a friendly comradery at the same time. Then I spot Rob’s picture on the wall. There’s a corkboard with a variety of snapshots pinned to it. It must have been last weekend when Rob won. He has a trophy in his hands, but not much of a smile. More of a cocky grin, but his face lacks any enthusiasm for winning. Especially with how much he invests into this.
“Xavier!” A girl screams and my eyes follow her direction.
A red-haired guy looks up at her from the table in the back and shakes his head. “Fucking go, Mindy.” He reaches over to grab another beer the waitress just set down.
“Just thought you’d want to know, Wild Card’s here.” Chairs slide out and people begin fleeing the small bar. I watch a creepy smile form on Xavier’s face while he stands up, leaving his beer in place.
“About fucking time. Let’s get this show on the road. Show him the piece of shit he is.” He saunters out, swinging his arm around Mindy’s shoulders.
Knowing I’ll get no information from Rob, I stop a blonde following the masses. “Who’s this Wild Card everyone wants?” This is my time to get answers from the questions I’ve accumulated during my short time here.