Mick shook his head. “Just looking out for you.”
“Again, let me underline for you that this is an Asa-Mick issue. This has nothing to do with PJ. Am I clear?” He’d beat the shit out of a friend for being a dick any day of the week. They’d hash it out one way or the other, but that had nothing to do with PJ, and Asa wasn’t going to let anyone make her feel uncomfortable.
Duke slapped the back of Mick’s head. “He understands.”
Duke liked PJ, so Asa knew his friend would keep an eye on her.
PJ watched, heart in her throat, as Asa busted his ass in that Fastback. He was so damned good. Intense. His concentration was fantastic, but it was his reflexes that made him so very masterful.
Fearless, he dominated the track like he dominated her in the bedroom.
She paused, smiling at that silly bit of internal narration, but it was true. Asa was totally in charge, and it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen.
He came in second in the first heat and first in the second. They brought the Fastback in, switching out with Duke and his stock car.
Asa worked the team for Duke, like Duke had for him, but every once in a while he looked back over his shoulder at her, and it sent all sorts of pulses of goodness through her.
Not that it kept her from noting how much his army friend Mick didn’t like her. He was not having any PJ in his life. Not one bit.
Which was too bad, because she was there. Period. But she hated it when people didn’t like her for secret reasons! She hadn’t done anything to him at all, so what was up his butt?
She’d just have to give it time and space. Maybe he was jealous at how much time Asa spent with her or some other stupid guy thing. Maybe he didn’t like blondes. Or he thought she was too young or too whatever. Maybe she’d find out just what his deal was.
For the time being, though, there were fast cars racing, which was sort of like her birthday or something. The smell of fuel and burning rubber, the chitchat, the overwhelming noise levels as machines hummed, roared, idled, and everything in between all around.
A lot of her time as a child had been spent on a track, off to the side watching or in the bleachers if it was a big track. It was like homecoming to be there.
Chapter Thirteen
Twisted Steel was second overall, with Asa ranked highest by one and a half points.
Grinning, he strolled over and kissed her after he’d come off the track.
“Congratulations.”
He kissed her again. “Thank you. I’m just going to wash up and change my shirt. I’ll meet you in the main tents with the food.”
She’d seen Audra head that way just a few minutes before. “All right. I’ll see you in a bit.”
She put a little extra sway in her walk as she headed out.
The crowd in the main tent was energetic. Lots of gearheads. Mechanical geniuses. These men and women loved car culture. They loved racing and celebrating the old things as well as the new.
Some of them had come to accept her in the months she’d been doing custom work around the Sound. Some she knew second- or thirdhand from Colman as well. Others were like Mick. Suspicious of her. Most of them would be all right once they got to know her better. The rest? It didn’t matter. She was with Asa.
Still, it was nice to see all sorts of friendly faces, so when she went in, PJ let go of that discomfort with Mick. It was time to relax and have a drink with her friends.
Audra held up a beer. “Just grabbed this for you. You have great timing. Tom and the guys are getting us food.”
PJ took the beer and her stomach growled. “I was on my way to get a burger hours ago and then I got waylaid.” Or rather Asa had kissed her and she’d forgotten about everything else.
Tom returned with a tray of burgers and fries. “I just got us a bunch of everything. I figured Asa would be hungry too.”
“He didn’t eat before the race. I know that much.”
Tom grinned, waggling his brows. “You do, don’t you?”
Audra punched his arm and he pretended it hurt.
“Who’s the hot man-meat with Asa?” Audra asked.
PJ turned and stifled a groan. “That’s Mick. I don’t know much more than that he was in the army with Duke and Asa. They’re all close friends.”
“Now why don’t you tell me the real story and what he did to make you not like him?” Audra didn’t miss much, PJ had to give her that.
“I have no idea what you mean.” PJ attempted a prim tone.
“You went all disapproving and your eyes narrowed just a teeny bit. I’ve known you since before you had boobs. I know when you’re repressing something.”
Ugh. How much did she not want to do this? “I’m going to grab us another round. I’ll be right back.”
“No way.” Audra shoved Tom. “Tom can go. And then we can talk.”
Tom groaned but headed off, and the two them bent their heads together so PJ could speak quietly and be heard, relating the story about how Mick had acted.
“He doesn’t like me. I don’t know why. Maybe Asa dated his sister back in school or maybe Mick hates women in general. Maybe I did something I wasn’t even aware of to offend him. Whatever it is, he’s not a PJ fan.”
“How can anyone not be a PJ fan?” Audra asked.
They laughed, straightening up, and were changing the discussion to non-Mick-related topics when someone bumped into her. Ray something or other. She knew he worked at a body shop over in Lake City.
“Sorry about that.” He put his hand on her shoulder, and when he didn’t remove it quickly she stepped back.
He appeared to have gotten the message, but was still friendly. “It’s PJ, right? You did the paint on that Olds?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Amazing. Did you leave Colman?”
She nodded. “I did. I started my own custom design shop.”
“Really? Wow, congratulations. Things are going well, then?”
Asa approached, talking with Mick and Duke. He scanned the crowd until he found her. She waved, smiling, and they headed over.
“We just brought some food over less than five minutes ago if you want some of this. Tom went to get beers, so he’ll be back.”
Asa kissed her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “I have a special request order coming up. The cook is a friend of my mom’s, so she takes care of me.” He stole some chips off her plate. “I’ll happily take a few of these, though.”
“Who’s your friend?” Mick asked, tipping his head at Ray. His tone implied friend meant PJ banged him on the side or something.
And PJ knew she wasn’t alone in that perception because Audra’s eyebrows practically hit her hairline. PJ reached out to squeeze her friend’s hand to keep her from jumping on Mick’s face and pulling his hair out.
“Mick, this is Ray. He does bodywork for Andy Benton up in Lake City.” Duke winked at PJ. Duke was awesome and she would have kissed him in gratitude, but Mick would probably see it as her blowing him.
They did that chin-tipping thing men did to say hello. Tom approached with beer and a bunch more food arrived at the table.
Her phone kept buzzing and she finally checked to see her mother had left a message and two texts.
She touched Asa’s arm. “I need to call my mom. I’ll be back.”
“Is everything all right?” He brushed the hair back from her shoulder.
“I think so. It’s been a week since I’ve checked in and she’s a little testy.” Her mother wasn’t one for being put off when she wanted to be heard. It was the one area in which Lenore Colman was actually aggressive.
His concern faded into amusement. “I get that too. Moms are good at it.”
She ducked out but didn’t go too far. In fact, from where he stood at the table eating and hanging out with their friends, he could see her leaning against a fencepost with the phone to her ear.