Decipher (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #3) (21 page)

“What’s that?” Danny asked sceptically, as if shocked by my unwillingness to accept the offer point-blank. No doubt my words to him over the phone were playing through his mind.

Was he wondering whether I’d lied to him?

“Can I start after the Christmas break?” I asked, offering my hand in response. “I have a few issues to deal with at home first and I’d like to finish what I started when you put me on that plane to London. I want to come back without the shit of the past hanging over my head. I’ll also need time off to visit my psychiatrist. I don’t want to turn my back on the progress we’re making.”

“I’m sure we can manage both of those, especially if it will help with some longer-term goals.” Danny smiled broadly at me as he grasped tightly to my hand with both of his own. “Welcome back to the team, son. It’s time to start fresh.”

As I shook his hand and we worked out the basic details, I felt like I was planning my trip home. I couldn’t wait to tell Alyssa the good news.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: TRIPPING OUT

I WAS ON the phone to Alyssa before I’d even reached the car, bursting at the fucking seams to tell her the news.

“So?” she prompted. I climbed into my car but didn’t start it. I wanted to finish the call before I went anywhere. Not that I really had anywhere to go.

“So, I miss you already.”

“Funny, Dec. How’d it go?”

I couldn’t help teasing her a little. “I wasn’t trying to be funny. I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” The impatience crept into her voice even though I was sure she was trying to hide it. “Now, how’d it—” There was a bang in the background and Alyssa swore under her breath. “Damn, I’ve gotta go, Dec.”

She hung up before I could finish my sentence or say goodbye.

I blew out a breath, wondering what could have been so vital that she’d had to cut our conversation so damned short. With my mind turning over the various possibilities, I dropped my phone on the centre console. Dropping my head back against the headrest, I closed my eyes.

A second later, the passenger door popped open.

“What the fuck?” My eyes were open and my hand was on my phone in a heartbeat.

Morgan had stuck his head into the car and laughed at my reaction. “Hey, shithead.”

“What do you want, Morg?” I asked, unable to force any emotion into my voice.

“Geez, curb your enthusiasm next time, would you?” He slid into the seat beside me.

“Sorry, I just . . .” I trailed off before I could admit to him just how big a pussy I now was by saying I missed my girls. Or that I was desperate for Alyssa to call me back already. It was less than a minute since she’d hung up, but that felt too long. After rubbing my face with my free hand, I blew out a frustrated breath. “What can I do you for?”

“So, you had a meeting with Danny today?”

“Well, that would explain why I’m in front of the fucking building now, wouldn’t it?”

“I hear you’re coming back.” The excitement in his voice as the words slipped from him was almost contagious. In different circumstances, it would have been. Knowing Morgan, though, he was probably building me up for some practical joke.

If I were coming back as a driver, I might have been unable to resist responding in kind, but because the situation wasn’t that ideal, I just blew out another breath. “Apparently good news travels fast.”

“Fuck, what bug crawled up your arse and died today? Do you know how big this is? Sinclair doesn’t give second chances. Not once you’re out.”

“If you’re just stopping by to congratulate me, save it. I’m not interested in hearing it right now.” I wanted someone else’s congratulations. 

“God, you’re an arsehole.”

I shrugged. In some ways, he was right. On a personal level, it was something to celebrate—at the very least it would mean that we could have food on the table—but professionally, it was anything but. “What can I say, Morg, being in the pits is a long way from being out on track.”

“Still, I think it’s worth a celebration. What are you doing tonight? Or are you so pussy-whipped by that wildcat of yours that you can’t go for a few drinks?”

His statement actually drew a half-smile from me. “She’d kill you if she heard you calling her that.”

He chuckled. “I don’t doubt that. But c’mon, what d’ya say? Let’s hit the town. It’s been too long and I’m off to Tassie tomorrow.”

“I won’t be good company.”

“Well, yeah, I know that, but when have you ever been?” he teased.

His words, an attempt at the banter we’d always had, managed to draw a slight chuckle and something of a smile from me. “Fuck off, McGuire.”

“Seriously though, I feel like I haven’t spoken to you in months.”

I didn’t feel like reminding him that was because he’d spent the entire lead-up to Bathurst walking around making threats that included bringing rusty tools near
my
tool. Instead, I just said, “I don’t think it’s a great idea to be heading out when that bullshit article is still so fresh.”

“Okay. I’ll be at yours at seven then.”

“Wait, what? Why?”

“’Cause you need a boys’ night so that your cock doesn’t fully retract. From what I’ve seen, it’s at least halfway there.”

“My cock is perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern though. It’s been noted and reported to management.”

“Please? Eden’s informed me she needs me out of the apartment tonight. She’s got some girly shit to do or something.”

Knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist them tag teaming me if I continued to refuse, I relented. It was easier than waiting for Eden to be involved. “Fine. If you’re that in love with me that you can’t resist coming to see me, at least bring dinner. I’m not that easy that I’ll put out without a meal.”

He punched my shoulder. “Sure thing. I’ll see you then.”

Once he was out of the car, I started it up and left. I was halfway home when Alyssa called back.

“Sorry about that,” she said. “Phoebe got into the cupboards and was dismantling the house to help me start packing.”

Picturing it, I laughed. “It’s okay.”

“So?” she prompted.

“It wasn’t what we expected. He confirmed that I definitely won’t be coming back as a driver.”

“Oh.” The disappointment in her voice was too fucking cute. Even though me having a driving career had once seemed impossible to her, she was actually upset that I hadn’t got my position back.

“But he did offer me a different position.”

“Oh?”

“An apprenticeship.” I blew out a breath, hoping she wouldn’t think less of me because I was going from prime position in the team to bottom of the fucking ladder. “As a grease monkey.”

“Really? And what did you say?”

“I told him I’d take it. What other choice do I have?”

“You could hang out for another team.”

“But that might never happen.”

She hummed in agreement. “Are you happy?”

“Baby, it’s a job. With everything else going on, I don’t think I can be picky. Besides, Danny seemed to suggest that if I keep my nose clean, I might even get back on the track one day.”

“That’s great news. So when do you start?” Alyssa asked.

“After Christmas break. It all works out perfectly. There’s only one thing missing in my life now.”

“What’s that?”

“My family.”

“You’re cute, Dec, but there’s only a month or so to go. In fact, I had a meeting today with the real estate agent about breaking my lease. They’ve got someone who’s able to move in a few days before Christmas.”

My smile widened. Without a doubt it was the best fucking day I’d had in a long time. After so many shitty things piling up on me, it was overdue. “So, you’ll be coming down here for Christmas?”

“Oh. Um, no. I’ve already planned to stay with Mum and Dad for Christmas and then come down before New Year’s.”

And there was the sting in the fucking tail. I could just picture myself sitting around my house in my underwear and socks, alone on Christmas fucking day like a pathetic loser even though it should have been my first with my family. “Oh, okay.”

“I still need to figure out all the details for the move, but seeing as though your house is pretty much furnished, I’ll get rid of anything that I don’t have a sentimental attachment to, and then hire a truck or something to bring down the rest.”

“Uh-huh.” I wasn’t really listening to her. Instead, I was imagining what my solo Christmas would be like. It was supposed to be my first as a father, and now it looked like it’d be the first where I would be alone. Before Alyssa, it would have been an excuse to get wasted and have my fill of lonely women desperate for companionship. That option was out, but apparently so was spending the time with my family.

“So, when do you think you can get here?”

“Huh?” I’d obviously missed something.

“Well, you are coming up for Christmas, aren’t you?” The way she said it, it was like it was a given.

“Didn’t you say you’re staying with your parents?”

“Yeah. So?”

“So, I hardly think I’m your dad’s idea of a great Christmas guest.”

She chuckled. “Dec, it’ll only be for a few days. Besides, he’s got to get used to you before long anyway.”

“I guess. You really want me to come up?”

“Do you think you’re the only one who misses what we have when we’re together?”

The sorrow in her voice made me long to be at her side, to smooth it away with a kiss. “Of course not.”

“Besides, you said you would. Phoebe has been asking about you already. Wanting me to remind you of your promise.”

It took me a moment to remember what promise. “She remembered that?”

Alyssa chuckled. “She’s like an elephant when it comes to things she wants.”

Even though I was physically sitting in my car in the middle of traffic, my mind was already halfway back to Brisbane. Then it struck me that there was no reason for me not to go. Things were falling into place for the following year already, and there was nothing more I could do to speed it along anyway. There was nothing I needed to be in Sydney for. In fact, some things would be easier from Brisbane. Like my plan for revenge.

“Tell her I’ll be there tomorrow,” I said.

“What?” Her shocked voice echoed through the speaker.

“If it’s okay with you, that is.”

“What?” The surprise had morphed into something a little closer to excitement. “Are you kidding?”

“Why not? I’ve got nothing I need to be here for until after Christmas. And I’ve got every reason in the world to be up there with you two.”

“Are you telling me that you’re going to stay up here for a month?” I wondered whether butterflies were racing through her stomach as she asked the question. It certainly sounded like it.

“If you’ll have me that long.”

“God, Dec, of course. Of course, I will. I know I hesitated when you first asked me to move in with you, but that was only because I was scared. I was so scared that I’d let my hopes rise to the point where I’d never recover from the heartbreak that followed. But, now . . . What can I say, Dec, my hope is so sky-high right now. You’ve raised it there and now it—” She cut herself off. “Sorry, I’m rambling and that probably sounded really pathetic.”

If she could see me, she’d be able to tell from the smirk on my face that her words were anything but pathetic. If she found her words embarrassing though, I didn’t want to linger on them and prolong her pain. “If I leave first thing in the morning, I should be able to make it there by the time you finish work.”

“Okay, Dec.”

“And Lys?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll be counting the minutes till then.”

“Me too.”

“Actually, maybe you should keep it from Phoebe for now. We’ll surprise her tomorrow night.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, I think she’d like that. I’ll see you tomorrow, Dec.”

When I got home, there was a parcel sitting on the front doorstep. Bending down, I saw it was from
Woman’s Idea.
A moment later, I pulled the advance copy of the article from the envelope and read through it to ensure I was happy with the overall portrayal of both Alyssa and me.

I smiled at the photos that accompanied the article. Eden was right; they were fucking hot. The thought even crossed my mind to ring and see if I could get copies of some of them. When I was still in my ProV8, I’d endured many photo shoots, but none had ever made me want copies of the prints before.

Happy with the article, I took it inside and scanned it into my computer. I emailed a copy to Alyssa, and another to Danny. Maybe getting Danny to look it over was brown-nosing, but now that I had a job hanging in the balance again, I would do what I could to keep it. If I had him cast his eyes over the article before I gave it my final approval, he couldn’t argue later that it wasn’t positive enough or caused more problems. Besides, if it took a little bit of arse-kissing to get another step closer to being back behind the wheel of a ProV8, it was worth it.

While I waited for a response from Alyssa and Danny, I slid the copy back into the envelope and went to start packing.

HOURS LATER, nursing a beer that was well on its way to being warm, I tried to quell the heat of the jealousy racing through my veins as I listened to Morgan’s glowing endorsement of the Bahrain track. With no chance of getting back behind the wheel in the foreseeable future, it was extra maddening to hear him wax lyrical about the performance of his car and give a fresh driver’s-eye play-by-play.

It was almost a relief when my phone rang and interrupted the evening. When I saw Alyssa’s number, I thought maybe she was calling to talk about the magazine article, even though she’d already emailed the magazine with a few minor changes.

“Dec, I don’t know if it’s a great idea for you to come up anymore.”

My heart stopped beating and dropped to my stomach. “What?” I could barely find the volume to say the word. Part of me wondered whether there was some chance she’d changed her mind after our conversation. Had something happened to shift what had seemed to be unshakable faith? I moved away from Morgan into my study, because if she really was trying to get me to stay away I wanted to be able to argue my case without him thinking I was pussy-whipped. Or more than he already did at least.