Happy Hour (Racing on the Edge) (65 page)

“Yeah, what did he say?” Placing two slices of the pizza in the microwave, I had to lean against the door to keep it closed. Yet another thing Lucas broke this week. “How’d the prehearing conference go?”

“Chelsea didn’t show,” Jameson gave a relieved chuckle. “her lawyer said she’s dropping all charges.”

“That’s great, Jameson. Now we just have to worry about Darrin.”

That was a huge relief. The last thing Jameson
needed
right now would be for his fans to think he was some kind of asshole that went around sexually assaulting women.

“You let me worry about Darrin.” He stated firmly. “I don’t want you involved in this.”

The last thing Jameson
wanted
was for me to get involved in his problems, particularly when it came to Darrin. But as I said before, when it came to Jameson, this pigizzle knew no bounds.

Since I wasn’t able to attend the race that weekend, I settled for watching it on television. Jameson’s engine blew up for the second weekend in a row after only seventy laps.

The camera shot to him pulling himself from the car. He sat on the edge, his head resting against the roof for a moment before he swung his legs around.

I wanted to be there so bad in that moment. He looked disappointed in himself though it had nothing to do with him.

I continued to watch until they interviewed him, smiling once I saw his face on television. Even though he was upset, it was still good to see him.

“Jameson,” the reporter caught up with him as he exited the garage. “Looks like you were giving the team feedback there. Can you tell us what happened?”

He sighed heavily, running his hand across the back of his sweaty neck. “I had about four laps there where I thought something was wrong but I don’t know; it just blew up. It was running 290 most of the race so it was only a matter of time.”

“This is the second week in a row you’ve blown up, with yet another DNF. How is this affecting the team moral? Do you think it has something to do with the engines at Riley Simplex Racing? Or maybe with Harry Sampson?”

“This has
nothing
to do with the cars we are provided each week
or
all the hard work our engine specialist, Harry Sampson, puts into the testing of these Ford engines provided by CST.” Jameson snapped back. “We have excellent cars and engines. This is obviously something else entirely.” Before Jameson could say any more, Alley was dragging him away.

The engines weren’t the problem and with his grandpa building the engines for his team, Harry maintaining them, I knew what he was insinuating with that comment. I had a hunch he was right.

Darrin.

It was hard to imagine Darrin would be able to get near the car at the track. There was usually always someone from the team nearby but it
wasn’t
impossible.

If Jameson was right about the Charlotte and the fuel additive, it definitely wasn’t impossible for Darrin or his team to be fooling with their engines too.

As his pigizzle and my duties as his pigizzle, I decided to try and make him feel better by sending him a picture of the funbags.

Would it make you feel better if I showed you my boobs?

It took a while to get a response, exactly forty-three minutes.

Maybe. Show me and let’s see.

I attached the picture to the text and clicked send feeling slightly childish sending a picture of my boobs through a text message. It was another eleven minutes and I hadn’t heard anything so I sent another one.

Did it work?

Another three minutes later, he finally responded:
Sorry
...
I had to take care of a problem you created but Spencer wouldn’t leave.

Are you good now?

YES!

Wow, that was quick.
I laughed snuggling into the couch and enjoying the teasing.

You have no idea.

Don’t worry, only a few more days and I will be taking care of it.

Looking forward to it, I miss you and love you!

Same to you handsome.

The time away from Jameson flew by and soon we were together again. Only problem was, I wasn’t exactly feeling dapper.

I hated throwing up, truly I did. I had a strong feeling this was why I was in a really bad mood. Bitchy and exhausted, I felt like crying with all this added stress upon me. That could have had a hand in it but it could also be that shark week (my period) was on its way; I assumed. I always got extra emotional and tired around that terrible week.

The other draining stress, Jameson and I didn’t know that first thing about running a racetrack. The lack of knowledge was becoming evident when Mallory was telling me how to do a job I’d been training to do since I was a kid. I knew how to do my job but I didn’t know
how
to be a General Manager as well.

“Sway, you’re never going to guess who’s here!” Emma ran up to me throwing her hands on my shoulders.

Emma
and
Jameson were both here for the weekend for the Northern Sprint Tour. Although Jameson was
not
thrilled about Emma tagging along, he should have thought about that before he went and put her in charge of his fan club.

My stomach was still rolling as I stood there staring at her. Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten that second corn dog or the nachos.

“Who?” I asked focusing on her excitement instead of the rolling in my stomach.

“Dana
...
”

“No way,”

What in the hell was she doing in Elma?
Was my first thought, but then I knew the answer to that. She was stalking Jameson.

“Yep
...
let’s go talk to her.” Emma yanked me along towards the concession stands. “Do you think she’ll go for it?”

“I’m sure she’s going to want something in exchange.” I thought about it for a second. “Maybe like a picture or something.”

“Yeah,” Emma snorted. “of his
...
ahem
...
”

“Not happening.” I stated firmly. “I’m the only one that sees the camshaft from here on out.”

Stopping next to the bathrooms, Emma nodded to the coffee stand under the grandstands. “There she is. That’s her friend Sadie standing with her.” She pointed to the one with blonde hair.

“Which one is Dana?” I just now realized I’d never seen her before.

“She’s the one with brown curly hair. She did have blonde highlights the last time I saw her in Charlotte but it appears she’s trying to resemble a certain someone.” Emma looked at my hair, playing with a strand. I slapped her tiny hand away.

Dana had dyed her hair the
exact
same color as mine. Nudging Emma forward, I told her, “Go talk to her.”

She stepped forward and then reached for me with a nervous expression. “You’re coming with me.”

I really didn’t want to meet Dana right now. I didn’t feel good, I had Mallory making me crazy today, and Jameson was all kinds of stressed out, which stressed me out.

We stopped right in front of them.

“Oh Emma, hey, how’s—” Dana looked towards me and stopped talking all together, scrutinizing my entire body.

I felt like she was undressing me—not that she wasn’t. I knew what she was doing; she was comparing herself to me. I would’ve done the same given her position.

“Hey Dana,” Emma smiled. “this is my friend Sway.”

I wanted to bare my tattooed ass to her and say,
“Yep, that’s right. I’m Jameson’s!”

That’d be one hell of a first impression—wouldn’t it?

I reached for her hand instead. She didn’t seem like the stalker type. She was pretty, brown hair, blue eyes, slender form, and some enormous funbags.

Dana smiled politely at me. “Nice to meet you,” she motioned towards the blonde girl next to her. “This is my friend Sadie.”

“Do you live around here?” Emma asked, smiling widely towards me. I was receiving a lot of smiles.

“Yeah, I’ve always lived in Elma.” Dana’s smiled widened. “I actually went to high school with you guys.”

Emma and I both looked at each other. “Oh,” we both said after a few moments of awkward silence.

I don’t ever remember seeing her in school. Although, I hardly paid attention to anyone that wasn’t in the Riley family. It’s not like I actually knew who even went to school with us.

“So Dana
...
um
...
we were wondering if we could ask you a few questions,” Emma stepped closer to her trying to remain discrete. “Private things,”

“Oh sure,” Dana seemed eager to be talking to any member of Jameson’s family. “What do you need?” Her eyes lit up.

“How well do you know Darrin and Mariah?”

“Pretty well, Mariah is my cousin.”

Both Emma and I gasped.

“Seriously?” I blurted out.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re not close or anything,” Dana’s eyes narrowed at me. “But I know a
few
things.” She hinted.

“And what would you want in return for these,
few things
of knowledge?”

Please don’t say a picture of his camshaft.

Dana was quiet for a minute her eyes glazed over. “A date
...
with Jameson,”

I laughed out-loud.

“Um
...
Dana
...
I don’t know if that’s something Jameson would agree to.” Emma replied, elbowing me in the side. “You did
steal
his underwear.”

“I guess you don’t want to know that bad then,” she countered, clearly not amused by my sudden onset of the giggles.

Emma and I both exchanged a loaded glance in between my giggling. I nodded once. “Fine, but let me talk to him first.”

Dana gave Emma her cell phone number and then walked away.

“Emma, he’s never going to agree to this. That woman,” I pointed to Dana walking away. “Is fucking crazy,” I shook my head walking towards the office where Jameson was. “After the stabbing, I suggest you run, like fugitive-style. Only pack what you can carry in one arm.” I suggested.

“Make him agree, it’s our only option.” Emma ordered rolling her eyes and began to walk away.

I only made it up one-step before her hand grasped mine. “As much as he annoys the fuck out of me, I love him, and I refuse to let Darrin hurt him.” Emma told me. “We
need
answers.”