Legends and Lies (16 page)

DAVE WON IN New Hampshire but was fined because his engine mount was too low. Jared hadn’t said anything to Tucker or the officials about what Annie had said. He was a little concerned that she might think he had. But she never brought the subject up.

The fine moved Dave to the bottom of the points in the top ten cup contenders. But he was back on his game in Dover, finishing second behind Tucker, and then beating Tucker in Kansas and Talladega. In Talladega, Tucker was in a wreck near the end of the race and was a DNF—did not finish.

Tucker and Dave were very close in the points and most of the forecasters were predicting one or the other of them would win the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship. But this week they were in Charlotte. Charlotte was the heart of NASCAR and where many drivers called home.

Jared brought Annie to his home, which was just down the mountain from Tucker’s. They went out on ATVs, driving through the woods, and then he invited her to join him at a prerace bonfire Tuesday night at Tucker’s house.

The autumn night was crisp and Annie looked cute in her tight jeans and the red fleece he’d given her for the chilly evening. She didn’t mix or mingle with many of the other women at the event but instead hung out with the guys, which was something he’d noticed about her from the first. She was more comfortable in the pit or the garage talking to the men about cars than she was with a group of women.

“Dave would flip if he saw her over there talking with my team,” Tucker said.

“You think?” Jared replied. “Her brother knows her pretty well. He’d know she’s not doing anything but chatting.”

“Is that all she’s doing?”

“What else would she be doing?”

“I don’t know. But someone has been leaking details of what Billy and I have been doing to the car. Stuff that only someone who has been in my garage would know.”

“Annie hasn’t been in your garage lately,” Jared said. He knew it for a fact because he’d made it a point to stay away from the garages and had noticed Annie doing the same.

“Yeah, I’d noticed that. So, do you think we have a spy?”

“I have no idea. Most of the guys on your team are new this year. But they are all aware that strategy is top secret.”

“Billy doesn’t think it’s one of our guys but he did admit there are a couple he wasn’t sure of.”

“How are you going to find out who the leak is?”

Tucker shrugged and took a drink of his beer. “I don’t know that we can. We’re just playing things even closer to the vest than before.”

Jared took a sip of his own beer as the sound of Annie’s laughter carried over to him. He glanced at her and felt his gut tighten. She was his.

“You spend a lot of time together with her—is she getting to you yet?” Tucker asked, reminding Jared that he wasn’t alone.

“I like it. I haven’t thought of moving on,” Jared said almost absently. “She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met before…Annie has some interesting ideas about what a home should be. She’s always cooking for me.”

“Can she cook?”

“Ah, not really. But that doesn’t seem to matter. It’s that she’s in there cooking.”

Annie came over to join the two men, her cheeks rosy from the fire. “What are you two talking about? You look so intense, not like you’re at a party.”

“Just guy stuff.”

“Oh, guy stuff. That either means women or cars.”

“As if I’d have trouble with women,” Tucker said. “And Jared has you.”

“Are you dating someone, Tucker? I thought Heidi was just a friend.”

“She is, Annie. And I’m not dating one special person.”

She tipped her head to the side and glanced at him. Jared stared back. “Were you talking about me?”

“I was telling Tucker about your cooking. Just saying what a unique experience it was to eat meals you prepared.”

“Ha. That’s not what you said this morning when I made that frittata and it wouldn’t come out of the frying pan.”

“What did you say, Jared?” Tucker asked, really not helping the situation.

Annie came to his rescue, looping her arm through his and leaning against him. “Nothing, he just laughed.”

“You shouldn’t feel bad—he’s had some of the best chefs in the world working for him over the years.”

“I think I feel worse now,” she said, with a fake pout.

Jared leaned down to kiss her, tasting the wine she’d been drinking all evening on her breath.

“I’ll leave you two alone.”

Tucker left them and Annie took another sip of her wine, smiling up at him. She was a little tipsy and he liked seeing this side of her. She was relaxed without the constraints she normally kept on herself.

He had the feeling she’d tell him anything when she was in this mood. “Are you having fun?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“I am. Tucker throws a good party.”

“He does. Have you been to a lot of his parties?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve been to most of them. at least since I started traveling with him on the NASCAR circuit.”

“What did you do before? Leave all the team owner stuff to someone else? That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I was hands-on away from the track. Still trying to manage the JM’s corporation. But after about five years of that I had a change of heart.”

“Really, what changed?”

“I finally figured out I hate being in an office all day.”

“But you thrive on pressure and, don’t take this the wrong way, but you are bossy.”

“Is there a right way to take that?”

“Yes, as a compliment. So, why’d you stop?”

How could he explain to her what he’d never really understood himself. He’d woke up one morning and realized his corporation was going to be his entire life if he didn’t get out of the office. One of the main reasons he’d been alone was his single-minded focus on work. No woman wanted to play second fiddle to a man who cared more about a coffeehouse than her.

He pulled her into his arms and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I think I left so I could meet you.”

She melted against him. “I’m glad you did.”

DAVE WAS SECOND in the points going to Fort Worth in early November, which meant he had three more races to get to number one. He should have been on top of the world but he didn’t want to finish second again. Unless he was mistaken, his family was all in the suite of his main rival. For Annie’s sake he’d tried to let go of the animosity he felt toward Tucker.

For his own sake he knew he had to let it go. Those feelings were like poison on the track, distracting him from his A-game when he let himself dwell on them.

“Want to go to a party?” Dave asked, as he and Vinnie left the garage.

“Where?” Vinnie said.

“Ah, Jared is throwing one for the Aldridge team over at the Speedway Club.”

Vinnie raised one eyebrow at him. “Why are you going?”

“Annie invited me and I told her I’d make Jared feel like part of the family.”

“Yeah, we’ll go.”

Vinnie moved away to call his wife and Dave stepped away to give his friend some privacy.

“Hey, man. You got a second?” Rob asked, walking up to him.

“I’ve got a few minutes.”

Rob glanced behind him to Vinnie. “I wanted to touch base with you about the job we talked about a few weeks ago.”

Rob was a nice guy, but after meeting him for a beer a few times, Dave noticed that Rob was not really focused on doing any job and was certainly not suited for the Jenner team. Besides Dave had no openings. “We still don’t have any openings right now. Give Mel you’re contact info and she’ll let you know if anything comes up.”

“I already did,” Rob said.

“I’ll keep you in mind if something comes up.”

“Is there anything I can do to stand out from the competition?”

Dave couldn’t think of anything off the top of his head. “You’re a good guy, Rob. It’s just that we won’t be reevaluating our team until after Homestead. I don’t want to break up the winning combination we’ve got going.”

“I can understand that,” Rob said. “You know I’ve got the mechanical skills to be a part of a top team, but is there anything in particular you need from a team member…you know, personality-wise.”

“Loyalty and a winning attitude,” Dave said.

“Thanks, man.”

“You ready to go? Darla is already over at the party. Annie invited her,” Vinnie said, interrupting.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Vinnie, this is Rob Mandelay, he’s a catch can man for Aldridge’s team. Rob, this is Vinnie Festa, my crew chief.”

“Nice to meet you, Rob,” Vinnie said, offering his hand to the other man.

“You, too. Later Dave.”

Rob left and Vinnie turned to him. “Why are you talking to someone on Aldridge’s team?”

“We went to school together…he wants to switch teams.”

“Is he good?”

“I don’t know. I asked Mel to get his qualifications and stuff.”

“I’ll follow up with him, but I think you should keep your distance until after Homestead. Ready for this party?”

“Not really. Thanks for coming along.”

“You and Annie are family and if she’s serious about Jared MacNeil…well, then we’d better give him a chance.”

“I know.”

ANNIE WAS SURPRISED to see Dave when he arrived at the party. She wasn’t surprised to see Vinnie though because Darla had insisted she’d get her husband there.

Annie worked her way through the crowd to her brother’s side. The two men were talking to Reilly, Tucker’s general manager.

For this one moment it seemed as if all the rivalry stuff was being left at the door. Jared had hired a band and there was a small dance floor that was crowded with couples dancing.

She smoothed her hand down the blue cocktail dress she was wearing. The low neckline showcased the sapphire-and-diamond choker that Jared had given her. It was her first time wearing it and she kept reaching up to touch it.

She took a sip of her sparkling water, waiting until Dave was finished talking to Reilly before she joined him and Vinnie. Her life had changed a lot since the first race this season in Daytona.

Who would have thought one wreck would have such a deep impact on her life?

“I thought you couldn’t make it.”

“My other plans fell through,” he said.

“I’m glad,” she said, meaning it.

“You look nice.”

“Thanks,” she replied. She fingered the necklace again.

“Daddy and Mom are here, too.”

Dave nodded toward a table where her parents were seated. Her father had his head bent toward Tucker, who was telling the older man something. Annie watched as her father put a hand on Tucker’s shoulder and then she glanced at Dave and saw his features tighten.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “There’s a buffet toward the back.”

“I’m fine.”

Annie felt a hand on her back as Jared joined them. He reached around her to shake Dave’s hand. The two men talked shop but Annie wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. She couldn’t take her eyes off of Dave, who had yet to really look away from the table where her parents and Tucker were sitting.

She felt his tension, or maybe just imagined it, but it was so strong that she knew it was real. She wanted to pull Dave into her arms and hug him like she used to do when they were little. Dave spent most of the time showing the world that he was a good sportsman and the gentleman that his nickname claimed him to be.

But she knew there were times when that mantle was a heavy one and she guessed this was one of them. There was a lull in the conversation.

“Annie?”

“Huh?”

“Is everything okay?” Jared asked.

She pulled her gaze away from her brother. “Yes, sorry about that. I was thinking about something else.”

“What?” he asked.

She shook her head, positive that Dave would never forgive her if she said she was worried about him. Then Dave looked at her and she hoped he didn’t know what she’d been thinking.

“It was nothing.”

“Thanks for coming tonight,” Jared said to Dave.

“No problem. Looks like you’re becoming part of the family,” Dave said.

Jared rubbed his hand down Annie’s back, then wrapped his arm around the curve of her waist and puled her into his side. She took comfort from his presence next to her. It didn’t relieve the worry she had for her brother but just having Jared with her made her not feel so alone.

“I guess so,” Jared said, but there was an odd note in his voice. She wished Dave wouldn’t say anything about family, but her brother had never really been one to listen to her.

“Dave, leave it be.”

Jared tucked her closer to his side. She felt like she had someone who would be worrying over Dave with her, which was really silly. Jared didn’t care that much about her family. Did he?

Someone bumped into them from behind, jarring Annie’s drink. It splashed down her arm and onto Darla’s jacket, who had just walked up and joined them.

“I’m sorry about that. Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up,” Annie said. “Will you excuse us?”

“Sure,” Jared answered.

Annie took Darla’s arm in hers and led her through the crowd toward the bathrooms. She set her drink down on the tray tucked next to the bar.

“What was going on over there?” Darla asked, as she pushed open the door to the ladies room.

“Dave’s trying to be a nice guy, but I think he’s struggling,” Annie said as she washed the soda off her arm.

Darla dabbed at her jacket with a paper towel. “Vinnie’s worried about him.”

“Worried that he won’t be able to win?” Annie asked.

“No, not that. Dave has this way of channeling everything into winning.”

“Yes, he does.”

“I’m not sure why he is worrying.”

The women exited the restroom and Annie saw her brother still standing across the room. She didn’t think that Dave was going to be able to keep ignoring Tucker and Jared—and the fact that she brought his enemy into their family for much longer.