Trading Paint (Racing on the Edge) (15 page)

The happiest day of my teenage life was the day he moved in with Alley. The worst day was when he still came over
every
goddamn day. Other than sleeping at their apartment, they were always hanging around the house—it was unacceptable to me.

Getting him to release us was a chore. It took some major persuasion by Sway to get this accomplished.

I didn’t have the energy to chase Spencer out of the room once I was released but Sway did.

When she returned all sweaty and panting, I bolted for the bathroom. The reactions I was having to her this morning were alarming.

The entire trip home Spencer made references to wood and said the word “hard” any chance he could. Sway provoked him which was just another part of the day that was unacceptable to me.

At one point when we stopped for lunch, I pushed Sway against the side of the restaurant when everyone else walked inside.

“What’s
up
?” her eyebrows waggled, grinning lasciviously.

“Shut up already,” I groaned. “It’s not entertaining.”

“Oh, yes it is.” another grin. “It’s
very
entertaining.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her fingertips touched to her lips as though she was contemplating. “Now tell me, do you always have this much of a reaction in the mornings or was it just in my presence?”

I couldn’t tell if she wanted an honest answer so I started to panic. “Yes
...
wait, what?”

“I’m being serious,” her eyes narrowed and she was being serious. “What’s with you? Why are you acting all weird
...
so I saw your morning wood,
big
deal?”

“Big?”

Her face flushed and her eyes darted to the concrete. “Like you need to be told,”

“Ego boosting is always good.” I suggested and leaned back against the brick wall.

“Like I said, you don’t need to be told but yes, you’re rather
large
Riley.”

Spencer walked and looked at us. “Hey assholes—get in here.”

Sway reached for my hand when I groaned. “
Come
on, let’s eat.”

“You need to stop it with that shit.” I hissed and smacked her ass causing her to yelp.

“Or else what?” she challenged opening the large glass doors to the restaurant.

“You don’t want to be on my bad side
...
I’m your best friend so I know all the ways to get you back, and I know all the things you are
deathly
afraid of.”

“You wouldn’t
...
” she knew damn well I was aware she was afraid of clowns and could wreck-havoc on her with them if I wanted to.

“Watch me.” I smacked her ass once more, this time my hand lingered a little longer than necessary.

As teenagers, we want to see ourselves as some kind of renegade, or rule breaker, a badass really. That’s exactly how we want to see ourselves—
it’s
cool right?

It’s bullshit. We’re just as vulnerable as everyone else, probably more so with the addition of the teenage hormones that control our bodies and ruled our decisions.

Either way, we want to take risks and prove to everyone that we are those renegade rule breakers we think we are.  With any risk, there can be reward but then there can also be fallout. Then what? All I knew was I wasn’t willing to take the risk when it came to Sway. Losing her friendship wasn’t an option.

As a teenager, I took risks every day. It was part of being that teenage badass we all wanted to be but some risks you just don’t take out of fear of the unknown.

The funny thing with risks was that even if you’re not willing to take them, they’re still tempting, like the last cookie on the plate. After a while, your self-control gets the best of you and you reach out for the cookie.

7.
    
High Heat – Jameson

High Heat – Above normal tire temperature that’s usually around 260 degrees.

Toward the end of my senior year, my life had turned crazy and it was only May. I was racing at different tracks around the Northwest every weekend and when I wasn’t racing, I was working in the race shop or doing homework to graduate in a month. I couldn’t
fucking
wait. I also couldn’t wait to get away from Chelsea. Since we had sex, she pretty much stalked me.

I had no time for anything; barely enough time to sleep and if it wasn’t for caffeine, I’d be asleep right now as I tried to focus on my mid-term final.

Sway kicked my leg under the wooden table we sat at during our political economics class. As I thought to myself why I would ever need to know anything about political economics to better myself, she whispered, “Wake up,”

I shook my head, trying to focus but the late nights getting my car ready for the next weekend were taking a toll on me and my attention span.

Once school finals were over, it was time for the World of Outlaws race in Chico and then Cottage Grove followed by Elma and Skagit. It was a busy week for my family and a chance at seeing my dad for more than a few days at a time. He was usually on the road beginning in March and ending in late November so we welcomed the chance at finally seeing each other when he was home.

Since I was competing on the Northern Sprint Tour this year, I had to make all four races and place. I ended up driving down to Chico to meet up with Dad and his teammate now, Bucky Miers.

Bucky was a good wholesome guy. He’d do anything to help you out if it was in his power so I wasn’t surprised when Spencer and I pulled into town and Bucky was standing there with my dad and an older gentleman dressed in a black suit.

Spencer and I got out and approached them. Bucky smiled at me and gestured toward the man.

“Jameson, this is Walter Gains. He’s the president of Bowman Oil. He’d like to talk to you about sponsoring your car next year and running the USAC Silver Crown series full-time.”

I’m sure my eyes widened. Dad and I had frequently talked about my plans for next year once I graduated and I’d made it clear to him I’d be racing. I still didn’t have a plan in place but I knew just as he had done, the real challenge was in the Midwest and East Coast. Those are where the big boys are.

I reached for his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Gains.”

“Son, call me Walter and let’s talk.”

Walter and I talked for a good hour about my plans for next year. I told him I’d planned on heading to the Midwest to try my luck out there with the open wheel guys and in turn he offered up sponsorship on a silver crown car as well as a sprint and midgets if I chose to run them.

In racing, sponsorship is necessary. Without it, there’s no way for you to do this. We need sponsors to help foot the bill. In turn, we plaster the sides of our cars with their names, promoting their products. Why? It’s simple, exposure. Race fans see the products that we use and want the same thing.

Unsure how to adjust to this information, I called Sway from a payphone outside of Chico while my dad and Spencer ate dinner.

“What’s up?” Sway asked.

“I got sponsorship for next year.” I blurted out.

“No shit?” she asked her voice excited.

“Yep,”

“That’s awesome Jameson. I’m so happy for you.”

I felt a twinge of homesickness hearing her voice. It’d been almost two weeks since I saw her and to be honest, I missed her. I also hadn’t seen her since she felt me up in the hall way but things like that never kept us from being friends. We did that shit all the time. I’d felt her up on more than one occasion and frequently slapped her ass. That was us.

“I wish you were here. I miss you.” I told her in a sudden onset of word vomit.

“Well yeah, I’m worth missing.” She giggled.

“You are.”

The line was quiet for a moment before she sighed.

“I miss you too. Tommy isn’t as fun as you and it’s not nearly as entertaining to make fun of him when you’re gone.”

“Come see me then.” I suggested. “Bring Tommy.”

“In Chico?”

“No in England
...
yes, Chico.”

“But you’re only there for tonight and then you’ll be in Cottage Grove.”

I laughed; she knew my schedule better than I did. “Right, well then come to Cottage Grove,”

There was a long pause before she spoke. “Okay, Tommy and I will drive down tomorrow morning.”

That satisfied me immensely. No matter how much time I spent doing what I loved, I still missed my friends and the normal life I had when I was with them.

The following night we were in Cottage Grove where Tommy and Sway met up with us. Sway found me prior to the main putting my racing suit on.

I was only in my underwear when she opened the door.

“Oh my god,” she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be dressed by now.”

“
It’s
okay, Sway.” I laughed. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me in my underwear before.”

“True,” she mused stepping inside, closing the door behind her. Without averting her gaze from my stomach, she smiled.

“See something you like?”

“Get dressed. I came in here for a reason.”

“Oh yeah, what reason would that be?” I pulled my racing suit up over my shoulders after slipping on my lucky t-shirt Sway gave me.

“I was
...
uh
...
shit.” She laughed. “You distracted me.”

Turning around, I faced her.

I smiled. She smiled.

“I distract you?”

“Yes
...
sometimes.” Her face lit up. “Oh right, I made you brownies
...
that’s why.”

“Brownies you say,” I looked around for them. “Where are they?”

She squinted at me in the cutest way.

“Tommy ate them on the way here.”

“You let Tommy eat
my
brownies?”

“I’m sorry
...
I was distracted by some asshole on the freeway and well
...
he ate them.” She shrugged indifferently.

I was silent for a moment staring at her. I wanted to kiss her badly. I wanted her. I wanted her against my car, against the side of the hauler. I wanted her. Having sex with Chelsea only amplified my hormones. I knew what sex felt like and now it was pretty much all I wanted.

My willpower was vacillating; I could go either way. My hormones ruled and I stepped closer to her, my hand curled under her chin and before she could pull away, I kissed her.

She responded, kissing me back, her lips moving in sync with mine, our tongues gliding together. I smiled against her lips as my body pushed her against the side of my car, trapping her.

We kissed for a moment before my need peaked and I knew she could feel the results of this. Turning away from her, I mumbled a “sorry” before bracing myself against the wall. She left me weak.

“Now I’m distracting you.” She said hanging her head, she looked confused, just as confused as I was. “I should get out there before Tommy gets himself in trouble.” She leaned into me again and kissed my cheek. I wrapped my arms around once again to feel her warm body against mine. “Good luck. I drove all the way down here
...
win for me tonight.”

I nodded arrogantly.

“I will honey.” I vowed with a wink.

I could feel the energy humming between us, building over time. I knew she was attracted to me and me; well it was beyond attraction now. I was pretty much obsessed with her to stalker levels.

It was hard to get the thoughts of Sway out of my mind that night but once again, when I slide inside the narrow cockpit of my car, I was vigilantly focused.

That’s not to say I didn’t imagine her throughout the race. I could still smell her perfume on me and taste her mint gum.

Damn it.

I groaned pushing the thoughts aside and focused on the race.

I was running a different shock package tonight that I hadn’t used before but my worries were eased when I easily slid past the top three cars in the second corner. I was leading on the first lap. The race stayed green for the entire 40 lap main and I never saw another car besides the few lapped cars I passed.

After collecting my trophy, I made it back to the pits to see Sway, Tommy and Spencer waiting. I let the car idle before revving the engine twice for Sway and then letting the fuel run out.

She smiled launching herself at me when I pulled myself from the car.

We sat there chatting when Bucky approached.

“Hey kid, you did
good
.”

I smiled. “Thanks Bucky.”