Dangerous Race Read Free

to think so. But why wouldn’t he? I was the recipient of the dear Jane letter, not him.”
    “Hey, Trace,” Eddie said, as both men hopped over the short wall from the pit and stood next to Joe. “I just wanted to wish you luck.”
    Tracey squinted up at him. “Thanks, Eddie.” For a long time, she thought he was the most handsome man on the planet, but time and circumstances had changed her opinion. He still had a great body, trim and muscular. Beautiful blue eyes and soft blond hair. Too bad he’d turned out to be such a colossal mistake.
    She chalked him up to the stupidity of her youth.
    “I’ll go one better,” Matthew said as he held out her silver pillbox. “I’ll wish you luck and hand you this. I found it outside the office door. Guess you dropped it. We thought you might want your aspirin before you start.” Eddie produced a bottle of water.
    Tracey took the pillbox and waved off the water. The pain relievers had become a necessity since returning to the track after her accident. Without them, her leg was prone to cramping from being in the same position too long. “Thanks. I looked all over for these. I couldn’t find ’em so I grabbed two from the first aid kit. I’m good to go.”
    “Always thinking ahead.” Matthew squinted into the bright sun. “Rip it up, girl. I’m going to work.” He hopped back over the wall then climbed two steps into the scoring stand where laptops monitored her car.
    “You want me to hang on to that until you’re done?” Eddie asked.
    “Nope. I’m good.” She could stuff the small container in her pocket. It was better than hunting Eddie down later to get it back. Conversations with him still amazed her. How could he talk to her so casually, as if he hadn’t ripped her heart into bits and pieces and left her at the lowest point of her life?
    “I’m glad you’re happy,” Joe interrupted dryly. “But I’ve got a raging headache. Fork over a few of those pills, Trace.”
    She handed him the container, and he pulled out four pills. “Damn, that must be one hell of a headache. Quit stressing, Joe, everything’s fine.”
    “Yeah, Joe. Just another day at the track,” Eddie said.
    Joe washed down the tablets with Eddie’s bottle of water. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He offered her a drink. “You want some before you start?”
    Tracey shook her head. “No. I’m good. The last thing I need is to have to piss like a racehorse while I’m in the middle of qualifying.”
    Joe rolled his eyes as if all his fatherly advice went unnoticed and handed her the pillbox. “Nice, Trace. Real ladylike.”
    “Sorry.” She grinned up at him. “Slip of the tongue.”
    Joe bent low and locked her hand with his. “You know what you need to do. Go out there and drive the way I know you can drive.” He squeezed her fingers and winked. The pride in his eyes sent a shot of confidence through her veins. Joe checked his watch, stood, fitted his headset and waved her forward. “Go get ’em, Trace.”
    She adjusted her helmet and pulled the visor down. As adrenaline coursed a familiar path in her veins, she revved the car, the need for speed coiling tighter in her belly. She put her foot on the pedal, but Joe’s voice in the headset stopped her.
    “Hey,” he called.
    She looked over her shoulder.
    “You know I love you like a daughter.”
    Warm tears stung her eyes. She had no idea why she was being so sentimental. Joe was way too serious. She smiled. “No, you don’t,” she countered, talking through the mic. “You love me like a son.” She gave him a thumbs-up. He frowned and drank some water, obviously trying to cover his own emotions.
    Eddie, wearing his own headset, stood completely mute, probably in shock over the talk of love. An emotion he clearly knew nothing about. She could attest to that.
    “See you in a few.” She peeled out, burning rubber and trailing smoke. Doing what she loved to do best: hauling ass around the track at two hundred miles per