Fast Track, page 7
part #5 of Nashville Nights Next Generation Series
“I know.” She smiled when he turned to look at her. “That’s why I let him move to California without me.”
“So, you’re not having second thoughts about calling off the wedding?”
“No, not really.” She didn’t regret setting Tom free so he could get on with his life, but she wondered if she would ever find the happiness she sought. “It was for the best.”
“Glad you see it my way,” Nick said, grinning. “So, what’s got you so down if it’s not Tommy boy? Does it have somethin’ to do with turnin’ the big 3-0?”
She nudged his leg with her foot. “Like I needed you to remind me.”
Laughing, he said, “Thirty is not old.”
“I know. It’s not that.” Folding her arms over her chest, she said, “It’s…” Telling her brother she’d met someone she found intriguing would be a mistake, especially since it had ended before it even began.
“Come on, don’t leave me hangin’.” He set his beer bottle down on the table between them so he could sit up. “I wanna know what’s goin’ on with you.”
They’d always been close, but Anna didn’t want things to be awkward between Nick and Justin when they inevitably crossed paths. “It’s nothing.” She folded her hands and stretched her arms out in front of her. “Let’s just forget about it.”
“Okay,” he said, getting up. “You leave me no choice.”
“What are you doing?” she asked, eyeing him warily.
“I’m going to get Mom,” he chuckled. “If anyone can get it out of you, she can. You know she can be a pit bull.”
Groaning, she covered her face with her hands. They both knew he had her where he wanted her. “Fine, I’ll tell you.”
“I knew you’d see it my way.” Settling back into the chair, he reclaimed his beer bottle. “Okay, I’m listenin’.”
“I… uh… met Justin Hunt while I was here.”
Nick frowned when she failed to continue. “And?”
“We… um… got kind of close.” She was grateful for the darkness when she felt her face burning.
“Define close.”
“We didn’t sleep together if you’re getting at that.” The temptation to squirm was almost irresistible as her brother regarded her closely, waiting for her to explain.
“But you’d like to?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the chair.
He grabbed her arm. “I’m sorry. I just wanna know what happened.”
“Nothing happened.” She refused to tell him about the few intense kisses they’d shared. “We didn’t get off to a great start, but he tried hard to prove he’s a decent guy. By the time he was ready to leave, I guess I believed him.”
“Sounds like there’s more to it than that. You fell hard for him, didn’t you?”
Her brother, who was usually clueless when it came to the opposite sex, occasionally surprised her. “I liked him,” she said, careful not to give too much away. Her family liked Justin, and if they thought they had chemistry, they would be relentless in trying to match the pair.
“So, why’d he leave?”
“He said it was time to get back to work.”
“Yes!” Nick pumped his fist in the air. He had the good sense to look contrite when his sister glared at him. “Sorry, but it’s long overdue. That guy’s the king of the track, and it was a damn shame to see him go into hiding like that over an accident that wasn’t even his fault. The only person who blamed Justin was Justin himself. Everybody knows that’s the nature of the business. Every driver takes the risk when he gets in his car that he may not walk away.”
Anna shivered, and it wasn’t because of the tropical breeze blowing across her skin. She looked out over Amalie Harbor, trying to focus on something other than the nervous tension in her stomach. Even though she and Justin had only known each other a short time, she would continue to fear for his safety. If anything happened to him out there…
“Hey, you okay?” Nick asked.
“Yes, no…” She sighed. “I don’t know. I certainly didn’t come here expecting to meet anyone.”
“Isn’t that usually when it happens, when you’re least expecting it?”
“I guess so.” She wished the gods of fate had given her a little more time to recover from her last bout of misery before thrusting her headlong into another pseudo-relationship that would never work. “Anyways, it doesn’t matter now. Justin’s gone back home to his old life, and I think I need to do the same.”
“You’re not going to spend the rest of the summer here?”
“No.” She knew she would waste the remaining weeks thinking about Justin. At least if she was at home, she would have her family and friends to distract her. “I think I’m going to come home with you guys.”
“Cool.” He reached for her hand. “Hey, sis, Justin’s one of the good guys. Maybe you should think about giving him a chance.”
She shook her head emphatically. “No way. I’m not getting mixed up in that. The inherent risk involved in his job-”
“Does that mean you’d never marry a cop or a firefighter or someone in the military?”
“Probably not.”
“That’s crazy!”
“What’s crazy is Justin putting his life on the line for the hell of it.”
Nick frowned. “Racing is his passion, Anna. Just like you’re passionate about what you do.”
She knew it wasn’t fair to judge Justin based on what he did for a living, but he was returning to a career that had claimed the life of one of his friends just a month ago. How could she learn to live with that?
Anna leaned over to give her brother a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to turn in now. Thanks for listening.”
“Any time, you know that.”
***
“Justin, man, you’ve been a nightmare to deal with ever since you got back,” Mitch said, twisting the cap off a bottle of water. “What gives?”
Justin knew his friend was right, but he just couldn’t get his head back in the game. His thoughts kept drifting to Anna. It took everything in him not to hop on a plane and fly back to the island to find out whether she missed him as much as he missed her.
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” That much was true. The press and fans would be watching him carefully that weekend, eager to judge whether he still had what it took to maintain his status as the reigning champion.
“I’m willing to bet a certain hot little teacher is the reason you’re so distracted.”
Justin glared at his friend, but glaring would do no good. Once Mitch got started, little anyone could say or do would rein him in. “Mind your own damn business.”
“You’ve got it bad for this one, don’t you, Hunt?”
That was an understatement. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had diverted his attention from a race. Especially when his entire career hung in the balance. “I don’t want to talk about Anna anymore. Let’s talk strategy. We need to figure out how I’m gonna come out on top in this race.”
Mitch grinned as he slapped Justin’s back. “Now you’re talking my language.”
Chapter Seven
Justin had been back home almost a month. He had two wins under his belt and had managed to silence the critics who said his career was over, but he still couldn’t get Anna out of his head. Since she hadn’t given him her contact information, calling or emailing her wasn’t an option. Getting it would be easy enough, but he had no idea whether she would even be interested in talking after his abrupt departure.
He’d watched her say good-bye to her ex on the dock that day, and he knew if he allowed himself to fall deeper, he ran the risk of getting his heart broken. That Anna still had feelings for Tom was painfully obvious, and he refused to be the odd man out. So, he did the only thing he could do: He returned home, to the life and career he’d abandoned.
Thankfully, his fear and anxiety had dissipated as soon as he got behind the wheel again. As far as his performance anxiety in the bedroom, he still hadn’t put that to the test. The only woman he wanted was Anna.
Cursing, he scrolled through his contacts. He knew he couldn’t go on that way. One way or another, he had to know what was going on with Anna.
Looking out over his grounds, he waited as the phone rang. “Hey, Nick, it’s Justin Hunt. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Hey, buddy! No, I was just gettin’ ready to take a lunch break. It’s good to hear from you. What’s up?”
Justin had never called Nick before, so he couldn’t pretend it was just a casual call. “Listen, I’ve got to come to Nashville tomorrow. I was hoping we could get together for dinner or a drink?” Justin had no legitimate reason to visit Anna’s hometown, except he couldn’t stay away.
“Yeah, that sounds great. Why don’t we say Jimmy’s bar at eight? I’ll text you the details.”
“Sounds good, man. I’m looking forward to it.”
***
“I’m tired of watching you mope around,” Lauren said, pushing away from her desk. “I’m going to call the girls, and we’re going to go out and have a little fun tonight. How does Jimmy’s sound?”
Anna didn’t feel like drinking and dancing, but she knew her cousin would be relentless. “Fine. What time?”
“Let’s say nine.” She picked up the cell phone on her desk. “I’ll call Alisa, Lena, Bri, and Erika. Hopefully they’ll all be able to make it.”
Anna wouldn’t mind if they were too busy. It would give her an out. She sat back and listened to her cousin make the arrangements. Apparently, everyone was looking forward to a girls’ night out.
“We’re all set,” Lauren said, clapping her hands. “This is going to be fun.”
Anna forced a smile and said, “Yeah, it’ll be great.”
“You’re not fooling me with that fake smile. Tell me what’s got you so down, girl.”
“Nothing, I’m fine.” She’d stopped by her cousin’s office when she got tired of her own company. Endless hours at home with little to do just made her feel worse. “I guess I’m just looking forward to going back to work.”
“I think there’s more to it than that.” Lauren tapped a manicured nail against her lips. “I know you feel good about where you and Tom left things, so this must have something to do with Justin.”
Her family had always been racing fans and often congregated in front of someone’s TV set to watch the big races. She’d started joining them, holding her breath every time she caught sight of Justin. “What makes you think that?”
“Oh please,” Lauren said, rolling her eyes. “Your eyes are glued to the screen whenever you see him. You expect me to believe you took a sudden interest in racing that has nothing to do with Justin?”
“Fine,” she said, reaching for a glossy magazine on a nearby table. “It may have something to do with him.”
“Why don’t you just call the guy already?”
“He didn’t give me his number.” Not that she would have used it. Her recent interest in racing had solidified her belief that the sport was dangerous. Only a crazy person would fall in love with a man who put his life on the line chasing thrills week after week.
“I’m sure you could track him down if you really wanted to.”
“I don’t want to.”
Lauren reached across the desk and grabbed the magazine. “Why are you being so stubborn? This is the first guy you’ve ever wanted. Why not go for it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anna said, folding her arms over her chest. “Justin is not the first man I’ve been interested in. I was engaged, remember?”
“And you never felt this way about Tom, not even in the beginning of your relationship.”
Anna feared her cousin may be right, but she wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of admitting it. “Whatever. It’s a moot point. He lives in another state. Besides, you know me. I prefer safe, dependable guys. Justin’s too reckless.”
“Charlotte is a six hour drive, and he could fly here in less than an hour on his private plane.”
“How do you know he has a private plane?”
Lauren laughed. “Honey, do you realize the Hunts are racing royalty? They could buy and sell anyone in our group.” She hesitated. “Except maybe Liam.”
“All the more reason not to get involved with him,” Anna said, pretending to study her nails. “You know how much I hated growing up with the press hovering around, watching our every move. That’s a part of Justin’s life. I don’t want to deal with that. I just want a nice, normal guy.”
“Someone like Tom?” Lauren asked.
“Exactly.”
Lauren hid her exaggerated yawn behind her hand. “Sorry, but you have to admit, that guy is the definition of boring.”
“Maybe I like boring. Maybe I’m boring too.”
“No, you’re not.” Lauren kicked her Ralph Lauren heels up on her desk. “You may not be a thrill seeker, but you’re not ready for the retirement home just yet. I think you just need to find a guy who can help you realize that taking a risk once in a while can be fun.”
“Hooking up with Justin would be a bad idea for so many reasons.” She kept telling herself that, but her brain and heart seemed to be leading her in opposing directions.
“Such as?”
She knew the cons list by heart. “I’ve already told you several of the main reasons: He lives too far away and you know that long distance relationships never work.”
Lauren rolled her eyes. “In the age of technology? When the guy has a private jet? Try again.”
“He could get himself killed in that death trap.”
“You could just as easily get yourself killed behind the wheel of your Volvo.”
Anna stuck her tongue out, making Lauren laugh. “Besides, you know I don’t like dealing with the press. He probably has to attend all kinds of red carpet events for his sponsors and the companies whose products he endorses.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’d hate that.”
Lauren wrinkled her nose. “You’re right. Eating caviar and sipping expensive champagne with a gorgeous man who has more money than Trump would be horrible. I don’t blame you for cutting him loose.”
“I didn’t cut him loose. I told you before, nothing was going on between us.”
“Nothing as in you hadn’t slept together… yet.”
Anna knew they would have been intimate had he stayed on the island longer. She couldn’t have resisted the lure, no matter how compelling her reasons for keeping her distance. “You don’t know we would have.” Anna looked at her cousin, and the two women started to laugh. Anna wasn’t fooling anyone with her weak protests.
“Can you come up with any other lame excuses to talk yourself out of seeing him again?”
“I Googled him when I got home…” Anna said. Admitting it was embarrassing, but if it would get her cousin off her back, the embarrassment would be worth it. “There were a lot of pictures of him with different women. I think he’s a player.”
“So what?”
Anna had a rule about dating only one man at a time, and she expected her boyfriend to be on the same page. “You know I don’t go for that.”
“You’re making a lot of assumptions,” Lauren said, looking her in the eye. “How do you know you wouldn’t be the one to convert him?”
Anna laughed, expecting her cousin to follow suit. When she didn’t, Anna said, “Get serious. A guy like that isn’t going to change for a girl like me.”
“I disagree,” Lauren said. “But that’s an argument for another day. Why do you suppose he left when he did?”
“I don’t know.” Anna had asked herself that ever since she found out he was leaving the island. “I was saying good-bye to Tom on the dock and-”
“Hold up a minute.” Lauren planted her feet on the floor. “Did Justin happen to see this little scene unfold?”
“There was no scene. I was merely saying good-bye to the man.”
Lauren raised an eyebrow. “Were there tears and lingering embraces, by chance?”
Anna smiled. “You missed your calling, lady. You do have a flair for the dramatics.”
“Just answer the question,” Lauren said, slamming her palm on her desk.
“I guess so. You can’t blame me. Tom was my fiancé. I thought we were-”
“Enough,” Lauren said, slicing her hand through the air. “Where was Justin when this was going on?”
“On his deck, I guess.”
“I knew it! I knew you said or did something to make him leave.”
Anna’s mouth fell open before she snapped it shut. “I didn’t do anything!”
“Sure, you did. You made him think you still have feelings for your ex. Can you blame the guy for not wanting to be your second choice?”
It was difficult for Anna to imagine Justin being anyone’s second choice. “That’s crazy. I told him I was over Tom.”
“You know what they say, honey: Actions speak louder than words. If you were a whimpering mess when the guy left, you can’t blame Justin for assuming the worst.” Lauren shivered dramatically. “Though I can’t imagine a woman in her right mind choosing Dr. Dull over wild and sexy Justin Hunt.”
“You and Justin?” Ty McCall asked.
Anna groaned inwardly when she heard her father’s voice. He was the last person, okay, the second-to-last person, she wanted in on the conversation. Her well-meaning but over-bearing mother would top the list. “What are you doing here, Daddy?”
“Lauren’s agreed to help me with the renovation project on my studio.” He walked into the room and kissed both ladies on the cheek before claiming the guest chair beside his daughter.
“She must have forgotten to mention that to me,” Anna said, glaring at her cousin.
“Must’ve slipped my mind,” Lauren said, winking. “Uncle Ty, could you give me a few minutes? I just want to check in on the guys working on that triplex project I mentioned to you. It seems there’s one problem after another.”
“Take your time,” Ty said. “That’ll give me a chance to catch up with my daughter.”
