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“How are you feeling?” he asks.
We flew home two hours after the race, which made for a one AM bedtime. We preferred it to another night at the track, although it meant a sluggish start. It’s our second night back, and now I’m jumpy.
“Rested and nervous.”
“Boone will not fire you. Your brother is angry at me, not you.”
It’s my first day returning to the office since last week’s blowout. I never took official time off and didn’t bother announcing this morning’s return. The surprise will make it that much better.
“Maddie replied to my text. Apparently, Boone spent the entire night in his garage. She said he asked how I was, and she gave him an honest answer.”
We spent race day sitting in Jake’s trailer and teaching ourselves crochet. There was no serious conversation or talkof the future, only laughter at our horrible efforts. It was the most enjoyable part of my week.
She left to meet him in victory row once it became clear Boone would repeat his Talladega win, while I eventually sought out Jake, with a side trip to pick up Julian.
“Do you want me to drive you to work this morning?” Jake asks.
Yes. Yes, please, yes.
“Then you need to pick me up later, so that’s a bad idea. Our meeting with Bert is still happening, right?”
Jake arranged for a late lunch between the three of us. All it took was a statement about finding a way to continue working together. Once this deal is sealed, my focus will shift to a manufacturing arrangement withTop Row Motorsports. That one will be a harder sell.
Now, all I need to do is avoid my brother this morning. Lily stepped up with our museum expansion efforts, which should be a fun distraction.
∞∞∞
“These look amazing,” I tell Lily. “Your ideas are better than mine.”
We’re redoing one section of our museum, only minor renovations to reflect Boone’s recent achievements. I envisioned updating some content, but Lily’s sketches show a more complete redesign.
“I was bored,” she says, explaining. “You can borrow any of my ideas. I’d be glad to help.”
“Help with what?” Julian says, barging into the museum workspace. It resembles an old wood shop or storage shed,contrasting the headquarters’ cool, modern theme.
“We’re remodeling,” Lily says. “I’m helping a little.”
Julian nods, but his interest rapidly fades. “Fascinating.”
“It’s an idea of mine,” I explain. “Several teams have their headquarters around here. We can arrange a single ticket or a similar theme that will allow fans to visit each of them for one low price.”
“Then they can cap it off with an even more exciting visit to the gift shop,” Julian guesses. He flashes a finger at me, impressed with his problem-solving skills.
“Something like that.”
“Here’s your book back,” he says to Lily while handing two of them over. “I read yours, and now you read one of mine.”
She glances at one cover and winces. “A military fantasy?”
“There are lots of good heroic deaths,” Julian says. “Read it, and we can do another trade. Either that or movies next.”
“You’ll regret that,” she says. “I only watch animated movies.”
“Seriously?” he asks.
“Is that bad?” Lily rubs her hands, and a genuine concern appears on her features.
Julian picks up on it and acts his usual smooth self. “If you saw my DVD collection, you’d never speak to me again.”
