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She stares briefly before her expression clears. “Let’s check with Pete then.”
∞∞∞
Pete Webb is Boone’s pit chief and is regarded as the best. He worked for my father until Tom Rivers’ retirement andcontinues with Boone.
“You want my daughter with the company seducer?” Pete asks.
I wince at the old-fashioned phrase. He’s a protective father, which is understandable, but his daughter, Lily, is also a grown woman.
Maddie speaks before I have a chance to argue. “He’ll be on his best behavior, I promise. Plus, she’ll be with us most of the time. Sarah and I have looked forward to getting to know her since your birthday party last year. This is the perfect time.”
Pete relaxes. He picks up his weathered trucker hat to scratch at his thinning hair. “If you say so.” His hat goes down. “Tell him if he so much as touches her, I will skin him alive and make him run the next race bare ass naked.”
“He would be dead,” I say. Madelyn pokes at me. “He’ll be a perfect gentleman.”
“Julian Murphy is many things, a great driver among them. A gentleman is not one of them.” Pete’s face twists, and if we were anywhere but the company garage, I would swear he was about to spit onto the floor.
“This particular charity event is going to be a unique experience,” I tell Maddie as we depart for our respective offices.
∞∞∞
“You’re putting me with Lily Webb?!? She’s Pete’s daughter,” Julian says, slamming open my door without knocking. “Did I mention she’s Pete’s daughter?”
“I know who she is. I also know you’ll be on your best behavior.”
“Well, of course, I will.” Julian starts pacing despite the lack of room. Three steps and turns. Three steps and turns. It’sdizzying. “Don’t you remember her?”
“Very well. What’s the problem? Also, please stop moving. You’re giving me a panic attack.”
Julian collapses into the chair opposite me. “Look, it’s fine if you want to do this with your boy toy.”
“He’s not…that.”
“Sure. Lily Webb makes me uncomfortable.” Julian says. The last word is so quiet it comes out as a hiss. “I said something, and she heard me.”
“What did you say?”
He stands. “I may or may not have said something about her being weird.”
“She’s shy. If anyone could help, I would guess it’s you.”
Maddie has repeatedly stated Julian keeps people at a distance. Nothing serious and no commitment. He’s friendly with everyone and friends with no one. He’s probably closer to me than his own family. Of course, that may not mean much, considering how he came to be a driver forRivers Motorsports.
“She’ll spend most of the time with Maddie and I. You’ll hardly need to talk with her,” I say reassuringly.
“Thank you,” Julian says and leaves.
I rub my temples. One charity event should not warrant so much office drama.
My phone chimes again. I pick it up, knowing it’s Jake, and don’t respond. Instead, my fingers go to the dating app. My DM history with Martin sits there. We haven’t interacted in a few days, not since Martinsville.
I had planned to end it. We never even worked up to a coffee date, and it wasn’t right to keep speaking to him, not when Jake and I were growing serious.
My laptop sits open, reminding me there’s a job requiring my attention. Plus, no matter what happens between Jake andme, I’ll keep my promise to help him.
I open my spreadsheet and resume his financials. Jake needs more capital, which is obvious. He can work with one of the bigger teams for parts so that the problem is easily solved. It’s the finances that I can’t make work.
My phone dings again, and I ignore it, grabbing a folder instead. One of my notebooks fall out, and I scan it only to realize it’s the scratchpad I used to help visualize my ideal life.
