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∞∞∞
I find Derek sitting in my office chair, feet up on the desk.
“You heard the rumors?” he asks me. He doesn’t bother with a greeting, which is fine because he rarely does.
“It’s everywhere,” I confirm, not wanting to give away my conversation with Bert. “We’ll land somewhere else. You don’t need to worry.”
“I’m not going to worry, not yet.” Derek’s stoicism hides anyconcerns he may have. “Promise you’ll check with me before signing somewhere.”
“Fair enough. You know I wouldn’t go anywhere unless you came along, right?”
“We have the rest of the season, plenty of time to see what’s next,” Derek says.
His casual statement throws me. The rest of the season applies to us both, but the casually uttered part about time doesn’t. He’s been with me for every Cup Series race. Where else would he go?
“Are you leaving motorsports behind?”
He grins. “And do what? I don’t have a wife or kids begging me to stay home.” Derek’s lips twist into a satisfied sneer. He’s long put himself in the bachelor for life category; claiming more responsibility is another problem to deal with. “Let’s just say I’ll grant you first right of refusal.”
My eyes narrow at his evasive comment. “I won’t accept anything if it means leaving you behind,” I promise him.
“I know, Jake, but this also might open a surprise we don’t see coming. I don’t want to miss it, you know?”
He’s remarkably confident. “I get you,” I say, even though that isn’t true.
“Good, because I have exciting news.” He swings my computer monitor around for me to see. “Your forbidden girlfriend is stepping out.”
“You went through my DMs.” I glare but give up after realizing he enjoys it. “She wants to meet Martin for dinner?”
Fuck.
“So, what are you going to do?” Derek leans back in the chair, enjoying my discomfort.
“I’ll send you.”
“She knows what I look like.”
“We can perm your hair,” I say, knowing it’s a pathetic attempt to keep the ruse going.
Sarah asks me for time and space and then asks Martin for dinner. I wouldn’t be staring at a DM if that accident didn’t happen. We were on the verge of everything, and then I wrecked her brother. Was she going to tell me? Her avoiding me may come from past events, and all the trust we built just wasn’t enough.
Fuck.
Fucking Martin doesn’t even exist. He’s a bland, boring, sad sack loser. He’s not assertive enough to ask her out, not even for a cup of coffee.
Derek doesn’t even acknowledge my idea. “Looks like you have yourself in a real pickle there, sport.”
“Stop enjoying this,” I say while panic fills me, and then I smile as the solution hits. “It’s the answer I’ve been looking for. What sort of place would Martin pick for a first date? Someplace awful, right?”
I type a response and send it.
∞∞∞
Martin chose a chain restaurant known for its mediocre service and poor food. It’s an excellent choice. Sarah’s familiar Subaru is parked ten spaces away, and she doesn’t know I’m waiting for the right time.
She’s avoided me for three days. Long enough to realize we belong together.
My phone rings, and I pick it up. “Josie,” I say without preamble.
