Page 152 of Downforce

My hand goes to the key pendant without thinking. A smile touches my lips. Less than an hour ago Max was on the phone saying those three words to me.

“Yes.”

“I know that, too.” Travis sighs. “Hate to admit it, but I saw the way that basta—” he corrects when I side-eye him, “guy looked at you this weekend.”

“How was he looking at me?”

“The way I look at Alyssia. The way Dad looks at Mom.”

His words hit me like a pile of bricks. It’s one thing for me to feel and see it, but it’s another for someone else to. Especially someone as reluctant as Travis to admit it.

“He knows that I’ll break both of his arms and a leg if he hurts you, right?”

“Just three of his limbs? Is that all I’m worth?”

He shrugs. “Gotta leave something for Tristan. And that’s before Dad hears about it.” He snickers but stops when he looks over at me.

“Don’t joke about hurting Max.”

He rolls his eyes skyward. “I know. I know. Hurting him would be like hurting you.” He huffs. “I hate to break it to you, but I will hurt his feelings once I win the Driver’s Championship again this year.”

I grin. “I’ll be rooting for you.”

His brows raise.

“What?”

“You’re still going to root for me?” He blocks the pillow I throw at his face.

“Are you crazy? Of course I’m rooting for you. I’m always rooting for you.”

“Even when you’re in love with my biggest rival?”

“I’m rooting for him, too.” I rise from the couch and hold out my arms. “I want both of you to win, and yes, I know that isn’t possible, but it’s not possible for me to choose one over the other. I’ve loved you since the day I was born, and I love him enough to …”

“Enough to what?” Travis asks.

Marry him. Spend the rest of my life with him.

“Enough to tell you that I love him even knowing how you feel about him. He’s not the guy you make him out to be. He’s as passionate about racing and winning as you are, but he’s not the partygoer or slack off that you think he is.”

“He used to be,” Travis gripes. “He might not party like he used to. Most people were saying they thought it was because he came over to Amato and finally got serious. But it’s because of you, isn’t it?”

I shake my head. “It’s because of him. He made the change himself.”

Travis smiles, dropping his head and running a hand through his hair.

“You have always been the better judge of character,” he says, sounding defeated. “If you say he’s not that bad, then … whatever.” He stands from the couch as well. “I’m still pissed about the fact he broke my damn arm.”

“That was an accident,” I defend. “Honestly, he didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“I believe you. Still, he never even apologized for it. He didn’t bother stopping by the hospital to check on me. Every other driver on the grid that year came to the damn hospital.”

“He was there,” I say in a lower voice.

Travis shakes his head. “I was on painkillers, but I remember everyone that came that day or the next. He wasn’t one of them.”

“I stopped him from coming to your room,” I admit. “That night …” I sigh. “I was so shaken and scared. I blamed myself.”