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“No, he’s giving you an advantage.”
It’s been nearly impossible to train all week.
Which he knew when he assigned it to me. That was the price of keeping the student engineers involved, because he doesn’t give something for nothing.
Still, there’s the question of why he’d make things harder for me if he truly wants me to win the seat. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was trying to level the playing field. Our father loves an underdog story, but it’s better if he’s the author.
“Yes. Poor Jamie. Being the face of the company. However will you survive?” Theo asks as we continue down the hall. “Don’t worry. I was more than happy to adopt your rogue engineer last weekend.” He cuts me a look.
My brother’s trying to get under my skin, and it’s working. My mind drifts back to Shay.
“Nothing happened,” I say.
“Between you?”
“No. Between you.”
Theo’s stunned silent.
The evening victory celebrations last Sunday were a mass of bright lights and stars, but Shay stood out in the midst of all of it.
When I spotted her across the room, wearing the fuck out of a dress and heels, I lost my words.
I wasn’t ready to figure out what it meant but I had to be closer. When I got near her, she looked up at me like she couldn’t decide if I was the good guy or the bad guy.
I didn’t give a shit. I wanted to be the only guy.
What are we?
Not friends.
Her lips were soft but every other part of her was fire.
The way she met me stroke for stroke. I wanted to do so much more with her. I’d been wanting it for weeks.
With the press duties I’ve had the past week, classes have taken a back seat. Shay, Megan, and I haven’t had a chance to focus on the next race. Hell, Shay and I haven’t talked except for a couple of clipped hi’s.
But I stare at her when I see her down the hall. I’ve picked up my phone and started texting her more than once, only to delete whatever I wrote.
“You’re into her.” Theo’s disbelieving voice brings me back. “Jamie Ashford, the person who puts driving ahead of every earthly desire, has it bad.”
My brother likes picking scabs until they bleed, and I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“Don’t tell me you’re calling dibs?” he prods.
“Maybe I am.”
Theo’s mouth works as we continue down the hall. He didn’t expect me to say that. I didn’t expect to say it myself.
“When was the last time you told me I couldn’t have something?” he asks.
He’s winding up for a mic drop and I’m not in the mood. I check my phone instead of responding.
“Never once. Certainly not a girl, not in all this time,” he finishes.
I scan the hallway lined with offices, all the employees at ARI. The place I’ve wanted to take my whole life.
“Things change.”
