Page 87 of Crash Course

“Actually, you determine that,” I hear myself respond. “Everyone knows you’re calling the shots.”

His nostrils flare. “Theo’s already at the track. I never expected he’d be the one impressing me with his focus.”

“Do us both a favor and stop using him to get to me for a single second.”

I expect him to snap back. But instead, his voice softens.

“He gets to you because he’s your natural competition. Not because of me. A lot goes into building a company like ARI. Even more goes into fighting to keep it. One day, you’ll understand.”

Challenger Championship

Race Two

Shay

Jameson: That’s it. Only one Ashford is surviving the weekend.

Shay: It can’t be that bad.

Jameson: I’m going to kill Theo. We have a four-hour drive and he’s singing like it’s karaoke night.

Nothing causes an uproar like the Ashford jet breaking down on the way to Miami. Thunderstorms in the area forced them to make an emergency landing at another airport ahead of the second Challenger race.

“Are they flying commercial?” Megan peers over the back of my lounge chair on the pool deck in her hot pink one-piece at the hotel. We got in an hour ago. Overhead, the clouds that wreaked havoc are clearing.

“Nope. Apparently, the drivers are all on a coach bus from Orlando.” I hold up the photo on my phone as evidence. Megan and Raj crack up.

This weekend is the second race that will determine ARI’s new driver next year—and probably who will score an internship on the grid. We’ve been working on strategy for this race and have some plans for the long straights broken up by slow corners, but the biggest wildcard is the weather.

Since we’re in South Florida, there’s a good chance it’ll be wet on track for at least part of the race. With tight walls and little runoff, there’s almost no room for error.

Jameson and I have been texting all week and hanging out when we can steal time between classes and his ARI commitments. I figured I’d have more spare moments now that I’m not covering my dad’s shifts, but between keeping up with school and working on the Challenger series, it doesn’t feel that way.

Jameson’s been jumping through hoops for his father doing extra PR for the company. I’ve been trying to keep up with classes while studying reams of data on the cars, the track, his driving.

This weekend, we might actually get a few minutes alone.