Wrecked (Dirty Air 3)

“Hey, arsehole. Good luck with your qually today. I’m still mad at you, but I hope you place P1.” Caleb rolls his eyes at the FaceTime camera.

The pit crew ignores me as I lean against my race car, tapping my trainer. “Thanks for the sweet words. Love you too, mate.”

“If your love is anything close to what you had for Elena, I’ll have to pass.” Caleb turns his words into bullets, piercing my carefully erected armor.

“What do you know about love?”

“Enough to know you fucked up.”

“Are you going to tell me the same thing before every qualifier?”

“If that’s what it takes for you to pull your head out of your arse, then I’m all for it.”

My eyes dart from the screen to Elías, who scowls at me from the other side of the garage. “Good thing I only have a couple qualifiers left then. I can’t imagine my life without your cheerful attitude.”

“That’s what you get for breaking Elena’s heart. What did I tell you?”

“I didn’t answer your call so you could lecture me,” I snap, exhaustion sucking up my patience. Guilt already makes it difficult for me to function every day, so the last thing I need is a sixteen-year-old kid schooling me on what little he knows about love.

“No, you answered to ease your guilt. I’m not like the paid help you have around you. I’m going to call you out on your bullshit.”

“By all means, call me out.”

“You need to go chase after your girl. It’s been three weeks already. What are you waiting for?”

A miracle sounds a bit religious for my taste, so I keep it fake. “Sometimes people don’t work out.”

“Well those people are idiots like you who destroyed their relationship with a mistake.”

“I’ve done what I can to correct my mistakes and make sure she is taken care of.”

“Wait, what?” Caleb eyes me suspiciously.

Shit.

“I’ve made sure to amend my mistakes with McCoy.”

“How did you make sure she is taken care of?”

“What are you talking about?” Smooth, Jax.

“Okay, mate, chemo might suck, but it doesn’t kill off my brain cells. You said you did what you could to make sure she is taken care of.”

A crew member waves at me. “I’ve got to go. They’re calling me to get ready.”

“Don’t make me go all 007 on you and dig into what you’re hiding.”

My laugh comes off forced. “Okay, James Bond. I don’t know what medicine they give you, but your delusions are trippy as fuck.”

Caleb narrows his eyes at me. “Good luck today, bye.” He hangs up without letting me say goodbye back.

Shit. For his sake and mine, I hope he doesn’t go digging around.

I can’t have news get back to Elena that I’ve been behind her recent opportunities.

Elías scares the shit out of me as I exit the pit lane.

“Fuck. Do you have a thing for lurking in corners?”