Sam stuck out his hand. “I’m Sam McMann. I followed your career in drag racing. No one out there had your skill. I just joined Hinman Racing because I want to work with you. If you’ll give these fellas a chance, I think we’ll put together an unconquerable team.”
Immediately, Frank glared at Sam. Duke felt that sudden stabbing sensation in his gut, too. Julie never once raised her arm and shook his hand. Instead she stared at his splayed fingers and then tilted her chin and looked away.
“You joined Hinman Racing because the word is out, isn’t it?” When he didn’t respond, she addressed Hank. “You told him I was definitely joining your team.”
Hank narrowed his gaze and rubbed his chin, taking his own sweet time providing a reply. “I promised Frank he could handle you but the truth is, I don’t want anyone to handle you except me or Duke. Now, you can say no to Hinman Racing. That’s your choice, and if you decide to turn down the offer we put on the table, it’ll be your loss.
“But Hinman Racing is offering one deal. Me and Duke? We’re offering something else altogether. We moved our entire team from Daytona to Columbia because we have better facilities there. We’ve got a car with your name on it. We’ve got a room decorated to your tastes, and a physical therapist already relocated to the guest house, which has been converted into a rehab facility.
“Whether you drive for us later or not, you’re going home with us. You’ll see the group effort that’s gone into the Columbia farm. I think you’ll appreciate the people who made our place comfortable enough for you. Now, like I said, you’ve got two deals here—Hinman Racing and Hinman men. One is negotiable. The other, isn’t. Accept it.”
Julie’s eyes were wide. She held her head as high as she could manage and squared her shoulders. “I’ve experienced the Hinman men and believe me, I was less than impressed. What makes you think I won’t feel the same about Hinman Racing?”
Duke grunted but then put aside the blow she delivered. “The team is just that, a group effort, and our guys are winning races. Hinman Racing isn’t just me and Hank. It’s a conglomerate of the best mechanics, designers, and engineers in the business. Best I remember, you always liked team sports, Julie.”
“I used to,” she said thoughtfully. “Things have changed. You’re looking at a woman who had her life flash in front of her. There’s more to life than racing.”
“Maybe,” Duke said, not buying her reply for a second. “But there’s more racing left in you, too. So what’d ya say?”
“No,” she said firmly, looking the other way. “No all the way around.”
“That’s about what we figured you’d say,” Hank remarked, inching closer and closing the distance between him and Julie. “For the record, the racing we’re willing to talk about. The other part, sugar, isn’t open for discussion. I thought I explained that well enough. Apparently, I didn’t.”
Duke strolled toward her, grabbed her around the waist, and lifted her into his arms. At the same time, Hank removed the wooden cane from her small hand.
Seconds later, Duke secured her against his shoulder. “I never took you for a quitter, Julie. And like it or not, you don’t have a choice right now. You’re not quitting on us before you get started. You did that once already. I don’t have the stomach to watch you walk away from the people you love all over again.”
Chapter Two
The next day
Columbia, Tennessee
Julie dreamt of revving engines. She heard the squealing of tires, the magnificent sounds of a rumbling crowd cheering for their favorite drivers. Her mind’s eye captured clips of a round track, probably a half-mile or so, completely packed with bumper-to-bumper stock cars. A checkered flag was raised high in the air, and then an explosion took her back to the car she knew best—her dragster. A fiery storm replaced what might have been something substantial in terms of a win, a strong finish, or something positive to overshadow the gloom and
despair which became her reality.
Her wreck was then in vivid color. She saw the wall, heard the crash, and the fumes were as strong and as suffocating as they’d been on the day she wrecked. Gasping, she came out of the bed, clutching to the sheets and screaming at the top of her lungs.
Her eyes were wide. She saw a huge form coming toward her right before someone shook her.
“Julie!” he shouted. “Julie! Wake up! It’s Hank! You’re having a bad dream!”
When she came out of her sleepy stupor, her face was damp. Her arms were looped around Hank’s neck and her body rocked in one continual tremor. The violent ramifications of a horrific dream wracked her body and threw her into turmoil. She was still spinning around and around. Even though she realized where she was, who was holding her tightly against his chest, she couldn’t leave behind the nightmare she’d lived, the bad dreams that continued to haunt her.
“Shh,” Hank whispered, stroking her back. “I’ve got ’cha, baby. I’ve got ’cha.”
“Hank,” she choked out.
“Yes, it’s me,” he said, swaying back and forth.
A few seconds passed before she pushed him away. “Of course it’s you!” she screamed, unable to stop herself from the anger enveloping her. “Who else would be ballsy enough to pull this stunt?”
Hank jerked. He looked confused, but his expression quickly changed. He rose from the bed, walked over to the door, slammed it, and returned immediately where he took a seat on the mattress. After he crossed his muscular arms and set his stiff jaw, she realized he planned on staying a while.
Reaching for tissues beside her bed, Julie wiped her cheeks and blew her nose. Tossing the damp paper to the wastebasket, she said, “I don’t like company while I’m sleeping.”
“We got that in common,” he muttered, his jade eyes dancing with the memories he apparently wanted her to acknowledge.