He laughed at that. Before he could respond, Rex walked in the room and collapsed on the bed. “Is this what the two of you have been doing all morning?”
Lucy draped her body over his shoulders, hugging him tightly. “How was your first meeting?”
“They hate me,” he complained.
She kissed his cheek. “They didn’t like me either when I first took over. They’ll get used to you.”
“I don’t know a damn thing about racing.”
“Told ya,” Luke said.
“You told her what?” Rex asked, looking down at Lucy’s hands as she unfastened his buttons.
“I told her you didn’t know anything about racing and that’s not where your interests lie.”
He shrugged. “I want Lucy to stay at home and do what she wants to do. We’ll make something out of this. You’ll see.”
“Did you show the guys the plans for the garage and track?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “No one except the kid is interested in moving here.”
“His wife, Melinda, has family in Bristol. That’s why,” she explained, rubbing the knots out of his neck. “The others will come around.”
“I don’t know. They’re pretty concerned about how long it will take to construct a new practice track. Those with families aren’t impressed by the schools here.”
“We attended Hawkins County Schools. We turned out just fine.”
Rex shrugged. “Then there’s the issue with someone by the name of Fred Graves. Anyone you know?”
Lucy stilled behind him. She hadn’t heard that name in over a year.
Luke bent down and picked up his boxers. Rex turned to face her. “Do you know him or not?”
“Did he call this morning?”
Rex studied her face, acting as if he wanted to memorize every worry line wrinkling her forehead. “Who is he, Lucy?”
She swallowed once, afraid to tell him the truth, terrified of the reaction she’d see if Rex and Luke knew what extreme measures she’d taken in order to keep her company profitable and her grandfather proud. She’d gotten in bed with the devil, and the devil expected her to continue paying dues.
“He asked you a question,” Luke said. He knelt to the floor again and picked up her nightshirt, a sexy little transparent, sleeveless number he’d discarded at some point.
Lucy took the garment and slipped it on. Trying to buy some time, she pretended to struggle with the small opening at the neck, conveniently forgetting to unbutton the three pearl stones at the top.
“She’s stalling,” Rex remarked, accustomed to her tactics. Lucy couldn’t pull any punches with these two.
“I don’t ask you about your past. You have a history, but I don’t inquire about it. I don’t want to know.”
“That’s your right,” Rex informed her. “But just because you don’t ask, doesn’t mean I won’t. Who the hell is he?”
She slid away from the bed and paced the floor, pausing at the window
to peer down on a few of the fellows. “I see Mark Watson made it.”
“Yes, and the rest of your team members are here, too. Cook is preparing a picnic-style feast for this evening. I thought that would give you a good chance to address questions and concerns.”
She nodded. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
“Who. Is. He?” Luke hit her up for answers this time.