“I’ll see what I can find out. Try to stay away from Dave. The media will be outside as soon as they can get across the infield.”
Tucker shrugged. But Jared knew his friend was listening and hoped that he’d refrain from engaging Dave in any more arguments. He was fairly certain that Tucker wouldn’t do anything in front of the media but Jared never knew what to expect from him. His friend had been born fighting and had never really stopped.
Dave’s parents walked into the infield care center and went to their son. Jared stared across the aisle as Dave Jenner’s little cubicle area filled with people. Annie’s mom put an arm around her daughter’s waist and the two women leaned together.
Jared went to find the doctor. Five minutes later he accompanied the doctor back to Tucker’s cubicle where, after evaluating his condition, he signed Tucker’s release.
Jared led the way out the door. But when they reached the waiting room the media was there. They had questions for both drivers and Jared stepped to the back, out of the spotlight for the minute.
He heard the whir of a camera and glanced to his right to see Annie Jenner taking photos of everyone in the area. She’d stepped out of the crowd and was moving around capturing all the action on film.
He watched her for a little while until she turned her lens toward him. She took a few shots of him and then lowered the camera and walked over.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“You’re a very pretty woman.”
“Ah, I bet you say that to all the girls.”
He shook his head. “I do find most women attractive.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Really? Why not?”
“You strike me as a man who likes most people,” she said.
He wasn’t sure what she meant by that but he let it go. “I do. Are you free for dinner?”
CHAPTER TWO
“SURE, BUT IT’LL HAVE to be late. I’m working until nine.”
“Where shall I pick you up?”
“I’m staying at a condo on the beach. I can meet you somewhere.”
“You could, but my mother raised me to pick up my dates.”
“What else did she raise you to do?” Annie asked, wanting to know more about the man behind the image.
“To be a gentleman,” he said.
Time would tell. “And are you?”
“You’ll have to be the judge of that.”
The press conference was winding down. “Until later.”
She walked away from him, quickly. Her brother was staring at her as she approached. Annie gave him a narrowed glance, silently asking, “What’s up?”
He tipped his head at Jared, who’d moved back to Tucker’s side. She shook her head at her brother. The last thing she wanted to do was discuss this with Dave.
“Hold up, Annie. Walk with me to my motor home.”
She glanced back and remembered that minute when she’d been uncertain if he’d walk away from the crash. She rushed back to his side and wrapped her arms around his chest, holding him tightly to her.
“I’m okay,” he said, his words just a whisper.
“I know. I’m just glad.”
He grinned at her, for the first time looking like the carefree brother she knew. There was a lot of pressure for Dave to perform and perform well during race season.
“Good,” Dave said.
He kept his arm over her shoulder and she felt that natural rhythm that had always flowed between them. That twin thing that she could always sense when they were together.
Dave dropped his arm from around her as they approached the entrance to the garages. There were a flock of fans with cold pit and garage passes lined up waiting to see the drivers when the garage would be “cold” again. Annie pulled her credentials out of her pocket and flashed her hot pass at the official at the gate. She waited just inside the gates until Dave finished signing hats and T-shirts and joined her.
“Shouldn’t you go talk to Vinnie?”
“We’re meeting in fifteen?he’s still with the team trying to assess all the damage done to the body of the car.”
They reached his motor home and he opened the door, waiting for her to go inside. She did, taking a seat on one of the plush leather captain’s chairs.
“What do you need to talk to me about?” she asked, leaning back on the padded seat. She could tell their mom had been by here at some point during the day because there was a bottle of citrus juice with a sticky note on it just like the one her mom had given her this morning.
“I see mom is doing her best to keep you healthy.”
He flushed a little. “Did you get one, too?”
“Yes. I think it makes her happy to take care of us.”