“You have a point,” Jared said. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I haven’t slept in thirty-six hours.”
“I know it’s been rough,” she replied. “Let me help you. Relationships are built on moments like this.”
“Our relationship…does that mean you still want to do this? I don’t think that this is going to be an isolated incident. Tucker is going to be scrutinizing everything your brother does and vice versa.”
“I tried to go home and forget about you. It would be easier for my family if I just stopped seeing you, but it wouldn’t be easier for me.”
“Ah, Annie,” he said. He crossed the room and drew her into his arms. He wrapped her in a bear hug that quieted the worries in her head.
“Where do we go from here?” she asked.
“We stick together. At the track we’ll do our jobs, but in our free time…we’ll be together, right?”
“Yes,” she said. She knew that they were facing a rough patch but she felt that he was worth it. She’d taken a huge leap of faith by coming here today and Jared… Well, Jared had proven he was worth the risk.
HER FEELINGS FOR Jared grew deeper each week and they’d spent so much time together, she was starting to not only like the man he was, but see a future where they could be together as she caught glimpses of the man he hid from the world.
Those moments didn’t happen often and usually he retreated as soon as he realized he’d let her past his barriers, but she took heart from the fact that he was letting her in.
Her cell phone rang and she glanced at the caller ID.
“Hey, Jared.”
“Are your parents there yet?”
“Yes, why?”
“I just want to make sure that everything is perfect tonight.”
“Dinner isn’t going to change my father’s mind about you.”
“It could.”
“Why is this so important? I thought all the lectures didn’t bother you.”
“They don’t. But I know how close you are to your parents. I don’t want to cause a rift.”
“What do you mean?”
He took a deep breath and then said, “I know how lonely it can be to lose that closeness with your parents.”
“You were close to your parents,” she said, knowing from other comments he’d made that he had been.
“Yes. And I’m not going to be responsible for any tension with yours.”
“Jared?”
“I’ve got to go. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
He hung up. She fingered the bracelet he’d given her as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. It was the Friday before the race at Talladega.
Jared had hired a limo to pick them up. She was waiting with her mom and dad outside the track. It was a beautiful spring night in Alabama. And she thought it was a good sign for the evening.
Her father was still leery of her relationship with Jared. A long black limo pulled to a stop where they were waiting. Jared climbed out of the back, flashing Annie a quick grin as he shook her father’s hand and gave her mom a friendly hug.
The driver opened the door and her parents got into the back of the stretch limo. “You’re early.”
“I’m hoping to make a good impression on your parents. Maybe your dad will call off the rest of your male relatives.”
“You two coming?” Her dad stuck his head out of the open door. “Or you going to talk all night?”
“We’re coming,” she said, getting into the car. Jared followed her, sitting next to her in the seat facing the rear of the car. Jared left the door open.
“Aren’t we ready to go?”
“No. We’re waiting for your brother.”
“He didn’t mention anything to me about coming,” Annie said.
“He’ll be here,” her father stated.
Annie hoped the evening didn’t turn into Dave and Daddy grilling Jared about his intentions.
“Oh, good,” her mom stated.
Dave joined them a few minutes later and she found herself sitting on the bench seat between her lover and her brother. Neither man said much to the other but her parents kept the conversation going.
They had a nice meal at the country club where Jared had made arrangements for them to have dinner. When they got back to the track, Dave took her aside while Jared showed her parents the corporate suite he was using for the week.
“Does he think that we’re going to forget he’s the team owner for Aldridge?” Dave asked.
She frowned at him. “I think he wants to get to know you all better. It’s not like we’re going to forget about Tucker.”
“I’m sure he wants to know us. Most people are envious of the Jenner legacy.”