Ignite

Robby gave me a quick slap on the shoulder and said, “You’re all set. Give ’em hell, Lewis.”

“Will do.”

The rest of the day consisted of me bitching at my spotter and crew chief, then complaining about at least five different drivers, and one fan who threw a cup onto the track, which resulted in a caution.

“What in the hell is Wallace doing? Tell him to get the hell out of my way, Waldo, or I’m going to push his ass out of the way.”

“Let’s just get you safely into the pits and don’t speed,” Waldo said calmly.

I dropped down to enter the pits only to have Malcolm slam on his breaks, nearly causing me to hit him.

“Bastard!” I yelled out as my spotter started talking.

“Three, two, one.”

Slamming on the steering wheel, I yelled, “Get me out of here!”

Waldo’s voice came across right as I was about to start bitching. “Go! Go! Go!”

Hitting the gas, I maneuvered around the pit box in front of me and headed back onto the track. I was the second one off of pit road, and ahead of Malcolm sitting in third place.

I didn’t utter another word until we were three laps from the checkered flag.

My spotters voice filled the silence. “Two to go.”

“You’ve been doing good going high all day on those turns,” Waldo said.

I knew what I had to do. Number Eight was expecting me to go high on the turns; I was going to give him a little surprise on turn four.

“Emmit, you’re awfully quiet in that car,” Waldo said with a chuckle.

“You do your thing, I’ll do mine,” I responded.

“One to go.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what Adaline was doing this very moment. Was she standing and watching or was she watching the monitor? Smiling, I thought back to last night when she climbed on top of me and took me to our favorite place.

“If you’re going to do something, Emmit, now would be the time,” Waldo said.

Hitting turn three, I watched as the car in front of me drifted up into his normal blocking position as I went down and hit the gas. I cruised right on by him and into first position and finally taking the checkered flag.

“That’s what I’m talking about! Yeah!” I shouted as Waldo congratulated me.

“Congratulations. See you in victory lane.”

Fucking yeah. Adaline was my good luck charm all the way.

November—Championship Race

I WATCHED AS EVERYONE SURROUNDED Emmit as he climbed out of his car. I held onto Landon as I stood back away from the crowd. Victory lane was probably not the best place to be with a two-month-old baby.

Emmit looked around and I couldn’t help but smile. Our eyes met and I could have sworn I saw tears in Emmit’s. The interview started and for a moment it looked like Emmit was at a loss for words. He snapped out of it and began talking. I was getting turned on just by watching my sexy-ass husband. Something about that baseball cap and that smile of his, it drove me mad with desire. Taking in a deep breath, I pushed aside the crazy feelings my body was having.

When the interview ended, Daddy walked up and gave Emmit a quick hug and a slap on the back.

I finally made my way over to him as Emmit kissed me softly on the lips.

“Congratulations,” I said with a smile and wink.