Substitute Seduction (Sweet Tea And Scandal 2)

While they’d been talking, he’d directed her along the downtown street. Now, as they crossed another street, he gestured her toward a red canopy that marked the entrance to a restaurant.

“The food here is really good. I thought maybe you’d like to try it.”

“Lead the way.”

He’d brought her to a tiny French bistro with wood floors, a tin ceiling and white linens on the tables. Cozy booths were tucked against a brick wall while the opposite side of the room was lined with bottles of wine. The subdued lighting lent a warm, romantic vibe to the place and the scents filling the air made London’s mouth water.

The hostess settled them into a booth near the back where it was quieter and London turned her attention to the menu.

“It all looks so good,” she exclaimed. “I don’t know what to choose.”

“We could order a couple things and share,” Harrison suggested.

It would ease the decision-making process, so London nodded. “Since you’ve been here before, I’m going to let you do the ordering.”

“You trust me?”

She somehow sensed he had more on his mind than just meal selection. “Let’s just say I’m feeling a little adventurous at the moment.”

“I like the sound of that.”

After the waitress brought their drinks and left with their orders, London decided to grab the conversational reins.

“So where are you staying?”

“In an RV at the raceway,” he replied. “You’re welcome to stop by and check it out later. It’s pretty roomy with a nice big bed in the back.”

“I suppose it makes sense to be close by,” she said, ignoring his invitation. “I looked at the weekend schedule and they keep you really busy. I’m surprised you had time to have dinner with me.”

“I snuck out,” he said with a mischievous grin. “My uncle thinks I’m going over the data from today’s laps before tomorrow’s race.”

“Really?” She was more than a little shocked until she realized he was kidding. “I’m learning there’s a lot more to racing than just getting in a car and going fast.”

“Sometimes the tiniest changes can make all the difference.”

“So besides making sure you’re super-hydrated,” she began, referring to the fact that he was only drinking water and wasn’t partaking in the bottle of wine he’d ordered for her, “what else goes into preparing for tomorrow’s race?” In stark contrast to her earlier skepticism about being interested in a race-car driver, she was finding Harrison’s occupation quite interesting.

“I make sure I eat a lot of carbs the night before. I hope you’re a fan of chocolate mousse.”

“I can always make room for chocolate of any kind.”

“Tomorrow morning I’ll have a big breakfast followed by a light lunch. In between I’ll make sponsor-related appearances before checking in with my crew chief and team to run through last-minute strategy. After that there’s a drivers’ meeting where the racing association shares information about what’s going on that day. If I’m lucky I’ll get a few minutes alone at the RV to get my head on straight, but more likely I’ll be doing meet and greets. Finally, after lunch, I’ll suit up and head to the driver introductions.”

“Wow! That’s a packed schedule.” She was starting to appreciate that his career wasn’t just about driving. He was a brand ambassador for his sponsors and the league as well as being a celebrity. “You really don’t have any time to yourself.”

“Not really. It’s all part of the job. And I wouldn’t give up any of it.”

“You call yourself an introvert, but don’t all the public appearances and demands on your time wear you down to nothing?”

“It’s not like I don’t enjoy meeting my fans.” He buttered a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth. “But when I have time off, I make sure I do whatever it takes to reenergize.”

“I’m surprised you’re out with me, then.”

“Are you kidding?” His broad smile dealt her defenses a significant blow. “Being with you is quite exhilarating.”

“That’s sweet of you to say...”

“I mean it.” He gestured at her with another hunk of crusty bread. “And this is where I should probably confess something.”