Ignite

“What the fuck, Addie? When were you going to tell me you were planning to leave me? How long have you known you were going to do this to me?”

Adaline pointed to me as anger filled her eyes. “Don’t you do that to me, Emmit Jerome Lewis. Don’t you dare make me feel guilty. You don’t think I’m confused as hell right now? I want to be with you. I love you, Emmit!”

With a curt laugh, I shook my head. “You love me? You love me, Addie? You’re fucking breaking up with me, on the biggest day of my career! I just asked you to marry me and you said no.”

Sitting down on the bed, she buried her face in her hands. “Emmit, I don’t want to leave you,” she whispered as I slipped on a pair of shorts and made my way over to her. I sat down next to her and dragged in a deep breath.

“Addie, I don’t want to do this without you. Baby, I want to give you the world.”

Adaline threw herself into my arms and held me tightly. “I need to do this for me, Emmit. I want to be with you too, but I need to find who I am and follow my own dreams. If I don’t I know I’ll end up regretting it and taking it out on you.”

I pinned her with my stare as I pulled back from her. “Why can’t you follow your dreams and still be mine, Addie?”

Her eyes lit up as she gave me a weak smile. “I’ll always be yours, Emmit. Always.”

I knew I needed to let Adaline follow her dreams. “Please don’t fall in love with someone else, Addie.”

Her lips pressed to mine as she whispered, “Never.”

My heart wanted to believe her, but my head knew better.

Three Years Later

STARING OUT THE WINDOW, I watched everything go by as we got closer to the track.

I was back in Texas, and those old feelings bubbled up. Anytime that happened, I usually found the closest girl and tried to push the memories away with a quick fuck.

It was either that, or get drunk. I couldn’t really get drunk when I had a race in a few days.

With a frustrated sigh, I dropped my head against the chair and closed my eyes.

Adaline.

No matter how hard I tried not to think of her, those blue eyes would pop into my dreams.

Adaline had gone back to Austin and pursued her dreams of becoming a nurse. The first two months we talked every single day. Then it slowly began to be every other day until it was twice a week. Either she was busy with class or I was busy doing some interview or sitting in a racecar. When I would call, she would be studying or too exhausted to talk. Eventually, I stopped calling. Adaline had called a few times and left voice mails, but by then I was too hurt and angry to call back. We drifted apart and started living separate lives.

My phone buzzed and pulled me away from my thoughts. Looking down, I saw it was my boss, Jack Elliot. He owned the team I had raced for since I first started my career with NASCAR.

Jack: I need a favor.

Me: Anything, Jack.

I’d do just about anything for Jack Elliot. He took the chance on a young, cocky nineteen-year-old kid whose only dream was to be a NASCAR driver. I’d never forget that. He was closer to me than my own father.

Jack: My niece is going to be with me at the track this week. Her fiancé just left for a nine-month deployment. She’s looking to get in the business on the finance side of things but wants to see how this side of racing is.

Rolling my eyes, I cursed under my breath. Great. Jack wants me to babysit his damn niece. Fucking hell.

Me: Okay, what do you need me to do?

Jack: Keep her close to you, Emmit. Show her what it’s like behind the scenes. She’s also planned a small dinner for Friday night, so I want you there and I’d like for you to escort her. You’re the only one I trust.

There was the guilt. Jack had no idea how many women I had fucked around with the last two years. Once I found out Adaline and I were no more, I went a bit crazy with every blonde, blue-eyed woman I could find when Adaline invaded my thoughts.

Me: Will do Jack. I’ll make sure she has a good time and gets her mind off her fiancé.

With a quick glance up, I saw we were pulling into Texas Motor Speedway.