Ahhhh. That’s more like the Nate I know and love. I roll my eyes and get ready for the show.
The hundreds of people standing around the track start scrambling and taking off in all different directions and I sit up straighter in my seat wondering what the hell is going on when I see blue and red flashing lights pouring in through the dirt entrance. “Fuck,” I curse, wide-eyed. “The police are here.”
Nate doesn’t even lift his eyes from the track. “Yep.”
I blanch for a second. He said it so damn casual, almost as though he knew about it. But then I recall his comments before the race. He said this was his last race on this track. “Did you know about this?” I question as he continues racing around the track, still with Jackson right beside him.
“Of course, I knew about it,” he scoffs. “I know everything that goes down in Broken Hill.”
“Shouldn’t we be leaving?” I question, watching as the cops continue pouring in and start spreading out. I mean, it looks like a freaking mess. There are cops everywhere. Boys are grabbing their girlfriends and hauling ass to their cars. Engines are starting up and cars are spitting up dirt behind their tires in their desperate need to get out of here.
“Hell, no,” Nate laughs. “I’m going to finish this.”
I look across at Jackson to see him still pushing forward, just as determined as Nate. Elle looks frantic and panicked in the front seat and I wish there was something I could do to help calm her, but it’s all up to Jackson now.
We sail through the final corner as I watch Jesse’s Range Rover disappear and hope that everyone is in there with him, though I shouldn’t doubt him. Jesse wouldn’t leave anyone behind. It’s simply not in his nature.
Knowing they’re safe, I focus on the ending of this race. We complete the final corner and I realize I have one hand on the door and the other latching onto the center console with my nails digging in. I retract the claws, hoping Nate doesn’t pick up on it, but who am I kidding, he notices everything. He’s just choosing not to pick me up on it right now.
We reach the final straight and Nate is just slightly in front on Jackson, but from the curl in his lips, he’s still got a lot more to give.
Nate hits the gas and not a second later, his Camaro shoots forward and leaves Jackson behind in a cloud of dust, just as Nate had said.
I laugh as we cross the finish line where he would usually slam on the brakes with dust spilling up behind him, but not today. Nate shoots off the track, hardly bothering to slow down with Jackson right on his tail. Cops are everywhere and we desperately need to get out of here. If the cops are going to aim for anyone, it’s going to be the two they would have seen actually participating in illegal racing.
Nate cuts across and slips behind a row of bushes to a different exit, one that I didn’t even know existed and shoots forward, getting us the hell out of here.
Ten minutes later, we’re safe out on the highway where we find Jesse’s Range Rover pulled off to the side of the road. We pass and in the blink of an eye, he’s right there behind us, barging his way in front of Jackson’s Charger and all I can say is – Holy shit.
Chapter 11
Nate slips his hand into mine and we walk back from the Chinese restaurant that sits just beside the college campus. We both had an early class this morning and then he took me out to lunch like the gentleman we both know he isn’t. He’s got to work the rest of the day and probably well into the night, but at least we got a chance to spend part of the day together.
I absolutely love these little stolen moments we have with each other. It’s the little things that complete my heart and remind me how damn lucky I am to have him in my life. I mean, those two months where we were apart sucked and missing out on these little moments with him tore me to shreds. I’m so glad that we were able to move past that. I like to think it’s made us stronger, both as individuals and as a couple, no matter how bad it sucked at the time.
He’s officially been living with me for about three days and they have been absolutely perfect. Well, more than perfect if you consider the fact that he kept his promise about Sunday mornings.
It’s nothing short of incredible. Just the way I had always imagined it would be. Apart from the fact that we had Brooke glaring at us and Lukas walking through the door as though he owned the place. We’re just lucky that with Nate here, Lukas just kept walking as though he didn’t even notice we were there. Hopefully, the news of Nate living with us would help him keep his distance.