Drive Me Crazy (16 page)

“
Beats staying here and moping around,” she said with a shrug and a sigh.

“
Gee thanks.”

“
It’s not an insult.”

“
Don’t explain yourself. Everyone needs to get away.” Warmth coursed through his veins as her expression of utter hopelessness eased a tiny bit. He knew the smallest distance gained could win the entire race. “Go home and pack, then I’ll be by to pick you up at five thirty.”

“
Are we driving?”

“
Flying. Wieland Airlines was a sponsor of mine and we’re still on good terms.” Actually, he’d decided to go that route, because he couldn’t ride in a car with Melanie for five hours and not keep his hands off of her.

***

The flight was uneventful and quick. Just the kind he liked. A limo picked them out front of Charlotte Douglas International, whisking them away to the Marquis. After checking in, the valet showed them to Melanie’s room.

Carter tipped the woman and shut the door behind her, then turned to face Melanie. She stood at the windows, peering out at the Charlotte skyline. The lights of the Carolina Panthers’ stadium were visible from this high up.

“
Feel free to order room service, movies and gorge yourself on the mini-bar.” He smiled as she whirled to face him. “Jump on the bed and prank call the room next door.” All those things she had done with his sister the last time they’d come out to Charlotte to visit him, before he bought his house. But there was no way he could take Melanie to his house. He didn’t trust himself.

“
Not much fun to do without a friend,” she said, moving to the bed. Her hand trailed over the covers. “This is a huge bed for just one person.”

Yeah and he’d like nothing more than to join her in it. His dick was on board with his plan, too. Jesus, he had to get out of there. “If you don’t need anything, I’ll be going.” He turned, moving to the door.

“
Carter, wait!” Her coconut scent reached him before she did.

Hand on the door knob, he closed his eyes as her arms came around him. This is was okay. She’d always given him hugs, except when he’d gotten engaged, then she’d avoided him like he had the plague. Her breasts flattened against his back. He stiffened.

“
I’m glad you brought me with you. I needed this.”

“
Me, too.” Then he opened the door and stepped out of her embrace.

***

The three meetings he had scheduled went two for three in his favor. Two major investors not only wanted to help him get started, but had a list of clients that would be interested in his services.

Only problem was that one of the investors was a close friend of the governor and Carter wasn’t completely sure that they were there for the potential to make money. Since he’d removed his manager and agent from the equation, he needed someone to bounce off ideas. someone that wouldn’t bullshit him or break his balls.

Someone like Jake Henley.

After texting his friend and former teammate, Carter checked in on Melanie.

How’s it going?

Swimmingly.


?

She texted him a picture of the pool on the fiftieth floor. Good thing it was heated, else her cute ass would be freezing right about now. He had to force himself to not ask Melanie to text him a picture of herself, wearing one of those tiny bikinis she favored
.

Join me and Jake for drinks tonight?

Already have plans. Thanks anyway. Tomorrow?

“
Plans,” he muttered. Who did she know in Charlotte? It didn’t matter, because he hadn’t earned the right to be nosy about her personal life. Despite his little talk with her at Poor Boy’s, she was keeping him firmly in the friend zone.

Pick you up at five
.
Have fun.
Friend zone or not, he couldn’t stop himself from adding,
Be careful and call me when you get in.

K


Motioning for the clerk, he indicated the necklace he wanted to see. Smiling, the woman gently removed it from the case and displayed it on black velvet. Diamond, sapphires and emeralds gleamed under the store lights. The gold chain was delicate, like the pendant.

“
I’ll take it.”

“
Would you like for me to gift wrap it, Mr. Ambrose?”

Melanie would probably like that. “Please.” He’d give it to her tomorrow as a thank you for putting up with him and cheering him on between meetings. She’d worn a pencil thin skirt, with a fitted suit jacket, her hair in a soft up-do as she sat at his side. Each little under-the-table pat on his knee made him feel ten feet tall and bullet proof.

He was really going to miss that when he moved.

***

Pouring himself a glass of Southern Comfort, he wandered around his house. April had been the one to pick out the floor plan, the neighborhood and the interior designer. It was perfect, or it had been.

April had taken her favorite pieces of furniture and all the artwork. The rest, she had said, he could sell on eBay or donate to Goodwill. He hadn’t done either, yet.

He sat down on the leather sofa in the media room, grabbing the remote. For almost forty five minutes, he watched his old races—the times he’d won and lost. And crashed.

Then he watched his last race, the one where he’d hit the wall so hard that his car had crumpled around him like an accordion.

Wincing, he clicked off the television. Yeah, he missed racing, but he did not miss the recovery time or the look on his mother’s face when he first opened his eyes in the hospital. Come to think of it, everyone he’d known had visited him, including Melanie.

Then again, Melanie had been a part of his life in some way, shape or form since he was eleven. Smiling, he leaned his head back and thought about his earliest memory of her.

He could see her clearly: Sunshine-colored hair, face full of freckles and big brown eyes. He’d been playing football on the playground and she’d asked to join in. The other boys had said no. Then she’d looked at him, batted her lashes, and he’d felt sucker-punched.

Hell, he still felt that way around her.

The doorbell rang, pulling him out of his memories. Rising from the sofa, he set his drink down on the way to answer the door.

A grin kicked up the corners of his mouth as Jake Henley walked in. “Hope you don’t mind, but I brought along an old friend and his
guest
.” Then Jake’s voice dropped, “Didn’t have choice. Chase beat my ass at the last stoplight. Told him where I was going, before I knew who was with him. Sorry.”

Carter shrugged. “Maybe he can contribute.” While breaking his balls.

Chase Montgomery stepped inside, shaking Carter’s hand. “Thanks for having me.”

Just as he closed the door, April breezed through. “Fancy seeing you here. Love what you’ve done with the place.”

Shit. No damn wonder Jake was sorry. “Come on in. Make yourself right at home,” Carter muttered to himself as he joined the threesome in his kitchen.

April cozied up to Chase, batting her big blue eyes at him. Nearly two years ago that same move had sent him chasing after her, pursuing April like she was the two million dollar purse at Daytona. A year ago, watching her do that would have sent him into a jealous rage. He would have shot off his mouth, then they would have had angry make-up sex.

Tonight, however, it didn’t even register. He smiled and reclaimed his drink, he took a long pull.

Despite April’s over the top flirting, Chase didn’t seem interested. Then again, Racing Royalty could have any woman he wanted around here. Hell, last year the man had dated the Princess of some European country he couldn’t remember the name of, their images splashed on every magazine and online gossip blog.

“
A toast to my man, Carter, for knocking it out of the park today,” Jake said, lifting a glass. “Charlotte’s restoration car business won’t know what hit ‘em.”

Piercing grey eyes met Carter’s. “Finally made up your mind, huh? Thought you’d stay in Holland Springs.”

“
Actually, that’s what I needed to talk to Jake about. Mind if we go in the other room?”

April tossed her hair. “I’ll be happy to keep Chase occupied.”

Just as Carter and Jake left the room, Carter bumped a picture with his hip. He stopped, picked up the frame and set it back in place.

“
Already been occupied by you, darlin’. Or did you forget that time I showed you how to drive stick? Practiced in every car I owned until you got it right,” Chase said, his voice low, but Carter heard every word.

“
You’re a bad boy, Chase Montgomery,” April cooed.

Still he felt nothing and kept walking. That’s really what had driven him and April apart, at least on her end. She wanted a bad boy twenty-four seven. Only once Carter committed to a woman, the bad boy took a backseat to the dedicated boyfriend.

Jake waited in Carter’s office, standing near the French doors that led outside.

“
I’ve been thinking—”

“
A dangerous pastime for you, man.” Jake grinned, his white teeth flashing the million dollar smile he was known for. He ran a hand through his hair, blue eyes gleaming with humor. “So what’s on your mind?”

Carter relayed his dilemma, then waited for Jake to mull it over.

After a few minutes, Jake said, “You should definitely open your business in Charlotte.”

“
That much I already knew, but I’m not sure if it’s the best option.”

“
Charlotte’s where you have the contacts, the social life and clients,” Jake pointed out.

Carter looked out through the French doors at his backyard. Pool lights gleamed under the water while steam rose from the top. “Definitely don’t have that in Holland Springs.” Unless he counted spending time with Melanie as his social life. He really should have invited her over to swim in his pool. Then he would have been able to watch her splash around, her breasts bobbing as she floated on her back.

He gave himself a mental shake and turned to face Jake, only to spy April standing in the doorway, looking like a cat that had caught the canary.

“
Need something?” he said. How much had she heard?

“
Looking for the ladies room.”

“
What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t be torn away from my mother.”

“
Had an appointment with my hair dresser.” She let out a little huff. “Bathroom?”

Shaking his drink, he listened to the ice rattling around. “You picked out the house, April. I’m pretty sure you know where everything is located.”

“
That I do.” Blowing him a kiss, she sauntered away.

“
Damn good day when the two of you broke up,” Jake said from behind him. “Anyway, how about going into business with me? I know my way around cars and finances.”

“
Don’t I know it, Mr. MBA,” Carter said, bumping his fist against Jake’s. “I’ll give it some serious consideration, but in the meantime, let’s get rid of my
guests
and get the hell out of here.”

Chapter
Twelve

The minute he stepped foot into King’s, Carter knew Melanie was here. A cute waitress, wearing all black, led him and Jake to the club’s VIP section on the second floor. From up here he could survey the entire dance floor, but the flashing lights and columns made it difficult for those on the lower level to see him.

A flash of sunshine-colored hair caught his eye and he found his girl in the center of the dance floor, shaking her cute ass with her arms in the air. Dressed in a flirty skirt and hot pink halter top, she had the attention of every man in the place. A slow grin kicked up the corners of his mouth as she wagged a finger at the guy who’d come up behind her and scooted away.