Happy Hour (Racing on the Edge) (38 page)

Jimi flipped out and started yelling at the top of his lungs towards poor little Emma, who then began to cry, and not just any crying, it was a bawling sort of cry.

“Dad
...
calm down
...
it’s not that big of a deal.” She made an effort to down play it. “I’ll just grow my hair out. Why are you so upset?”

He gasped. “
Why
am I upset? You kids
...
I refuse to believe that my DNA was a part of
...
something like this.” He was pacing across the concrete floor in the space Jameson’s car had just been. “First we have Spencer who draws dicks on hotel walls and tattoo’s his ass. Then we have Jameson who obviously needs to be medicated or some shit, and then there’s
Emma
, who tattoos her goddamn neck with something you’d see on a hooker!”

Nancy backhanded his shoulder. “Jimi calm down! It’s not that big of deal.”

“Not that big of a deal?” He seethed and then his expression changed. “I don’t think they’re my kids. That’s it, I don’t think they are
...
” his voice trailed off as he stomped away.

Nancy attempted to comfort Emma and her obsessive crying. I just stood there against the wall shaking my head.

It was never a dull moment around the Riley family.

Eventually Jameson returned from his qualifying run, he got the pole naturally so he was in good spirits.

As soon as he pulled himself from the car, Liz Clayton, a reporter with Fox Sports, was directly in his face. “Jameson, you got the pole, how’d you do it?”

Jameson leaned back against his car and chuckled at the invariable question. “It was tough. I knew we got through one and two fast and uh
...
I knew we were awesome getting into three. I had three lanes to choose from. The one I chose didn’t really work but
...
I still ended up on the pole so I guess it
did
work. I felt like we were kinda tight in three and then I was a little free off but it was because I hit the throttle too soon trying to get back to the line, it worked though.” He gave a quick shrug. “It’s nice for this whole Riley Simplex Racing Team. The guys did a good job, gave me an awesome car out there and to get the pole here at a track I love is awesome.”

“Have you and Darrin had a chance to talk about last week?” Liz asked searching for a feature story.

Way to put him in a bad mood.

“No,” His expression changed instantly, the casual tone no longer present. “We won’t be talking about it. There’s nothing to say.” Jameson walked away over to Kyle and Mason with their clipboards.

Kyle congratulated him so I made my way over since he seemed to be smiling again.

“Congratulations.” I said hip checking him.

“Thanks.” Jameson replied giving me his lopsided grin he was so good at. “Do you want to get some dinner in a little while?” he asked checking his phone. “I have an autograph session but after that we can go somewhere.”

“Sure.”

“Nice run Jameson.” A man said from behind.

We both turned around to see Tate Harris and Andy Crockett, Tate’s teammate with Banner Racing, standing next to Jameson’s car.

Andy Crockett was a name I heard a lot these days. He was another driver that was easy on the eyes and raked up a string of wins earlier in the season.

“Thanks.” Jameson reached for his hand to shake it.

Tate noticed me standing beside Jameson. “Oh—hey Sway. How have you been?”

“I’m good Tate.” I smiled. “Nice to see you again,”

“Have you met my teammate Andy Crockett?” Tate nudged Andy. “He drives the No. 6 Miller Machinery car.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Andy and I shook hands while Jameson slung his arm around my shoulder, pulling me towards him.

“How’s your dad feeling Sway? Did he—”

Jameson cleared his throat and let out a half cough that sounded strange.

Huh?

Drawing my attention back towards Jameson, he shifted uncomfortably beside me. He and Tate exchanged a loaded glance before Jameson smiled down at me.

“He’s fine.” I said softly, not sure what that look was all about
or
why Tate would be asking about my dad,
or
why Jameson now looked like he’d just saw a ghost.

“Yeah, so good luck tomorrow, Jameson.” Tate said quickly and walked away with Andy.

“What was that about?” I looked at Jameson. “Why would he ask about Charlie?”

Jameson didn’t answer right away just stared at me as if he was trying to make sense of what I just asked. “Uh
...
I don’t know. Maybe he just wanted to know.” He mumbled and then looked at the time on his phone. “Listen
...
” he pulled me against his chest for a hug. “I have to get to the autograph session.” And he pulled away without another word and walked with Alley towards the grandstands.

What the hell just happened?

I’m so confused.

Why would Tate ask about Charlie?

Being paranoid, I decided to call Charlie but of course, it was Saturday night, he didn’t answer.

When Jameson returned from the autograph session, he was still acting rather strange and cancelled dinner because he said he had a meeting with Simplex so that left me hanging out with Emma, Aiden, and Spencer while Jameson and Alley left with Jimi to meet Marcus.

We kept ourselves busy playing Wii Tennis for four hours straight but that ended when Spencer got upset that Aiden and Emma were
supposedly
cheating and he threw the remote through Jameson’s flat screen TV in his motor coach.

I did not want to be here when
that
was explained but thankfully, when Jameson returned, he was too tired to notice the TV.

On race day, Jameson returned to his hothead self once again; as I’m sure, the fines and probation were now heavy on his mind from the constant media attention. They forget nothing.

Not long into the race, he took his vexations out on Kyle.

“Hey, you know what would be really helpful, Kyle?”

“What?”

“Just shut the fuck up and let me drive,” Jameson seethed into the radio. “let’s try that!”

This had been going on for a while, Kyle and Jameson arguing back and forth. Darrin and Jameson were currently battling for first place in the final laps of the race. Jameson had led all but four laps so far and he damn sure wasn’t about to give up the win now.

“If he has a run, let him go.” Kyle ordered. “NASCAR is watching you.”

“I’m just racing.”

“Yeah right,”

Knowing he was just instigating, Kyle finally stopped baiting Jameson and let him finish out the last few laps. He knew, as well as most inside the inner circle, the more you push, the more push back you get from Jameson.

“At your rear; at your door
...
he’s got a run.” Aiden announced. “Cole’s behind you.”

“Cole?” Jameson called over the radio.

“10-4, what’s up?” Bobby asked.

“Am I lifting out of three?”

“Not that I can see but I can’t see anything with Darrin all over you.” Bobby said. “I got an idea
...
I’ll get up behind and take the air off.
I’m
not on probation.”

Bobby got behind Darrin, taking the air off him, allowing Jameson to pull away to a one-second lead.

“All clear bud—coming to the white flag here,” Aiden announced. “Hit your marks.”

“Nice job Cole, fuck yeah.” Jameson praised heading into clean air. “That’s how you work together.”

“Go get ‘em dude.” Bobby replied.

“Last lap here, drive out the windshield, and hit your marks. You got this, bud.” Kyle told him, all the anger he had a few moments ago seemed to dissipate now that Darrin couldn’t catch Jameson. Bobby was all over him trying to keep away, both of them destroying any chance at catching Jameson as they were using their tires up.

Emma and I were clinging to each other in the pit box once again. I had no fingernails left and Emma was biting her lips so hard it was actually bleeding.

Kyle and Mason stood up as they came out of turn four to the checkered flag. “Nice job. Nice
fucking
job Jameson!” Kyle yelled in excitement pumping his fists in the air. “Way to hang in there and battle back.”

“Yeah!” Jameson screamed over the radio in his own excitement as he took the checkered flag. “Way to go guys!”

Bobby and Darrin were still battling it out for second but Bobby pulled forward enough to come across the line about a foot in front of him.

“Nice job everyone,” Jameson said in the cool down laps. “Cole, you’re the man! I owe you one.”

“Don’t even worry about it. I’ll finish second any day if Darrin doesn’t win.”

Jameson laughed.

Of course, my hormones were flaring when Jameson did a burn out right in front of us in the infield.

There’s nothing this pit lizard loved more than burnouts. Well, now I’m lying but they do get me going.

Once in victory lane Jameson did his usually jump into his pit crew, post-race interviews and insane amount of pictures.

We were walking towards the media center where he had the contender’s conference when I finally got a chance to congratulate him.

“I’m so proud of you.” I told him giving him a squeeze around his waist, his arms draped over my shoulder.

“Thanks, I think you’re my good luck charm.” Jameson said leaning over to kiss my head.

Alley, who was in front of us, pushed a group of reporters aside so we could make it through the crowd.

“Nah, it must be all the sex.” I whispered. “It’s relaxing you.”

“It’s definitely helping.” He nodded giving me a squeeze, a soft chuckle fell from his lips. “I don’t think I’m going to let you leave. I’ll
never
survive without you.”

“You’ll be fine. I hear Dana’s available.”

He growled in my ear shivering. “Don’t
ever
joke about that. She is fucking
crazy
.”

“What are you going to do?” You couldn’t miss the curiosity in my voice.

“Count down the days until I see you again.” He answered immediately.

“Well, you—” I began but was cut off by Darrin walking towards the media center.

Jameson’s grip around my waist tightened when he noticed him.

Darrin noticed the possessiveness and let out a dark mischievous chuckle. “I’m not after you’re girl Riley, I’m after you.” His eyes shifted to me. “She’s tempting though.”

My hothead reacted before I even realized what was happening.

“Stay the fuck away from her.” Jameson snarled pushing Darrin against the doors to the media center, his forearm nudged under his throat. “I will only warn you
once
.”