Chapter 34
Chapter thirty-four
Johnny
Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis, Indiana
Gavin was ridiculous. Johnny had to deal with life—reality, not some fantasy world.
He faced a big suck-it-up moment, but he had hope, and he finally knew what he wanted.
He would never sit back and let his dad’s bullshit or anyone else’s fuck up a good thing.
Sometimes you couldn’t do anything about whatever crap-fest life served up.
You had to take it and accept it. But sometimes you could do something. You only needed to try.
He made his way through the crowds that had already gathered and walked up to the BikeMax pit. Gavin looked like someone had kicked his dog. This had to stop. He tugged Gavin’s shirt, getting his attention. “Can we talk?”
Gavin nodded and directed him to the BikeMax trailer parked along the back of the pit.
When they stepped inside, Craige Lee blocked the aisle, getting ready to leave.
He gathered his gear together as if he had more hands than two.
“Hey, boss. I’m heading out. Got a practice run in, like, five.
Reagan’s meeting me at the track.” Johnny had no clue how he didn’t drop half the stuff.
“Have a good run,” Johnny called out, but Craige was already out the door. It banged shut behind him, leaving them alone in the trailer.
Gavin leaned against the cabinetry with his arms crossed over his chest. His face scrunched up into a scowl, but Johnny recognized it. Confusion, sorrow. No anger, which is what he’d faced with Gavin earlier.
Johnny reached into his pocket and pulled out the key.
He handed it back to Gavin. “I didn’t, uh, unlock.
..or whatever.” Johnny had always had an emergency key but never used it.
He could have unlocked at any time. Receiving Gavin’s back meant something else entirely, but Johnny would save that issue for later.
Gavin looked at the key. His brows sank farther over his eyes.
He was obviously as miserable as Johnny over it.
Johnny had thought it would make Gavin happy to have the key back.
Not because it was a key. It wasn’t even about what the damned thing unlocked, but what it symbolized in their relationship. “Why not?”
“That’s your job.”
Gavin exhaled. Long and slow, the relief a palatable thing.
“Gavin,” Johnny huffed. “I want to do this with you. I want to try. The whole thing, but not because I need you to rescue me. I don’t need you or anyone else to take care of me.”
“You called Pilot. You always call Pilot.”
“He’s like my brother. I’m going to call him.
This time, though, it was about proximity.
That’s all. I wanted to call you, but you couldn’t drive a few blocks to pick me up.
That’s not your fault or mine. The first thing I did once I was safe was call you.
” He pointed at Gavin to emphasize his point. “You.”
“Okay.”
“You going to stop being stupid, so we can do this or what?”
Gavin smiled and pulled Johnny in for a hug.
It was exactly what Johnny needed. Where he wanted to be.
Nothing was better than being next to Gavin, their bodies flush together, and Gavin’s strong arms surrounding him.
Gavin pulled back and looked at Johnny. Maybe he saw hope in his eyes for the first time since walking up to the pit. He wanted it to stay that way.
Gavin ran his thumb over Johnny’s forehead. “What about the job?”
“Yes, that too. I told you that. I already signed the contract.”
“When are you starting?”
“Now? Tomorrow? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m not doing anything else.”
“What about Trident?”
“I worked it out. We hired a guy who didn’t need much training. Tate is covering half of my investment, and I’m putting up the other half as a silent partner. Very silent.”
“Okay. Tomorrow we can hammer out a schedule. Where’s your stuff?”
“In Pilot’s hotel room. Don’t look at me like that. After the race, we can swing by and pick it up.” He wouldn’t be putting up with Gavin’s rash jealousy, but he wasn’t going to purposefully bait the man either.
“I’m sorry. I’m a possessive douche.”
“I kind of like it, but don’t push it.”