6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
H e shouldn’t have done that.
He shouldn’t have flirted with her.
It was time for the practice laps, and all Owen could think about was Maxine. There was something very special about her, but he couldn’t put his finger on what that might be. Maybe it was her beauty. No. It was much more than that.
Maybe it was the inquisitive look in her cyan blue eyes that reminded him of cloudless days on the lazy ocean. Maybe it was the way she verbally sparred with him, not willing to let him get the best of her. Or perhaps it was all of those things combined into one stunning package.
Owen zipped up his coveralls and climbed into the car. This was the first time since his disastrous breakup last summer that he had an inkling of interest in a woman. He kept thinking of Maxine and her dazzling smile.
As he fired up the engine, his past came roaring back into his thoughts.
He remembered the way he’d been lied to and had his heart stomped on.
He wasn’t going to let that happen again.
So, he’d let Maxine treat him to a victory lunch, but then they’d go their separate ways.
Nothing gained but then again nothing lost.
He put the car in gear and slowly eased out of the tent. It was best he just focused on his career. After working for the same gaming company for the past ten years, he’d worked his way up to team leader. It was a good job, and he liked the people he worked with, but he wanted more.
He was preparing to turn in his resignation and venture out on his own. It was a huge step—one he didn’t take lightly. The truth of the matter was he’d been planning this move for years.
He had plans for an epic new digital game.
He'd been working on it in his spare time.
It was still in the planning stages, but he knew there was still something missing.
The game plans didn't have that special zing that was needed to make a game go viral.
But it would. He just needed to work on it some more.
He turned his attention back to the practice race. It was time to head to the start line. When his car was outside the tent, he found there was nowhere for him to go. The other race cars were in a solid line as they waited to jockey into position behind the starting line.
Eventually, the congestion broke up. Even so, it was slow going. When he maneuvered his white Mustang into position, he pushed the distractions from his mind. He was going to focus on the race and hope the repairs he'd made to his grandfather’s car held up.
The raceway was lined on either side with hundreds of concrete Jersey barriers.
As he waited for the flag to drop, his gaze strayed to the cars next to him.
He instantly knew who he was looking for—Maxine.
He silently admonished himself, but it didn't stop him from continuing to look for her. He was hit with disappointment when he found neither of the drivers on either side of him were Maxine. He didn’t even know what sort of car she drove nor its color.
As the engines revved, he focused once more on the task at hand.
This was it. Any moment now, they would drop the flag, and the drivers would be off.
He'd never been in an auto race before, but his adrenaline was pumping through his body. To win this race would make it possible to resign earlier from his current position. The thought definitely appealed to him. Of course, this was just a practice race, but it didn’t hurt to treat it like the real thing.
He double checked that his helmet was securely strapped. With a cloudless sky that morning, the sun was blindingly bright. He lowered his tinted visor.
The engines around him continued to rev. He didn't see the point, so he let his car peacefully idle.
He spotted a pink car two rows in front of him. Was it possible that was Maxine's car? He could envision her driving a pink car. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he rejected it. He knew absolutely nothing about Maxine. For all he knew, she might hate the color pink.
It was then that he saw the flagger take his position in an elevated platform off to the side of the raceway.
Owen stared at the man while his hands tightened on the steering wheel.
His left foot hovered over the clutch while his right foot pressed down on the brake.
His body tensed. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
The solid green flag waved. Engines roared. Tires chirped. The race was under way.
Owen was stuck in the middle of the pack. It was very congested, so it took most of the way through the first lap for the cars to thin out enough for him to make his first move.
He pulled out and passed one car. He was gaining on the next car, but when they came to a curve, he had to back off and downshift. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand on the gear shift, he made it flawlessly through the turn.
On the straightaway, he shifted gears and then punched the accelerator. He raced past the car in front of him. And then he passed two more.
The next car was a red MG. It was moving along at a good clip, passing the cars in front of them. As they passed the checkpoint near the beach, they were headed toward the south end of town.
Try as he might, he couldn't gain on the MG. In fact, they were starting to pull away. He had to catch them. He pressed harder on the accelerator.
It took a bit, but at last, he was gaining on them. He moved to the left of them in order to pass. Then the MG’s brake lights flashed on. His body tensed. What are they doing ? This was a straightaway. They should be accelerating, not slowing down.
It all happened so fast. The red glow of the brake lights. Then the MG swerved into his lane. He hit his brakes, but the car kept careening forward...
This was it.
This was her chance to live up to her father's expectations.
Maxi's car was situated somewhere in the middle of the pack. As she waited for the start of the race, she glanced around for her aunt. It took a moment, but she spotted her near the starting line. She waved, not sure her aunt would see her, but then Aunt Bonnie smiled and waved back.
Maxi continued to look around. It wasn't like she knew many people on the island. And the people she did know were her aunt’s friends. It didn't stop her from glancing around.
She didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, but she was looking for Owen. After all, they had a bet, and there was no way she was buying him lunch. It wasn't going to happen.
She shifted in the car seat, trying to get comfortable.
She adjusted the seatbelt that she’d recently installed.
As comfortable as she was going to get, she gripped the steering wheel with both hands.
She centered her attention on the flagger.
Any moment the flag would drop, and they would be off and racing.
Her heart was pounding. Her palms were damp. Her breathing came in short, quick gasps. Was this what it was like to have a panic attack?
She had to get it together. There was no reason to freak out.
The car was in great shape. She might have test driven it on some back roads in Virginia.
She might have exceeded the speed limit just a little bit.
Okay. Maybe she’d exceeded the speed limit by a large margin.
She had to be certain the car was ready for the competition.
You can do this.
You've got this.
She drew in a deep, calming breath. She held it for a few seconds and then slowly released it. She repeated it a couple more times.
As she released a breath, the green flag fell. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel. This was it. Now if only the cars in front of her would move. Her entire attention was focused on the car directly in front of her.
It took a little bit for it to thin out to a point where Maxi could step on the accelerator. She snaked her little red car around vehicle after vehicle.
When she took a moment to glance in her rearview mirror, she found she wasn't the only car working their way to the front of the pack.
There was a car right on her bumper. She pressed harder on the accelerator.
She wasn't going to let them get by her.
In fact, maybe they were just what she needed to keep up her pace as she worked her way one car at a time to the lead car.
She still had five cars in front of her, and now that they were on the second lap, she was running out of time. I can do this. I can do this. She kept repeating the motto in her head.
She slowed for a curve. As she rounded it, a blur of motion caught her attention. What was that? A goat? Why was there a goat on the racetrack?
She had no time to answer that question as she stomped both the clutch and brake. Even though she was practically standing on the brake pedal, the car continued to careen forward.
She cut the steering wheel to the left, away from the animal. It was still moving forward as the tires screeched across the roadway.
It all happened so fast. Everything in front of her was a blur. Then she was jolted hard against her seatbelt. In the next moment, her shoulder slammed hard into the door.
The screeching sound of torn metal filled the air.
Time seemed to stand still as the ear-piercing sound continued.
And then there was a hit from behind. Her body was flung back against the seat.
The car came to rest on the side of the racetrack.
When she opened her eyes, she didn't know what to expect. She blinked and looked around.
One by one she moved each part of her body. She was sore, but it didn’t stop her from taking account of what body parts still worked. She wiggled her toes. Her fingers moved, but when she went to move her arms, a sharp pain shot through her left shoulder. She winced.
When she looked around, she didn't see the goat. But it had been there. She hadn't imagined it, right?