47. Nevaeh
Adrian was furious after he ended the race in sixth place because his team fucked up his tires. He hardly spoke to anyone, but I didn’t push him either. I texted him, telling him we could reschedule our plan to go out. He texted back right away, telling me the only thing that can cheer him up is me.
I know he isn’t just upset about the race. He’s angry because Lincoln is leading the Drivers’ Championship now. Kyle may have won the race because Lincoln got a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Gabriel, but he still got enough points to replace Adrian as first in the standings.
I’m furious for my boyfriend.
Now, Valentina and I stare at the huge package on my hotel bed for a minute, shocked at its size. It was on my bed when we got to my room to get ready for tonight.
I’m the first to reach out and lift the lid, curiosity taking over. A pair of, probably very expensive, dark orange cowboy boots sit inside along with a matching cowboy hat.
My friends in Austin and I used to dress up in cowboy boots and hats when we hung out, learning every type of line dance there was. The memories of dancing the night away to my favorite artists replay in my head.
I can’t believe Adrian is taking me somewhere I’ll be able to show these things off.
I quickly disappear into the bathroom to put on a pair of jeans and a crop top that fits tightly enough so it won’t expose anything but loosely so I can move and breathe freely. Every curve that should be highlighted is, and I step into my boots with an excited giggle. They have a bit of a heel, but nothing too high.
When I walk into the room again, Valentina’s mouth opens. Gabriel is sitting in the corner, drawing something, but even he looks up to give me an approving nod. Then his eyes drift to Val before he smiles at her shocked expression.
“Holy shit. You can’t wear that,” Val says, and I let out a confused laugh.
“What? Why?” I ask, lifting the hat and finding a note underneath.
It reads,
He knows me too well.
Val’s reply grabs my attention again.
“You’ll give someone a heart attack, Nevaeh,” she swoons, and Gabriel looks at her with an amused smile.
“You know, I’m starting to think you’d leave me for Nevaeh if you could,” he says, and Val bursts into laughter as she walks over to him.
“I love you, mon soleil, I’d never leave you,” she assures him and continues to step toward him.
“No, don’t come closer, I’m not done yet,” Gabriel warns but shuts his notebook so she can go to him anyway.
Val presses a kiss to his lips before settling down between his legs and facing me. She winks at me before Gabriel wraps his arms around her stomach, holding her against his chest and nuzzling his nose into her hair.
“Now, what do you want to do with your makeup?” Valentina asks, but when I look at myself in the mirror, I smile.
“Nothing, actually. The mascara is enough,” I reply and straighten out my back as I reach for the cowboy hat.
It’s been years since I’ve worn one, but it feels right as I place it on top of my head. Nostalgia combined with happiness floods my body.
Soon after, while Val and Gabriel make conversation about the weekend with me, a knock on the door interrupts us. I open it to see Adrian dressed in a pair of jeans combined with a flannel shirt that makes me laugh.
He’s not wearing cowboy boots but a hat rests on his head.
“And? How do I look?” he asks with a sweet smile, and I shake my head at him as his eyes trail down my body. Adrian has clearly lost his train of thought as he tugs his bottom lip between his teeth while an appreciative smirk settles on his face. “Gabriel, Val, get out of the room. Nevaeh and I are going to need a few minutes,” Adrian says, and my knees go a little weak at the lust in his gaze.
“Well, we were just leaving to go change anyway,” Valentina says and grabs Gabriel’s hand to guide him out of the room. “See you at the bar,” she adds, and I watch them kiss all the way down the hallway. Adrian grabs my attention by slipping inside my hotel room with me, kissing me until I forget about the rest of the world.
“I’m sorry about your race,” I say as he wraps his arms around me and just hugs me for a while.
“Next one will be better,” is all he replies, leaning back to grab my chin between his thumb and index finger. “How do you feel about going tonight?” His other hand lifts to my bracelet, rubbing the blue heart to let me understand what he means.
“Surprisingly okay.” He smiles down at me, gliding his nose over mine for a moment. “Thank you for the boots and hat,” I say.
“My pleasure. You look like the déssee you are,” he replies, forcing a blush to settle on my cheeks. No matter how desperately I try to control it, my body responds however it wants to to Adrian, and I can’t stop it. “Let’s go?” he asks and holds out his hand for me.
“Yes, but no touching tonight,” I remind him, and he groans with displeasure.
“Hardest task of my life.” I snort at his dramatics.
James, Leonard, Cameron, and Cameron’s boyfriend, Elijah, are all waiting for us outside of the bar already. Adrian keeps his distance and I keep my cowboy hat low on my head when I hear a very familiar voice appear behind me.
“Nevaeh!” I turn around to see Scarlette approaching with a very attractive man walking beside her.
He has dark golden skin, wavy brown hair, two differently-colored eyes, a muscular build, and a scowl resting on his face. A birthmark is painted across his cheek, and I realize this is her husband. She showed me a picture of her MotoGP championship-winning man a few weeks ago.
“Nevaeh, this is Julián. Julián, this is Nevaeh.” I shake the stoic man’s hand and he gives me a curt nod.
“Pleasure to meet you,” he says before wrapping an arm around Scarlette’s waist and bringing her against his chest.
“Good to see you, mate,” Adrian says and shakes Julián’s hand, too. “Everyone ready?” he adds and spins around to look at his other friends.
They all give an agreeing hum, so we step through the old, wooden doors and into a crowded space filled with laughing and cheerful people. There’s a neon sign right above the bar that reads “Bourbon House.” The ground is sticky, the music blares through the speakers, and laughter flows through the room in waves. It’s crowded in here, everyone enjoying their Sunday night.
“I beg of you, if you don’t want me to break anyone’s face tonight, stay close to me, yeah?” Adrian says while we make our way past men who can’t stop staring at my chest. I step in front of him before flashing him a promising smile and leading him toward the bar to get drinks. He’s right next to me, scanning the crowd of people around us with a frightening intensity.
“Relax, would you?” I ask right as the bartender turns to ask me what I want.
I decide on something non-alcoholic because Adrian doesn’t drink and I’m not the biggest alcohol drinker either. The occasional beer is more than enough for me. Adrian asks for water, and both our drinks are pushed toward us a minute later. Leonard and Cameron carry drinks for the rest of our group, and we follow them to a high table.
“Now, what do you want to do?” I ask. I take a sip of my iced tea while Adrian takes one of his water.
“Let’s enjoy our drinks and then dance our asses off,” he suggests, and I let out a chuckle before watching Leonard scoff in horror and Julián look at Scarlette with a begging expression. It says, “Don’t make me do this” and I’m laughing so hard, it catches his attention.
“I’m not dancing,” Leonard says, and Julián gives an agreeing nod.
“Oh, you’re dancing,” Cameron chimes in, and I notice he’s put on cowboy boots and a hat too. He looks incredible.
“You’re not my wife, so I don’t have to do as you say,” Julián replies, and Leonard snorts in response.
“My sentiments exactly.” They’re both so grumpy, complete contrasts to the shining bright light standing beside me. Adrian is close but keeps his respectful distance, as always.
We spend a while at a high table near the dance floor, laughing and talking about the most random things. The weight of my anxiety slowly lifts off my shoulders as I start to get swept into the moment.
My anxiety is always more difficult before an event but during it? I get lost in the now, in the carefreeness.
Valentina and Gabriel join us half an hour later, Val dressed in a short, red dress and Gabriel in a matching red polo shirt.
My head is enjoying the calm and familiarity these amazing people bring with their funny stories and friendship that feels like a warm hug.
‘Can’t Take Her Anywhere’ by Dylan Scott blasts through the speakers, and I look up at Adrian with the brightest of smiles. Since we found out that we both adore country music, we’ve listened to this specific song a hundred times, at least.
We burst into song, laughing as we confuse everyone else at the table. He spins me around where we’re standing, pulling me close once I’m in front of him. Adrian releases me when he realizes how close we’ve gotten, even though everyone here already knows we’re dating.
They’re keeping it from the rest of the world for me, for which I’ll be forever grateful.
“Come on,” I say as the song changes to a faster rhythm, and hold out my hand for Val to take. She intertwines our fingers to follow me onto the dance floor.
People all around us get into one line, preparing themselves for when the beat drops and the line dancing begins. My friends and I danced to this specific song so many times, I know it by heart and can join the other people with ease. Adrian, Valentina, Gabriel, Scarlette, Julián, Cameron, Elijah, and Leonard, on the other hand, watch me like a hawk, trying to get the steps right for the first minute of the song. They’re doing all sorts of movements, just not the right ones, and I can’t hold back my laughter when Adrian runs into me.
“The other way!” I complain over the loud music, and he lifts his hands to apologize. My moon tries again, a serious expression taking over his face, but it’s no use. The song is over long before he even gets a single foot placement right. I bend over at the waist, the amusement causing my stomach to cramp up.
“How do you do this shit?” he complains as he leans down so I can hear him. I straighten out my back, wiping away the effect of my laughter from under my eyes.
“Practice,” I reply, and he shakes his head.
“I looked like an idiot, didn’t I?” I cover my mouth to keep from answering his question, although I don’t need words to do so. My eyes probably tell him exactly how hilarious his stumbling over his own feet was to me. “Let me try again, this time, teach me first,” he says, but I place a hand over his stomach and watch our friends mess up for a second.
They’re stumbling all over themselves too, Leonard stiff and Gabriel more confused than anything. Cameron and Elijah are doing whatever they want, and Julián is dancing with Scarlette in his arms now.
“I’ll teach you,” I finally reply, and Val steps in front of me.
“I need some help too, and so does my husband,” she says as Gabriel wraps his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and tickling her.
They pick up what I show them quickly, and by the time the next song comes on, we’re back on the dance floor and things go a lot more smoothly for us, but eventually, Adrian just stands there and watches me with pure fascination.
“I want to kiss you so badly,” he says, and without thinking, I step on my tiptoes and close the distance between our mouths. I cover my face with my cowboy hat, even though I don’t give a damn who saw when Adrian smiles like I’ve just given him the best thing in the world.
“Move those feet,” I call over the music, and he goes back to dancing clumsily, almost as if my kiss has put him in a trance and he isn’t entirely in the moment anymore but still stuck on our lips pressing together.
Who would have ever thought a single kiss could unravel the heartbreaker of Formula One?