Chapter 27
twenty-seven
Challenge number four wasn’t going to wait for my wrist to heal, even though I only had another week in my splint. Liam’s urgent emails reminding us that our fans demanded more content had flooded Ava’s and my inboxes. Thankfully, this time, I didn’t have to blindly draw an adventure from the hat. Only one on the entire list had been deemed safe enough for me to do—a thrill ride in a stock car around a racetrack. This one felt pretty tame compared to jumping off of very tall somethings. At least until I’d watched video after video of NASCAR and racing crashes at the Nashville Speedway, which is where I was taking my joyride. I’d known better, but I couldn’t help myself. Old habits die hard.
The worst part? Tripp wouldn’t be with me. The car had room for two people: me and a professional driver, which he, sadly, was not.
Ava helped me into the fire suit. It was snug over my arm. “Does that hurt?”
“No, it feels fine.” I was ready to be done with this splint. I was used to being treated like a fragile piece of glass, but this was something else entirely. “Are you sure this is necessary? None of the videos I watched had the passenger in a fire suit.”
“Yes. For starters, you asked for the safest situation, remember? And it will look cooler in the videos.”
“I asked before I realized this was basically a straitjacket.”
“Is it too tight? Is it bothering your wrist?” She nervously tugged at the sleeves. “Maybe we should wait to do this.”
I rolled my eyes. Freaking out was my job, not hers. “Stop fussing over me.”
“I’m not fussing.”
“No, mother , you’re smothering me. You and Tripp, both.” I grinned to show her I was only joking.
“It’s only because we care.”
“Well, care less, then.”
“Not a chance.”
“I’m never getting rid of you, am I?” I teased.
“You’re stuck with me, and I’m stuck with you. At least you’ll get in elevators without bribes now. My little girl is growing up.” She playfully smooched baby kisses at me.
I gently shoved her with my non-injured arm. “Please stop, you’re going to embarrass me.”
“Naw. I bet you’ll do a fine job of that on your own.”
“Probably.” I tugged the zipper of the fire suit up and shifted my body until it felt somewhat comfortable. I hated jumpsuits or any one-piece clothing. It felt so claustrophobic. Tight clothing, in general, made me want to crawl out of my own skin. I hated feeling trapped, which was another reason this particular challenge was one I’d been dreading.
I resisted the urge to continuously pull at the permanent wedgie as we walked to meet Tripp, Liam, and the rest of the team. Tripp was chatting with the driver. A serious frown line pulled his usual smile down.
“You’re sure?” he asked.
“Sure about what?” I interjected. Now was not the time to be adding in new anxieties.
“Nothing to worry about.” Tripp slung his arm over my shoulder. “I just wanted to make sure the vibrations and everything in the car wouldn’t be too much for your wrist. Luke, your driver, has assured me they wouldn’t let you in if they were worried.”
“Why do I feel like you and Ava have swapped brains with me? You two are going to make me have a panic attack if you’re not careful.” I was only half joking. I’d never seen either of them act like they were even slightly worried. I’d only known Tripp for a few months, but I was confident this was completely out of character for him.
Luke turned to me, smiling, and said, “Don’t panic or worry. This is my job, and we’ll be the only car out there. We’ll have fun.”
I didn’t doubt him. I knew the risk of anything happening was fairly minimal. I’d already broken my wrist in the most random, unexpected way. I hoped this would be the extent of my injuries during this whole campaign. The splint on my wrist was reassuring in a strange way. I glanced around at the usual Take the Leap crew and smiled to reassure them all that I was fine. There wouldn’t be any breakdowns today. I knew this was true. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. Down to my very core, I had this deep sense of contentment. I wasn’t calm, exactly, but I didn’t feel the usual surge of panic. My legs didn’t twitch to run in the opposite direction. My heart didn’t race. My palms weren’t sweaty or shaky. Everything was okay. Optimism. Is that what optimism feels like? Weird.
Luke and the driving experience team went over the rules and expectations with me again. They showed me how to climb in and out of the car and told me what to expect. It would be loud and bumpy. We’d go around three times, and if I still felt all right, they could do two more laps for a total of five. We’d top out at 170 miles per hour.
“Pretty sure Sadie’s never driven over 70,” Ava said with a nervous laugh.
“I’ve gone at least 75 before,” I said. “But as a rule, I am a rule follower.” Breaking rules and laws gave me actual hives. “Maybe 76, but not on purpose!”
I picked up my helmet and followed Luke’s directions to get it on and snug. I was getting used to protective headgear, but this helmet was massive. It pulled my head back, and it took me a few seconds to steady myself. Once it felt secure, I asked Luke to inspect it.
“Perfect, but you’ll need to take it off before you get in.”
“Right, I knew that.” Tripp helped me remove the helmet. “Is Liam ready? I’m ready.” I wasn’t sure if I meant I was ready to do this or ready to get it over with. A strange mixture of nerves rattles through me. Excitement with a hint of fear. For the first time, the excitement was louder than the fear.
Luke climbed into the car first and got to work getting strapped in. I walked around to the passenger side of the car. Instinct had me reaching for the handle, but it wasn’t there. Right. Climb in. Tripp rested his hand on my hip. “Need a hand?”
I shook my head. “I think I can do it, but maybe don’t go far in case I lose my balance.” With a nervous laugh, I lifted my leg over the window. I was supposed to brace my foot on the seat but couldn’t reach it. Being petite wasn’t going to do me any favors today. With my non-injured arm, I pushed on the edge of the window and lifted myself higher. I moved my right arm to grasp the other side of the window, forgetting the splint. Tripp stood behind me and gave me the boost I needed to get my second leg in. Sitting on the window, I slid into the car and settled into my seat. He passed the helmet through the window.
“You good?” he asked.
“I’ve got this,” I said, grinning. I meant it, and pride filled my chest. This time, I had myself. Damn, it felt good to say that. The frown that had been on his face since we arrived disappeared.
“Yes, you do.” He reached into the car and squeezed my hand.
Another member of the crew came around the car and tightened the harness that served as the seatbelt. Despite the lack of airbags, speed governors, and the usual comforts of a passenger car, I felt surprisingly safe. Probably because I was completely strapped to the seat and could barely move my head. But rather than focusing on the sensation that the car was closing in around me, I focused on the sound of Luke’s voice in my ear. The helmets were outfitted with earpieces and radios so I could communicate with Luke, and his team could communicate with him. I knew we were the only car out here today, but it still felt like we were on the verge of racing forty other cars.
“Gentleman, start your engine!” I said, mustering as much pomp and circumstance as I could.
Luke laughed, reached forward with his gloved hand, and flipped the switch that made the engine roar to life. The car sputtered and shook as the engine fired, vibrating my entire body. I had the urge to unbuckle and climb out for a split second, but I didn’t. I gripped the seat and locked my gaze out of the windshield.
He pressed the gas, and we lurched forward. We left pit road at a reasonable speed, but as soon as he reached the actual racetrack, he put the literal pedal to the metal. The force of the acceleration slammed my body back into the seat. The car's vibration intensified. I screamed with delight. The screams shifted to wild laughter as he rounded the first turn. The first lap was over before I realized it. He maneuvered the track with the ease and grace of a ballerina. As we exited each turn, my side of the car floated closer to the wall. I blinked away the mental images of cars crashing into the wall. We didn’t stay tucked there long; as he took each corner, he slowed and then accelerated through the apex, bringing the car to the bottom of the track.
Before we finished the second lap, I knew I wanted to do all five. I told Luke, and he hooted in response. I decided I could sit in this car and zoom around the track all day. It was as if we were flying or dancing in circles. It was intoxicating and invigorating. My body buzzed with energy. I wished there was a way to bottle up this sensation.
Then, it was over. Luke pulled the car back onto pit road and parked. My ears still rang from the roaring engine even after he shut it off. A set of hands reached into the car and loosened the harness, freeing me. I unstrapped the helmet and passed it out the window. Getting out was going to be the tricky part. With my dominant hand out of commission, I used it to push my body sideways gently. I’d barely cleared the window when I felt Tripp’s strong grip under my arms. He lifted me the rest of the way out of the car. Once my feet were back on solid ground, I turned to hug him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him closer.
“You’ve definitely got this,” he whispered into my ear. “Was it as fun as it sounded?”
I released him and beamed up at him. “Holy crap, that was amazing. I’m never driving the speed limit again!”
“Hallelujah!” Ava shouted, pumping her fist into the air. “We won’t have to leave an hour early for everything!”
The fingers on my right hand tingled. I flexed them and tried to stretch away the sensation. It was probably from the constant shaking of the car and would go away quickly. I caught Tripp staring at my wrist. “It’s fine, okay? Just stretching my fingers.”
He frowned and shook his head. “Keep an eye on it.”
Liam rushed toward us and lifted me into a hug. I struggled away from him and gave him a quizzical look.
“This is footage is going to be so easy to edit! Thank you for not freaking out!” Genuine joy filled his voice.
“It’s all for you, Liam.”