Chapter Twenty-Seven – Cole
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
COLE
Instead of a fancy restaurant, we find ourselves back where we belong—in my garage, with Eleanor purring between us and classic rock blaring from the speakers.
I’m elbow-deep in the engine block, but my focus keeps snagging on Lola. Even in ratty jeans and a T-shirt smeared with grime, she is a damn vision. The way her fingers dance over the tools, confident and precise, mirrors how she’s been handling my heart lately: with a delicate touch that belies the raw power simmering beneath the surface.
“Earth to Cole. You planning on finishing that up today?” Her voice, tinged with amusement, yanks me back to reality. I catch her eye, those green depths dancing with a challenge. Fuck, she’s going to be the death of me.
“Well, it wouldn’t take me so long if you had taken better care of my baby while I was away,” I shoot back, aiming for casual and missing by a mile. “I thought you knew how to handle a wrench.”
“Your baby. That’s cute.” She laughs, wiping a smear of grease from her cheek with the back of her hand. The simple gesture sends a jolt of heat straight to my groin.
“I’ll never relinquish custody.” I grin, unable to look away.
Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” blasts from the speakers, and Lola cranks it up with a returning grin. Her hips sway to the rhythm as she works on the carburetor, and I’m transfixed. My heart pounds in time with the drums, a primal beat I can’t ignore.
Suddenly, I don’t want to be anywhere else. This garage, this moment, this woman who calls me on my bullshit and pushes me to be better—it’s everything. It’s not about trophies or lap times anymore. This is real. Raw. I want this with her, forever.
The realization hits me with more pressure than a g-force. Love. The thought feels foreign, out of place in my world of speed and relentless competition. I knew I was in love with Lola, but I hadn’t really considered what my future looked like, long term, outside of racing. I’ve been so focused on getting back to the top of the podium and getting out of my funk, that I haven’t focused enough on who has pulled me back to the top. The woman who inspired me to change my car number to her lucky number thirteen. The woman I coerced into being my fake girlfriend. The only woman I want in my ear when I race.
I set down my wrench, hands suddenly unsteady. Lola looks up, catching my eye. Something in my expression must give me away because her brow furrows with concern.
“Cole? You okay?”
I swallow hard, torn between running and pulling her into my arms. “Yeah, I just… Lola, I think we need to talk.”
Her eyes widen, a flicker of fear quickly masked by determination. She nods, setting aside her tools. “Okay, hotshot. Let’s talk.”
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. The air between us crackles with tension, heavy with unspoken words and the weight of our shared history.
“Lola,” I start, my voice low and earnest. “I know you’re scared. After what happened with Chad… how that breakup nearly derailed your career. I understand why you’re hesitant to really give us a shot.”
She stiffens, pain flashing across her face at the mention of freaking Chad. But I press on, needing her to understand.
“I’m not Chad,” I say firmly. “I would never, ever use our relationship to hurt your career. Even if… even if something happened between us, I swear to you, I’d never take that away from you. Your talent, your brilliance—that’s yours. No one can take that away from you.”
Lola’s eyes shimmer with unshed tears. “Cole, you don’t know what you’re promising. Things get messy. People change?—”
I step closer, close enough to catch the faint scent of her shampoo beneath the motor oil. “I know exactly what I’m promising. I love you, Lola Quinn. All of you—the brilliant engineer, the tough-as-nails strategist, the woman who calls me on my bullshit and makes me want to be better. I know I let you down before, but we’ve both learned a lot over the years. I’ve realized what I’m missing is you.”
Her breath catches, a soft gasp that sends my heart racing.
“What I’m saying is that I’m in this for the long haul. There’s nothing fake about our relationship,” I continue, gently cupping her face in my hands. “Whatever happens, your career is safe with me. You are safe with me. But nothing’s going to happen to us. We’re a team, on and off the track, the real deal. I’m not going anywhere.”
For a moment, Lola is silent, searching my eyes. Then, slowly, a smile breaks across her face.
“I love you, too, Cole,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “I believe you, and I believe in us, but you’ll have to be patient with me. The hurt and fear don’t just fade away overnight.”
“It’s a deal,” I whisper as I pull her into my arms, feeling the tension melt from her body. I know we’ve crossed a finish line more important than any race we’ll face on the track. Whatever challenges lie ahead, we’ll face them together.
This is more than just winning. This is about building a future, side by side.
As I pull Lola closer, our lips meet in a kiss that’s both tender and electric. It’s a promise, a new beginning, a?—
“Ahem.”
We spring apart, startled by the sudden intrusion. Gene stands in the doorway, his expression a mix of amusement and concern.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he says, not sounding sorry at all, “but we’ve got a situation.”
I run a hand through my hair, trying to regain my composure. “What’s up, Gene?”
His face turns serious. “We’ve finished analyzing the data from the last race. The hydraulic failure? It wasn’t an accident.”
Lola stiffens beside me. “What are you saying?”
Gene sighs, looking older than his years. “Someone tampered with the system. Deliberately.”
A cold fury settles in my gut. “Chad,” I growl.
Lola turns to me, eyes wide. “You really think he would take things that far?”
“I’d bet my life on it,” I say, clenching my fists. “It’s exactly the kind of underhanded bullshit his father used to pull. Like father, like son.”
Gene nods grimly. “We don’t have proof, but… it fits the pattern.”
I start pacing, anger and adrenaline coursing through me. “He thinks he can scare me off? Get me to sit out the next race?”
Lola reaches out, her hand on my arm steadying me. “Cole, we need to be smart about this. If we accuse him without proof?—”
I turn to her, seeing the worry in her eyes. But beneath that, there’s steel. My brilliant, fierce Lola.
“You’re right,” I say, taking a deep breath. “We play this smart. But I’m not letting him win. I’m racing, and I’m going to leave him in the dust.”
Gene clears his throat. “We’ll need to be extra vigilant. Double and triple-check everything.”
I nod, determination replacing anger. “We’ve got this. Chad doesn’t know who he’s messing with.”
Lola squeezes my hand, a silent show of support. “We’re a team,” she says firmly. “On and off the track.”
As I look at her, then at Gene, I feel a surge of pride and belonging. This is my family, my home. And I’ll be damned if I let anyone take that away from me.
“All right,” I say, a grin spreading across my face. “Let’s show this bastard how we do things.”
Gene nods, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “That’s the spirit, kid. I’ll get the crew working on extra security measures for the car.”
As he turns to leave, he pauses, glancing between Lola and me. “And you two… just be careful, all right? On and off the track.”
I feel Lola tense beside me, but I squeeze her hand reassuringly. “We’ve got this, Gene. Trust us.”
Once he’s gone, Lola turns to me, her face a storm of emotions. “Cole, if Chad’s really behind this…”
“Then we’ll handle it,” I say firmly, pulling her close. “Together. I meant what I said, Lola. I’m not letting anything come between us or our careers.”
She nods, resolve hardening her features. “Okay. So, what’s our next move?”
I grin, loving the way she says ‘our.’ “First, we finish prepping Eleanor. Then, we start digging. Chad’s bound to have left a trail somewhere.”
Lola’s eyes light up with that familiar spark of determination. “I’ll start by going through the data again, see if I can find any anomalies in the access logs.”
“That’s my girl,” I murmur, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.
As we turn back to the car, I feel a surge of energy. Chad might think he has the upper hand, but he doesn’t know what he’s up against. With Lola by my side, I’m unstoppable. We’re unstoppable.
“Hey, Lola?” I call out as she heads towards her laptop.
She turns, eyebrow raised. “Yeah?”
“I love you,” I say, the words still exhilarating on my tongue. Sure hope she doesn’t get tired of hearing me say that.
Her smile could power the whole damn track. “I love you, too, hotshot. Now let’s go catch ourselves a snake.”
As we dive back into our work, the air hums with purpose and possibility. Chad Tane might have started this war, but we’re damn well going to finish it.