Now #3
“Don’t worry, Make-A-Wish is paying for everything,” I say with a wink.
The humor works, and she laughs at the joke, diffusing some of the tension. “Honestly, it’s my pleasure, Cynthia. Think of it as a thank you for giving Evie a job back then. You’ve helped her make her dream come true.”
After one more look at the papers, she returns them to the envelope. She shakes her head as she slips them into her pocket. “They say don’t meet your idols, but you might be the exception to the rule, Jackson Reyes.”
“Honestly, just be happy I didn’t get you, like, ten Hermès scarves.”
A quick peek at Evie tells me she’s biting down a smile at that. Cynthia, on the other hand, seems confused by my statement. Before she can ask about it, my phone rings.
When I check, I see it’s Wesley. “Sorry, I have to take this,” I tell them before walking away.
I strut toward the parking lot, where he shouldn’t be able to hear the karts racing on the other side of the building, and pick up.
“Hey, Wes,” I greet.
“Where are you?”
I frown, taken aback by his tone. “What do you mean?”
“When they told me you wouldn’t be racing this weekend, I expected you would at least stick around, show some team spirit.”
“Come on, the attention is on me whenever I’m around. It was good for Louis and Mattersen to get the spotlight for once.”
“Since when are you so willing to share it?”
“I’m not that big of a dickhead, Wes. And look at Louis. He won third place. His first time on the podium this season. Aren’t you happy about that?”
“He was third because you weren’t racing. Otherwise, he would have been fourth, and you would have been first.”
I sigh, stretching my neck to ease the tension growing at the base of it. “My leg needs rest, Wesley.”
A couple of seconds pass, and he asks, “Are you in Colorado?”
It’s not that wild a guess, since my parents live here, so I ignore the bad feeling in my gut and answer, “Yes.”
“Are you with her?” Now, that’s a little concerning. Especially his tone.
When I don’t answer, it’s his turn to blow out a long, frustrated breath.
“Listen, kid,” he starts, “I’ve been a fan of this sport for over fifty years.
I’ve seen hundreds of drivers come and go.
Some good, some bad, some excellent. I’ve even seen prodigies rise and fall during those five decades.
But I’ve never seen your level of talent before.
In seven and a half seasons, you’ve shattered every record ever set.
And you’ve set some that would take decades to beat if the cars weren’t bound to improve over the years.
You have a one-in-a-billion kind of talent, Jackson.
Hell, one-in-ten-billion. And I’d hate to see you waste it on something that might not be worth it. ”
I allow his words to sink in for a moment, then defend myself with, “I missed one race, Wesley.”
“Right. But you’ve been slacking. Unfocused. The team has noticed. You lost in Monaco, for fuck’s sake. And muscle fatigue, really? You once finished a season with two broken ribs, Jackson.”
“So you realize how serious this is,” I counter, lying. “My leg is fucking killing me from having to press three hundred pounds to brake for seventy laps every other week. I need rest.”
I realize this isn’t enough to convince him, but he seems to decide there’s no point in arguing more about this.
“Okay, you got your rest this weekend,” he eventually concedes.
“But I want you in top shape for Silverstone. You’re not missing that one.
I don’t care how exciting it might be that you and your ex-wife are giving it another chance.
Eight hundred people have been working their asses off for this season.
And they’re getting a bonus if we win the championship, like always.
You have no right to ruin it for all of them. Do you understand me?”
It doesn’t take long for me to answer, “Yes,” through gritted teeth.
“Good,” Wesley approves. “Now, enjoy what’s left of your weekend, Jackson. I’ll see you in Silverstone. And say hi to Evangeline for me.”
“Bye, Wes.”
Once I hang up, I take a deep breath and walk around the lot for a moment, trying to calm myself. I’m filled with a mix of anger and resentment. A cigarette would do fucking wonders right now …
When I decided to ditch Spielberg and come here, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. What’s missing one race in over seven years?
But as much as I dislike the way he went about it, Wes isn’t wrong.
I might be the Altron team’s most prominent figure, but hundreds of people stand alongside me, helping to make this possible.
Letting them down more than I already have would be selfish.
Yes, I have to make time for Evie, but not at the team’s expense.
I can’t let them down again this season, but I also can’t let her down. Not when she’s finally giving me the second chance I’ve been hoping for since she left me.
I’ll make it work. I’ll find a way, somehow, to make it all fit together. Even if I have to be on a plane twice a week.
She’s worth it. All of it.