Chapter 25
Marina
“You left me to fend for myself, Lauren.”
“I can have security in place by tonight, but you must take some responsibility. You went rogue by having Cash Ryatt crash the red carpet like he did.”
“I didn’t do anything but arrive like I was told.
He showed up because he cared. He knew that I would be walking the carpet alone following Corbin’s engagement announcement.
” Even her heavy breath sounds argumentative and rubs me wrong.
“I was thrown to the wolves last night, but I’m not going to fight with you.
We’re clearly at a crossroads.” Sitting in my trailer alone, I move the steamed zucchini around on my plate, but then stop and set the fork down.
I can’t do this. I don’t want to be here.
“We’re not. I’m team Marina. You know I like a plan in place and for it to go smoothly. I apologize for not being there or having staff available for you. I will be there with you next time.”
I’m not cold-hearted, but I am upset. I have no idea where we go from here. I just know I need off this set. “I need your help.”
“With what?”
“Get me out of working this weekend. I’m going to Brazil to support Cash at the race.” My chest feels freer voicing my thoughts, but to see Cash this weekend will be the cherry on top.
“I’ll take care of it.” She pauses and then switches gears, her tone even going a bit higher when she says, “Ready for the good news?”
“So ready.”
I debated telling Cash I was coming for several reasons.
I don’t want to be a distraction this weekend. I want to be a bonus.
He surprised me, so now I’m surprising him. Fair play and all.
If for some reason I couldn’t fly down, I didn’t want to disappoint him.
After getting through the track’s security, I hear the whispers and see the hands covering the mouths of gossipers as they stare. Loch walks beside me and hasn’t said a word about Cash since I landed. Either I’ll get an earful when the guys are together, or maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’m hoping for the latter, but I’m prepared if it’s the former. Well, as prepared as I can be for the interrogation of three older brothers. I used to have them wrapped around my finger, but they caught onto my tricks.
It’s still early in the day, and the smell of possibility is in the air, as well as burning rubber. Cash has been in a great mood since his mom and Cullen arrived on Friday. He also qualified for the fifth spot at the start, his best yet.
Since he’s been asking me to fly down repeatedly, I couldn’t say no, and the break is good for me.
Loch stops and says, “Hey, before we go in there.”
I glance around to see how many people are watching us before looking at my eldest brother. “Is this another warning?”
“No. We just care about you. Harbor, Noah, and I want you to know that we respect your right to date who you like.”
“Why does it sound like a backhanded compliment?”
Chuckling, he rubs his chin. “It kind of did. I didn’t mean it that way, though. We like Cash. If you love him and he loves you, we’ll support the relationship.”
He’s not the sentimental one, so it means more to hear this from him. Though I have a feeling he was specifically chosen for the job. I definitely haven’t gotten the full story yet. I cross my arms over my chest and ask, “What are the concerns?”
“He starts losing his focus behind the wheel and you get hurt.”
Quirking an eyebrow, I study his eyes. He can’t lie. It’s both a strength and weakness of his in life and as an attorney. “In that order?”
“No. I figured you would call me out if I put our concerns regarding you first. But that is the bigger concern for us. What if things go bad?”
I let my arms fall to my sides again. “Then things go bad. You can’t protect me from everything. I would have never dated Corbin if you could. So if Cash and I break up, I just need you to be my big brothers. That’s all.”
Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, we start walking again, and he says, “We can do that.”
Noah is the first familiar face I see when I enter the paddock. He gives me one of his bear hugs. Maybe because I was bracing myself and expecting the worst from them, but feeling their support has my heart lumped in my throat.
Releasing me, he states, “I take it you’re not here to see me.” He chuckles and says, “He’s back here.” Leading me around the equipment and one of the cars, he pushes a door open.
Tilting with a football in his hand, Cash takes a few steps backward and then launches it into the air. Is there anything he can’t do? He’s my all-American hero.
The door closes behind me, and that’s when someone calls, “Marina?” above my head.
I visor my hand over my eyes to find where the familiar voice came from. When I see Cullen on the balcony above, I smile. “Hi, little man.” Laura comes to the railing and waves.
“Hi—” A mass of solid man wraps around me, dragging me under the cover of the balcony. Holding me tight around the waist, Cash walks farther into the shadows.
My neck is covered in kisses, but there’s no fear because Cash’s scent engulfs me, giving me comfort. “How are you here right now?”
Reaching up, I hold the back of his head to my neck and give him better access by tilting to the side. “Good surprise?”
Cash comes around to the front of me and cups my face. “The best.” I’m kissed harder this time. The urge to weaken under him is tempting, just like he is. I’m left breathless when we part, his eyes roaming my face as if I’m a mirage. “You’re really here.”
“I am.” I playfully push away. “But I promised not to be a distraction.”
I’m pulled right back into his arms again. “Too late.” He hums against my neck and then whispers, “When do you have to return to Vancouver?”
“Tomorrow. Three more weeks until I’ve wrapped.”
“I can’t wait to have you to myself again.”
I’m so excited to tell him I was cast in the play and will be signing a three-month contract for Broadway, but today is about him. So I tuck that tidbit into my pocket, and I’ll pull it out after the race post-celebration.
Taking my hand, we walk back inside, but he corners me under the stairs. “I haven’t told Cullen we’re a couple. I wanted to do it when you were in town. What about after dinner tonight? I can talk to him one-on-one, and then the three of us can discuss it and see if he has any questions.”
“You sure he doesn’t know already?” I glance outside, wondering if Cullen saw us already.
Add this to the time we woke up to him in the bedroom, and I’m thinking it won’t be such a surprise to him that we’re dating.
Cash has millions on the line for him and the team, and he’s made me feel like a champion. “If you feel the timing is right.”
“I do. I don’t want to hide us around him. It’s good for him to see a happy couple in his life.” He kisses me, and it almost feels like it’s just because he can. When he does it again, my suspicions are confirmed. “I’m so glad you’re here. Best surprise ever.”
“Mm, I can argue that. Flying across the continent for one hour of sex is a pretty great surprise.”
“I flew for you. The sex was just the reward for both of us.”
“I need to go, and I won’t see you again before the race.”
As much as I love the Warren surname, on the track, this legend only goes by one name. I lift to kiss him and whisper against his lips, “I love you, Cash Ryatt. You remember that.”
I meet up with Laura and Cullen, giving both a big hug. We spend a few hours walking around, then let Cullen nap in Cash’s dressing room since he’s warming up and won’t be using it.
We’re tempted to wake him so he can watch the start of the race, but Laura thinks it will be better for him to be rested. Since we have two hours ahead of us, we let him sleep.
When Cullen wakes during the last thirty minutes of the race, I put on his protective headphones, and we walk to the viewing area on the side of the paddock.
I’m nervous, and I’m not the one driving.
Holding Cullen’s hand, though, is somehow reassuring.
I pick him up and anchor him on my hip when we start getting down to the final laps.
“There’s your daddy.” I point out just as he clears the third turn on the second to last lap. The crew is excited, the cheers keep drawing my attention between them and the TV screens. “Your daddy is in third, Cullen. Do you know what that means?”
He looks at me with that same grin he got from his father. “He wins?”
Tapping his nose, I smile because this kid is just the cutest. “Yes. It means he wins third place and a spot on the podium.”
“Yay!”
I laugh. “Exactly.” Cheering with our hands, we both yell, “Yay!”
Laura can’t stand still and looks away from the screen more than she watches. “It’s so close.”
“I can feel it. Something big. He’s going to win.”
I shift Cullen to my other hip and take hold of Laura’s hand. We share a quick glance and then turn our nervous energy toward the TVs.
The volume is turned up, and the announcers talk about Breckon Rhodes, the other Westcott Racing driver, who took a swipe at Cash two laps ago. “It’s a rivalry that’s been a long time in the making.”
The other announcer says, “Rhodes is not giving way for Ryatt despite the team direction. They’re coming up on the final lap and hitting the chicane. Oh—Ryatt’s been hit!”
“Is that Daddy?”
The look of horror on Cullen’s face has me running to get him away from the devastation.
The crew runs out during the snippets of announcements I hear.
“Spinning toward the wall . . .” I run to his dressing room with the volume still blaring in the garage.
“Fire . . . no sign of him getting out—” And I slam the door shut.