Always Beautiful (9 page)

“I miss it too. It’s been way too long. What time will you be here?” I asked. “In about an hour, I was thinking we could do dinner before we head out.” “That works for me. See you soon!” “Can’t wait!” Hannah said excitedly before hanging up.

I lay back on my bed, letting my nails fully dry. I began to think back on the last race I had participated in. I remember that I raced Ricky Rollins, a high school senior who was cocky as all hell. I really wanted to stick it to him because he and his friends always talked shit about girls not belonging at the track. I smiled to myself as I recalled the way I smoked him by at least a full car length. He had every excuse in the book for why he lost, none of which were the truth. My reaction time was better, my car was faster. That was the real deal.

After I was sure my nails were dry, I got up and wandered to my closet in search of what I wanted to wear. Dixon had told me that street racing was fast paced and didn’t happen until around midnight. That made sense considering it was illegal and we had less of a chance to get caught at that time. He had told me to be prepared to leave on a moment’s notice in case the cops were called. I always got an adrenaline rush from racing, but the thought of doing something against the rules had my anticipation peaked.

I decided on a simple pair of jeans, my gray Converse sneakers, and a white tee. I grabbed a black cardigan in case it started to get cold and set it beside my purse at the dining room table. I went back to my bathroom and put on some makeup. Knowing that Zeppelin was going to be out there, I took extra care in my appearance. Parting my hair to the side, I braided it in two loose pigtails. I sat on the couch and channel surfed while waiting for Hannah to show up.

Dixon called me to let me know that he would meet me out there. He was riding with Matt to scope the spot and make sure the back road they used was clear and ready to go for tonight. Hannah showed up right after I hung up with him, not bothering to knock as she barged in to the house. She was smiling from ear to ear.

“You look so cute Lucky!” She said as she pulled me into a hug. “Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.” I said. We wandered out to the garage and she helped me check under the hood and the tire pressure. When I was sure everything was ready to go, we left the house. I had just washed Penelope the other day and her mauve color sparkled in the late afternoon sun as we headed to grab some food.

“Are you nervous, you’ve hardly touched your food?” Hannah observed as we sat in the corner booth of a quiet restaurant. I pushed my salad around my plate with my fork and shook my head. “Not so much nervous, just excited.” I said. “Could part of that be due to seeing Zeppelin tonight?” She asked with a wry smile. I shrugged, but couldn’t contain the grin that took over. “You’ve got it bad!” Hannah stated. I sighed. “I don’t know what it is about him. He’s different, I like him.” I admitted. “Josh says he’s a really nice guy and a good friend.” Hearing that only made me like him more. I nodded. “That’s good to know.”

“Is this the first time you’re seeing him since Saturday?” Hannah asked. “Yeah, he texted me earlier, we are racing each other tonight.” I told her. “Are you going to place a bet?” “I don’t know. I mean I would hate to take his money.” Hannah giggled. “You’re going to cream him for sure. I bet he’ll let you win.” I began shaking my head. “He better not. I want it to be a fair race. I’m not going to do it if he goes easy on me.” I took racing seriously. I also wanted to prove that I was a skilled driver. Anyone who handed me a win only made me angry. I would be sure to let Zeppelin know that tonight.

Hannah and I finished eating our dinner, me only managing to stomach about half of my salad. To be honest, I think I was a touch nervous about the race tonight. After leaving the restaurant, I headed to a gas station to fuel up. The place where the races were held was on the other side of town, but we still had some time to kill before we needed to be there. Hannah suggested we cruise like we used to in high school. I was okay with that considering I had no idea how to get around Portland. This way I would hopefully get a feel for the streets and be more comfortable with driving myself places.

Popping in a CD, Hannah cranked the radio as we drove around the city. We sang and laughed and danced in our seats. It wasn’t until that moment, that I realized how much I missed my best friend these last four years and the time we had shared together. We talked about high school and all the guys she had dated. Hannah even told me that she was so head over heels for Josh that she was sure he was the one. I was happy for my friend to finally be content in a relationship. Josh would be meeting her later tonight at the races.

She also informed me that though she had heard Zeppelin’s name in conversation every once in a while, no one really talked about him. He had been away at school in Seattle for the last two years when her and Josh started dating. I thought back to the other night in Zeppelin’s car when I was asking him questions about Seattle and school. He had said that some things had come up and he wasn’t sure if he would finish college. I was curious as to what had happened for him to need to leave school. Maybe his parents divorced or a family member died. I didn’t feel it my place to delve too deep and ask him why just yet. Maybe in time, I would.

When it was time to finally head to the race location, I felt a million times better about navigating my way around Portland. It didn’t seem nearly as intimidating as it had before, and I was grateful for Hannah being with me when I did manage to get lost a few times. Following Dixon’s directions, I came upon the place easily and saw Matt’s truck parked at the end of a long, dark road. I pulled up behind it and cut the engine.

There were a few other cars parked in a field like area and some guys were setting up a large light near where I assumed the starting line would be. Dixon and Matt were among the group of people. He happened to look up as Hannah and I walked toward him and he waved me over.

“You ready to roll tonight?” Dixon asked. “Hell yeah,” I said with a smirk. “You and Zeppelin will be the final race since it’s more of a personal thing.” He said. I nodded. “Works for me, so are these guys all pretty good?” I asked. Dixon’s gaze shifted around to the different cars and then looked at me. “They’re decent.” “They bring in some serious cash too!” Hannah said. “Really, like how much?” I raised a questioning brow at her. She shrugged. “Ask Matt, he’s the finance guy.”

“We’re talking thousands some nights Lucky.” Matt piped in after hearing his name. “Damn.” I muttered. “You want to place a bet?” He asked with a wry smile. I shook my head. “I’m good. I’ll see how they do. Maybe I’ll race some of them next week.” “You can’t unless you get called out or call somebody out. That’s how it works with street racing.” I had no idea there were rules. I guess that made sense though or else this could go on all night and be utter chaos. “Do the cops ever bust you guys?” I asked.

“Occasionally, just be ready to high tail it out of here in a moment’s notice. That guy over there,” Dixon turned and pointed to a stocky guy with a shaved head. He was sitting on a tailgate and had a walkie-talkie looking thing in his hand. “That’s Tony. He listens in on the police scanner. He will let us know if any cops are close.” It seemed like Dixon’s little side project was well organized. I nodded in understanding. The sound of a roaring engine made us all turn our heads.

Zeppelin and his GTO made its way down the dark street, coming to a stop alongside my own car. Cutting the engine, he opened his door and stepped out. Holy hell he looked good tonight. He was wearing a black t-shirt that fit him snugly, showcasing his trim body and colorful tattooed arms. My stomach fluttered as my gaze swept the length of him. Loose fitting light jeans that hung from his hips and black boots on his feet, my throat went dry. His disheveled hair was hidden under a dark baseball cap that hung low over his blue eyes. I felt Hannah nudge me in the ribs with her elbow.

Wincing in pain, I turned to glare at her. She wore a humongous grin and winked at me. “There’s your stud.” She murmured. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the small smile that formed on my lips. I hadn’t really forgotten what he looked like in the last few days, but something about the way he was dressed made him look damn near edible. I think my body just responded to him on its own accord because as he began to come closer, my heart picked up speed.

“You’re going last tonight man. We’ve got eight people going before you.” Matt spoke to Zeppelin as he stepped in front of me. He was smirking at me. His blue eyes, now within my view, were sparkling. Zeppelin nodded and said, “Works for me.” He put his arms around my waist and pulled me into a warm hug that sent tingles throughout my body. “Hey Angel,” He murmured. His lips tickled my ear and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Hi.” I breathed. He stepped away reluctantly as Dixon began talking about the lineup and getting the race started.

He and Matt were going to hold a driver’s meeting now that all of the racers were here. I followed my cousin and Zeppelin as they made their way to where the other guys were standing around. I noticed that I was getting a few different looks from people as we gathered in a circle. Some watched me with curiosity and others ran their gazes up and down, taking in the sight of me. I chewed on my bottom lip. I was used to this. Guys either saw me as a girl trying to fit in with the boys or a piece of meat on the track. I even had some people back home accuse me of running my “daddy’s” car and only being in it for the attention. They generally changed their tune when I crossed the finish line first.

Like the night of the fight, Matt took the reins as the leader, listing off the rules. Each pass was to be done as agreed between both drivers. There were no rebuttals, no fighting, and money would be handed out at the end of each race. Only drivers and one member of their crew were allowed on the track at all times. I stood silently, listening to Matt and letting my gaze wander between the racers. Most of them were college aged, but there were a few guys in their late twenties or early thirties. Since I wasn’t racing any of them tonight, I didn’t pay too much attention.

After Matt finished speaking, he began collecting money from the group and everyone went back to their cars to prep for their race. Zeppelin turned around to face me and smiled. He trailed his index finger down my arm to my hand where he grasped it loosely, our fingers interlocking. My body trembled from his touch and a warm comfort ran through me. For some reason he made me react this way. I didn’t know why he could make me feel something that others couldn’t. In fact, I liked what he made me feel. It was different.

Zeppelin tugged on my hand, pulling me toward the starting line where Matt’s truck was parked. When we reached the truck, he let go of my hand and lowered the tailgate. Grabbing my hips, he lifted me up effortlessly and placed me gently atop it. He hoisted himself up beside me.

“Are you ready?” He asked. I nodded, “I think so. Just don’t cry like a baby when you lose to a girl.” I said with a wide grin, bumping my shoulder with his. Zeppelin threw his head back and laughed. His twinkling blue eyes landed on my face. “Ouch! You’re competitive.” He said. I shrugged. “Just a little bit,” I made a pinching motion with my thumb and forefinger. Zeppelin shook his head. “I can be pretty competitive too. I’m pretty sure Red can take Penelope.” He said with a smile ghosting his lips.

“Oh really, you know Hannah was telling me about the betting earlier. Care to make it interesting?” I raised a brow at him. “Are you sure you want to bet against me Angel?” He was acting cocky. As undeniably attractive as he looked with his attitude, I wasn’t going down without a fight. The truth was that I could get
very
competitive and I wanted to beat him. I pursed my lips and pretended to think about what he asked. There was no way I was backing down. He thought he was the best but I hoped I was better.

After a few moments, I looked at him and shrugged. “I think I’ll take my chances against you and Red.” Zeppelin narrowed his eyes but he was smirking at me. “You have no idea what I’m capable of.” “And you have no idea what
I’m
capable of. They don’t call me Lucky for nothing.” Zeppelin nodded. “Alright Angel, you’ve got yourself a bet then.” “Great, now how much are we betting?” I asked with a furrowed brow. Zeppelin shook his head. “No money. I’m not interested in taking your money.” “What do you have in mind then?” I wondered.

“How about if I win, you allow me the pleasure of your company for one night?” He smirked. “Like a date?” I asked. Zeppelin nodded and scooted closer to me. His body invade my senses, he smelled of rain mixed with a spicy musk. It was intoxicating and I suddenly had the urge to wrap my arms around him and breathe him in all night. He lowered his lips to my ear and my heart began to race.

“One night, one date, and maybe we can pick up where we left off last weekend.” He spoke softly, his long fingers grazing along my arm. I shuddered and felt the heat between my legs intensify. The thought of being alone with him for a night, kissing him and touching him again, sounded really good. It sounded so good that I almost wanted to lose to him, almost. Leaning back a little, I attempted to gain some composure and pinned him with my best poker face.

“That sounds like a tempting offer.” I started. Zeppelin nodded with a wry smile. “Doesn’t it?” I smiled at him briefly and then turned serious. “Too bad it won’t happen because I’m going to beat you. I’ll take your side of the bet, but you have to agree to mine.” “I can’t wait to hear this. What do you want?” He asked with humor in his eyes. “Hmm…” I acted as if I was thinking, tapping my finger against my chin and staring up at the dark sky. I knew what I wanted but I liked the idea of taking him by surprise and drawing out the anticipation.

After a minute I locked eyes with him again and began to speak. “If I win, you let me drive your car.” Zeppelin instantly sobered. His jaw was tight as he stared at me in shock. I raised a brow at him. “Take it or leave it Zeppelin.” I said. He began shaking his head slowly, seeming to relax a bit. “You’re on. I don’t intend to lose so I’m not worried about it.”