[chapter sixteen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Nya's heart was pounding, and they hadn't even rolled out half the cars to the grid yet.
She's spent the early morning wandering around the pit area, then daring to flash her pass and duck into the garage area, hardly believing she was in the "elite" area. She and AJ had gone to several F1 races in Europe, but this sort of access was highly unheard of unless your last name was Windsor or Branson.
She was floored.
Nya smiled shyly as several men she recognized from Jamie's party said good morning to her, and she and Ron shook hands and laughed as they met near the NASCAR hauler. Ron had introduced her to his colleague as "this girl I slept with once". Nya hadn't laughed that hard in days, and it felt so good.
In fact, being away from work and in this infectious atmosphere felt good. She'd never admit it to Jamie or Casey, but she was thrilled to be walking around and soaking in exactly what these men did for a living. If only she could figure out what catching cans meant...
The worst part of the morning was when Jamie had emerged from the team hauler, a serious look on his face. She knew he was in "race mode", or he'd just been lectured to - either way, he looked very un-Jamie-like.
His stern gaze lifted when he saw her and hurried over. "You came." He said simply, pulling her into an effortless hug despite Nya's feeble protests.
"You didn't leave much choice." Nya replied, untangling herself from his arms and looking around anxiously.
"You could have wasted the ticket." Jamie reasoned.
"I came." Nya said shyly.
"I'm glad, Nya. Really." Jamie said, his voice low and quiet.
Their gazes locked and for a long monent, Nya couldn't breathe. Jamie was so different in this environment than when he was at home, and yet, he was the same boy.
Nya wasn't sure what to make of this whole situation.
"Will I see you after the race?" Jamie asked. "I could drive you home."
Nya shrugged. "You'll be busy, and I don't want to bother you. Besides, I have my car..."
"Find me after the race. Please?" Jamie asked earnestly. "I want to know what you thought of this hick sport." He said with a wink, making Nya smile softly.
"If I can fight my way back here, I'll try and..." Nya's voice trailed off as two women sidled up to Jamie, proffering pieces of paper and simpering smiles. Nya looked enviously at their perfect tans, long legs, enormous breasts and perfectly blonde hair. She watched as they eyed Jamie like a prize catch, flipping their hair and rubbing up against him.
She felt like a heel.
She felt exactly like a few months before, when...
Without another word, she slid away from Jamie and the women and ducked out of the garage area. She thought she could faintly hear Jamie calling behind her, but she didn't turn around.
She'd been a fool to believe he might...that she could compete...that she could belong here...
Nya kept her head down as she quickly walked towards her ticket gate.
At least but putting some distance between them, she wouldn't be tempted to kiss him again.
She really had to stop that.
Really.
For good.