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He shook his head. “You’re the first.”

“Really? I’m honored. And I mean that—I’m not being a smart-ass.”

He seemed to have recovered. “There’s a first time for everything. Come on, I’ll show you around.” She followed him into one of the bays where a group of men were working on cars and some were just standing shooting the breeze. Or at least, that’s what it looked like.

“It’s a three-mile track, with lots of curves and some hills and valleys. So it’s challenging. There are going to be grandstands and a clubhouse, and if there was an actual race there’ll be food and drink for sale. But today just the racetrack personnel and whoever is driving are here.” He walked up to an older man who was wearing a ball cap with the name Devil’s Rock and a racecar logo on it.

“Pete, this is Damaris. Damaris, Pete runs the track.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking hands. He was probably in his late sixties or early seventies, lean and not very tall. “I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you weren’t driving Iris,” he said to Nate. “Then I saw you let a woman drive her. No offense, ma’am.”

“None taken. Nate told me no one else had driven Iris.”

“You must be pretty special.”

“She is,” Nate said. “I’m going to show her around. Okay if I drive in a bit?”

“Sure. Slow day today. Are you coming to the official opening day?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“You must come here often,” Damaris commented as they walked away. “Pete obviously knows you.”

He smiled. “Oh, the part about letting you drive? Yeah, he knows me. I’m one of the investors.”

“Really? Why do you call it Levi’s track?”

“First, because it was his idea to build it, second because he’s the main money behind it. There are several investors, but the track isn’t open to the public yet. In about three weeks it will be. Want to go to the opening with me?”

“Sure, if I don’t have to work. I’ve been feeling guilty. It seems like I’ve been leaving a lot to my brothers lately.”

“Haven’t you covered for them a lot?”

She shrugged. “Some. They’re both newlyweds, basically. And now Chase and Ella are having a baby.”

“You did it before that, too. Ever since I’ve known you you’ve been the one they turn to when they need a favor.”

“It’s reasonable,” she said, feeling defensive. “I’m not involved with anyone so I almost always say yes.”

“But you are involved with someone now. As far as they’re concerned anyway. So you shouldn’t feel guilty asking them for a favor or two.”

She rubbed her neck and grimaced. “I don’t like lying to my family.”

“If they didn’t talk too much you wouldn’t need to.”

He had a point. But she still didn’t like it.

“Do you have time for me to make a couple of runs on the track?”

“Sure.” She was curious to watch him. Even though her preferred method of travel was a horse or a tricked-out pickup, she did love a sports car. Watching someone drive at high speeds was something she hadn’t seen outside of bits and pieces of auto races on the TV.

Nate took her to another one of the bays and brought his car in to access the track. While his pit crew checked out the car, he introduced Damaris to them, as well as a few other people who were hanging around. One of them was a woman who had either dated Nate or wanted to, judging from the sultry glances she continually cast him and the way she touched his arm constantly. In fact, Damaris noticed irritably, she all but rubbed her boobs on his arm. He didn’t seem to notice, which made her both happy and annoyed. Happy that he was indifferent but annoyed that she cared about something that really wasn’t any of her business.

On their way home she stewed about it. Sure, they were pretending to be dating. So, in order to keep that illusion, Nate shouldn’t have some bimbo all over him. Maybe she should have said something to the bimbo. Something along the order of Hands off. He’s mine.

“Is something wrong?” Nate asked as he drove back to the ranch.

“No, why?”