Page 13 of All That Glitters (Endurance #1)

And driving a race car again freaked me out.

I’d been in crashes before and I’d gotten right back in the seat in another series the next week. Endurance racing allowed for recovery if one didn’t race in open wheel or rally or any other kind of racing, but I usually tried to find something to race in between…

I’d had fractured bones and sometimes raced through them, sometimes not.

But I’d never missed a whole season and I’d never been frightened to get back behind the wheel.

“I have a favor to ask.”

She sighed. “You are jealous.”

“What? No.”

“Then why do you keep talking to me when I —”

“When you clearly don’t want to talk to me? Glutton for punishment, I guess.”

She flushed and I found I liked the heightened color on her cheeks. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Yes, it is.”

“What’s the favor?”

“Not here.” I bit my tongue on purpose. “I can’t… Not here.”

“Then why bring it up?”

“Because when I ask you to come to the garage later tonight, I don’t want you to think it’s for any reason other than me needing a favor.”

“Later tonight?”

“Yes. After everyone has gone home. Including Hale.”

“I came here with Hale.”

“Then go home and come back.”

“Ashton…”

“Please.”

“What about tomorrow?”

I gave a small shake of my head. “Please, Helen. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t ask if…”

I couldn’t remember the last time I said the word please to anyone. It made me feel weak, like I was begging and that wasn’t me. Not even in the current mental and physical state I found myself in, I wouldn’t beg anyone…

But I needed help. That wasn’t something I could deny anymore.

Asking anyone other than Helen for it made me feel ill.

Despite my unsavory plans for her, I trusted her.

The hard edge in her eyes softened and some of the tension slipped from her shoulders.

“Okay. I’ll come back.”

The relief I felt should’ve alarmed me, did alarm me, but not as much as it should have.

“Thank you.”

* * *

“You’ve been quiet since we left,” Hale said, breaking the silence.

“I know.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes. I think I’m… I think I’m just tired. Tonight wasn’t as comfortable as it has been in the past. But… you and Brax, some of the other guys seemed to enjoy dinner and being around each other again.”

“Yeah. I think we’re all just ready to get back to it.”

“So, you don’t want to quit anymore?”

“No. I never really did, it’s just… I think maybe I have to get used to the idea that Ashton isn’t going to be in my life.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“I’m pissed and I’m hurt and I’m kind of angry about it.”

“So, you don’t feel too bad?”

I was trying to lighten the mood in the Jeep, not that it was as tense as it had been when we left to go to the Glitterati’s earlier.

We were nearly home, and I was still trying to come up with the next lie I needed to tell Hale so that I could leave the house again, this time without him.

If I told him Ashton asked to talk to me, he wouldn’t take it well. He was already suspicious of Ashton.

But maybe he wasn’t as on edge now. It was hard to tell.

Ashton didn’t trust Hale and Hale didn’t trust Ashton. I didn’t want to be in the middle. Brax would be in the middle, too, but not in the same way.

I hated drama. Boy drama, friend drama… And right now, there was more than enough of all of it to go around.

The lamp posts outside our drive came into view. I patted the pockets on my jacket when Hale turned in. I patted my pants pockets next.

“Everything okay?” he asked as he pulled in and parked.

“Yeah, I…”

“Are you sure?”

I got out, grabbed my small purse, and checked my pockets again. “I can’t find…”

“What?”

“I can’t find my phone. I thought it was in one of my pockets, but…” I opened my purse and rummaged around, my fingers curling around the device immediately. “It’s not in my purse, either.”

“Did you drop it on the floorboard?”

“No, I…”

“Did you leave it behind?”

“I didn’t think so. It’s possible, but I didn’t think so.” Was I convincing enough? It was all I could think of to use as an excuse to go back. “You know me, that phone is attached to my hand or my hip.”

“Yes, I do know. Do you want to use mine to call and ask?”

“I think I’ll just drive back. It’s not too late and Francesca is probably still cleaning up.”

“Let me take you.”

“It’s fine. Besides…” I reached into the backseat for the basket of leftovers Francesca promised us all, then handed it to him. “Someone needs to put this away. That lemon blueberry trifle has my name and midnight snack written all over it.”

“Why don’t I go then?”

“Because I don’t trust you and Ashton not to start throwing punches on the front steps. I’ll go. It’s fine.”

I turned my back on him and walked away. I felt his eyes follow me the same as I’d felt Ashton’s eyes on me earlier at dinner, only I this time, the feelings were very, very different.

I hated lying to Hale. It was like being a teenager all over again, sneaking out to meet friends or meet a boy. Hale caught me a few times and I always felt guilty, just like now.

I wasn’t doing anything wrong by going back to the Glitterati’s. I wasn’t doing anything wrong by seeing what it was that Ashton needed my help with.

God… That look in his eyes when he said please a second time. I’d wanted to say no again, but I couldn’t. Above all else, he was my friend, and I wasn’t going to stop being his. He couldn’t turn to Hale, and he wouldn’t turn to Brax, so I was the one left.

Hale was still standing outside holding the basket as I drove back down the driveway. I hoped he’d forgive me one day.