Page 33 of Racing Heat

“You don’t remember, do you?” She’s grinning.

“Clearly I don’t.” I put a bit more edge into my voice than I mean to, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She’s still grinning at me like an idiot.

“Jase is taking us to get fish and chips with him,” she says, lowering herself onto the bench. “You still wanna go, right?”

“Fuck. Do we have to do that today?”

“What’s going on? First Jase is all distracted and weird while we’re practicing, and now you’re trying to bail. I just want some freaking food. Are you really going to make me go eat by myself?”

“No one said I was going to make you do that.” But it’s like she doesn’t hear me as she turns to Mac.

“What are you up to after practice?” Hendrix asks her. “Would you like to come with us?”

“Thanks, Henny. I would love to, but I’m making Danny dinner tonight.” She gathers her stuff and gets ready to leave.“But if it’s good, then let’s go get some another time, okay?” Mac turns to me. “Either Jase or Henny can give you a ride home, right?”

“You got me, Hen?” I ask.

She nods. “Yeah, or you could let Jase give you a ride home.”

“I’ll take ride from you,” I tell her, shaking my head. I finish getting ready and turn toward her. “Are you sure he wants to do this? He didn’t seem to be in a particularly good mood today, like you said. Maybe we should reschedule?”

“No, don’t do that,” Mac says. “He’s going out with the guys tonight, and August is in charge, so they’ll need all the food in them they can get.” She shakes her head. “I swear, August has never grown out of that frat-boy stage.”

“Agreed,” Hendrix replies. “See, we can’t cancel. We need to feed him so that he doesn’t get sloppy drunk tonight.”

“Oh, he’s going to anyway,” I remark.

“We’re fucking going.” Hendrix slams my locker shut. “And he’s going. Now, let’s fucking go.”

“You better go or she’s going to kick your ass,” Mac tells me with a giggle. “And she’ll do it, too.”

“Yeah, yeah” is all I say in return.

“You okay?” she asks, studying my features like that will give her an answer. If she stares at me long enough, I feel like she’ll figure it out. Mac has a way with that.

“I’m good. Just tired, I guess,” I tell her with a shrug.

“Well, you feeling up to a girls’ night tonight? We could eat ice cream and watch some rom-coms?”

“That sounds tempting, but no. I think I just want a night in.”

“Why don’t you go to lunch and get a nice long shower when you get back and then decide? Because I think it would be fun for us to hang out tonight. All of us. We can calm Henny down and bring her. Amelia should come too. I’m not sure what’s up with her, but she’s been so quiet lately.”

I nod, considering it. “Let’s see how I feel after all of those things, and I’ll let you know.”

“Well, I’m saying something to Amelia, so you better get your attitude fixed and come over later.” With that, Mac turns on her heel and leaves the locker room.

“Let’s go!” Hendrix screams from somewhere by the door.

“Keep your shirt on, I’m coming.” I grab my stuff and head over to the exit.

Hendrix and I walk to the parking lot and find Jase standing beside my Jeep.

“Who’s driving?” he asks.

“I can,” I say. I’m assuming that’s why he’s standing behind my Jeep.

“Great!” Hendrix says.