Page 34 of Racing Heat

She’s so excited to be going on this lunch date that I feel bad for dreading it. So, I do my best to perk up.

Hopping into the Jeep, I notice that Jase has taken the front seat, and Hendrix is comfortably seated in the back. Her dark brown, almost black, hair is secured in a ponytail since it’ll be flowing all around her once we start driving. I hit play on my favorite playlist once my cell phone connects.

“Where are we headed?” I ask, turning to Jase. “Give me the name and not the turn-by-turn directions.”

He chuckles. “Reef N’ Chips.”

“Thank you.” I smile at him.

He winks at me and my stomach flips.

“Do you not enjoy when I navigate for you?” he teases.

I glance in the rearview mirror to see that Henny is on her phone and not paying attention to what’s happening up front.

“Not especially. I like when I know where I’m going.”

“I’ll remember that. You know, for next time.”

I turn up the music and take us to the restaurant. It’s over the by beach, almost near where we run. I haven’t noticed it before,but that doesn’t really surprise me. I don’t do a lot of exploring of my new home. I mostly worry with soccer, workouts, and hanging out with the team. They tend to stay near the stadium or by the beach. This place though, despite its proximity to the beach, hasn’t been discovered by us yet.

“This is near the Mexican place that Mac loves so much,” I tell them both once the car is parked and my music is no longer blaring.

“What was that? I think I’m deaf.” He shakes his head while rubbing at his ear. “I’ve never heard Taylor Swift quite that loud before.”

“Oh, shut up,” Hendrix says, hopping out of the back of the Jeep. “It’s the only way to play her music on a nice warm day like this.”

I smile at him. “Well, if you can’t appreciate her musical talents, you could walk back to the stadium.”

“You’d make me walk back?” he asks as he climbs out of the Jeep.

“Yeah, I would.” It’s my turn to wink at him and join Henny as she heads into the restaurant. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jase jogging to keep up with us.

Once inside, we’re seated at a booth in the back of the restaurant. Hendrix chooses the side with me, and Jase is across from us. He looks so devilishly attractive sitting there. His arms are stretched out across the back of the booth, and with the way he’s leaning back, his legs are probably sprawled out underneath the table. I lean back and stretch my own legs out, and my suspicions are confirmed when my feet find his leg. They touch and he stares at me as he rubs his foot against mine.

Hendrix is none the wiser. She’s too busy glancing over the menu.

“You don’t need that,” Jase tells her. “We’re all gonna get the fish and chips. That’s why we’re here.”

“Yeah, but they have them with different spice or seasoning levels,” she says, looking up from the menu.

“They do, but you came here for an experience, so we’re going with the original. You know, so you can get a good sense of what an English fish and chips would taste like.”

“In Tampa,” I remind him with a teasing tone.

Jase looks over, eyes locking on mine. “Yeah, in Tampa. But trust me, I’ve been around, and I know what a good one tastes like.”

I watch him for a moment, beaming at him. He looks so proud to be showing me a part of himself. I open my mouth to speak, but the waitress comes over and steals my chance.

“I’ll have a coke, please,” Jase tells her.

“Water,” I reply.

“Same for me,” Hendrix says.

“And we know what we want,” Jase tells her. “We’ll have three of the original, please.”

“I’ll have those drinks right out for you.” Her eyes linger on Jase for a little longer than I would like. She waltzes away, and I’m sure the sway of her hips is for his benefit.