Page 40 of Racing Heat

“I know. I’ve heard.” There’s some rustling on his end of the line. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get comfortable,” he huffs.

“Did you have a fun night?” I ask lamely.

“I did. August thought it would be a good idea to do some shots, so we did three.”

“Of course you did.” I laugh at the way his accent is extra thick when he’s drunk, but somehow the words sound childlike coming out of his mouth.

“The waitress asked me for my phone number, and it felt all kinds of wrong.”

I swallow multiple times, not sure how to answer him. Finally, I ask him, “Why did it feel wrong?”

“Because of you.” He says it likes it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Oh.” I’m not sure what to say to him. My palms start to sweat, and right now, I wish I was the one who was drunk.

“I scared you, didn’t I?” he says.

“I’m just not sure what to say to that.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

“I know I don’t, but I feel like I should. Is that why you called me? To tell me that?”

“I left the bar, and this was the first call I wanted to make.” He’s quiet for a moment. “You know, it’s not like I’ve had this kind of a connection with anyone since I moved over here.”

“I think that might be the shots talking,” I say, trying to laugh it off.

“No, I don’t think that’s what’s happening here. Sure, I’ve had a few and I’m hurting. But there was something about tonight that made me want to call you.”

“I wish I was drunk for this conversation too,” I say.

“Even that. I love how everything you think just comes right out of your mouth,” he says with a snicker.

“Be careful what you wish for,” I tease.

“Why, are you going to tell me to sod off?”

I giggle. “No, I’m not going to tell you to sod off. I feel like I’m supposed to be flattered.”

“Well, I thought so, but if you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine too.” His tone is sullen, and it makes me laugh.

“Are you pouting?”

“I am. Just a little bit. I called a pretty girl when I was good and drunk, and she doesn’t even want to talk to me.”

“I want to talk to you. I’m just confused about why you would call me.”

“Because I was at the bar and there were a bunch of pretty girls around, but I didn’t want any of them. I wanted my running buddy. The girl who has made my mornings more bearable. I wanted to talk to you. Drunk or sober, you were who was on mind.”

I swallow audibly. “Did the guys know you were going to be calling me?”

He sighs loudly into the phone.

“When I told you that I wanted to talk to you, the only thing you’re concerned about is whether or not I played it cool enoughto not get us caught?” He mutters something that I can’t quite make out. I think I hear the worddaft,but I’m not sure.

“I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you. And it’s not that I didn’t enjoy the kiss. But in reality, it won’t work out the way you think it will. It won’t go down the same way it did with Mac and Danny. And even Danny lost his job.”