Page 19 of Wrecking Boundaries (SteelTrack Racing #2)

Another yawn strikes, which Maddie notices. “Did you not sleep well?”

“It was a busy evening,” I say. It completely avoids an answer and also happens to be true.

Jake slept the same amount, but his performance on the track doesn’t reflect it. He’s yet to take the lead but has stayed in the top ten for the entire race.

Julian has been right there with him, while Boone’s standing bounced slightly more.

“Oh, I’m sure it was.” Maddie subtly sips from a water bottle to spare me an embarrassing comment. She’ll tease every so often, but Maddie lacks the biting sarcasm Boone and I share. It’s one of the reasons I love her so much. “We fell asleep at nine. It wasn’t on purpose, of course.”

“Of course.” My brother is probably a horn dog. Absolutely disgusting and completely inappropriate. “Maddie, I need to tell you something.”

I didn’t start the morning planning to tell her, but it makes sense now that we’re together. Maddie told me first about her engagement, and I want to do the same.

The only tricky part is timing. She doesn’t care about NASCAR but calls herself Boone’s superfan. Timing requires breaking my news at the best possible moment. The moment finally arrives when a mere fifty laps remain.

“Does it concern Jake? ”

“It’s about both of us. We’re ready to go public, and you’re the first person to know.”

Maggie huffs a sigh and sags with relief. She leans back on the sofa, saying, “Good, this is so much better than giving you an ultimatum. I worried it would come to that. I even started rehearsing a speech.”

My forehead scrunches up because that doesn’t make sense. “Were you going to threaten me?”

“I contemplated it,” Maddie says. I realize she’s completely serious. “Secrets, especially ones like this, never turn out like you want. The longer they go on, the worse it gets until they fester, and you’re miserable. Believe me, I’d know. Your brother will find out, and it’s better if he hears it from you than from someone else. That includes me.”

“You were going to tell him,” I guess, and Maggie twists her head. “You were going to force me to do it.” She nods this time. “You were going to march me into his office and force a confession. I wouldn’t be allowed out with the other kids during recess.”

“It would be for your own good. Let’s face it: you two going public only involves one other person. That’s Boone. We can practice together if you want.”

Madelyn Bennett should have been a professional mediator. It’s also a very sweet, although unnecessary, offer. I’m perfectly capable of handling Boone. I’ve been doing it my entire life, after all.

“Fair enough. So, I’ll tell you everything now. You can be the first. We’re making it official, and we plan to tell everyone,” I say. It’s mostly a repeat of what I already said, but that’s fine. Simple statements of the truth are usually the best.

“Is it serious?”

“I…Yes?” Jake promised, and I finally believed him. That co unts for something. “Yes, it’s serious.”

“Then you’re lucky I already prepared your brother.”

Now it’s my turn to be surprised. “What?”

He isn’t prepared for Jake, or they’d be battling it out on the racetrack right now—either that or starting a brawl in pit road.

“I told him I suspect you’re dating someone but are afraid to tell him. You know, the protective big brother will want to beat him up. That sort of thing.”

I grimace, considering the history between the two of them. “Jake will fight back.”

“Yes, that will be a problem. I would advise him not to. I also told Boone to support you and that you’re happier than you’ve been in a long while. Boone will, I promise, as long as he finds out from you rather than Instagram or something else.” Her eyes grow big. “Could you imagine the news coming out during a driver’s meeting?”

That happened once, a couple of years ago.

“Jake wants to be the one to tell him,” I say, and Maddie’s eyes bulge. “I already stopped that plan. It might be best to do it in public.”

Maddie’s head bobs. “No, that won’t stop him from making a scene if he decides to do it. I’ll make dinner for the four of us, an informal gathering. A small group of people getting together for a meal. One last thing.”

“Jake will be on his best behavior. You’ve seen him on the track lately. He’s stayed away.” I point out the television screen as if to prove it.

Maddie watches the next lap in silence.

Julian fell back to sixth. Boone runs even with the 22 car.

“I’ve noticed,” she says. “There’s hardly been any contact between them this season. That’s probably all you’re doing, bringing me back to my last point. Make sure it’s serious between you two. If it’s casual, then consider going back to your earlier plan. I don’t want you to be hurt again if he’s not committed or something else happens. The longer it continues, the more heartbreak in your future.”

This year has been nothing but heartbreak. I’m sick of it.

“You knew last year, too?” I ask.

“I suspected after catching him staring several times.”

I nod slowly as my throat closes up. Jake promised not to break my heart, and he’s trusting me with his business plans. I might be one of the very few he’s opened up with over his father’s death.

Doubting is easy; it keeps you from any risk. I’ve done it with Jake since our first time over a year ago. Even when he speaks about the long-term, he always does it with his cocky smile. I’ve even felt he was laughing at my expense a few times. It’s like he knows my secret dreams and enjoys exploiting them.

Is that cynicism borne from experience, or is my subconscious begging me to see the obvious? I don’t trust myself to know the difference.

All I have is his repeated promise and last night’s earnest expression. If there was any deceit, I couldn’t find any.

Race car drivers enjoy their risks; why shouldn’t I?

“He’s committed,” I finally say. “We both are.”

“If it helps, Boone loves you more than he hates Jake Knowles. Like this much.” Maddie stretches her arms wide.

I give a subdued smile as an answer.

There’s also Jake’s growth plans, which I haven’t shared with anyone. It’s not my secret to tell.

I could tell Maddie to get her perspective, but that wouldn’t be fair. She’s marrying Boone, and expecting her to withhold so much from him isn’t right.

Boone loves me more than he dislikes Jake; that’s also correct. He also considers Rivers Motorsports to be our family legacy. He won’t risk the business and won’t give any opportunity to someone else, especially to another competitor.

“Is Wednesday too soon?” I ask. Jake will agree, and it needs to be over.

It’s strange. Jake is ready for commitment, and I’m enjoying NASCAR and motorsports again. I should be giddy with excitement, and all I feel is foreboding.

Joey Fisher is in the past, and everything since him only proves how wrong he was.

I need a class on optimism. Do they offer those?

“No. Oh, oh, oh.” Maddie bolts from the couch and lets out a panicked cry.

“This could be bad. Here’s a replay to see what happened,” the announcer says over the TV set.

The screen switches to racing footage, showing Jake in the outside lane with Boone on the inside. They’re almost perfectly matched until Boone finds an opening and takes it. Jake quickly crosses down the track and swipes him.

I cry out but don’t know why. To an inexperienced eye, it looks like Jake made that move to knock out an opponent. It was foolish and foolhardy.

Jake - what were you thinking?

“It appears the 24 car went in for a block and missed,” the announcer says again.

Boone and Jake each spin several times, and then Boone’s car repeatedly flips until it lands on its side in the apron.

“Let’s watch this again from another camera,” the announcer says, as if there aren’t two panicked women watching it. “We’ll monitor this for any injuries. This could be a bad one.”

The winner is announced, but I don’t hear it.

I grab Maddie’s hand and lead her out of the trailer. “They’ll take him to the med center. Let’s go.”

Jake could not have done that on purpose, could he?