She pointed to where they were doing a playback of two racers tapping into each other and a few pieces of scrap metal flying off. Both cars were fine, but they needed to be sure.
“It gives the cars time to refuel, change tires, regroup as a whole. Also gives the drivers a little mental time to relax before heading back out.”
“How do you know so much?” I looked from the TV to the waitress.
“I grew up in the South, came to New York with dreams of performing on Broadway, but here I am still.” She waved across the restaurant. “Although, I can’t complain. I do have a pretty good gig here.”
“Here.” I reached into my bag and pulled out Anne’s business card. “Tell her Anya gave you her card. I’m not sure if you can dance, but that’s what we are, dancers. Ballet to be specific. But if you aren’t, it’s always good to be in touch with those who are in the business.”
The waitress took the card with haste.
“Listen. If there is anything, and I meananythingyou need.Pleaselet me know.”
Leah coughed up a little laugh as she tried to drink her water.
“Teach this woman everything you know about NASCAR. She needs it.”
“Let me get your wings and I can take my break and tell you everything I can!” The waitress skipped away and I turned around to lean over the table and smack Leah in the arm.
“What? You do need the help!” She laughed at me.
“Yeah, but we don’t need to broadcast it!” I slunk back into the chair and focused back on the TV, trying to figure out what was happening, but I felt so lost. They were only going around in circles, but I had no idea how many laps they had to do, how many they had already done, what the flags meant. I knew nothing about the sport Law was a part of, and the more I watched his car go around, the more I not only wanted to know more about this sport, but I wanted to know everything about him.
But he’s thousands of miles away.
I pulled out my phone, figuring out how many miles away he was.
“She said Kansas, right?”
“Kansas Motor Speedway.” The waitress popped up beside us again with a tray full of wings and our sauces. “I already clocked out, so scoot over and let me teach!”
I moved over, letting her into the booth while still trying to figure out how many miles away Law was. It couldn’t have been that far. My mind was going crazy. Kansas. New York City. It said1,251 miles.
Four sets of digits that made my heart beat in ways I didn’t think possible. What if something happened to him and I couldn’t get to him fast enough? I knew I was overthinking, but damn, I just couldn’t help it. I knew I was a little more on edge than I should have been.
“So, what all do you know?” the waitress asked at I picked up a few wings and added them to a side plate.
“That there are cars and they drive around in circles?” I shrugged my shoulders.
“Can I ask why you want to learn about it?” She scrunched her nose and looked from me to Leah and then over at Axel.
“She wants to impress a guy,” Axel spoke up first. I kicked him under the table. “Shit.” He bent down and rubbed where my foot had just collided with his shin.
“So, the typical. You need to know the basics and fast.”
“About right,” Leah added.
I shot her a death glare because we were at the point where everyone was butting in on my love life, and I had no control over it.
“Well, this is the Kansas track. Today they are driving four hundred laps, started over an hour ago, so only a few more to go. Do you all plan on staying for the whole race?”
“Yes!” I answered her before anyone else could.
She just laughed a little and continued. “Does the guy you’re trying to impress have a favorite driver?”
I looked over at Leah and Axel for a little help here. I wasn’t sure how much I should say because technically Law and I weren’t public about whatever we were.
“He’s mentioned the number twenty-two car,” I said in a way that I seemed confused. This was so she didn’t know that was the exact driver I wanted to know everything about. “Also, I didn’t get your name.”
