Chapter Sixteen
I had no idea there was so much that went on before an actual NASCAR race. Tailgating, drinking, concerts, meet and greets, rituals, you name it, they did it.
“You ready?” Law stood there next to me in his gear, sans helmet. That was with Tony, who was standing a few feet away from us.
“Not really.” I placed my hands on his chest. My heart felt like it was being constricted with each breath I took.
“I’ve heard the nerves are normal, especially if you haven’t been to a track before.” Law leaned down to kiss my forehead. I looked around us at wives, kids, and husbands standing by cars, kissing each other, telling each other they loved them.
“It’s normal to feel this scared?” I laughed, trying to play off just how terrified I was. I had never felt like this while watching Law at home, but being here, it was different. Feeling the electric charged energy around us, my anxiety spiked. Anything could happen to Law out there on that track and there was nothing I could do but kiss him and wish him luck.
“Anya.” Law grabbed my face and planted a kiss to my lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I answered quickly, as if I didn’t get the words out in that moment, he wouldn’t be able to hear them. He chuckled and maneuvered himself into the car, but before Tony handed him his helmet, I lowered myself in and gave Law one more kiss.
“For when you’re racing.” I winked at him, trying to add some more light to the darkness I was feeling.
“I always have you with me, sugar.” Law pulled out a photo from the inside of his jumper. It was a photo of me from our first date. I was staring up at the stars in the planetarium. I looked so in the moment, it was probably why I didn’t notice Law taking the photo.
I let a tear fall as I gave him one more kiss and backed away from the car. I glanced at where Chloe was standing with a few of the other women, but I didn’t want to join them. There was something about today that I wanted to be about me and Law. This was the next stepping stone, I realized. Moving in wasn’t the big deal, this was. If I could handle being here at this track with the nagging anxiety that something,anything, could happen to Law, then I knew what would come next.
I waited for Tony to step away and then we both made our way over to Law’s pit. I watched as some of the women left entirely, heading to the infield. I was glad Law had staked his claim of having me in the pit. I couldn’t stand being so far away from him. At least this way I had a better view of what was going on.
“We got you a few things.” Tony handed me a bag and I started to dig through.
I had taken my seat next to him on the stand in the pit where I could see the whole track from here. I pulled out a headset and a shirt from the bag. I turned the shirt over to seeSugarwritten on the back and on the front in small letters it saidKane Racing.
“Welcome to the team.” Tony put on his headset and then pointed to mine. I quickly tossed the shirt over the tank I had on and then put on the headset where instantly I could hear voices coming through. One was Law’s and the other Tony’s.
“Your girl’s on now,” Tony said beside me, but I heard it only through the headphones.
“I love you, Anya.” Law’s voice came through loud and clear, and I heard over the cheering of the crowd words I had only ever heard on television.
“Gentlemen, start your engines.”
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They had been racing for a few hours, over two hundred laps down. There had already been three accidents, two small and one that caused what Tony had said was a yellow flag. I remember the girl at the bar in New York saying something about it. I had watched as Law pulled into the pit stop to have a full round of tires replaced, gas added and then he was back in there.
With each wreck that had occurred Law made sure to tell me he was fine and that there was nothing to worry about. I appreciated it, but I found it hard not to be able to tell him the same thing back.
Tony had been able to tell me a little about what was going on, like the headsets. Fans could get sets and listen in to their favorite drivers, so every time Law said something to me, the fans heard it too.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Chloe standing behind me.
“Hey.” I took the headset off and placed it around my neck like I had seen Tony do a few times.
“You look like you belong here.” Chloe laughed and pointed to my shirt.
“I feel like it.” I shrugged and didn’t hide the growing smile on my face.
“The nerves should die down the closer it gets to the end of the race.” She placed a hand on my shoulder to reassure me. We were standing extremely close, being that with the cars you either had to shout or whisper into each other to be able to hear anything.
“Thank you.”
“We have to stick together, Anya. And that man out there who is driving for you, he deserves it.” I pulled back to look Chloe in the eyes.
“Do you know Law?”
