He wrenched open the passenger door, and it squealed so loud it sounded like a bad horror film. “Gonna need to fix that!” Trav said as if the idea excited him and crawled into the seat to check out every detail inside.
Laughing under his breath, Trent draped an arm over my shoulder, and we watched him through the dirty windshield. “These are original parts!” he exclaimed. “Oh, hells yes!”
“I think he likes it,” I mused.
“That’s an understatement.”
Moments later, Travis was in front of us, cheeks flushed and eyes glittering like uncut diamonds. He looked high on life. High on adrenaline.
My legacy isn’t what I’m leaving on the track. It’s him.
“When can we start working on her?” he asked, then, “I’m going to make a list. I gotta go down to the—” He shook his head. “The shop here isn’t gonna have what I want. Gonna have to drive down to Grandad’s house. Maybe he’ll let me order the parts through the guy he uses for the track.”
“Slow your roll,” I drawled. “This car isn’t going to come together overnight.”
“That’s why I gotta start now!”
Trent laughed. “How about just get started on the list first?”
Travis nodded.
“So here’s the deal,” Trent said in a dad voice I’ve never quite been able to master. He just literally echoed with authority even without trying. “We will absolutely help you build this car, andwhen it’s done, she’s all yours. But you have to keep your grades up.”
“I will,” Travis promised, the fastest agreement for good grades he’d ever given.
“Don’t be late for football practices. Stay out of trouble.”
“I will, Dad. I swear.”
“No street races.”
He snorted. “In the Bronco?”
“Listen, that Bronco could probably beat half the cars your friends are driving,” I told him.
He pursed his lips.
I held up my finger. “Don’t even think about it. That’s not why we let your grandfather give you that car.”
“You just wanted to one-up him with this one,” Travis cracked.
“That is not true,” Trent said.
I snorted, and Travis laughed.
Trent was not amused. “The Bronco is a safe car for you to drive around to school and practices. That way you don’t have to drive our SUV or my old Mustang.”
At the mention, I glanced into the garage at the steel-colored Ford he’d been driving when we met.Of coursewe still had it. It was part of us.
“If we catch you racing?—”
“You won’t.” Travis cut him off. “I swear. I’ll drive how I’m supposed to.” He shot a look at me. “Unless Dad is with me.”
Listen, the kid had to get it out somehow. Might as well do it with me supervising.
Trent nodded. “Okay. And you can help Aunt Rimmel at the shelter on the weekends when you can. It will help pay for parts.”
“And then we’ll see about a job after football season is over.”
