Kelley arched a perfectly waxed and trimmed eyebrow, and despite the years apart, Mack recognized the shrewd look on his face. For someone who’d grown up on a hog farm in southern Missouri, Kelley wore snobbery well. “Shaw tells me she’s living in ... a bus?”
“It’s a luxury RV. All the drivers do it for race week.” Ugh, she hated that anxiety made her defensive. She crossed her arms and tucked her hands under her elbows.
“Shouldn’t she be in school?”
Mack’s eyes popped wide like a cartoon character about to plunge over a cliff. Fear churned in her body next to pure, unfiltered rage. She struggled to calm herself. “There’s only two weeks left in the school year and it’s mostly field days and parties. She’s ahead of everyone in her class and her teacher had no problem with her absence. I left multiple voicemails. And emails. And texted your assistant telling you everything. Every. Last. Detail.”
Kelley shrugged but his smooth forehead didn’t move. “I didn’t get the messages. You should have contacted me before leaving our daughter with your father. He’s ... you know.” Kelley tapped his temple.
“Sounds like a you problem,” Laurie snapped. Mack grabbed her sister’s wrist but Laurie kept on. “Our dad, who has approximately seven more championships than you ever will, has a traumatic brain injury, one that doesn’t affect his hearing or vision.”
Wes waved in a wide arc. “Hey there, fucker.”
Mack glared at Wes and shook her head, even though she wanted to blacken Kelley’s eyes herself.
“What?” Wes asked in mock innocence. “Sorry. I can’t always control myself. I’m—” Wes pointed his index finger at his temple.
Billie chose that moment to cut in, her mountain drawl extra thick. “We didn’t really get introduced before your little ambush. You must be Shaw’s sperm donor. I can’t see the resemblance but context clues, you know? I’m Billie Summit, Wes’s girlfriend.”
“Ah.” Kelley limply shook Billie’s hand while keeping his eyes on Mack.I can make Shaw disappear and there’s nothing you can do about it.“My daughter is under the supervision of one of your dad’s many girlfriends?”
“Oh, you joker! The pot knows the kettle, am I right?” Billie winked, her hot-pink smile Bama Rush ready. “You know, Wes was there the very second Shaw’s beautiful soul came into this world and has been there for every birthday and milestone. But if you want to feign parental concern, do you want to hear about my bachelor’s degree in nursing? Or how I put myself through college as a live-in nanny for five kids? How about the six years I cared for my husband during his cancer battle, or the dozens of children we fostered before that? Maybe you’d like to know I run an afterschool homework club and provide nutritional counseling for parents using EBT?”
Mack and Laurie exchanged a wide-eyed look.
“Billie makes the best food,” Shaw added nervously. “I like the sweet potato fries and chocolate chia pudding.” Billie winked at Shawand for once the affection between her dad’s girlfriend and her daughter didn’t make Mack feel like screaming.
“As charming as this unwanted reunion is,” Laurie said coolly, “Mack needs to prepare for qualifications.” She waved a careless hand in Kelley’s direction. “Feel free to do ... whatever it is you came to do, but I’ve promised my niece a frozen lemonade.”
Laurie gave Mack a pointed look, one that said she would protect Shaw with her entire being.
Mack was so floored by Kelley’s surprise appearance that she’d temporarily forgotten it was qualification day. If she wanted to make the race, she had to trust Laurie, Wes, and Billie to keep Shaw in their sights, safe from whatever Kelley was scheming. She would not let his sudden arrival throw her off, no matter how rattled she was. And she was goddamnrattled. She already had a million reasons to hate Kelley, she did not need a million and one. Pulling Shaw into a tight embrace, Mack whispered to Laurie not to let Shaw out of her grip, then finally said goodbye to her family.
She didn’t say a word to Kelley, but she’d hardly taken a step when he called out, “I’ll come with you.”
He was the last person she wanted to be around before qualifications, but if he was with her, he couldn’t take Shaw away, or hurt her. She shrugged like she didn’t care and headed back toward the garage.
He didn’t even say goodbye to Shaw.
@Racingnews
May 16
A follower spotted a quartet of IndyCar drivers at St. Elmo last night! According to a source, Jericho Blair, Boomer Compton, and Leo Raisman have a yearly tradition of meeting at our city’s finest institution the night before qualifications. This year they were joined by rookie Mack Williams.
Comments:
@eyerisbleu:seems irresponsible to be drinking the night before quals. Dumb bitch
@paulaandterrywatson @eyerisbleuI can’t believe she talked those good men into a bar
@pinkbottle:this slut is out at a bar when she has a kid at home
@bombbber:no idea who this girl is but she’s not nearly as hot as Danica.
@racetagram:OMG! These 4 are together a lot lately. One of my followers sent a pic of them outside Body Work gym too. #TrackPack
@ilaRee52:@racetagram love the hashtag! #trackpack
