When Reese walked back to the garage, prized smoothie in hand, she nodded to the crew members she passed, some offering words of encouragement. Others knocked lightly against her shoulder or lifted a wrench in greeting. One walked out from behind the car with a big smile on his face. She nodded to him as she passed before pulling up short.
She turned back immediately and found herself face-to-face with her brother, dressed in Laurens team gear, no less.
“What is happening right now?” Reese asked.
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun,” Luke said, shuffling over in that ridiculous walk he put on that took six inches off his height.
He wrapped her in a soft hug that brought tears to her eyes. For half a second, she smelled grease and laundry detergent, and suddenly she was five years old again, being lifted into the kart.
“But you’re working?” She looked behind him to the car and the tools off to the side.
“Got the call a couple days ago, and wanted to surprise you.”
“I have so many questions,” Reese said.
“And I have answers for you. Later,” Luke said, heading back behind the car. “You have a race ahead of you and I’m gonna get you ready for it.”
He wasn’t wrong. She had to get started on her checklist and make the strategy meeting in time.
“Reese, can I grab you a minute in my office?” Shanelle said, from around the corner.
“Um, yeah. Of course.” Reese turned to Luke, and they exchanged a smile. “I can’t believe you’re standing here and we will catch up after this.”
He nodded and went back to work.
Having Luke in the garage again was not only surreal, it was so far beyond the realm of what she’d thought possible that her brain still hadn’t fully caught up.
She arrived in Shanelle’s office to find Julie sitting in one of the leather-backed chairs across from Shanelle’s desk. She met Julie’s gaze and turned back to Shanelle. “Okay, what is going on around here?”
“Julie will be shadowing Geoff today to learn the intricacies of our operation.”
“Okay,” Reese said, the smile on her face growing.
“The expectation is that she’ll take over as your engineer shortly after she’s completed that training.”
“You’re kidding.”
Shanelle folded her arms. “I don’t do that very well,” she said with a wink.
“My brother is out front. My favorite engineer on the planet is sitting in your office.”
“Thank you, Reese,” Julie said, touching her glasses.
“No problem. It’s true.” Reese gave her head a shake of disbelief. Her and Julie. Back together again. It didn’t get much better. “How did this happen?”
Shanelle folded her arms. “Veronica thought bringing some of your people on board might be a good idea.”
Leave it to Veronica Vance, maker of miracles, to swoop in and change her life once again. It was starting to make sense.
“Please tell me Danielle Todd is still racing for the academy and is not going to pop out from behind your desk.”
“No. I think Veronica had standards,” Shanelle said.
Reese nodded. “She arranged a support system.”
“That’s what she does. She’s an arranger.” Shanelle smiled. “How does this sit with you?”
“Are you kidding? That’s not even a question. I’m thrilled with the idea.”
