She leans in and gives me a quick hug. “Sorry I keep cutting out on you. My goodness, this is becoming a ritual. I promise next time you’ll have my full, undivided attention.”
Blake is squinting at Caroline. If I had to guess what he was thinking, I guess he’s questioning why Caroline isn’t saying the same words to him.
She kisses him on the cheek and leaves.
He leans in toward me with a neutral expression and says, “Do you want to get out of here?”
“Sure.”
Chapter 11
We’re in a cool, industrial part of Atlanta, and Blake is snapping pictures left and right. He turns the camera on me several times, and I find myself blushing too often.
“So, Blake, do you have a plan?”
“What do you mean? Like a ten-year plan?”
I laugh. “No, like a plan for tonight.” Something tells me Blake has been asked a lot about his ten-year plan and he’s tired of it.
He hangs his camera strap across his body, grabs my hand, and pulls me down the street. “I always have a plan.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
We end up at the entrance of a warehouse where there’s a loud mechanical noise coming from the inside. He leads me through the metal roll-up door and instantly I see the track.
“Go-karts?” I say.
“Why not?” He’s trying to read my expression.
“I love go-karts. My brother and I used to save up to do this when we were kids. I didn’t even know this place was here.”
“You love this?”
“Yes,” I say emphatically.
“Well, then, it’s on. I’m very competitive.” I think back to Blake riding his motorcycle and the way he handled the BMW. I might have a formidable opponent.
“There was a plaque with my name on it at the old place we used to go to,” I deadpan. “It said Ultimate Champion directly below my name.” I open my eyes wide.
He reaches his hand out to shake mine, and in mock seriousness he says, “May the best man…or woman, win.” He immediately starts laughing the moment the words are out of his mouth. I don’t break a smile, which makes Blake laugh more.
We get all geared up and as we we’re waiting for the last group to end, Blake says, “I wouldn’t have pegged you for the go-karting type.”
“You mean go-karting ultimate champion?”
He’s staring at me. “You’re absolutely adorable, do you know that?”
Uh oh. This is getting out of hand.
“It’s my strategy for throwing you off your game. I wasn’t the ultimate champion for my driving skills alone.”
“Do you race Frankie?”
I laugh finally, and then it’s time for us to pick our go-karts. I run for the bright red one and Blake chases after me like he’s going for it, too. His tall body bumps into me and I nearly lose my balance, but I am undeterred. Though I will say his voice calling me adorable is running on a loop in my mind. Maybe it was his strategy. I jump in the red go-kart and he picks the blue right across from me, so we are essentially starting at the same point.
He points to his eyes and then to mine. I start laughing and then we’re off and he’s ahead of me. He takes the first turn tight and accelerates, gaining the lead. I floor it, crashing into the back of him, and we both go coasting across the track.
