Page 26 of An Uncertain Road

“I hope it does. Jensen’s always been kind to me. And even if you deny it, I can see it would hurt you if he turns out to be the bad guy here.”

Sam gave Flora one last squeeze around the shoulders, then turned and headed toward the hotel. Flora stood by herself, trying to make sense of all he’d said. Jensen claimed he hated racing, but she’d seen his natural ability and passion when he worked on the engine. She knew him to be a good man, although a bit too convinced he knew better than those around him. She could understand the pain of loss changing a person, but could it have transformed him so much that he would sabotage his friends to keep from racing?

Flora straightened and checked that everything was in place in the car before heading to the hotel herself. She believed Jensen was trustworthy. Now she had to prove it to herself. And she had an idea how she could arrange to do just that. It would require her to humble herself more than she liked and use his assumptions about females in the racing world, but it might be the only way Flora could prove whether or not Jensen was on her side.

* * *

Jensen retreated to the hotel, wishing he’d walked out the door later. If he hadn’t seen Flora and Sam embracing by the car, he wouldn’t be aware that such a thing was even possible. But now that he’d seen it, he couldn’t convince himself it wasn’t true.

Why did it matter so much? Why did seeing Sam’s arms wrapped around her shoulders feel like a knife cutting through his chest? He had no claim on her, and she was an independent widow, free to make her own choices about who she spent her time with.

If only he could get rid of the niggling little part of his heart that wished she’d chosen to spend it with him.

It was a long night, and the next day didn’t start any better. A heavy fog settled around Boston by the time they were ready to leave, and it seemed to put everyone in a foul mood. Flora barely looked at Jensen as they got into their seats to wait for Fred and Beth.

Jensen glanced at the map he’d studied the night before during the many hours he couldn’t sleep. “We’ll start by heading north out of town.”

“I’m aware of that, Jensen. You may be in charge of the maps, but I know enough about directions to understand we’ll go north every day until the midpoint, then south back to New York.”

Flora’s words were clipped and sharp. Had she and Sam had a falling out already? Jensen refused to acknowledge how much his heart lifted at that thought. “We don’t go straight north every time. I’m not telling you what to do—I’m trying to help you get a good start on this leg. That’s what you dragged me along for, isn’t it?”

Time froze as Flora’s frosty eyes met his. That last comment must have gone too far.

“Flora, I apologize for being terse with you. It isn’t your fault I’m here. But you argue with me about every change to the car and how to handle any challenges that come up. Now you don’t want me directing you along the route. I need you to let me do what Mr. Harrison hired me to do.”

Her icy expression might have thawed the slightest bit as she responded. “I’m sorry for my behavior too. I didn’t consider that I could have been making it more difficult for you to do your job. But you must understand, I spend much of my life having my competence questioned by men. As a woman in a man’s sport, every action I take is scrutinized, and I’m always found to be lacking. So I’ve made a habit of projecting confidence to cover my weaknesses.”

The words struck Jensen in the heart. Hadn’t he spent the last five years covering up one moment of tremendous weakness? Couldn’t he show her as much grace as he would want to receive if he were ever to admit what happened with Gregory?

Turning so he faced her, Jensen pushed away thoughts of his mistakes. That was a topic for another time. “You’re an excellent driver and a quick thinker. Anyone who wouldn’t admit that is trying not to see it.”

Flora’s cheeks turned pink, a look Jensen very much enjoyed. “You believe that?”

“I do.” While he might not have said so if asked, Jensen did believe in her. Her methods weren’t always what he would choose, but she was the best driver he’d ever raced with.

They were sitting closer than usual, his knee pressed against her leg, their hands a mere breath apart on the seat. But while his heartbeat picked up a notch, her nearness reminded him of the scene he’d come across the night before. A question about it almost slipped off his tongue, but Jensen held it back. He’d look like a jealous fool if he questioned their relationship.

Instead, he examined her face, wishing for the right words to explain exactly how highly he thought of her driving skills and her strength as a person. Her determination caused friction when they faced off over safety, but it was still a quality that drew him inexorably to her.

Those words weren’t his to say, unfortunately. He was only there to return her alive and well to her brother and then move on with whatever awaited him after this race. He couldn’t make the kinds of promises a woman would expect from a man who cared about her…because he had no idea what future he might be able to give her.

And for the first time, that knowledge hurt.

Fred and Beth finally emerged from the hotel and made their way to their seats. The damp, murky weather must have affected them, as well, because Beth looked downright ill and Fred spent an inordinate amount of time assuring she was comfortable before settling into his usual spot.

By the time the officials restarted the race, the fog was thinning slightly, enough that it wouldn’t be too much of a hazard. But the relief over that was short-lived. As Flora tried to start the car, a loud sputtering filled the air, drawing the attention of everyone in the area. Her gaze flew to meet his. “What was that?”

A lump formed in Jensen’s stomach as his mind raced through the possibilities. “Maybe it was the result of some dampness from yesterday.”

Flora faced the road, her forehead drawn tight with worry. “If there’s a mechanical problem, we’ll lose points at tonight’s stop.”

What could he say to encourage her when that was the truth? “Let’s not worry about that now. We’ll see how it runs once we get going.”

But it didn’t get better on the open road. Flora let out several frustrated groans when the Decauville hesitated on the way up every hill. Jensen’s practiced ear could hear the engine struggling to produce the necessary power when she tried to push it. They made slow progress through the day, driving through lunch to try to keep up a pace that would get them to the third stop in the required time frame.

Finally, the town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, came into view. Jensen had been comparing strategies with other mechanics in the evenings and knew what he could do to fix the problem before the inspectors deducted points.

Checking the map, he found a spot two streets away from that day’s finish line. He glanced at his pocket watch. Plenty of time to spare, despite the slow pace. “Pull over here, Flora. Give me a minute to check the car and see what I can do.”