ease, just like he did on the go karts.
“So what’s going on with you and Paxton?” Cliff asked. “You said he’s not your boyfriend and you had no idea he raced, but yet you’re here to watch him.”
I snorted. “I guess you can say I kind of lost a bet and I’m paying him back. It’s really hard to explain.”
Paxton was on his third lap and almost to the finish line. Getting to my feet, I watched in complete and utter amazement as he zipped by and crossed the finish line, the checkered flag waving rapidly in the air. Cliff stood and joined me as I jumped up and down, screaming Paxton’s name. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me he raced.
Paxton leapt out of his car and a swarm of people rushed up to him, giving him high fives and congratulating him. It was all great until a tall blonde jumped in his arms and hugged him around the neck. I’d never personally seen him with a female other than Kacey. The smile he gave her wasn’t his normal smile either. Who the hell was she?
My gut clenched and I realized for the first time, I didn’t like other women talking to him, or touching him. I had no right to be jealous, but I was. “Who’s that down there with him? Has she been here the past few nights?”
Cliff furrowed his brows and turned to look. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen her here. She’s with your boy’s crowd.” With narrowed eyes, he glanced back at me. “Why do you want to know?”
I waved him off. “No reason, she just looks like someone I might know. I think I’m going to head out though. Do you mind walking me to my car? I had a little bit of trouble coming in and the last thing I want is to have to kick some fucktard’s ass.”
“As much as I’d like to see that, I think I can handle it myself. Why don’t we go get some coffee? There’s a place right up the street from our apartment . . .”
“Macie’s café?” I blurted out.
He chuckled and nodded. “I have to be at the station early in the morning, so I figured coffee would be the better alternative for tonight.”
We started up the stands and I couldn’t help but look back at Paxton and the blonde, celebrating his win. I guess he was over wanting to be with me, and I quickly realized how much I hated it.
I turned my attention back to Cliff. “Oh yeah, that’s right. How’s the training going? Do you think you’ll make the squad?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I think I have a fighting chance. Do you want to just meet me at the café?”
“Yes, let’s do that. There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
He walked me to the Hummer and then left to find his car. It felt wrong to get coffee with him, but if I wasn’t going to be home for the next week or so, I needed a pair of eyes to keep watch.
Cliff and I both grabbed a coffee and I snatched up a pumpkin muffin. Ever since I’d been at Paxton’s house I hadn’t had one. We decided to sit outside at their iron wrought tables since they were about to close up.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Cliff asked.
“Have you seen anyone near my apartment? Like maybe someone who came by and left some flowers on my doorstep?”
Shaking his head, he took a sip of his coffee. “No, but I did see them in front of your door. I was tempted to take them away. I thought it might be your ex wanting you back.”
“Why were you wanting to take them away?” I asked, laughing.
His brown eyes bore into mine, all serious. “Because I thought that if you didn’t get back with your ex, I might be able to ask you out.”
“Really? Oh, wow.” I shoved a bite of my muffin in my mouth, not knowing what to say. He was hot as hell, but he wasn’t Paxton. “So you didn’t see the person who left them?”
“No, but I can keep a look out for you. Are you worried about something?”
Looking down at my coffee, I didn’t really know how to explain it. It was just a feeling I had when I read the note. “I’m not sure yet. I know it
“So what’s going on with you and Paxton?” Cliff asked. “You said he’s not your boyfriend and you had no idea he raced, but yet you’re here to watch him.”
I snorted. “I guess you can say I kind of lost a bet and I’m paying him back. It’s really hard to explain.”
Paxton was on his third lap and almost to the finish line. Getting to my feet, I watched in complete and utter amazement as he zipped by and crossed the finish line, the checkered flag waving rapidly in the air. Cliff stood and joined me as I jumped up and down, screaming Paxton’s name. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me he raced.
Paxton leapt out of his car and a swarm of people rushed up to him, giving him high fives and congratulating him. It was all great until a tall blonde jumped in his arms and hugged him around the neck. I’d never personally seen him with a female other than Kacey. The smile he gave her wasn’t his normal smile either. Who the hell was she?
My gut clenched and I realized for the first time, I didn’t like other women talking to him, or touching him. I had no right to be jealous, but I was. “Who’s that down there with him? Has she been here the past few nights?”
Cliff furrowed his brows and turned to look. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen her here. She’s with your boy’s crowd.” With narrowed eyes, he glanced back at me. “Why do you want to know?”
I waved him off. “No reason, she just looks like someone I might know. I think I’m going to head out though. Do you mind walking me to my car? I had a little bit of trouble coming in and the last thing I want is to have to kick some fucktard’s ass.”
“As much as I’d like to see that, I think I can handle it myself. Why don’t we go get some coffee? There’s a place right up the street from our apartment . . .”
“Macie’s café?” I blurted out.
He chuckled and nodded. “I have to be at the station early in the morning, so I figured coffee would be the better alternative for tonight.”
We started up the stands and I couldn’t help but look back at Paxton and the blonde, celebrating his win. I guess he was over wanting to be with me, and I quickly realized how much I hated it.
I turned my attention back to Cliff. “Oh yeah, that’s right. How’s the training going? Do you think you’ll make the squad?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I think I have a fighting chance. Do you want to just meet me at the café?”
“Yes, let’s do that. There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
He walked me to the Hummer and then left to find his car. It felt wrong to get coffee with him, but if I wasn’t going to be home for the next week or so, I needed a pair of eyes to keep watch.
Cliff and I both grabbed a coffee and I snatched up a pumpkin muffin. Ever since I’d been at Paxton’s house I hadn’t had one. We decided to sit outside at their iron wrought tables since they were about to close up.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Cliff asked.
“Have you seen anyone near my apartment? Like maybe someone who came by and left some flowers on my doorstep?”
Shaking his head, he took a sip of his coffee. “No, but I did see them in front of your door. I was tempted to take them away. I thought it might be your ex wanting you back.”
“Why were you wanting to take them away?” I asked, laughing.
His brown eyes bore into mine, all serious. “Because I thought that if you didn’t get back with your ex, I might be able to ask you out.”
“Really? Oh, wow.” I shoved a bite of my muffin in my mouth, not knowing what to say. He was hot as hell, but he wasn’t Paxton. “So you didn’t see the person who left them?”
“No, but I can keep a look out for you. Are you worried about something?”
Looking down at my coffee, I didn’t really know how to explain it. It was just a feeling I had when I read the note. “I’m not sure yet. I know it
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