Page 27 of Austin

She lets out a sad sigh at first only to be followed by an intake of breath at the punch line to my sad story. Serves her right for prying.

“Surprised you didn’t Google our entire family,” I say.

She looks down, and if it wasn’t so damn dark, I would swear, her cheeks turn red.

“I did Google. First, Bryce because he’s my boss. And then … you.”

I know I’m going to regret this, but I ask, “Learn anything interesting?”

“Yeah. You were in the military. What division did you serve in?”

“You ask too many questions.”

“I could just look it up.”

“If it were on the internet, you would have found it already. Stop looking for a story you don’t want to read.” That conversation is enough to break the boner I had in my pants. I grip the steering wheel tighter, praying we drive the rest of the way in silence.

“Then, tell me this, why does a guy whose mother died in a car accident end up risking his own life, racing cars for fun?”

“Jesus Christ! Are you trying to fuck with my head before a race? Do you understand how totally fucked up that question is?”

“Wow. Sorry. I wasn’t planning on …” She goes back to sulking in her seat.

Her face is looking in the opposite direction, so I can’t see her.

I fix my eyes on the highway in front of me and try to get back into the zone. Weaving from one lane to the other, I drive us over the Bay Bridge and farther away from San Francisco.

“Lights” by Journey comes on the radio, and I grunt to myself. This was always my mom’s favorite song, but it’s one that’s so played, especially living in San Francisco, and I can’t stand it. After rubbing my thumb over the angel, silently saying hello to my mom, I reach to change the channel.

“Don’t you dare change that song!” Jalynn shouts out, pushing my hand away from the dial.

I glance over to her. “You like this song?”

The glare she gives me only proves I’ve hit yet another nerve with her. “Do you have something against people who like this song?”

I take a deep breath. If she only knew.

I turn my attention back to the road, feeling her anger hitting me straight on.

I’ve never met a woman whose skin I can get under so easily. As fun as it is, there’s this tug in my gut that’s telling me, it’s not as much fun as I think it is. Her fingers are playing with the edge of her sweater, which is odd because she’s usually a confident, in your face type of woman.

If I can piss her off this much, I wonder if I can soothe her just as fast.

“Marines,” I say.

Her head slowly turns around to face me with those large doe eyes.

“I served in the Marines for two years before I was discharged.”

Her lips part, as if to ask another question, but she must think better of it because she just nods and sits back. Her chest rises with a heavy breath as she lets out a sigh.

We exit off the freeway and go onto a service road that is no longer in use as the city prepares to restructure the exit ramps. Cars are parked all along the lane. Tonight’s race is going to be faster than ever because we’re racing out in the open.

I adjust my baseball cap, pull my hood over my head, and rub my thumb on the angel. “To the moon and back,” I whisper under my breath.

Jalynn’s hand is on the door handle, but I pull her back.

“We’re not getting out,” I tell her.