Page 28 of Austin

Gregg walks toward us. I don’t miss the bug-eyed expression he’s giving me at the sight of Jalynn as he approaches.

I roll down my window. “What’s the word?”

“All’s agreed and with witnesses. I sprayed a blue line on the ground about fifty yards ahead. Pull up, I’ll give the signal, and you’re on.”

Gregg puts his fist up, and I give him a pound.

“Thanks, brother.”

“Have a good race, man.” He taps the top of the Camaro and gives another look toward Jalynn.

He and I will have a discussion about this later. Now is the time to race.

I close the window and roll toward the race line. Jalynn looks around the car as I grab the helmet from the back seat and hold it out to her.

She takes it with both hands and is about to put it on her head when Beckett’s car pulls up next to ours.

“You’re racing Beckett again?” Her voice is loud and annoyed. “I said, let him race. Not to let him race you!”

“Beggars can’t be choosers.” I put my car in park and loudly rev the engine.

This is not like the normal races we put on. This is just the two of us.

Beckett sees Jalynn in the car, and while I can’t hear him, I can see him having a tantrum.

Jalynn turns to me. Her nose is scrunched in the way she gets when she is pissed at me. I’ve seen this look a lot from her.

“When Gregg said, ‘All’s agreed,’ what did he mean?” She is extra angry now.

I give her a devilish grin. “We’re racing for pinks.”

She drops her forehead and speaks in a low and controlled voice, “What. Are. Pinks?”

I tap her on the nose. “Not what your dirty mind is thinking. Pinks. Pink slips. The winner keeps the opponent’s car.”

Her mouth is pinched shut as her eyes grow big and wide. “That’s why you agreed to take me. You want to throw him off his game by having him see me in your car. Austin Sexton, that is the lowest thing you could do.”

“You don’t have much faith. You’ve already deemed Beckett a loser.”

She squints her eyes at me. “You think he could win?”

“Not a chance. I just think it’s interesting that you don’t either.”

Jalynn turns her body toward the door, but I drop the car into gear.

“Too late, honey. Race is starting,” I say at the sight of Gregg standing in front of my and Beckett’s cars with the flashlight pointed down.

“Get that thing on now!” I demand to her, making her place the helmet on her head just as Gregg raises the flashlight.

He lights it up, and we’re off.

The car roars to life like a bomb detonated and explodes down the straight and narrow. I drop the gear down to third as I relish in the feeling of my spine hitting the back of my seat. Beckett’s nose is in my peripheral vision as I pop it into fourth and rush past the finish line.

There’s no time to stick around and revel in the victory because this race was a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.

I turn onto a dirt road. Gregg said it would take me to an abandoned piece of interstate that wraps around to a straightaway and out of this part of town.

Jalynn rips off the helmet and tosses it into the backseat. “You’re an asshole.”