Throttled (Wild Riders #1)(48)
“I’ll see you soon.” She turned to open her car door. The competitor in me grimaced, but when she turned and gave me another soft, slow kiss, I knew that I was one step closer to winning her back. For good.
*
“There he is,” Brett said loudly when I walked into the house. The shit-eating grin on his face said I was about to be answering a lot of questions about what he and my brother had seen go down between Nora and me in the trailer. “Reid “Ricochet” Travers!” he announced as if I was pulling up at the starting gate for a hole-shot. The nickname that I’d earned on the circuit did seem fitting. I’d somehow managed to ricochet my way back into Nora’s life.
“Have I told you how ridiculous you are today?” I said with a laugh.
“I know you love me,” he teased. “So buddy, you got the girl back?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “It sure feels like things might be headed in that direction.”
“I never doubted you,” he said, when I joined him on the couch.
“Where’s Hoyt?” I asked, deliberately dodging his comment about doubting me. I didn’t want to admit that I doubted she could be mine again.
“He had a phone call. He’s out back I think.” Brett said, folding his arms over his lap. He was trying to hide something. When I saw a book sitting open on Brett’s lap, and under his arms, I had to look twice. “Are you reading a book? Do you even know how?” I teased.
“Yes, I know how.” He shook his head. “I’m not a complete Neanderthal.” He held it up. The Girl on the Train.
“Really? Chick lit?”
“It’s not Chick Lit,” he argued. “It’s a mystery. I was bored, okay? I can only ride a dirt bike so much, RT.” He sighed. “Plus I saw Georgia reading it the other day.”
“Where did you see Georgia?”
“I ran into her at the diner. She was reading it, so I thought I’d give it a shot.”
“Uh-huh.” I hesitated asking him my next question. Not sure if I should even be getting involved. But then again, hesitation is the enemy and all that so I went ahead. “And, why exactly would you be interested in something Georgia was reading?”
“Does it matter?” He said, giving away his exact reason. I’d told him all about Georgia losing Jamie and how I didn’t think she was interested in a fling, especially with a guy that wouldn’t be around for too long.
“You better be careful, Brett.”
“I know, but I can’t help it if I’m attracted to her.”
“You most certainly can. She’s been through the wringer. The last thing that girl needs is for you to hit it and quit it.”
“You really think I’m that big of dick?” he asked. The usual cheeriness gone from his eyes and replaced with defeat. He closed the book and dropped it onto the coffee table with a thud. “And you’re being a complete hypocrite. You planning on giving up racing to live here with Nora? You ready to put your roots down for a girl?”
“I might be,” I replied. I knew that I wasn’t going to lose Nora again, and if that meant giving it up, I would. But, I knew for a fact that Brett Sallinger was not ready to make that sacrifice. He craved the fame and the thrill way more than I ever did. As we stared each other down momentarily, I realized that his glare wasn’t going anywhere. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt his feelings. “Maybe I am being a hypocrite, but Nora and I have a history. It’s different.” I countered. “I just know that relationships have never really been your thing. I don’t think you’d intentionally hurt her.” I said, trying to apologize for making him feel like shit. I was just telling him the truth though. It was hard to hear sometimes, I knew from personal experience. I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Yeah, well it’s going to take a lot more than me reading a book to win her over anyway. She doesn’t seem the least bit interested.” He stood up and dropped the book to the coffee table. “Don’t worry, Reid. She’s safe from me.” he said, walking out the front door and letting it slam behind him before I had a chance to respond. Nothing like having a fantastic day with the girl you love only to come home and royally piss off your best friend. My high became a low real quick.
I know we gave each other a lot of shit, but Brett was my best friend. I shouldn’t have been so hard on him. I was out the front door and ready to apologize again for doubting him, but I heard his bike fire up and knew that I wouldn’t be seeing him for a while. Riding was therapeutic for Brett, just like it was for me. Sometimes we needed the noise of a motor revving to actually be able to think clearly. Brett took off on one of the trails leading into the woods. I knew when he came back, he and I could talk and make things straight again.
“Hey,” Hoyt said, walking out the front door and on to the porch with me where I was leaning up against one of the wooden pillars. “Can I talk to you about something?”
“Sure.” Today was apparently the day everyone wanted to talk. He walked up next to me and rested his hands on the railing.
“Nick Pilsner just called me.” Nick Pilsner was the head of the Throttled Energy’s sponsorship program. The same guy that had hooked Brett and I up with our contracts.
“Don’t tell me he wants us to pack up and go on some arena tour or something. I’m not ready to leave Halstead yet.”