The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (47)
“You could have just taken the stairs,” I griped when he towered over me.
“The look on your face was too priceless to pass up.”
“Well, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to watch the game.”
“Didn’t look like it.”
I felt my heart skip a beat. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He sat in the empty seat next to me, leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs, and went back to watching the game, pointedly ignoring me.
I huffed and tried to concentrate on the game, but all I could think about was his arousing scent and his hard thigh pressed against my own. I peeked at him from the corner of my eye to see if he noticed, but he was completely zoned in on the field.
Take a walk, and get your shit together, Archer.
“I’m going to the concession stand,” I announced to no one in particular.
Ever tore his attention away from the field, and I could feel his irritated gaze following me as I made my way down the bleachers. The crowd was thick, so it took me a while to make my way through it. When I finally made it to the concession stand, I purchased a bottle of water so I didn’t return empty-handed. I wouldn’t put it past Ever’s arrogance to notice that he had been the reason for my abrupt departure.
“Four?”
Recognizing the voice, I was already grinning when I turned. “Well, look who crawled out from under their rock.”
Drake opened his arms, and I stepped into them. I was so happy to see him, I didn’t even mind that he reeked of weed.
“Girl, it’s been way too long since I’ve seen you,” he said when I stepped out of his embrace.
“Ditto.”
“So, how’s life been?”
“Complicated.”
He nodded and, thankfully, didn’t pry. I stood back and listened as he ordered enough snacks to feed ten.
“Where are you sitting?” He then nodded to his friends hanging in an unlit area. “Want to hang with us?”
“Thanks, but I need to get back to my friend.” We hugged again and exchanged numbers before parting ways. I was almost halfway back to the stands when I ran into Ever. He didn’t look happy, but that wasn’t really my problem. I tried walking past when he grabbed my hand and pulled me into this body.
“Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because you’re running from me.”
“Isn’t avoiding each other what we do?”
His gaze narrowed. “So, you’re mad at me?”
“Mad would imply that I cared, which I don’t.” I tried to tug my hand from his, but he gripped me harder and started the walk back to the stands. We returned just as another touchdown was made, so no one noticed us holding hands as we made our way to our seats. Some kid who had freshman written all over him now sat where Ever was sitting before, leaving only one seat left next to Tyra. When he noticed Ever, his eyes bucked, and he started to rise, but then Ever surprised us both when he motioned for the kid to stay and sat in the vacant seat behind me.
I glanced at Tyra to see if she noticed any of the exchange, but she was still fixated on the field. I never knew she was such a huge football fan, but I suppose it made sense given that her father coached the team.
Because of my dad, I had found racing.
I didn’t discover who he was until I was ten years old. Rosalyn had kept the only clue to his identity in her jewelry box. Like all young girls do, I’d been playing with her jewelry and makeup when I found the ring. It was heavy, made of platinum with a green gem setting, and dangled carelessly from my finger when I’d tried it on. Even so, I couldn’t bear to part with it so I hid it under my pillow. I thought it would be safe there until I came home from school one day to find the house and Rosalyn in shambles.
She’d found the ring and actually accused me of conspiring with a man I didn’t know. Only when I’d nursed her back to sanity did I convince her to give me his name with the promise that I’d never ask about him again.
I didn’t need to.
It had only taken a single web search to find all the information I needed about Benjamin West—more commonly known to the world as Benny West, a retired NASCAR driver. He was currently living in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife of twenty-two years and his seventeen-year-old son. It didn’t take a mathematician to know why it hadn’t worked out between Benny and Rosalyn. Not only did I have a famous father, but I was someone’s big sister, and he could never know about me. Rosalyn didn’t know that I’d discovered who my father was beyond his name. Before he retired, I tuned in for every one of his races. My fascination hadn’t been a slow burn. It inflamed me the moment I first watched my father win by a hair. Until a year and a half ago, Rosalyn always assumed my fascination with bikes and racing was a phase even though it lasted seven years and never waned.
I could hardly believe it had been over a year since I last straddled a bike. Of course, Gruff and I still kept in contact, even after I was sent away. I’d occasionally write him letters, and he’d respond in a few short sentences, making them more notes than letters. Reading his ‘letters’ always made me feel like I was home.
The wind blew, and I shivered. Not used to fall in the north, I’d chosen to go without a jacket and opted for a red printed thermal instead, but it wasn’t doing a good job protecting me from the elements. I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the chill and refocused on the game, but then the heavy feel of something cloaking my shoulders stole my attention. I glanced down and saw it was navy leather with red sleeves swallowing most of my body.