Paxton's Promise

4. Paxton

4

PAXTON

GABRIELLA THOUGHT SHE could fool me, but I knew she had experience in racing. In fact, she’d be absolutely stunned to know who I had in my back pocket. There were more people rooting for us to get together than just me.

After putting on our jumpsuits and helmets, the guys at the track gave me and Gabriella full access to the track so we could race by ourselves. Side by side, we sat in our karts, revving our engines at the start line. I was focused and kept my attention on the red lights. As soon as the green lights lit, we were both off, squealing our tires.

I was good at racing, but not so much with little go karts. No one really knew what I did in my spare time. I hoped to show Gabby soon, as I had a race coming up and I wanted her to be there. Even if I had to cut our time down to two weeks, it was still more than enough to wear her down. She needed to know there was more to me than just fighting.

Turn after turn, we kept up with each other’s pace, neither one of us taking the lead. She rammed into me a few times, but I corrected myself and kept up with her. I honestly thought I was going to have to slow it down for her, but she was doing better than anyone I’d ever seen, including myself. Her lines were perfect and she sailed through the track like it was nothing. I had to say I was impressed.

Two laps down and one more to go. Tension ran high, but I could see the light in her eyes when she peered over at me. We had two more turns and then it was the straight away to the finish line. With my foot all the way down on the gas, I floored it forward, but Gabriella never left my side. Once the line was crossed, we both slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching stop.

Gabriella unstrapped her helmet and laughed. “I so beat you, Pax.”

Getting out of the kart, I lifted up my helmet and shook my head. “Sorry, sunshine, but you’re wrong. Let’s see what the guys have to say.”

All three workers were standing by the monitor looking at the video. By the looks on their faces, I’d say they didn’t know who won. It was too close to call.

“What’s the verdict, guys?” Gabriella asked them.

They were young, probably in their early twenties and they didn’t know what to say. Even when Gabriella looked at the screen, her brows furrowed. “Hmm . . . it kind of looks like a tie.”

“That’s what I said,” one of the guys said. “I guess it’s up to you two.”

All three of them walked off and left us at the screen. It really did look like it was a tie. “You surprised me. I didn’t think you had it in you,” I teased.

Holding her helmet in her hand, she smiled up at me. It was the first time I’d seen a genuine smile on her face since she’d been with me. “What can I say? I’m a natural.”

“So what do you want to do about the terms? If you want to take the two weeks off of the month, you can. You totally kicked a*s out there.”

We started toward the prep room to return our gear, but she stopped me with a hand on my arm. “You would do that even if I didn’t clearly win?”

Smirking, I opened the door to the prep room and placed my helmet back on the shelf and my jumpsuit in the basket. “You earned the two weeks off. To be fair, however, you should know that if you cut out those weeks, you’ll be making it up by doubling the amount of time we spend together. It’s your choice though.”

She groaned and took off her jumpsuit. “I swear I knew there had to be a reason you agreed to the bet. Fine, I’ll take the two weeks. I might as well get them over with instead of prolonging it.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” I asked, holding open the front door.

With her head held high, she threw her jumpsuit in the basket and sauntered past me. “Yep. I’m positive the more time you spend with me, the more you’re going to want me to leave.”

Well, that wasn’t going to happen.