Dirt Driven (Racing on the Edge Book 11)

the cars coming out of three, the pace car darted into the infield. “Are your parents going to come out when the baby is born?”
She shrugged. “Probably not. I figured we’d fly out to see them after she’s born. I haven’t talked to them much since we moved to Charlotte after Christmas.”
“Really?” It was a strange concept to me not to be around family, given mine was with me every day. But there had been a time when I was traveling with Easton that I only saw my parents and my brothers once every six months.
“They didn’t agree with me leaving home at eighteen to follow some race car driver they knew nothing about. And then to get pregnant a month later…” She paused and drew in a deep breath and licked cheese from her thumb. “They weren’t happy about that one at all.”
Caden joined our team when he turned sixteen. His first season he filled in for Axel when Jack died, and then again for Rager when he was injured at Grays Harbor the following year. It wasn’t until the twins were born that Caden came on as a part-time driver when he was eighteen. The next year, full time after he finished second in the points. That same year, he traveled the full schedule with us, living with my parents in their motor home. He hadn’t even graduated high school yet, but there he was tearing up the Outlaws and winning enough that between him and the other JAR Racing drivers, Dad never once dropped out of the owner championship points the entire year. Around summer, he started spending more and more time on the phone with his girlfriend, Kinsley, and we finally met her at World Championships in Charlotte that year.
Last season, he took a detour around June and showed up in Grand Forks with Kinsley and a van they were sleeping in. And now here we are, eight months later, and she’s about to have a baby. Personally, I love having them traveling with us. She’s great with all the kids and it’s really nice to have extra babysitters when you’re on this tour.
“What does Caden’s mom think about you guys having a baby?”
“She’s worried we’re too young and with Caden’s being a racer and no real stability in his job, she’s just really worried. But from what Caden tells me, that’s what she does.”
“Worries?”
“Yep. She’s a stress ball 90 percent of the time. And Caden is the exact opposite. He never worries, about anything. Even if he didn’t know where he’d sleep tomorrow, I don’t think it would faze him.”
I laughed. “I kinda gathered that when he zip-tied the air ride in your motor home with a spoon.”
“Right? He does that all the time. Not a care in the world.” And then she snorted. “But racing.”
My attention diverted to the track when the flag dropped and Easton was all over Rager.
“Just imagine how our opening ceremonies are going to go with the fire line,” Kinsley pointed out.
A lump lodged its way in my throat, the rumbling of the cars shaking the grandstands we were in as they hit the throttle halfway through turn four.
Since the start of the season in Volusia, we’d been doing the opening ceremonies with the top ten drivers standing in a row of fire. So far it proved to be interesting to the fans and annoying for the drivers. Last week the fans found out methanol near fire—bad idea—burns clear so you didn’t know that you were on fire, but you were. Casten decided to pour it on Axel’s leg prior to introductions.
Don’t worry. Axel survived with minor hair loss on his leg and a new driver’s suit. Now we have a rule where they have to stand back from the fire at least five feet and Casten wasn’t allowed to stand next to Axel. Or Rager. Or Dad. He stood alone for the most part.
All that aside, I was glad Easton wasn’t in the points battle with the Outlaws because I could imagine what Rager would do to him with fire present. Probably shove him headfirst into it.
Despite my anticipation for driver introductions going badly, it went smoothly. Obviously it was only the top ten drivers in the points battle, but seeing how Easton was a big deal with NASCAR, they introduced him too. I kept my eyes on Rager the entire time, surrounded in fire and “Ladies and Gentlemen” blaring through the stands.
Kinsley snorted beside me, her elbow meeting mine. “Think he’s tempted to push Easton into the fire?”
I watched the smoke rising and my husband standing there stone-faced with his hands hanging on his hips. “Oh yeah.”
They introduced each driver but I paid special attention to my husband’s name and the way it sent a thrill through me as usual. “Starting second tonight from Bartlett Tennessee, the Solar Seals number ninety-nine, Rager The Sweet Spot Sweet!”
Kinsley and I cheered for him, as did the rest of the crowd but for some reason, I kept my attention on Easton’s reaction to my Rager getting a standing ovation from the fans in attendance. He walked away, much like he did from my life five years ago.
WHILE THE HEATS and the dash went smoothly, the main event did not.
Because of the pill draw, Rager and Easton were on the front row together, side by side.
Kinsley sighed beside me. “I’m nervous.”
I scrolled through the JAR Racing Twitter feed and clicked on the icon to post the starting order for the main. “For Caden?”
She laughed. “No. For Rager.”
I looked up to see the shiny wings reflecting off the track lights as they shuffled around to the four-wide formation they did at the start of the A-Main. “You and me both.”
Jerry’s voice came through the loud speakers. “They make their way into turn three and as they reach corner number four they get the signal to show you the most awesome sight in all of motorsports.”
The crowd stood, cheering as “Sirius” began