Inside the hotel bar, Davey slipped onto a barstool next to Cruz.

“You see who just signed with Gordon’s Racing?” Cruz asked, wrapping his hands around a bottle of Sam Adams.

“Yeah.” Davey ordered an O’Doul’s. “I didn’t think Jared would switch teams.”

They fell into comfortable race talk, and as they caught up, both of them signed a few autographs.

Half an hour later, Davey’s shoulders loosened. Maybe they weren’t going to talk about Cruz’s relationship with his mother, after all. But just then, Cruz’s eyes turned serious.

Unease wound through Davey’s intestines. He wasn’t looking forward to this conversation. It was especially difficult because Cruz was the one person he could usually be himself with.

“You know I love you, Davey, and I’d do anything for you,” Cruz said, making Davey’s heart tug. “Nothing will ever change that.”

“I know, man.” Davey looked up and caught Cruz’s gaze. “You’ve been like a father to me.” Cruz had been there for him in ways his own father hadn’t. Cruz had been a positive role model and had loved, supported, and protected Davey. Cruz had also kept him on the straight and narrow. Like the time his dad had caught him with a bottle of his friend’s mother’s pain medication when he’d been fifteen. He’d traded some car parts for the pills after he’d finally figured out that his mom was never coming back. He’d only taken a couple of the pills, but they’d helped take the edge off. After his dad had found the bottle, he’d smacked the shit out of Davey. After Cruz found out, he’d taken Davey to an NA meeting. Davey still remembered the stories of lives ruined by drugs and he hadn’t touched another drug since that night.

“I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.” Cruz took a long slug of his beer. “I’ve never asked anything of you, but I’m going to ask something now.” Well, shit…here it comes. Davey shifted uncomfortably as Cruz looked him in the eye. “I’d like for you to be okay with me dating your mother.”

A laugh tumbled out of Davey. “Are you asking for my permission to woo my mother? What year were you born?”

Cruz laughed too.

Despite their shared laugh, Cruz’s ask was unnerving and Davey wanted to say no. Annoyance churned in his gut as betrayal burned his throat. Even so, he didn’t miss the irony. Cruz, the one man who had always been there for Davey, wanted to date the woman who had abandoned him.

Cruz quietly nursed his beer, giving Davey time to stew or contemplate or whatever the hell he was doing. Cruz was like that…he’d calmly wait Davey out until Davey was ready to address the situation at hand.

Cruz ordered a shot of whiskey, and guilt swamped Davey. Cruz only did shots when he was celebrating or feeling anxious. Davey took a long pull of his O’Doul’s. Who was he to stand in the way of Cruz’s happiness? Cruz meant the world to him and he wanted Cruz to be happy. He supposed he wanted his mother to be happy too. Cruz obviously saw something in her that Davey didn’t. If Cruz saw something good in his mother, maybe there was something he wasn’t seeing because Cruz was rarely wrong about people.

Davey had spent so many years hating her that it was hard to be objective now. He got why she’d left his dad. Davey had loved his father in his own way and was indebted to him for giving Davey the opportunity to race. But his dad had been a hard-ass son-of-a-bitch and it had worsened every time he’d hit the bottle. And he’d hit the bottle a lot.

As Cruz tossed back his shot of whiskey, Davey sat taller on his stool. It was time for him to support Cruz like Cruz had always supported him. He shifted toward Cruz. “I can’t say it won’t be odd, but I want you to be happy.” He let out a wry laugh. “If my mother will make you happy, then go for it.”

Cruz put an arm around his shoulder and gave him a half hug. “Your mom’s a wonderful woman. You’re going to see that one day too.”

Davey nodded, even though he wasn’t convinced. But who knew? Cruz had a good sense when it came to reading others. He’d once told Davey it had come out of necessity, growing up as a Cuban kid in a small white town. Regardless, Davey couldn’t think of a time when Cruz had mis-judged someone’s character. Given this, he should probably pay more attention to Cruz’s evaluation of his mother. Something to marinate on later.

Davey took another drink of his beer, then changed the subject. “Nora was pretty pissed tonight. I got so caught up with Ben that I forgot we’ll be on the road for ten months.” He circled a finger around the rim of his bottle. “This is the first time I haven’t been chomping at the bit to get back at it.”

“Ben will miss you,” Cruz said. “That’s for sure.”

“I hate that I’ve just gotten to know him and now I have to leave.” Davey clasped his hands together and put them on the bar. “But unless I quit racing, I don’t see another option.”

“There are always options.” Cruz put a hand over Davey’s. “If you want to be around for Ben, you could keep your dad’s place and live in Serenity,” he suggested. “You’d still have to travel to your races, but you could see Ben when you’re at home.”

Davey ran a hand through his hair. He lived in Charlotte, the race capital. Living in Charlotte, where he could get whatever he needed whenever he needed it, gave him an advantage on the track. Living in Charlotte also kept him singularly focused on racing and winning, the priorities his dad had drilled into him. He’d already lost focus once while thinking about Ben. It had resulted in a rookie mistake; a mistake that had ended his run for the Cup last season.

He flitted a glance at Cruz who was once again waiting him out.

He had a child to consider now and the responsibilities that went along with it. Surely, he could be around for Ben and also be successful in his career. Just because his dad didn’t think drivers could have families and at the same time excel at racing didn’t mean it was true. He thought about Dan the Man, Bill, and Johnny—all talented drivers, all of them married, and Dan had three kids to boot. Dan had won the Cup Davey had missed out on last season. If they could do it, Davey could too. Why was he going by his father’s guidance when it came to families anyway? His dad had been a great race coach, but a piss-poor father.

But he really loved his Charlotte condo. “But my condo,” he said. The words sounded pathetic even as they popped out of his mouth.

Cruz chuckled. “It’s not a matter of life and death. Move to Serenity and keep your condo too. If you don’t like living in Serenity, you can always go back.” Cruz studied his beer. “If you keep the condo you’ll have a place for Nora and Ben to stay when they come to Charlotte.” Cruz ordered another Sam Adams and another O’Doul’s, then turned toward Davey. “But if this is about your dad, you’ve got to get his ridiculous notion out of your head.” Cruz pinned a look on him. “You’re a grown man and you’re more than capable of focusing on multiple priorities.”

Not much shocked Davey, but Cruz’s statement had. Cruz had been bugging Davey to find more balance in his life, but it had been in Cruz-style, a gentle nudge here and there. He’d never before directly refuted Davey’s dad’s philosophy, much less called it ridiculous.

Cruz continued to hold his gaze. “Now that you have a son, it’s more important than ever.”

As usual, Cruz was right. Davey nodded. But if he moved to Serenity, he’d be leaving Cruz behind in Charlotte, and he’d miss the hell out of him. “This might sound lame, but I don’t want to leave you.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” Cruz’s lips curved up. “I’m considering moving to Serenity myself.”

Davey gaped at Cruz. The man loved Charlotte.

“I’ve always wanted to live on a large property on the lake,” Cruz said, shocking Davey. Why hadn’t he known that?

Shaking it off, he considered Cruz’s suggestion. “It’s not a bad idea.” If he was serious about being a good father, it wasn’t a bad idea at all. In fact, it was a damn good idea. “I’ll give it some thought.”

Nora couldn’t help but grin as she watched Ben and Lucas play around in pit row at the Talladega race track.

“I can’t believe we’re at Talladega!” Ben said.

“High-Five!” Lucas shouted, and the two boys slapped their hands together.

Nora was a bit excited herself. The track wasn’t at all what she had expected. It was a lot bigger. On the way in, Davey had shared it was 2.66 miles per lap. She’d expected a big circle, but the track was more like a triangle with rounded edges. It had to take a lot of skill to race around this track, especially at high speeds.

“I think I see AJ,” Davey said. “Be right back.” He headed toward the garage.

Nora glanced at Cruz. “How fast do they drive?”

“Over 200 miles per hour here,” he said. “Fastest lap tracked was 216.”

She laughed. “How would you know that?”

Steph leaned in and rubbed Cruz’s arm. “It’s his job to know.”

Cruz gave Steph a look that was so adoring it made Nora think there might be hope for men after all.

“Davey does well at this track and our Ford is dialed in.” Cruz grinned. “We’re gonna challenge that record this year.”

“Fuckin’ A,” Davey said as he approached with AJ, a tall, attractive man with tawny-brown hair and a dark tan that drew out the light undertones in his blue eyes.

AJ and Cruz half-hugged, then Davey introduced AJ to his mother, Jamie, and Melissa.

“You’ve already met Nora,” Davey said, turning to her last.

“Good to see you again.” AJ took her hand and kissed it. “You’re even more beautiful up close and personal.”

Her hair was pulled on top of her head in a messy up-do and she had on little make-up. She wore jeans, knee-high boots, and a mid-waist jean jacket over a long-knit shirt. Casual-chic, as Ella had dubbed her style, even though poor-girl-chic was probably more accurate. It certainly wasn’t the mecca of high fashion worn by the women in Davey and AJ’s circles. Still, she appreciated the compliment.

“Why, thank you.” She smiled at AJ. “I think you’re my riding partner today.”

“I told you I’d take you out after I drive Ben,” Davey said, his voice edgy.

His mouth twisted into a scowl, which almost made her laugh. Why did he care who she rode with? It’s not like they were dating. That is, with the exception of tonight’s dinner. She wondered for the hundredth time what that was all about. She was nothing like the women he dated. The two of them had obvious chemistry, but based on what she’d read about Davey online, she was pretty sure he could get any woman he wanted. Maybe he hadn’t meant the invitation as a real date. It was probably just another opportunity to talk about Ben and parenting.

“No way.” Ben trotted over, after he apparently heard Davey’s comment. “I’m gonna ride with you the whole time.”

Davey’s gaze moved back and forth between her and Ben.

AJ high-fived with Ben, introduced himself to Lucas, then nudged Davey. “You can’t disappoint your boy.”

Davey looked at Nora with a pinched expression. If she hadn’t known better she would have thought he was jealous. But there was no way.

After another long look in her direction, Davey bent down to Ben. “You got it, buddy.”

They went through a safety debrief, met their spotters, and then paired off. Davey and Ben, Jamie and Lucas, Cruz and Steph, and Nora with AJ.

Melissa wrapped her arms around Jamie’s neck. “Be safe,” she said. “Remember you’re not a NASCAR driver.”

Jamie’s smile was as big as Lucas’. “I am today.”

Melissa sighed.

“Nothing to worry about,” Davey said. “We’ll watch out for him.”

“I’m a little nervous.” Nora twisted her fingers. She was excited about riding but had a few reservations. They’d be driving really, really fast.

AJ put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll take it easy on you, darlin.’ ”

Davey narrowed his eyes, making Nora wonder once again what that was about.

“Come on, Dad, let’s go,” Ben said, his voice pitched. He looked so cute in the giant blue helmet that Nora pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.

Davey lifted Ben up and slid him into the car through the window.

AJ turned to her. “Come on, good-looking,” he said in an exaggerated southern drawl. He patted the window frame of their yellow Chevy. “You want to crawl in or you want me to pick you up too?”

Nora glanced at Davey who looked very unhappy. She shook her head. He must have gotten up on the wrong side of bed. He could be grumpy, but she was determined to have fun. Since she was here, she may as well try to figure out what all the hoop-la was about racing.

Getting into the spirit, she grinned at AJ. “I can probably manage, but if I get stuck, just push my butt in.”

AJ laughed as she climbed into the car. It was ungraceful but at least she made it in without needing assistance.

As AJ rounded to the driver’s side, Davey put his index and middle finger to his eye, then toward AJ as if to say I’m watching you. AJ roared with laughter as he slid into the car in one smooth motion.

Once he was settled behind the driver’s seat, AJ turned to her sporting a wide grin. “It’s only been a month since I last raced, but man I miss this shit.” He plugged cords into Nora’s helmet. “These are so you can hear the spotter,” he told her. He strapped into his safety harness and gave her instructions on how to do the same.

He hit switches and buttons on the main panel bringing the engine to life with a deafening roar. Sighing happily, he skimmed his fingers over the dash. “Come on, baby, purr for daddy,” he said, revving the engine. “Yeah, baby—” he stroked the dash a few more times “—that’s my girl.” He flashed another grin. “You know I’m just messing with you and your boyfriend, right? I like to give Davey a hard time, but it’s all fun and games.”

Her mouth dropped open. How could AJ think Davey was her boyfriend? “He’s not my boyfriend.”

AJ lifted a brow.

She was flattered that he thought Davey would date her, but AJ was way off base. “I’m nothing like the women he dates,” she blurted, and then wished she hadn’t. Her statement made it sound like she wanted to date Davey.

AJ flapped a hand as if waving her comment away. “It’s about damn time Davey found someone he could bring home to his mama.” One corner of AJ’s mouth lifted. “Especially now that he’s finally found his mama.”

That was about the nicest thing anyone had ever said about her. Even so, she didn’t want him to get the wrong impression. “That’s very sweet, but really, Davey and I are not dating.”

“I’ve got eyes,” he said, pulling the car onto the track. “I see the way he looks at you.”

Did Davey look at her that way? AJ must be mistaken. She shook her head. “We’re not dating,” she repeated firmly.

AJ flashed his teeth. “Yee-haw!” he shouted, kicking the car into high speed and barreling past Davey’s blue Ford. He glanced over. “Like my granddad used to say, ‘it’s your lie, tell it however you want.’ ”

Nora didn’t respond because she was too busy holding on for dear life.

“You let me know if I’m going too fast for you, darlin.’ Of course, it’ll crush my ego if I have to slow down and lose to Davey. How ‘bout instead you just cling onto ol’ AJ’s arm?” His lips ticked up as he looked at her.

“Oh my God, eyes on the track,” she squealed.

This wrenched a laugh from AJ. In the next curve, he followed the spotter’s instruction to go high, which took them close to the wall. He laughed again as she clutched onto the roll cage. When Davey flew past them on the inside, AJ cursed like a sailor.

Nora glanced at their speed—152 miles per hour. AJ and the other drivers really were taking it easy, driving a lot slower than the speeds Cruz had mentioned. Still, it felt crazy fast. Her heart beat in super-speed along with the terrifying, yet exhilarating ride.

“What’s it like in a real race?” she asked AJ.

“We go fifty to sixty miles faster. And there’s another forty drivers all jockeying for position,” he said, his voice tinged with pride.

“And your spotter helps you figure out when to go high or low like they’re doing today?”

“In a real race, we’re communicating with our spotters nonstop,” AJ said. “They’re our eyes on the track. Driving at high speeds, we can’t see what’s coming until we’re there. Our spotters help us figure out how to pass, how to block, and how to avoid accidents.”

Racing was a lot more complicated than Nora had thought. “That’s an important job.”

“Hell yeah.” AJ’s head bobbed up and down. “We develop a close relationship with our spotters. We have to trust them implicitly. Sometimes they’re the difference between winning or losing, or even between life and death.”

Racing was also every bit as dangerous as Nora had imagined. She reflected on that for a long moment before glancing at the stands—at least what she could see of them from her vantage point and the speed at which they were traveling. “How many people come to watch you race?”

“Here, about seventy to eighty thousand.” Grinning, AJ flew past Jamie and Lucas. “In Bristol it can be close to a hundred fifty thousand. It varies by track.”

Holy crap that was a lot of people. No wonder these guys were followed by the media and treated like walking gods by their female fans.

“Do you have a favorite track?” she asked.

“This one’s my favorite by a long shot,” he said, easily taking the next turn.

“Is that because you do well here?”

“Darlin’ I do well at every track.” He flashed an arrogant grin. “But this one’s extra special because I used to come here with my granddad to watch races when I was a kid.”

When Davey pulled into the pits, AJ slowed down. She thought he was going onto pit row too, but instead he downshifted, cut the wheel sharp to the left, and made a big donut. Smoke and the stench of burning rubber filled the car as AJ hooted with delight. Nora had to admit it had been fun.

As AJ pulled next to Davey’s car, Nora realized two things. First, racing wasn’t a bunch of boys playing around with expensive cars. It took experience, skill and grit to survive, much less excel, in racing. Second, her admiration for Davey continued to increase. He’d been working hard at being a good father and today she’d gained a respect for his profession that hadn’t been there before.

Before today, she’d thought his friends were wild and reckless. In truth, they probably were, but she liked AJ. She was starting to like Davey too…a lot more than she wanted to admit.