SLIPPING INTO THE LIMO, I slid as far over to the other side as I could. Trey sat down and looked at me. “How in the fuck did you know Malcolm Wallace, and why didn’t you tell me you knew him?”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I decided to turn this conversation around. “Who were you talking to earlier? Before we got to the track, after you gave me an orgasm?”
His eyes filled with something I was very used to seeing. Deceit.
“It was no one. I told you.”
“Trey, as much as you probably don’t believe this, I’ve got good intuition and I call bullshit. Who is she?”
He swallowed hard before laughing and trying to blow me off. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Paislie. You’re being paranoid.”
We sat in silence as the limo drove back to Caesar’s Palace. When we pulled up to the front and the door opened, I stayed in my seat. Trey looked back at me with a confused expression.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to the airport.”
His eyes grew angry. “Get the hell out of the car, Paislie. This is crazy.”
Looking down, I took in a deep breath and slowly blew it out before glancing back up at him. “My father dropped me off at an orphanage when I was eight years old, and every time he came back into my life I hoped it was because he wanted me. It never was and I quickly learned in life to tell when a man was lying to me. You see, my father’s been doing it for years. Please send my suitcase to my house.”
Trey stood there staring at me with a stunned expression. “Paislie, please let me explain. She’s just a girl I’ve been dating off and on and—”
Holding my hand up, I said, “Stop. I don’t need your excuses, Trey. I need you to please make sure my stuff is sent to me.”
He closed his eyes and nodded as he pushed the button to roll the privacy glass down. “Please take Ms. Pruitt to the airport.”
Trey took one last look at me before taking a step back and shutting the door to the limo. He didn’t even try. Just like that . . . he let me go. I tried to ignore the pain in my chest. Even if I didn’t care for him, it still hurt.
He was found out and did what they all do. Walk away.
The moment the limo pulled away, I let my tears fall as I stared out at the Vegas lights zipping by.
I hate men.
The knock on my office door pulled me out of my thoughts. Turning from the window I was looking out, I called out, “Come in.”
Stephanie, the receptionist, came walking in. “Your appointment at four canceled. And Trey called again.”
I rolled my eyes and walked over to my desk. “Did you tell him to go fuck himself?”
Stephanie covered her mouth and giggled. “No! But if you really want me to, that might be kind of fun.”
With a slight smile, I shook my head. “I don’t think the other patients would take that very well if they heard you tell someone that.”
She shrugged and silently agreed with her smile.
“So, what did he do? I kind of thought you liked this guy. You even went to Vegas with him.”
Picking up a chart, I acted like I was looking through it. “It wasn’t a good fit.”
“Bummer. He was so cute. And that body!” She used her hand to fan herself. “Speaking of hot bodies, that hottie from SMU will be coming in tomorrow. Oh happy day!”
Chuckling, I dropped the file onto my desk and shook my head at her. I worked for a large physical therapy clinic in Southlake Texas that I’d interned for and was hired on right after I finished school. It was a great place to work and I mostly dealt with athletes from Southern Methodist University.
“Okay, so if you’re not going to give me the deets on Trey, I’ll let it slide. I wonder if he had something to do with these, though?”
She handed me an envelope with my name written across it. “Please be Dallas tickets for this season. Oh please!” Stephanie chanted.
Hitting her with the large manila envelope, I snickered. “Stop it.”
Stephanie stood there and stared at me. “Well, are you going to open it?”
With a frustrated sigh, I opened it up and dumped the contents out on my desk. Picking them up, I saw a VIP pass for Texas Motor Speedway. Smiling, I opened up the letter and read it. My mouth dropped as I sat down in my chair.
“Oh. My. God.”
“What is it? Paislie! What’s wrong?”
Slowly trying to clear my head, I looked up at her and said, “They’re um . . . tickets for this weekend’s race.”
Her lip snarled as she looked at the tickets. “NASCAR? Do you even like racing?”
My heart felt as if it was about to burst from my chest as I looked back at the note and read it again.
Paislie,
Deuce requests your presence at a dinner function Thursday evening at Texas Motor Speedway.
Enclosed you will find one all-inclusive pass for this weekend. With this pass you are able to come and go as you wish. When arriving at the speedway, please use Gate One and show them the VIP pass and let them know you are a guest of Elliot Racing.
We really hope you can make it.
Deuce and Malcolm
Covering my mouth, I felt like a little girl in a candy store. “Paislie Pruitt. Are you blushing?”
I dropped my hand and pinched my eyebrows together as I gave her a huff. “No. I’m just really surprised. How in the world did he know where I worked?”
“Who?!” Stephanie exclaimed.
“Malcolm Wallace. He’s a driver . . . a um . . . a NASCAR driver.”
Crossing her arms over her chest she asked, “And how do you know a NASCAR driver? Oh my god . . . first a Dallas football player and now this! Where are you going to meet these guys?”
With a dry laugh, I stood and started to usher her out of my office. “We’ll talk about it later. Right now I have a phone call to make.”
She grabbed onto the door jam and held on for dear life. “With who? Him? The driver? Is he cute? Hotter than Trey?”
Placing my hand on her forehead, I pushed her out of the way and shut the door as she called out, “I’m googling him right now!”
I picked the letter back up and took in a deep breath while I reached for my cell phone. My hand was shaking as I dialed the number.
“Jesus H. Christ, what in the hell is wrong with me? He probably thinks he’s going to get lucky or something. Like all of them.”
The thought of Malcolm only wanting to see me for sex hurt more than it made me angry. I practically broke the glass on my phone hitting the numbers as I dialed him.
“This is, Malcolm.”
My body melted as did all the anger I felt. For Pete’s sake, what is wrong with me? Oh, I know what’s wrong . . . I’d fuck this guy just to hear that voice whisper in my ear.
Looking upward, I mouthed, forgive me father.
“Hello?”
“Malcolm? Hi, it’s um . . . it’s Paislie. Paislie Pruitt.”
“Paislie, how are you?”
I could hear the smile in his voice as I grinned from ear to ear. I felt like a teenage girl talking to her crush.
“Well, I’m a bit surprised by a package I received today. How in the world did you know where I worked?”
Malcolm let out a soft, yet deep laugh. “Let’s just say I had to do my homework. And when I talked to Trey Rogers he happened to mention he was no longer seeing you and might have let it slip where you worked.”
Rolling my eyes, I mumbled, “Figures.”
“Sorry, what was that?”
I waved my hand as if he could see me. “Nothing, sorry.”
“So?”
Chewing nervously on my lip, I replied back with my own, “So?”
He let out a small chuckle as he said, “Will you be able to make it at least for dinner?”
My finger moved over the handwritten note. “With Deuce? Your boxer, right?”
“That’s right.”
I wanted to giggle, but I stayed strong. “Is he looking for a casual evening or would I have to dress up? I’m not much of a formal kind of girl.”
“Totally casual. He’s super easy to please.”
A thought occurred to me as my smile faded. “Um . . . will Trey be there as well?”
There was silence followed by, “Fuck no, that asshole isn’t going to be there.”
Oh God . . . why did that turn me on.
“Then count me in.”
“Perfect! How about seven?”
I chewed on my thumbnail as I quickly thought this through. Hadn’t I just given up on men again, and now I’m planning on meeting one for dinner? Of course, I’m really having dinner with his dog.
Frowning, I hit my palm on my forehead. Get it together, Paislie.
“Go to Gate One you said?”
“Yes. Show the security guard your pass and I’ll be sure to let him know where to bring you.”
Covering my mouth to hold my silly excitement in, I tried to respond like this was just another night and nothing special about it. “Sounds good. I’ll see ya Thursday.”
“Perfect! See ya then, Paislie.”
My stomach jumped as I placed my hand on it. “Okay, see ya then.”
Once I hit End, I dragged in a few deep breaths as I placed my hands on my desk.
“Holy hells bells,” I said as I started laughing. I’d only talked to this man twice and yet each time he brought out emotions I’d never before experienced in my life. I wasn’t sure if I should be thrilled beyond belief, or scared shitless.
Either way, I was counting down the hours until I got to see him again.