Free On the Edge by Pamela Britton Page B

next morning when he awoke, she was gone. Not surprising. He knew she’d do her best to avoid him today. Things had gotten a little too raw yesterday. And since she might end up being his boss, raw wasn’t a good thing. He’d better stop imposing on her hospitality, anyway.

    So he showed up at the shop, Becca nowhere in sight as he was put through his media training. That didn’t surprise him too much since she didn’t have any reason to be there. But he was a little surprised that she wasn’t around when each of the drivers went through an interview with a faux print reporter. Then again, she might be watching on closed circuit television somewhere. His TV interview didn’t go so well, or so he thought. He kept saying the wrong thing. Afterward, the PR specialist had grilled him on television dos and don’ts, most of which he’d already been told during the morning session.

    The one bright spot to the day had been his commercial. Of course, it hadn’t really been taped, but he seemed to be a natural actor and memorizing his lines had been a snap. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a little out of place throughout the day. He was a thirtysomething has-been driver. Crap, he wasn’t even a has-been. He was a never-was. Who cared that he’d almost won a Crown championship a few years back? Obviously he didn’t have the goods.

    And Becca Newman hadn’t been around to reassure him.

    He tried calling Lindsey on Brandy’s cell, but all he got was her voice mail over and over again. A glance at his watch told him she should be home from school. He dialed her the whole way back to Becca’s house, his panic increasing with each unanswered call. Heck, he couldn’t even get through to Brandy’s mom.

    He had his answer when he pulled up in front of Becca’s home; Lindsey herself ran out and greeted him.

    “Daddy,” she squealed in delight, her face as bright as her loose red hair.

    And as his arms wrapped around her, Adam knew he had Becca to thank for her presence.

    “I’m so glad to see you!” she shouted.

    “And I’m so glad you’re here,” he said, inhaling the scent of her. Instantly all the day’s numerous debacles faded away. It didn’t matter that he’d fumbled more things than he’d aced. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t seen Becca. All that mattered was that his daughter—the love of his life—was in his arms.

    She drew back. “You should have seen it, Dad. I rode on a private jet with Lance Cooper. Lance Cooper, ” she repeated, her eyes as wide as tire rims. “ And his wife, Sarah. They were on their way home from visiting Sarah’s mom in California and they made a special stop for me. Can you believe it?”

    No, he couldn’t believe it. Everyone’s graciousness was unreal. He was beginning to think people in the racing industry were some of the most generous people on earth.

    “How long have you been here?” he asked.

    “About an hour. I was worried you might try to call Brandy’s cell phone. And that you’d freak out when you couldn’t reach me.”

    “You were right.”

    Her face fell. “But it’s okay now, isn’t it? I really wanted this to be a surprise. And Becca said we could both stay here with her. Ohmygosh, Dad, Lance and Sarah are so nice,” she said, the words so close together Adam had a hard time making them out. “They would have stayed to meet you but Sarah wasn’t feeling well. She’s pregnant,” Lindsey said, holding her hands out like she had a big belly. “It’s their first child and she said she’s been sicker than a dog and that she didn’t want to go to California but that if she hadn’t gone to see her mom, her mom would have come to North Carolina, which would have put her into early labor.” She leaned toward him. “I don’t think she gets along with her very well.”

    Which made him smile. She was so damn excited. He could see it in her blue eyes, which glowed nearly as bright as they did on Christmas day.

    And in that