Free Fast Track by Cheryl Douglas

cloudless, the kind of day that made her want to forget
her troubles and bask in the warmth of the sun’s rays.
    “Thanks to you,
I’ve decided to take the risk,” Justin said.
    Swallowing her
fear, she forced herself to look at him. She couldn’t explain why
those words stirred dread in her, but they did. “What do you
mean?”
    “As much as I’d
love to hang out here with you all summer, people are waiting on me
back home.”
    “Oh, I see.”
She knew any words of encouragement would sound hollow, so she
waited, hoping he would fill the awkward silence.
    “I hope you can
understand why-”
    “Of course.”
She smiled a little too brightly, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I
think you’re making the right call.”
    “It’s just that
my family has already invested millions…” He sighed. “Not to
mention my other sponsors, and I have these endorsement deals. I’ve
been selfish, taking so much time off. You helped me realize it’s
time to get back to reality.”
    “Right,
reality.” She cleared her throat, hoping he wouldn’t suspect she
was on the verge of tears again.
    “I hate leaving
you like this.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye
before turning his attention to a random boat in the distance. “You
know, so soon after we met.”
    “It’s not like
it could have gone anywhere.” She kicked a pebble off the dock with
the toe of her flip-flop. Anything to distract herself from the
crushing pain in her chest. She shouldn’t feel that way about a man
she’d met only a few days before. So they’d shared a few kisses she
hoped would evolve into more. Clearly it wasn’t meant to be. “You
have your life in North Carolina, and I have my life in Tennessee.”
She slid her hands into the pockets of her sundress to hide the
tell-tale tremble. “Might as well be a million miles apart.”
    She turned to
walk up the dock toward her house. Now that she knew he was
leaving, she hoped it would be sooner rather than later. She didn’t
think her heart could survive another tearful good-bye. Maybe he
would leave while her family was there. At least then she would
have a good excuse to avoid a private good-bye.
    “Maybe we’ll
see each other again,” he said, walking up the dock behind her.
“You know, here.”
    Anna suspected
she wouldn’t come back to the island on her own for a long time.
She didn’t want to run the risk of seeing him again. “Maybe.” She
forced herself to face him when she reached the end of the dock.
“Well, good luck. I hope you have a great season.”
    He shrugged.
“I’m not expecting much, but I know if I don’t get behind the wheel
again soon, this damn anxiety could take over my life.”
    “You wouldn’t
want that.” She didn’t understand what motivated him to get into
that death trap day after day, but it was his life and his
decision. “Well, stay safe.” They stared at each other a long time
before she turned away.
    “Damn it, Anna,
wait.” He reached for her wrist, but she refused to turn
around.
    “Please,” she
whispered, “just go, Justin.”
     
    ***
     
    “So, why the
long face?” Nick asked, claiming the lounge chair beside his
sister. “You’re not happy to see us?”
    If not for her
family, she would have locked herself in her room, buried her head
in her pillow, and cried her eyes out when she heard Justin’s boat
leave that afternoon. “You know I am.”
    Nick tipped his
beer bottle back, taking a long drink before he asked, “Tell me
this isn’t about Tom.”
    “How’d you know
he was here?”
    “Lauren told
me.”
    Sighing, Anna
reached for her wine glass. “I know you guys were never crazy about
him, but I was.”
    Nick chuckled.
“No accounting for taste.”
    Slapping his
bicep, she said, “Shut up. He’s a good guy. You never gave him a
chance.”
    “Whatever.”
Nick stared out at the water. “I know you don’t wanna hear this
right now, but he wasn’t right for you, sis.”
    “I know.” She
smiled when he