Free Fuel To The Fire (New Adult Contemporary Romance) by Brynn O'Connor Page B

the drama?” I don’t know whether to be relieved or
enraged. They let me think he was like dying or something by the way they were
talking.
    “Just
come in and support him and we’ll tell you everything we know. I fully expect
him to be racing again very soon so try and relax and drive yourself here
safely.”
    I hang
my phone up without answering. I turn to Rachael to explain what the call was
about, but she stops me.
    “Come
on,” she says, “I’ll drive.

    At
the hospital…
    Marco is
still in the exam room repeating the CAT scan when we arrive, so we’re directed
to a waiting room and told he’ll join us in about thirty minutes.
    “Would
you like me to stay with you?” Rachael asks, “Or would you rather be alone?”
    “I might
be here quite a while Rach—”
    “I’ll
stay,” she says resolutely, and I’m grateful for it.
    Then
after a few minutes. “You know Carrie...I don’t remember you getting this
worked up over Danny even when he was in that serious crash on Christmas day.
This time is different.”
    I look at
her for a moment, then down at my feet. She’s right. I only really got bent
when Danny died. Otherwise I was able to kinda stay detached when he was racing
and even when he crashed, which wasn’t often. I think I know why too. It took
me 8 long months to be able to say this, even to myself, but Danny was an
abuser. He abused my for the entire time we were together except for that first
two or three months when we first got together. That’s why I could remain a
little detached, because there was that behavior that I knew was wrong and I
shouldn’t be putting up with. I just couldn’t get away from the relationship or
from him.
    “You
love him, don’t you?” Rachael asks.
    Now
that’s a question I’m not prepared to answer. I don’t even want to ask myself
that question let alone let her ask it. This is all happening so damn fast I
can barely believe it myself. One thing I do know is that I wouldn’t have shed
tears this easily for Danny, that’s for sure.

    May
13 th 2012, Darlington SC...
    The
post-race celebration is off the charts. Danny’s won his unprecedented fourth
race in a row. Rather than stay in Danny’s race trailer, we book a suite for
two glorious days at the Charlotte Hilton in Charlotte South Carolina. We
invite the entire pit crew, the owners, and our sponsors for the catered party.
Everyone is in high spirits! People are talking like number 5 is already in the
bag and setting their sights on Daytona. That’s the one feather Danny has yet
to add to his cap. He has never won at Daytona in 5 years racing. His best
finish was 11 th , the year before last. Last year he got clipped and
it sent him into the wall early on in the race. He got a little banged up, but
that was it.
    Danny’s
crew chief is the last person to leave the party. It’s nearly two in the
morning but we’re not tired at all. The room is spinning pleasantly and I am as
excited and happy as I’ve ever been. Danny walks Stu Gustafson out and puts the
do not disturb sign on the door handle. As he walks back to the bedroom where
I’m pouring another glass of bubbly for us he is already stripping off his
lucky tee. He’s sweaty, smells like the inside of a race car and racing fuel,
but I could care less. I watch as he slips his pants down over his narrow hips
and down around his ankles. What a sight.
    By the
time we pass out we’ve christened the bed, kitchen floor, coffee table, the
balcony, and just about every other flat surface we could find. It’s well after
noon when we both wake up the next day, feeling horrible.
    “Dammit
Carrie, you’re not supposed to let me drink so much!”
    “What?”
I’m not sure I heard that right. “That’s not my job superstar. If you didn’t
want to drink why’d you buy so much liquor then?”
    “That
was for everyone else! I don’t drink, remember?”
    “Guess I
must have missed that memo.”
    “What
the fuck?”
    “Since
when am I supposed