Free Chasing Aubrey by Sennah Tate Page A

stairs.
    “Oh my god, what are you wearing ?” She asked, glaring at my heavy make-up and less-than-conservative clothes.
    “Mom, I’m just going out with some friends.”
    “Where, to a dive bar? My god, Elise, you look like… trash.”
    “Thanks Mom, love you too. I’ll be home later tonight.”
    “Elise! Wait, I need to talk to you about something!”
    “Whatever it is, it’s gonna have to wait. I’m already late,” I lied. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible to avoid any further confrontations.
    She shook her head with a sad sigh and let me pass. If there was one thing my mother understood and couldn’t argue with, it was social obligations. She would never try to keep me from having a social life because she thought it was such an integral part of being a successful wife. Of course, being a good wife was the extent of my mother’s aspirations for me. It made me a little sad that she had such a narrow view of life, but I was just grateful that I hadn’t inherited that from her.
    I hurried to the garage and cranked up the ‘Stang. She roared to life and I couldn’t help but feel guilty for wishing that she was the Jag. My god that was a beautiful piece of machinery. My Mustang may not quite give the Jaguar a run for its money, but she would certainly give it her all. She was my baby and I’d never give her up, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t dream. I did have to admit that I preferred the look of the classic American muscle car over the sleek modern lines of the F-type. Maybe I was just an old-fashioned gal in that regard.
    Cruising down the highway with the windows down was one of life’s greatest pleasures. With the wind blowing through my hair, all of my cares and troubles melted away. I was still nervous about the race, but the drive calmed my frayed nerves and reminded me of why I loved to drive.
    The road didn’t care if I hated my life. My car didn’t care if I was stuck in a prearranged marriage. Rubber on the pavement, scenery rushing by, there was no place in my mind for any other thoughts. There was something magical and freeing about just driving without a purpose. There was something exhilarating and life-affirming about racing. The two combined made my life feel like it had meaning. Maybe that was a bit dramatic, but it was true.
    No amount of proper schooling, fancy parties or political maneuvering could ever make me feel as content as driving and racing did. My mother tried her damnedest to get my interested in something socially acceptable. She may not know about my racing, but she knew about my affinity for fast cars. That was not something that someone of my social standing should debase themselves with.
    I tried to push thoughts of my mother and my myriad other problems from my head as I cruised down the highway. I had to clear my head. I had to get in the right mind frame for this race. There was no way I was going to let Rex beat me after all the smack talk we’d done back and forth. I needed to prove to him and everyone else that I was still relevant, still as good as ever. Maybe I just needed to prove that to myself. With everything happening, it was easy to think that maybe I should just give everything up. Maybe I should just acquiesce and be the doting dutiful wife and daughter. It would be fewer headaches, for sure, but I would be so miserable. Regardless of what else I’d done in my life, I didn’t think I deserved that fate.
    Mile after mile of the road rushed past and I felt my apprehensions and nerves start to ebb. I was a hell of a racer. Anyone who had ever seen me could attest to that. There was no way that someone like Rex would be able to best me. I just needed to keep my head on straight.
    A small smile crept onto my face as I remembered Tanner’s reaction to my driving.
    I cursed myself instantly. I didn’t need to be thinking about him right now. That was a onetime thing and there was no use dwelling on it. If he knew… If he knew that