Free Smokin' & Spinnin' by Andrea Miller Page A

trying to teach him to be morepatient, persistent, and consistent on the track, but I haven’t gotten very far with that yet.” He sighs.
    “Good luck with that,” I interject, but am instantly remorseful of my quick outburst.
    Garrett doesn’t acknowledge my rant as he continues, “Ryan has every ability to be as good if not better than I have been in my career. Don’t get me wrong, he has a long way to go, but I see a great deal of myself in him, especially at his age. His mother says I can’t really give him a hard time because I was the same way at his age. Then again, she has no room to talk either because Ryan has an extra dose of hardheadedness that comes directly from her.”
    I watch as Garrett’s eyes light up and sparkle at the mention of Ryan’s mother. He laughs quietly. He is such a sweet man, and it is very evident how much he loves his family. Why can’t Ryan be like this?
    I laugh. “Yes, sir. I know too well. We don’t exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things.”
    “I know, or, well…so I have heard,” Garrett admits. “There are several people who keep me informed of goings-on around here, even though Jerri likes to keep me out of it. Honestly, I have never seen anyone handle Ryan like that.” Garrett laughs and shakes his head. “I believe that you will be good for him. He needs someone to give him a good ration of shit every day. He has wonderful potential and far more opportunities than I ever had. It is finally time for him to come into his own because one day soon, this will all belong to him,” Garrett says as he gestures around to his accomplishments.

Chapter 10
    I t is a little after noon when I make it back to my desk. After the heated boardroom bout with Ryan and a walk down memory lane with Garrett, I am finally able to sit down at my desk to start preparing for Sonoma. I can’t even grasp the fact that I will be flying across the continental United States in less than a week.
    Jerri wants me to attend only Sunday’s race again this week but says I will be ready for a full weekend by Kentucky. I have got to take this one race at a time, especially if I want to keep this job. I am going to have to stay one step ahead of Ryan and show him that I can do this job and do it well. I wonder how he will take the news that I am his new permanent public relations manager. Hmmm…I am glad that I don’t have to deliver that information to him.
    I look around my office to get my bearings. The beautiful pink floral arrangements make me smile and remember the conversation that I was having with Colton before all hell broke loose. Then, all of sudden I remember—Brooke! Crap! I have to deal with her. She has got to be seventy shades of pissed by now.
    I shuffle some papers on my desk and find my iPhone buried underneath a stack of Ryan’s sponsorship agreements. I am scared to lookat it. There is only the one voice mail from Brooke, which I am hesitant to listen to, but I hit play anyway. Brooke’s voice booms through the speaker.
    “Whitney Elaine Parker!” I pull the phone away from my ear. Jeezus! “I know you declined my call and deliberately sent it to voice mail. How in the hell do you spring this on me over text? Colton Johnson. Oh my God! Who, what, when, where, and how! Come off the details!” I laugh out loud as her message ends.
    I tap the call log and select Brooke’s cell phone. The phone dials, and in about half a ring, Brooke is on the line.
    “Where the
hell
have you been?” Brooke exclaims.
    I am still enraged, and I take it out on her. “Listen here, I have just been through World War Three in this office, with him, not to mention the fact that I just about got fired by his father. So, I would appreciate it if you would cut me some damn slack right now.”
    Brooke gasps, shocked by my outburst. “OK…OK…But you can’t spring some news like bringing Colton Johnson with you for drinks tonight over text and then leave me hanging!”
    I groan. “I will