Read Online On the Edge by Pamela Britton - Free Book Online

teased.

    “Daddy,” she scolded. “You know what.”

    “How was school today?”

    “Da-ad!”

    He chuckled and said, “I did fine.”

    Silence, and then, “Define ‘fine.’”

    Smart girl. She knew the questions to ask.

    “I did good, Lin. I did real good.”

    “You did?” she squealed.

    “The best of the day so far.”

    “I knew it,” she shot out. “I knew you’d kick ass!”

    “Lindsey,” he scolded. “You know better than to use that kind of language.”

    “He kicked ass,” he heard her scream to her friend. “I told you he would.”

    “Right on,” he heard Brandy say in the background.

    “Lindsey, please tell me Brandy’s mom isn’t standing nearby.”

    “She’s downstairs watching People’s Court. Sotellmewhathappened.”

    He bit back a smile, shaking his head as he took her through the day’s events. She interrupted him about every ten seconds. By the time he’d told her all there was to know, plus a few details she didn’t need to know—no, he didn’t pee his pants when he heard how good he did—it’d started to sink in that he’d done it. He’d made it through the first phase. And now he had to come back for tomorrow’s testing, which meant he had to ask Brandy’s mother about Lindsey staying for two more nights.

    “So now what?” Lindsey asked.

    “I have to stay here through Wednesday.”

    “You think your work will mind?”

    That was something Adam had wondered himself. He’d worked for Ralph’s Automotive for years. Ralph even sponsored his weekend racing. But there was a difference between an employee with a hobby and an employee who might be changing careers.

    Damn. He’d really done it.

    “I’ll work it out.”

    “So I get to stay here a couple more nights?”

    “Yeah. Let me talk to Brandy’s mother to see if it’ll be okay.”

    “It’ll be okay. And if it’s not, I’ll go down to the local shelter.”

    “You will not,” Adam said. “You’ll stay right there until I can come get you.”

    “Does that mean you’re going to come get me now?”

    “No. So don’t get your hopes up. You’re staying in school.”

    “Da-ad.”

    “No arguments. Now. Let me talk to Brandy’s mother.”

    But Brandy’s mother sounded as excited as his daughter did—not surprising since she was a huge race fan. She even came and rooted for him during the Saturday night races sometimes. Everything was so easy to arrange, it almost seemed preordained—and maybe it was.

    But Adam’s smile faded when he hung up. The truth was he wished Lindsey was there with him. His daughter might be ten years old, but she was his best friend. He missed her company.

    He glanced toward pit road. Cece and Becca looked to be in a heated discussion. But then Cece tipped her head back and laughed, Becca swatting her friend in the arm in obvious exasperation. He wished he was a fly on the wall because he had a feeling they were talking about him.

CHAPTER SIX

    THEY COULDN’T FIND Adam a hotel room in all of Charlotte.
    There was some kind of conference in town, and that combined with a local sporting event and concert had every hotel within thirty miles filled to the brim.

    Adam had resigned himself to sleeping in his truck, but Cece Sanders suggested he stay with Becca.

    “Why not?” she said. “She’s got plenty of room.”

    “That’s not necessary. I can sleep in my truck.”

    “You will not,” Cece said. “I’d offer you our guest house, but our nanny’s living there and so we don’t really have the room.”

    “You have five extra rooms,” he heard Becca mutter to Cece.

    “And they’re all being redecorated. The house is a mess,” Cece said, and Adam was certain he saw amusement in her eyes. “Plus, we’re expecting company. But like I said, Becca’s got room—”

    “Cece—”

    “Unless you really want him to sleep in his truck.”

    He saw what was going on then. Frankly, he was surprised he hadn’t put two and two