she looked elated, almost a bit too much, which was yet another sign. Emerging from danger instilled all sorts of emotions, from emotional highs to sexual tension. She had seen it before, having been through hellish situations more times than she cared to remember. She suffered from lingering issues because she was way too good at compartmentalizing. She didn’t do too well the few times she tried therapy either. So much from her past was off-topic that professional help had been a complete waste of time and money.
Evie surprised her by running up to her and pulling her into a hard embrace. “You have no idea,” she murmured. “Absolutely no freaking idea.”
Rigid for a few moments, she saw the crew go slack-jawed at the display. Since she cared a great deal more about Evie’s well-being than what the racing team might think or not think, she returned the hug.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” she said tightly.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never had any flashbacks while driving before now.”
“Because driving a race car on a racetrack is a lot different than driving between New Haven and Plymouth.” Breaking the embrace, she looked solemnly at Evie. “I hadn’t realized I’d feel so…involved.”
“But you do.” Somehow this reassurance seemed to calm Evie. “I can’t promise not to scare you while competing, but at least now we know a good way to bring me out of flashbacks if they happen again.”
“What do you mean?” Blythe dreaded whatever conclusion Evie had drawn.
“You.” Evie beamed. “Your voice penetrated all that smoke and terror. When I heard you I knew what I was seeing wasn’t real. Your voice was the only variable that didn’t fit in. Even Ben’s voice fit in because he was right there in my ear last time. Before the crash.” She suddenly flinched and her eyes darkened to a frosty forest green. “Fuck. Not now. Fuck!”
*
Evie clasped her hands behind her back. This was exactly what she didn’t need. Not now, today, or ever. Pressing her lips together, she stared at the approaching man with a measured calm she didn’t feel.
“Hello, Malcolm,” she said, and Blythe gave a soft gasp. “What brings you here?”
“Evangeline,” Malcolm Marshall said politely. “Where should I be, if not here, where I can hopefully prevent my only child from making the biggest mistake in her life? A second time, I might add.”
“I refuse to have this discussion with you. I have the track for another hour, but—”
“A waste of resources.” Malcolm waved his hand dismissively at Ben and the rest of the team. “When you hear my news, you’ll be glad I stopped you from another redneck way of trying to kill yourself.”
“Please. Malcolm. Father.” It was pointless to try to reason with him when he was in this mood. He hated being contradicted, and if no witnesses were nearby, he could become quite abusive, verbally.
“I’ve been on the phone with several of the Formula One teams over the last weekend. If you play your cards right, they might just consider you. As a favor to me, naturally, but when they see how committed you are, you’ll gain their trust in your ability. I mean, you’re a Marshall. I’ve taught you everything, after all.”
In fact, Malcolm had taught Evie very little. She’d learned from him, firsthand, only how she was never good enough, how she was a constant failure and disappointment. Her emotions still surging from her close call during training, she began to tremble. “You’re just too much, Dad . I won’t be returning any calls from your F1 buddies, so you can stop calling in any so-called favors. I know you hate NASCAR. You’ve made that clear. I don’t know why you keep showing up when you know I won’t change my mind. I love this type of racing, even if you don’t.”
“You call this racing?” He stepped closer, sneering. “Compared to Formula One, this is like driving a damn tractor, cheered on by peasants. No offense,
Evie surprised her by running up to her and pulling her into a hard embrace. “You have no idea,” she murmured. “Absolutely no freaking idea.”
Rigid for a few moments, she saw the crew go slack-jawed at the display. Since she cared a great deal more about Evie’s well-being than what the racing team might think or not think, she returned the hug.
“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” she said tightly.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never had any flashbacks while driving before now.”
“Because driving a race car on a racetrack is a lot different than driving between New Haven and Plymouth.” Breaking the embrace, she looked solemnly at Evie. “I hadn’t realized I’d feel so…involved.”
“But you do.” Somehow this reassurance seemed to calm Evie. “I can’t promise not to scare you while competing, but at least now we know a good way to bring me out of flashbacks if they happen again.”
“What do you mean?” Blythe dreaded whatever conclusion Evie had drawn.
“You.” Evie beamed. “Your voice penetrated all that smoke and terror. When I heard you I knew what I was seeing wasn’t real. Your voice was the only variable that didn’t fit in. Even Ben’s voice fit in because he was right there in my ear last time. Before the crash.” She suddenly flinched and her eyes darkened to a frosty forest green. “Fuck. Not now. Fuck!”
*
Evie clasped her hands behind her back. This was exactly what she didn’t need. Not now, today, or ever. Pressing her lips together, she stared at the approaching man with a measured calm she didn’t feel.
“Hello, Malcolm,” she said, and Blythe gave a soft gasp. “What brings you here?”
“Evangeline,” Malcolm Marshall said politely. “Where should I be, if not here, where I can hopefully prevent my only child from making the biggest mistake in her life? A second time, I might add.”
“I refuse to have this discussion with you. I have the track for another hour, but—”
“A waste of resources.” Malcolm waved his hand dismissively at Ben and the rest of the team. “When you hear my news, you’ll be glad I stopped you from another redneck way of trying to kill yourself.”
“Please. Malcolm. Father.” It was pointless to try to reason with him when he was in this mood. He hated being contradicted, and if no witnesses were nearby, he could become quite abusive, verbally.
“I’ve been on the phone with several of the Formula One teams over the last weekend. If you play your cards right, they might just consider you. As a favor to me, naturally, but when they see how committed you are, you’ll gain their trust in your ability. I mean, you’re a Marshall. I’ve taught you everything, after all.”
In fact, Malcolm had taught Evie very little. She’d learned from him, firsthand, only how she was never good enough, how she was a constant failure and disappointment. Her emotions still surging from her close call during training, she began to tremble. “You’re just too much, Dad . I won’t be returning any calls from your F1 buddies, so you can stop calling in any so-called favors. I know you hate NASCAR. You’ve made that clear. I don’t know why you keep showing up when you know I won’t change my mind. I love this type of racing, even if you don’t.”
“You call this racing?” He stepped closer, sneering. “Compared to Formula One, this is like driving a damn tractor, cheered on by peasants. No offense,
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