Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
I’d read about a few of those. They sounded hysterical, though I supposed it wouldn’t be as funny if you were the one being punished.
“They once had a team walk behind their Judge-mobile and apologize every time they honked the horn,” Gene joined in, his expression mischievous. “Made another write ‘I will not pass under yellow’ a hundred times. And if you whine too much about it, you might have to chew on a pacifier for the length of your penalty.”
“Are you hearing this?” Chick whispered into my ear. “Whoever came up with this car race is my hero.”
“Are you calling me reckless?” Bernie finally asked Rick icily.
He looked her right in the eye. “You’re the one that got a ticket for reckless driving, remember?”
“I was sixteen, and you didn’t even know me then!”
“Enough.” Wade’s voice was calm, but he dropped his fist on the table to stop the crosstalk and forcefully get Rick’s attention. “She’s one of the best drivers I know, and she’s in or you can get yourself a new mechanic right now.”
I subtly shivered from that show of sexy solidarity. I’d like to wrap up this meeting and have my way with this man as soon as possible, please and thank you.
“You didn’t want August driving,” Rick said petulantly.
“Because he loves Jiminy and I don’t have any experience yet,” I argued in Wade’s defense. “Bernie does.”
Rick narrowed his eyes at Gene and the others before shaking his head and swearing under his breath. “Your call.”
Chick slung an arm over Bernie’s shoulder and smiled devilishly. “You’re being invaded, fellas. Might as well accept defeat now and enjoy it in your beautiful new, yet obviously used and oddly affordable car.”
There was a long, pregnant pause while Gene studied Bernie thoughtfully.
“She could help with the judges,” he finally said. “Do something bendy with her yoga-fu.”
Rick reacted as if he’d been kicked in the face, and it put my writer vibes on high alert. I didn’t have to be good at people-watching (though I was) to see the antagonistic body language going on between Rick and Bernie. He was never cheerful, but he was rarely this bad, and she usually didn’t give a flying fig what anyone said or thought about her. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were fighting off a mutual attraction. Or they’d already made out at a Christmas party and something had gone horribly wrong.
“You realize you’re discussing using my sister as a sex object for extra points right in front of me.” Wade was clearly not amused with my brother-in-law.
“I’m open to being objectified,” Bernie declared, her smile a thing of fierce beauty. “As long as you’re all open to finally winning a race after years of coming in thirtieth and only getting a participation trophy. Because that’s what I’m planning to do.”
“I want to be her,” Chick murmured.
So did I.
“Thirtieth is a great slot to come in,” Gene clapped back. “We earned that. Do you know how many drivers are out there?”
“Like I told August, we don’t do this for a trophy or the cash prize,” Lucy said serenely.
Wade nodded. “That’s because the cash prize is only somewhere between four and six hundred dollars, which is nothing compared to all the money you spend for entrance fees, car purchases, improvements, safety equipment and travel. And the head honchos pay it out with boxes of nickels or checks written on toilet seat covers.”
“I love every single word he’s saying. I should be recording this.” Chick was already rubbing his hands together.
“I am recording this,” Kingston reminded him in an undertone that had me subtly leaning back to get out of the shot. Unfortunately, Wade chose that moment to push back his chair and quietly excuse himself, phone in hand, leaving me totally exposed to the unforgiving lens.
“Lucy’s right. It’s the experience that’s priceless,” Gene insisted. “It’s months of preparation and brainstorming, followed by a few days of testing your endurance while spitting in the face of death because Fuck Cancer.”
“Fuck Cancer,” Rick and Lucy repeated together.
“It could also be about winning,” Bernie muttered under her breath.
“That’s good stuff,” Kingston praised them, tilting his camera in Gene’s direction. “Let’s recap. August will sell you a 1979 Volkswagen Beetle in perfect condition for a mere five bills in return for you getting two new drivers, a documentarian and this guy,” he gestured to Chick dismissively. “Anything else?”
There were some things people never did besides putting Baby in a corner, and one of them was dismissing my best friend. I’d never seen it end well for anyone.
“One more thing.” Chick was back to glaring at the documentarian as he spoke. “August, Bernie and this guy will get a final say in the theme.”
We would?
Gene was already shaking his head. “I can agree to everything else but that. We’ve never had less time to get our shit together, and the theme has always been my job. I have files full of ideas that can be ready as soon as we shake on this deal.”