Crash and Burn (21 page)

Walt raised his eyebrows. “You’re that confident you’ll win?”

“I am. We’re running well and I’ll tell Divina to stay home.”

The whole situation had spiraled out of control. He didn’t have time to think about Grace and how he could win her back. At this point it was more important to keep his sponsor and keep his eye on winning more races.

“Have you heard from Grace?” Walt asked, reading his mind.

Stone shook his head.

“It’s for the best. You can’t have both sisters here fighting over you. As flattering as that is, and I’m sure it would make for good TV, you can’t get into that kind of family drama.”

“I know.” Stone was dejected. “I know.”

* * * *

Race day arrived, sunny and warm. He was bound to sweat his nuts off in his flame-retardant suit. He’d spoken to Divina and asked her nicely not to come. She wasn’t wanted there. He’d even spoken with a lawyer about an annulment. Everything took time. Divina protested being left behind.

She loved the publicity. She’d hung the picture of herself doing her nails at the race on the refrigerator and spoke about doing another magazine spread so she could put those pictures up too.

“If I’d known it would be this much fun, I would have dumped Hank before this,” she’d confessed as he made his own breakfast.

He worked his way to the trailer and the car once he was at the track. Barry greeted him. “Divina coming today? She made an impression yesterday. Not saying it was a good impression, though.”

“Thanks, Barry. Is George here yet?”

“Nope.”

Stone had tossed and turned half the night, trying to figure out what to say to the man. He would have called him last night, but the phone had been busy with Divina talking to her friends. It was like she was in high school, gushing over her new boyfriend, and he was the lead in her quaint fantasy.

He was dreading the moment he had to tell George. Before or after the race? Telling him before would mean he could lose his sponsor immediately and George could make a big scene. After might give him a few minutes to think about how to approach him once the press was gone. He smiled to himself.

After.

He and Barry started going over the car, getting it ready for the pre-race inspection.

“Your wife coming today?” Barry asked again with a smirk.

“Hopefully not.” Stone had wanted to drop the whole wife issue by ignoring Barry’s question, but obviously Barry didn’t know how to take a hint. Stone was sure Barry’d noticed a difference between the two wives–the real and the fake one.

The one he loved and the one he wanted nothing to do with.

He loved Grace. Loved her enough to throw away his racing career. He might have told her before that he loved her, but now he understood what being in love meant. Deep inside.

He mulled the thought over in his brain. Letting the flavors meld like a fine drink. He loved her. Great, so now what? It didn’t solve the problem of him being married to her sister or that he’d lied to the racing world. He was on the fast track to nowhere. He loved Grace. If he hadn’t been racing today, he’d run off to Connecticut to see her. He’d find a way to work this mess out.

“Trouble in paradise?” Barry interrupted.

Stone pursed his lips. “Sort of. It’s complicated.”

“It always is.”

The inspection went well and Stone moved his car to pit road. Barry walked up to the open window and leaned in. “Your wife’s here.”

“What?” Stone couldn’t have heard right. Divina was at home like the terrible wife she was. No scratch that. She was a bad wife and she’d do exactly what he told her not to do.

“She’s over talking to Halkins’ wife. She got here about fifteen minutes ago. Sorry, buddy.”

Stone craned his neck to see Divina. Sure enough, there she was. She wore a bright pink outfit with a matching sun hat the size of a flying saucer. She looked like she belonged at the Kentucky Derby.

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered through clenched teeth. Was she there so he couldn’t tell George the truth? She was her own damn insurance policy. He gunned the engine of the car with pent-up rage.

Barry slapped the window ledge. “Go get ’em tiger. This one is yours for the taking.”

Stone checked the mic hooked to his helmet. “Good to go.”

As he was pulling away to take his place in the lineup, he saw the press pointing and looking around in a frenzy. Stone tried to see what was going on. Was some fan going crazy and stripping or climbing the safety fence?

“What’s going on?” he asked Barry through the mic.

“Not sure. The press is going crazy, though. I’ll let you know when I find out.”

Stone pulled on to the track, ready to take this one.

* * * *

Kayla had arrived in Connecticut minutes after Grace arrived back at her parent’s house. She brought a grocery bag filled with chips, ice cream, hot fudge, M&Ms and wine.

“You’re the best friend in all the world,” Grace had told her, rubbing her red-rimmed eyes.

After the bottle of wine and some rich ice cream, Grace told Kayla about her plan to go to the race on Saturday. She had to see him, she’d told her.

Kayla helped pick out the perfect outfit to wear and then helped dye Grace’s blond hair back to brunette.

“It’ll work out the way it’s supposed to,” Kayla told her as she drove her to the ferry. “He loves you. I’d bet on it.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Grace had said, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek.

Grace wore the muted colors Kayla had choosen, hoping that with her hair color change and regular clothes, she wouldn’t be recognized. Her jeans were hot, but she didn’t own any shorts that screamed regular person.

At the entrance she tried to purchase a ticket.

“Hello, Mrs. Adams. You don’t need a ticket. Just go to the checkpoint and to Stone’s trailer.”

Grace’s brain stumbled a bit. “I’m not...” She paused. “I wanted to sit in the stands today. Stone isn’t expecting me and I don’t want to cause a distraction,” she said with the soothing tone of a practiced therapist.

The girl gave her a ticket and she walked toward the stadium seating.

“Divina!” A voice called.

Out of habit Grace looked. A security guard was calling to her and waving her over. She smiled at him and raised her hand in a half acknowledgement. She shook her head.

“I can take you over to Mr. Adams’ trailer if you’d like. I like the new hair. I never pictured you as a blonde anyway.”

“Thanks,” she said, walking up to him.

“The race is ready to start.”

She looked at his nametag. Brent. “Brent, I don’t want to cause a distraction. I bought a ticket and plan to stay in the stands.”

“Mr. Adams will want to see you, I’m sure.”

She smiled at him again. “Thanks for your help.” She walked off to find a seat with the other fans. She’d see Stone soon enough. After the race she’d talk to him. They would find a way to work their relationship out.

“Did you get a load of Stone Adams’ wife?” a fan said a few feet from where Grace stood. “Looked like a pink freak to me.”

“I used to like her, seemed she was a fan like the rest of us. I don’t know what happened, but yuck.”

Grace’s heart skipped a beat. Was Divina here? It wasn’t possible. She didn’t like racing. She would most likely be home counting their money or rearranging the new gifts.

Grace tapped the fan in front of her on the shoulder. “Excuse me. Is Stone Adams’ wife here today?”

The person looked twice at her. “Um. Yeah. She looks like Pepto Bismol puked all over her. You look familiar. Do I know you?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Nope. Thanks for the info.” Pushing past them, she headed for her seat. A rumble followed her to her seat. It was like a game of telephone pursuing her across the bleachers. When she looked back, people were whispering and pointing. For the first time, Grace considered that coming might have been a bad idea. Maybe she should have called Stone at home or on his cell phone.

A moment of panic clutched at her chest, then she saw them. The press, climbing over the people, snapping pictures of her. She looked behind her and around her. Nope, they were definitely taking pictures of her.

Crap.

She hadn’t planned on Divina actually being there. The press was going to have a field day. How had they known, anyway? She’d thought she’d disguised herself pretty well. Guess again.

Stone’s car pulled onto the track. She smiled.

Seeing his helmet bobbing behind the quivering engine made her heart flutter and her body respond in ways not appropriate for a sister-in-law.

The woman sitting next to her leaned over like they were friends. “Why are they taking pictures of you?” she asked.

“Beats me,” Grace said. “I’m only here to see the race.”

The lady looked at her again. “You look like Stone Adams’ wife. We’re big fans of his. Of course. You
are
Stone Adams’ wife. I can’t believe you’re sitting next to me.” Her voice was getting louder and louder. “Divina Adams. I’m sitting next to Divina Adams. Can I get a picture with you?” she asked, thrusting a camera in her husband’s hand. “Take a picture of us.”

Grace sputtered. “I’m not Divina.”

“Sure you are. I’d recognize you anywhere. I have those pictures of you from the magazine hanging on my fridge. Your husband is a hunk and a half.”

Grace smiled gingerly. This was so not going the way she’d wanted it to.

* * * *

“Uh, Stone. Walt here.”

Stone heard his agent through the headset. He’d never spoken to Walt this way. His heart sank.

“What did she do?”

“Who? Divina?” Walt answered. “Nothing. There’s something you need to know.”

“Right now, Walt? I’m getting ready to race. The flag’s going down in like a minute.”

“I know, but the press is going to swamp you as soon as you finish.”

“Because I’ll win, right?” He was getting this. It was a pep talk. He was planning to kick tail today.

“No. Listen to me. Grace is here.”

He sucked in a breath, feeling like he’d been punched.

Oh fuck.

“Stone, you there. Did you hear me?”

“Uh, yeah. Uh, I don’t know. Uh. Shit, Walt. I’ve got to drive now. What am I supposed to do?”

“Win?” he encouraged half-heartedly.

Grace was here. Watching him race. There was bound to be a confrontation between the sisters. This was going to go bad. He couldn’t have two wives here. George Halkins was going to find out without him saying a word.
Double shit.

“Has she seen Divina yet?”

“She’s in the stands. It’s causing a bit of a commotion and the press is hankering for information.”

The flag dropped and Stone pressed the gas to keep up with the flow of traffic. “Keep them apart.”

In the background Barry asked, “Who’s Grace?”

Each time Stone came around turn three, he looked at the stands. Where was she? He couldn’t tell one blonde from the next. Going as fast as he was, it wasn’t a surprise.

“Watch it, Adams,” Barry said.

“I’m trying.”

“Drag from this guy for another lap, then hit it around turn one.”

“Check.”

He was going to win this race. Grace was here rooting for him and he felt like a king on his throne. If it hadn’t been for Divina Adams he’d win, celebrate with Grace and live happily ever after on the pro circuit. He was daydreaming while driving, which was never a good thing. He tried to shake the thoughts away.

“Get ready,” Barry said. “Now.”

Stone pushed the gas and the car shot forward. He took the high side and looked at the other driver as he sailed past. His car was running like a dream. By the straightaway he was ahead of the pack. He looked up at the crowd out of habit now. He thought he saw a commotion in the stands and tried to see in his rearview mirror.

Two cars down low bumped next to Stone. Something shiny and metal sailed across the track and landed in front of him before he had time to react.

As he came out of turn three, his tires hit the metal and there was nothing he could do. He tried to touch the brakes, but his car was spinning and then flipped over and over.

Grace
was the only thought going through his brain. He didn’t want to die and never see her again, or not tell her how he felt. Then everything went black.

The smell of twisted metal and gas was over powering. He was still strapped in, hanging upside down. The car came to a rest on the fence. He heard the sirens and saw his fellow drivers pass at slow speeds before exiting to pit.

“Stone? You okay in there, son?”

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m not sure. I hurt.”

“We’ll get you out of there.”

It took forever to get him out of the car, onto the backboard, then into the waiting ambulance. “Grace. Tell my wife.”

“We’ll get Divina to the hospital for you.”