Find Me in Manhattan (Finding #3) (11 page)

Sarah

“Get up,” Lana called out from the door to my bedroom. I really needed to start locking my door. The girl had zero boundaries since we’d formed our odd little friendship.

I groaned and rolled over, wincing when I felt my bruises and scrapes rub against the bed. “One more hour.”

“No way, lady. Up. Up. You need a shower!”

“Why? What are we doing?”

“I don’t know, but it’s my first day off in three years. I want to do something fun. What do you do down South for a good time?”

I laughed. “You don’t want to know.” Lana was an animal lover and didn’t need to know how often Daddy took us hunting.

“Probably not. Think about it. We can go do whatever you want to do. Except ice-skating…Thanksgiving tourist trap and all that. We need to have a little fun.”

I had forgotten that Thanksgiving was just around the corner. Thinking about it made me miss my family. What would they think if they knew about everything I had gotten myself into over the last couple of months? I wouldn’t be returning to New York after turkey; that was for darn sure. 

“That face right there is why we need to do something other than work.” She pointed to my frown then left me to get ready.

I didn’t have to think much about what I wanted to do. I didn’t know how Lana would feel about it, but the idea I might get to see Michael again was worth her disappointment. Besides, she said we could do anything I wanted.

“So, he invited you to this race?” she asked again from the driver’s seat of her Prius. It was so not Lana, but so her in a way, too.

“Yes,” I told her for the fourth time.

“And he gave you his number?”

“And told me to text him,” I confirmed.

“Did he get your number?”

“He did.”

“And you think it’s a good idea to get involved with another man?”

“We’re not involved.”

“Okay…”

“Can that be the last time we have that conversation?”

“Fine,” she sighed with disappointment, “but it would be so much more fun if you were involved.”

“What about you? You change your hair color every quarter, but I haven’t seen you with anyone since I met you.” Her hair was currently bright green and black. Her eyebrows were black, and at some point, she had pierced the left one. It wasn’t like that when I met her, but I also didn’t remember noticing the change.

She grinned saucily. “Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.”

“I hope you didn’t do anything in the lab. You’d probably scare the animals.”

“Probably. Whoa! Look at all these cars.” I looked up as she pulled into the track. A man in an orange vest guided us to a grassy area that was serving as a parking lot.

When Michael invited me, he had said to text him when I arrived and he’d come meet me when he could. Apparently, the races today were like street races, so Randy would be racing in a couple of sprints or something like that. Michael tried explaining it, but all I could picture was Paul Walker, may he rest, and Vin Diesel going for it in the streets.

As we made our way to the gates with my heeled boots sinking into the grass, I shot off a text letting Michael know we came in case he wanted to meet up. Lana was too busy looking around at the guys to pay any attention to where we were going or the fact that I was walking like a drunk person on crack trying to survive the mud without ruining my cute boots.

“This is totally not my scene, but there are plenty of distractions floating around here. Look at those tats.” She nodded to a tall bald guy with two full sleeves. He adjusted his crotch right as I looked over.
Classy
.

We arrived at the gates ready to pay when I saw a tall figure headed our way, and he had a wide smile on his face. It wasn’t the smile that said, “Ladies of the world, drop your panties,” although I was sure he had one of those stashed away for a rainy day. It was a wide smile that told me he was genuinely happy. By the way his eyes were trained on me, I couldn’t help but think he was that happy to see me, and for the record, the toothy grin on my face matched his completely.

“Not involved, my ass,” Lana said under her breath.

My belly was too busy flipping around while my eyes were locked with Michael’s, so I didn’t notice Tony heading toward us as well, at least not until he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me from the ground. I squealed in surprise as he spun me around.

“I knew you couldn’t stay away from me, Blondie.” He looked me up and down in the perviest kind of way. “Damn, girl. Those boots make me think of…”

“Don’t finish that thought, Moretti!” Michael slapped the back of Tony’s head as he walked past him.

“Shut up, dude. This girl’s here to see me,” he said proudly.

I laughed. “You know it.”

“Really?”

“No again, Tony.”

“Damn.” He frowned dejectedly.

“Lana, this is Tony. Tony, my roommate Lana.” I waved back and forth between them as I spoke, but Tony’s eyes were glued to Lana, and his mouth was wide enough to catch flies.

“Michael, call my mother.”

“Why?”

“She needs to know I met my future wife.”

I burst out laughing, and Michael scratched his jaw with a disbelieving grin on his face. The most interesting part of the whole situation was Lana’s reaction. She smiled, almost sweetly, as if the lame pick-up line flattered her. When I noticed she was into Tony, I slapped my hand over my mouth. Michael pulled me into his side and spoke quietly in my ear, “Is she for real or she about to punch him?”

If for no other reason than to remain close to him, I spoke just as quietly when I said, “I’m not sure yet, but I can’t wait to find out.”

He laughed and squeezed the back of my neck, right where my shoulders meet my spine and where his hand now rested. “Come on. Let’s get back to the track. Joe’s probably wondering where I am, and I’ve only been gone a few minutes.”

I stepped forward with him, and he removed his gentle grip on my neck. I was disappointed until he took my hand in his. As our fingers entwined, I felt the thrill spread through my body. It was a done deal. I liked Sergeant Michael Pearson, and I was totally screwed.

Jameson? Jameson who? Study? What study?
I suddenly didn’t care about all the reasons why I shouldn’t like him. I only cared about the sensation of euphoria that I felt walking hand-in-hand with this very sexy man.

“Moretti, quit drooling and bring Lana,” Michael called out over his shoulder without letting go of me.

“Sir, yes sir,” Moretti playfully saluted making Michael tense up then leaned toward Lana to whisper in her ear making her giggle. It was by far the strangest noise I had heard come from her mouth to date.

Michael still seemed off when I turned back from the weird things happening behind us. I squeezed his hand and smiled up at him to remind him that I was right there with him. His lips lifted in response, and I felt him relax. Everything was right in the world again.

Michael

I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds I loved so much. The rumbling of the engines, the squeal of the tires—it was an awesome thing to hear, a kind of music for me. The sky was clear and blue. It was cold, but not even cold enough for me to wear a jacket yet. This was a perfect fall day, and then Sarah showed up. She might as well have been the cherry on top of my race day sundae.

I reluctantly left the girls in the tent with Moretti. Amy was there, so I figured she would keep Sarah entertained while I checked on things with Randy and Joe. Randy was driving a tricked out BMW M3 coupe. Originally, it went from zero-to-sixty in just over six seconds, but we had it down to right under three and a half seconds with some tweaks to the engine and exterior design. There was no way the Audi he was racing against could beat him as long as Randy stayed focused. For one thing, the Audi wasn’t built for it. For another, Sam, the other driver, didn’t have us on his crew.

I kept one eye on the tent at all times. Okay, I kept one eye on Sarah at all times. I couldn’t look away if I wanted to. She was magnetic. It was out of my control. So much about her had my attention, and I wasn’t only referring to her appearance, which didn’t hurt one bit. She could have accepted my superficial dalliance and returned the affection by dropping to her knees, but she wasn’t that kind of girl. She was the kind of girl who obviously wanted me but didn’t give me an inch. I briefly considered her resistance was due to her current situation, but more of me realized that Sarah knew she was worth more than what I had to offer. It was new territory, to say the least. It was like she could see the Michael from before the Army, and I had to admit it scared me a little to think that side of myself was still somewhere inside my seemingly empty shell.

The bottom line was that my feelings toward Sarah surprised the hell out me, considering I had been sure I couldn’t feel anything anymore. I enjoyed spending time with her, talking to her. When she cried in my arms, I was happy to hold her. In a way, I liked that I was there for her because it felt good to be needed again. I would be fine being her friend, probably better off in the long run, but I would prefer something more…personal. And that was the biggest shock of all.

I rubbed my hand down my face as soon as that ridiculous thought entered my brain. I knew I didn’t have anything to offer a girl like Sarah, and I wasn’t selfish enough to continue spending time with her when I knew this friendship couldn’t or wouldn’t develop into more. The only friend I had who was a girl was Amy, and originally, she was only around because she was with Phil. I was grateful for that every day, but it didn’t mean I thought it was good idea for me to pursue the kind of relationship they had.

“Mike! Let’s go,” Joe yelled. I walked back over to the car and checked the tires one last time. “You keep drooling over that girl, and you’ll need one of those bibs that Wendy bought for Amy’s baby shower.”

“What do you know, old man? You drool over every hot rod that rolls by us.”

He laughed. “I’ve never claimed to know anything. I’ve been married for thirty-five years and have a thing for old cars. I know nothing. Now, get ready. Randy’s up.”

After going over some last-minute reminders with Randy, he climbed into the car and drove around to the start of the straight track. He pulled up next to the other car, lining up the tires on the white starting line. Samantha stepped out between the cars with the flags to let the drivers and the fans know the race was about to start. She was really for show seeing as the drivers actually used the lights to count down the start of the race. It was tradition to have a hot girl on the track—with hot being the operative word.

Randy was the track hero, so the crowds were all paying attention now. Some of them had waited all day to watch him, even though more famous drivers still had yet to drive. The whole day was more like a car show with some racing thrown in here and there. People came for different reasons, but Randy knew how to work the crowds, so it seemed everyone loved our little show pony.

Once the lights changed, both drivers took off. Randy barely inched ahead in the first five seconds. We had been hoping he’d hit sixty faster, like he had in the practice runs, but Randy’s driving had always been inconsistent at best. Fortunately, he pulled it out right at the end, and the crowd roared in response.

By the time he pulled around to the tent, Joe had given me an earful.

“He should have been able to get to sixty in less than four. He’s too busy trying to give a show than drive. This is why you should drive, Michael. Nobody could beat you and Phil. And I know that Phil can’t help his situation, but you…” And it went on and on like that until we were back under the tent where Randy was pulling in the car.

Moretti and Amy brought the girls over, and they congratulated us kindly. Joe wasn’t having it. “This isn’t something to celebrate. If we had a driver who was worth a damn, that wouldn’t have even been a race.”

Sarah looked at me with her lips pressed together and wide eyes. I shook my head and laughed. “He’s always like this,” I told her quietly.

“Good. I’d hate for him to blow a gasket.” She winked.

“Car humor, huh?”

“Cheesy car humor.” She waved her hands like a queen. “I’m so clever.”

“If you say so.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulders without a second thought. Friends could hug. I hugged Amy all the time.

“Whew. You’re never gonna hear the end of this one,” Moretti said as he walked away from Joe, shaking his head.

“Yeah, Randy screwed the pooch on that race. Thankfully he won or Joe would have killed him.”

Moretti shoved my arm. “You should give the old man what he wants and drive one race. We know you can do it if you just-”

He stopped speaking when he realized I was glaring at him with a whole new kind of anger.

“You drive?” Sarah asked curiously. She didn’t look starry-eyed like some girls would, just genuinely curious about my ability to drive a car above street legal speeds.

“Nah.” I shook my head without looking at her.

“He doesn’t even get in cars,” Moretti spouted off, ignoring my ire, and I felt my fist ready to connect with his face. He must have noticed my anger rising beyond controllable levels because he started backing away with his hands automatically up in surrender. He’d better be grateful that I took that damn pill that helped me stay in control. Otherwise, his ass would be on the ground right about now. The fucker knew what he was doing, too. He gave me a stupid-ass smirk and said, “What? She would have found out eventually,” then he wrapped an arm around Lana. “Come on, doll face. Let’s go get some nachos.”