For Better or Worse (5 page)

While Harold took care of getting them set up, Kelly drank in the families who were taking pictures beside and inside the various cars. A person had to be eighteen to drive, but there were still plenty of young boys and girls rooting on their older siblings, parents, and even some grandparents.

Before Kelly knew it, she and Harold were in a “special van orientation” driving around the racetrack. She listened intently and thrilled when the time came for her final instructions with an in-car driving counselor. She was about to “ride and meet the Monster.”

“So, do you think you’ll like it?” Harold asked as he slipped one foot into the protective suit.

“Truthfully”—Kelly picked up her silver helmet with the yellow and red M
ONSTER
R
ACING
logo on the front—“I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such an adrenaline rush. I can’t wait.”

Harold grabbed her close and planted a quick but firm kiss on her lips. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

Kelly peered up at her man. The blue bodysuit mixed with the late morning sun gave his oceanlike eyes a brilliant glow. She touched his clean-shaven face. “You know, I’ve snagged myself quite a good-looking man.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Ms. Coyle, in that protective body gear. In fact, I’d say you look pretty enough to kiss again.”

Kelly smiled as she allowed him one more kiss. Within moments, she slipped into the car. She rode as a passenger for four laps, studying how the instructor drove the vehicle as well as the course. Soon it was her turn to drive herself.

Trepidation raced through her as she considered driving the mammoth track in a speeding car … all by herself. She looked at her driving instructor. “How many laps do I drive by myself?”

“Ten.”

Kelly’s heart thrummed in time with the engines. “Okay.” “You’re going to do fine. Remember, you don’t have to go super fast. Just go at a pace you feel comfortable.”

Kelly looked at the bright yellow stockcar that in only a matter of minutes she would be driving. When had she ever had an opportunity like this? To essentially let her hair down and let the wind rush over her. She’d always been a planner, a detail kind of girl. Not spontaneous. Not a daredevil. And yet her adrenaline pumped at the idea of throwing away her inhibitions and driving as fast as she could around this track. Determined to conquer her queasiness, Kelly nodded at the man. “It’s going to be great.”

She maneuvered her way through the window and into the driver’s seat. Tubing covered nearly every crevice of the inside of the car. She couldn’t imagine how someone as big as Harold would fit into one of these cars; she felt like a sardine being shoved into its tiny tin.

When it was time, she started the engine and followed the instructor’s car out onto the track. Harold drove behind her in a three-car “follow the leader” formation. The car rattled so hard, which the instructor had promised was normal, that Kelly felt her insides would be tossed into wrong positions.
It’s a good thing I ate a light breakfast
.

The first lap around was not too fast but more thrilling than Kelly expected. She followed the instructor without a hitch and even enjoyed the jolt to a higher speed as they started the second lap. The whiz of her own car and the changing of the gears sent tingles of excitement through her, and Kelly found herself focusing on nothing more than the joy of the ride.

Too soon her trip was over, and Kelly found herself scooting out of the car’s window. “How was it?” asked one of the workers.

“A blast!” Kelly pulled the helmet off her head and fluffed her fingers through her hair.

“That was awesome!” Harold approached her from behind.

Kelly turned. He’d already taken off his helmet and unzipped his suit. “I was hot as a July day in Bermuda, but that was so cool.”

Kelly giggled at Harold’s animation. He reminded her of one of her high school students instead of a forty-year-old business owner, but she understood his enthusiasm completely. “I agree. We need to do this again.”

“You mean it.” Harold raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I wasn’t sure what you would think. Did you know we got up to ninety miles per hour?”

Kelly nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever driven over seventy-five.”

Harold stripped off his suit then wiped small beads of sweat from his brow. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“I think my insides remained intact.” Kelly slipped her arms through the suit. “I think I could handle grabbing a bite to eat.”

“All right, let’s turn this stuff in and hit the road.”

Kelly enjoyed the animation dancing in Harold’s eyes. Tim had been a wonderful husband and father, but he’d never surprised her as Harold had. Tim would have never even considered taking his always-have-to-have-a-plan-and-be-safe-about-it wife to go NASCAR driving. Harold brought out the spontaneity in her. He brought out a need for adventure, and he wanted to have fun with her. She loved that about Harold.

God, You’ve been too good to me. You’ve given me a man who wants me to try new things, who wants me to have fun with him. Thank You, Lord. Help me to hand my cares over to You
.

Harold returned and grabbed her hand in his. “You want to walk over to The Deli? It’s just a little sandwich place that’s right here at the speedway.”

“Sounds good to me.” Kelly squeezed his hand then leaned closer to him. “Thanks for this. I would have never guessed …”

“Well, I wasn’t sure what you’d think, but I bet it took your mind off school, Zoey, and the wedding for a little while.”

“Definitely.” Kelly took a deep breath. “It was nice not to think about anything, to just have fun with you.”

“Just being near you is fun to me.”

Kelly thought of the three girls at home, probably this very moment arguing over who could watch which show and at what time. “You have no idea how fun your life is getting ready to be.”

Harold stopped and turned Kelly to face him. “I don’t deny it. You’re a handful.”

Kelly gasped and frowned.

Harold touched her cheek. “Let me finish. I knew when I started dating you that you came with three girls in tow. It was almost like God was playing a trick on me.”

“Now wait a min—”

Harold put his finger over her lips. “But I love you. I love Zoey. I love Brittany. I love Candy. Somehow all four of you have wrapped me around your little fingers. And they’re going to stress us out, but we’re still going to have fun together.”

Kelly kissed the tip of Harold’s finger. “I love you, Harold.”

“I love you, too.” With her hand firm within his, he started walking toward the deli. “Besides, things will settle down after the wedding. You’ll see.”

“I feel like someone has shoved me into a shoe box and shut the lid.” Harold shrugged then tried to lift his arms above his shoulders.

“No. It fits nicely.” The saleslady adjusted the collar of the tux. “I suggest this vest to set you apart from your groomsmen in an ever-so-subtle way.”

Harold looked at the piece of white material. It just looked like something else he’d have to squeeze his frame into, but it didn’t matter to him. He just wanted everything to look nice for Kelly.

After slipping off the jacket, he put on the vest, buttoned it, then put the jacket back on. He looked in the mirror. He had to admit once he had a haircut and a good shave, the getup would look nice.

Turning toward Cam and his work buddies, Rudy and Walt, he stretched out his arms. “Well, guys, what do you think?”

“Not too shabby.” Cam buttoned the second button on his jacket. “It’s just a shame you don’t look as good as me.”

“Or me.” Rudy wiggled his eyebrows as he sucked in his oversized stomach.

“No, I’ve got you all beat.” Walt hefted the three-inches-too-short pants higher onto his stick-thin waist.

Guffaws sounded from all four men.

“Don’t worry.” The saleswoman smiled. “Everything will fit perfectly when you come back to pick up your tuxes. I think you all look handsome.”

“All right then. Let’s get out of these monkey suits and head over to Cam’s for the big game,” Harold said as he started to unbutton the vest.

“Now that sounds good,” Walt said as he walked back into the fitting room.

“You can’t get me out of this thing fast enough,” Rudy added.

Once he’d dressed back into his comfortable blue jeans and T-shirt, Harold handed the items back to the saleswoman. “I’ll take care of the paperwork if you all want to head on over to Cam’s.”

“Okay, see you there.”

Harold watched as Cam, Rudy, and Walt walked out of the shop. The past several years Harold had been praying for Rudy’s and Walt’s salvation. Since Harold started dating Kelly, Cam had joined Harold in that prayer, and Harold had noted a softening in his workers, especially Rudy. Having decided weeks before that he would foot the bill for the guys’ tuxes, he paid for the rentals then headed out the door.

He needed gas, and it had been awhile since he’d paid Bill a visit. In fact, he hadn’t been back to the gas station since he’d encountered Zoey there two months ago. He knew he should have talked with Bill, and he probably should have been checking to make sure Zoey wasn’t still frequenting the place, but one thing after another had kept Harold from being able to get over there.

“Well, now’s as good a time as any.” He hopped into his truck. He needed to pick up a few bags of chips, maybe a two-liter or two to take to Cam’s house anyway. The guys had made it a regular Monday night event to watch that week’s football game on Cam’s wide-screen TV. Cam’s wife and daughter would spend the evening at Kelly’s doing one thing or another for the wedding.

Harold pulled into Bill’s gas station. He pumped his gas then went inside. Bill sat behind the counter, coffee in one hand and the local newspaper in the other. Harold scooped up two bags of chips and a soft drink. “Hey, Bill. How’s it going?”

A smile formed on Bill’s wrinkled face, exposing the large gap between his front teeth. “How ya been, Harold? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Harold nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been busy.” Harold scratched his jaw, trying to think of the best way to ask about Zoey.

“Ain’t seen that girl in here, either,” Bill added as he totaled Harold’s purchases.

Harold let out a breath as relief filled him. “I was going to ask you about that. So, she hasn’t been around?”

Bill clicked his tongue. “Now, I didn’t say she hadn’t been around. Just not here.” He placed the chips in a plastic bag. “I’ve seen her car driving up and down the street.”

Harold’s heart sank. “I was hoping—”

“She’s still hanging around with some no-good characters, too.”

“Thanks for telling me, Bill.” Harold pulled out his wallet to pay, when he remembered he had a few business cards. He pulled one out and handed it to Bill. “Will you do me a favor?” Sure.”

“The next time you see Zoey’s car, will you give me a call?”

“I sure will.” Bill shoved the card into his right front pocket. “Kids these days. Always up to no good.”

“She sure has had me on my knees in prayer, that’s for sure.”

Bill huffed and swatted the air. “Like that will do any good.”

Harold grabbed his bags. “It does me good. See ya later, Bill.”

Harold made his way back to the truck. Bill was another one that Harold had been praying for years over. Now, he had the man keeping an eye out for his soon-to-be, wayward, Christian daughter.
Lord, what am I getting myself into?

Thanksgiving had finally arrived. The holiday felt especially sweet this year, and Kelly looked forward to Christmas and the few days after Christmas with such anticipation she could hardly contain herself. Kelly stopped cutting up slices of celery and wiped her hands on a towel. She opened the kitchen drawer she’d cleaned out and renamed “the wedding plans” drawer, pulled out a clear bag, and handed it to her mother. “This is the ribbon I’ve decided to go with for the bouquets.”

“This is beautiful.”

As her mother touched the soft fabric, Kelly’s heart warmed with overwhelming thankfulness for her family and fiancé. She felt undeservedly blessed. “I’m glad you and Dad could come to Delaware for Thanksgiving. I can hardly wait to go dress shopping for you tomorrow.”

Her mom shook her head. “I cannot believe I let you talk me into going to the mall on Black Friday.”

“We’ll have fun and you know it.”

Her mom winked. “You’ll have to go easy on me.” She pointed toward the manila folder in the wedding drawer.

“What’s in that?”

Kelly handed it to her mom. “Pictures of the girls’ dresses. Remember, I e-mailed them to you.”

Her mother nodded. “Yes. They were very pretty.”

Zoey walked into the kitchen. “So, are you going to finish the potato salad or talk about the wedding all day? Some of us are hungry, you know.”

Noting the shocked expression on her mother’s face, Kelly bit back her desire to yell at her daughter for such disrespect. Instead, Kelly forced a smile and grabbed several cans from the cabinet. “Why don’t you help your grandmother and me? You make the green bean casserole.”

Zoey snarled. “I don’t know how.”

“Why, Zoey Coyle,” Kelly’s mom responded. “You loved making the green bean casserole. Your daddy always said you made it the best of all of us.”