The Comeback (20 page)

F
ROM ABOUT LAP TEN
,
Zack struggled to keep his focus. The start of the evening race had, as always, demanded full concentration, but now that he’d passed Kent Grosso—
good
—and been passed by Danny Cruise—
bad
—and settled into a groove that kept him in the same twelfth place he’d qualified in, his mind began to wander.

To Gaby, of course. He wished he’d seen her before the race. He couldn’t shake the feeling that if he’d been able to kiss her, to convey how he felt, it would have been better for his racing. Too late now, he couldn’t let that kind of superstition affect him. He had to finish in the top ten to secure his place in the Chase regardless of what any other driver did. If a couple of the drivers already in the top twelve crashed out, he might be able to get away with a slightly lower finish.

Putting Gaby out of his mind only opened it to thoughts of his family. Zack had asked Chad to fix up the Olivia Winton interview, and to come to the bachelor party with him. His brother had joined him, no questions asked, providing welcome moral support among the sea of women. Olivia Winton had been there, filming a presegment for this morning’s show, and some of the things Chad had said to her about Zack, which Olivia had relayed to him during his interview this morning…. Chad wasn’t prone to exaggeration, so Zack knew he must have meant them. His brother’s words were so flattering that Zack was pretty sure he’d blushed on national television.

Zack grinned at the memory. Maybe one day he’d have Chad on about that. For now, he was enjoying the glow of having a big brother who rated him so highly.

Zack saw Trent’s No. 429 car up ahead. His stomach knotted, destroying the momentary peace of mind. The tension gave him a burst of speed and he passed Will Branch. If he could do that a few more times, he might have a shot of making the Chase. He thought some more about Trent, since that seemed to be what had given him the impetus to make the pass.

Trent and his confession about that ill-fated race. When Zack thought about the animosity he’d felt over the past few years—the loneliness—he wanted to punch his brother. Almost without noticing, he passed Justin Murphy. Murphy held up two fingers, the wrong way to mean peace. Zack grinned and held on to his hostility through yet another pass. He was in the lead pack now, somewhere in the top ten, he figured.

It was a good place to be, and Zack held on to it through several pit stops. He wondered if Gaby was out there in the shadows, watching his progress around the track, which was lit up brighter than day. Or if she’d given up on him.

Then it was the final pit stop. Zack needed all four tires changed and a decent amount of gas put in his car, which meant he was in the pits a couple of seconds longer than some of his rivals. Two seconds could make all the difference. He fought to retain his self-control as he headed back out along pit road. If he did something stupid now, he’d earn a penalty and totally blow it.

He made it back onto the track without mishap, and was pretty sure he heard a sigh of relief over his headphones.

He passed Trey Sanford, which put him right behind Trent. “Gap,” his spotter said a lap later. His chance to pass his brother. On the backstretch, he moved up alongside Trent. Neck and neck. Zack looked straight ahead.

“Trouble low,” Zack’s spotter said, with sudden urgency in his voice. Zack could see it now, smoke and a cloud of
dust—Danny Cruise’s car sat on the infield. Danny had already qualified for the Chase, so Zack didn’t waste time feeling sorry for him. On the track, near the pole line, there was still a tangle of two or three cars, at least one of them a lapped car. Zack held his line, even though it meant getting dangerously close to the melee.

“Zack,” Chad cautioned through the headphones. Huh, Chad was still with him? Zack had assumed he’d be on Trent’s channel right now.

Dammit, Zack couldn’t sit alongside Trent any longer. He had to get ahead. Once they were no longer under caution, Zack quickly looked for a gap and he saw one coming into Turn Three, even before his spotter pointed it out. They were coming up to a lapped car—they’d have to go three-wide for a second or two, but that wasn’t a problem at Richmond. As he got closer, he realized he’d overestimated the size of the gap. There probably wasn’t a driver on the track who could make it through there without tangling with the lapped rookie. Or without pushing Trent into the wall.

Zack’s heart beat faster. It wouldn’t actually be
pushing
Trent into the wall. More a little nudge that would leave his brother nowhere to go. Zack would simply be doing what he had to in order to get ahead. Easier, safer than messing with the rookie. With the unexpected bonus of payback against his brother.

Do it,
he told himself. He glanced across at Trent. There had to be a couple of feet of space between them, but right now, it felt like nothing. Trent looked back at him, and Zack imagined he could see behind his brother’s visor. See resignation in Trent’s eyes, and acceptance that this was his due.

Sorry, kid.

How long was it since Zack had thought of Trent as his kid brother? These days, it was always Trent up ahead.

Zack thought about the imminent smash, what it would do to the family. No matter that Trent deserved it, they’d be back where they were at the start of this season. Bitterest rivals,
rather than brothers. Who knew how long it would take to recover this time?

But, dammit, Zack needed to make the Chase, even more than Trent did.

Back off,
he told Trent telepathically.
Let me pass and I won’t have to put you into the wall.

Because if he hit Trent, no matter if Zack won this race, made the Chase, won the whole series, he’d have lost the battle he’d been fighting since January. The battle for his family, for a true team.

He couldn’t do it; the certainty settled in, wouldn’t be shaken. Trent hadn’t eased off at the prospect of hitting the wall—he would always give it everything, no matter what the risk. Damn. Zack had to make a clean pass.

Anyone watching the race would say it was impossible for Zack to make the pass before they reached the corner where Trent would be pushed into the wall.

Zack dug within himself, mined every reserve of strength, of speed, of strategy, of adrenaline. Hit the floor with the gas pedal. Slowly, he pulled ahead of Trent. The gap was minuscule now, the corner almost upon them. Impossible. Still, Zack kept going.

He squeaked through by the narrowest of margins, practically brushing panels with Trent. But not actually touching him. Nor did he touch the rookie.

Zack whooped as he surged ahead, and got an answering whoop in his ear from Chad. The crowd surged to its feet, cheering.
For me.
Zack found himself grinning like an idiot. Three more laps to go, a couple of easy passes, then he blistered past the checkered flag behind Bart Branch and someone else.

“Third,” Chad yelled into the headset. “You did it, bro, you made the Chase. You’re the man.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Zack fought the speed wobble as the car slowed down. He laughed out loud.

He was in the Chase. But he wasn’t done yet.

G
ABY HAD SCREAMED SO
much during the race, she was just about hoarse. She raced to the pit wall, past Julie-Anne and Amber, who were hugging each other and crying, and past Ryan Thorne, who was doing a good job of crashing their embrace. Past Chad and Brianna, who were celebrating Zack’s result with a kiss that positively smoked. Past Brady, beaming from ear to ear as he divided his attention between his family here in the pits, and his sons out on the track.

“Gaby, wait up,” Sandra called.

Gaby ignored her. Her knees pressed against the wall as she scanned the pit road for Zack’s car. She’d been so scared for him—for
them
—when she’d realized he intended to attempt that pass….

Here he came now.

“I’ve…been thinking,” Sandra wheezed next to her, breathless from her brisk waddle. “About the promotion.”

“Uh-huh.” Gaby strained to see Zack’s face. She thought she caught a glimpse of his grin. She couldn’t wait to kiss him. She caught the occasional word from Sandra—
exceptional performance…difficult driver…someone I can trust…capable hands
—but she wasn’t really listening.

Zack clambered out the window of the No. 548 car and pulled off his helmet. His smile was filled with elation…and when he saw Gaby, he positively glowed. Gaby caught her breath.

“Have you heard a word I said?” Sandra sounded half-annoyed, half-amused.

“Uh, no, sorry, Sandra.” Gaby didn’t take her eyes off Zack.

Sandra pffed. “Ah, well, there’s always later. But don’t leave it too long—I seem to have swelled up like a balloon today. I think my doctor’s going to have me on bedrest any day now.”

That did distract Gaby. She looked at her boss in alarm. “Are you all right?”

She rolled her eyes. “
Now
she’s interested. Get back to your sweetheart, Gaby.” When Gaby gaped, Sandra said, “Yes, I know how you feel about Zack, it’s been obvious for
weeks. I thought I’d give you a chance to prove you could handle it…and you did great.” She put a finger under Gaby’s chin and gently closed her mouth. “I’ll call you from home tomorrow. If Gideon will let me.”

“Gaby,” Zack said.

Gaby turned around, just in time for Zack to haul her into his arms for a crushing hug. He smelled of sweat and oil. He smelled like her dreams.

She wrapped her arms around him. He lowered his mouth to hers. But before he could kiss her, he said, “I’m a jerk.”

“I know,” she said happily.

One strong hand cupped her behind. “I love you.”

“I know,” she said on a dreamy sigh. Had there ever been a moment better than this?

He laughed. “I’m sorry I was so selfish—and if you say you know—”

“Kiss me,” she said. “I love you, too.”

Now he did kiss her, with a fire and an energy that shouldn’t have been possible after the grueling race he’d just endured. But Zack was good at the impossible.

“From now on, we’re a team,” he said. “We’ll make it work so that we both get what we want.”

“I want
you,
” she said.

He grinned. “And I want you. More than anything. So maybe this doesn’t have to be too hard.”

He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, infinitely gentle. “I’m so proud of you.”

She blinked. “You just stole my line.”

“Uh-uh.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I love the way you fight for what’s right. You’re the best PR rep NASCAR has ever seen. I’d better marry you before some other driver figures that out.”

Her heart swelled. “You’re the best man I know.”

“And the best damned Matheson,” Trent said. He’d finished seventh, also making the Chase, and had rushed straight
to see his brother. “You did a good thing,” he told Zack. “A big thing.”

“Yeah, well, it won’t happen again.” Zack relinquished Gaby just long enough to give his brother an awkward hug, then he pulled her back into his arms.

“Where was I?” he asked.

“Proposing?” she suggested hopefully.

“Wow, you really do know everything.” He kissed her.

A shriek came from Sandra, drawing everyone’s attention. Taney, who was crossing the pits, sprinted the last few steps to his wife. “Sweetheart? Is it the baby?”

“Of course not.” Sandra winked at Gaby as she held up her cell phone. “I just got a call from the editor of
Now Woman.
They’re about to announce the official results of the bachelor contest. Zack, you need to get over to the contest suite.”

His jaw dropped. “You mean—”

Sandra laughed. “Yep, for some reason, the women of America chose the grumpiest man in NASCAR as bachelor of the year.”

Chad and Trent started a round of catcalls and hollering that would make anyone think they were teenage goofballs.

Brady scratched his head. “Well, I’ll be.”

“Makes perfect sense to me.” Gaby kissed Zack, and he kissed her right back. “After all, you
are
a hottie.”

Zack laughed. “I have to warn you all,” he announced to his family, to Sandra, to anyone who would listen. “I’m not sure how long I’ll hold the Bachelor of the Year title. If Gaby will have me, I won’t be a bachelor much longer.”

Laughter and cheering rippled around. Zack gazed down at Gaby, his eyes filled with love. “Will you marry me, Gaby? Be my wife, my partner, my better half?”

“Just try and stop me.” Gaby tugged him close, and lost herself in Zack Matheson’s kiss.