Page 71 of Chasing a Second Chance
Matt watched her with a dropped jaw. Her words still ringing in his ears… “I couldn’t handle it if another man I love dies in a race car.”
He stared at the closed door, shocked. Did her words mean she loved him? Picking up his phone from the nightstand, he searched for information on stuntman Garlan Michaels. He sat on the edge of the bed when the information appeared on his phone screen. Garlan Michaels had been killed while doing a movie stunt in a race car. Matt rubbed his hand down his face. No wonder she had gotten so upset. Easing to his feet, he went to the bathroom door and knocked.
“Come in,” she said with a sob.
He entered to find Iris standing by the vanity wiping tears from her eyes. He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.
“I’m sorry, Matt,” she said brokenly. “I should not have come apart like that. I’m so sorry.”
“No, sweetheart, don’t apologize. I never knew what your husband was doing when he was killed. I understand.”
“It’s been over twenty years. But knowing you will be risking your life the same way he did, I can’t handle it. I want to be there with you this weekend, Matt. But I can’t.”
Sweeping her up in his arms, he left the bathroom and slid down in the chair in his bedroom with her in his lap. “Like I said, sweetheart, I understand.”
She pulled back and looked up at him. “Do you really?”
This was the first time he had seen her this upset or broken up over anything. She had cried over a movie they had seen once, but never like this. “Yes, I really do. My mom died of breast cancer. I recall when Deena got older, I was fearful of her inheriting a genetic mutation from Mom, which could increase her risk. The thought of losing her the way I lost my mother would keep me up at night. I would read everything I could get my hands on about it.”
“How did you get over your fear?”
He chuckled softly. “What makes you think I’ve gotten over it? I think every person who’s lost someone to tragedy or sickness has this fear that it could happen again to someone they care deeply about. That’s why I understood your fear of Garlan becoming a stuntman. And I understand your fear of me competing in that auto race.”
He paused for a moment before saying, “What I have done is accept a few things. Namely, the quantity of a life isn’t promised to anyone, but each individual decides on the quality of their life. You can live each day in fear or you can rejoice in and appreciate the lives of those around you. Those you love. Make every single day count and strive to make them special.”
He hoped he had given her food for thought, the same nourishment his godparents had given him when it had been hard for him to let Deena out of his sight while she was growing up. When Iris didn’t comment on what he’d said, he wasn’t sure that he had said the right things.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go to Charlotte either, since you’re upset about it.”
“No, Matt, you’re committed to going, and you should. You must. I’ll be okay. Who knows? Time by myself this weekend might be what I need.”
He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. The last thing he wanted was for her to find a reason to put distance between them. Since they would be apart, he needed to make sure she thought of him this weekend.
“Iris?”
When she looked up at him, he lowered his mouth to hers. When he heard her moans, he stood with her in his arms and moved toward the bed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Matt stood in the group at the Motorsport Charity Ball with his triplet cousins and their wives, Quade and Cheyenne, Pam and Dillon, Maverick Outlaw and his wife, and Dominic and Taylor. He heard the conversation around him, but he wasn’t listening. His thoughts were on Iris. He had hoped, up until the last minute, that she would change her mind about coming here with him. But she hadn’t.
He had talked to her last night and intended to talk to her later tonight. Since he couldn’t have her here with him in the flesh, he was discovering that phone sex wasn’t so bad. In fact, he’d taken a cold shower afterward.
He and the other sponsor drivers spent three hours in a full-motion racing simulator yesterday. Then this morning, he’d done a test run of the vehicle he would drive. Although he much preferred sitting in the stands and cheering on his car rather than being behind the wheel, he would have to admit the vehicle was beautiful and fast. And he was ready for tomorrow.
He took a sip of his drink as he glanced around the room. Bronson had said it would be a star-studded affair, and it definitely was. Not only were there well-known athletes, notable authors and television personalities in attendance, but also several Hollywood stars, including producers and directors. Earlier, he had spoken with Brandon Birmingham and his actress wife, Carmen. Now that Matt had agreed to the Sid Roberts movie, he and Birmingham were officially business associates.
Matt took another sip of his drink and noticed that several photographers had Shauna pinned up while taking photos. He figured Alisdare and Deena were around here somewhere, and so were Charm and Dylan. Checking his watch, he saw it wasn’t even ten o’clock yet, but he was ready to leave…to engage in some naughty talk with Iris.
“You’re acting anxious again.”
It was then that he noticed the others had dwindled off toward the buffet table or the dance floor, leaving him and Cole alone. His cousin had said the same thing to him last month at the Westmoreland Charity Ball. Too bad tonight wouldn’t end the same way. “I’m not anxious. Just ready to leave.”
“Why? Is this party boring you?”
“To a certain degree,” he said. No need to state he was somewhat bored because he’d rather be with a certain woman.
“Well, things might start getting lively for you. Don’t look now, but a woman is heading your way. And with that said, I think I’ll go find my wife for a dance.”
