Page 70 of First in Line

“You probably did. I just forgot.”

I crawl higher again to level my face with hers. “I promise I’ll make it up to you when I come back.”

“How?”

“We can spend a whole entire day in bed if you want.”

That works a little, and I discern a smile hiding behind her pout. “Doing what?”

“Well, I have three hours and thirty minutes to give you a taste of what’s to come. Do we think that’ll be enough?”

“Wethink we just came back from a nine-hour shift standing on our feet, so you have forty-five minutes tops becauseweare exhausted.”

Now I’m the one disappointed. She probably notices it, so she adds, “Then, a two-hour nap, and another forty-five minutes of demonstrations.”

“I can work with that,” I chuckle. “I love it when we compromise.”

“Me too. Come on, Hot Wheels. If you leave me wanting more by the time you have to catch your bus, I will change the locks while you’re away.”

“Oh, don’t worry, princess. My performance won’t leave you unsatisfied.”

“It rarely does.”

“Rarely?!”

She giggles. “Never. You never leave me unsatisfied.”

“Thank fuck. You scared me for a second there.”

“That’s what you get for buying a new bed and then abandoning me. What am I supposed to do without you for four nights, Jax?”

“Again, that’ll be part of the demonstration. Pay attention to my hands.”

I give her a wink as I playfully wiggle my fingers. Then I return to the buttons of her dress.

For the first time since we moved to Indianapolis, I feel like things are starting to look up. The money isn’t as tight, and my performance is getting better with every race.

I doubted myself for a moment there, but it looks like my dream of becoming a Formula One driver is back on the table.

We’re back on track.

“So it’s official?” I ask into the phone.

“Not quite. Her lawyer has filed the divorce with the Colorado court, and it takes about six weeks to become official. Then you and Ms. Evangeline Griffin will be legally divorced.”

“When did that happen?”

“Let me look. Hm… It seems it was filed about three weeks ago.”

So, right after what happened that evening during the sunset. It was a bigger deal than I imagined. Bad enough for her to finally bring our marriage to an end.

Of course, I realized then that something had gone wrong. One moment, I was in a haze of lust and passion, high on her taste and ready for more. The next, I was driving her back to her place in tense silence.

But what happened exactly? I’ve been trying for weeks to think of what might have caused that switch within her. But it makes no sense to me.

And now, this …

“Mr. Reyes?” my lawyer calls, seemingly not for the first time.