Revved(76)

“Oh my God!” She throws her hands up in the air. “Andi, I adore you. I do. But you are the most deluded person I have ever met.”

“Thanks!”

“Seriously, if you went out there and told Carrick to dump the mega bitch and be with you, he would in a heartbeat. A fucking heartbeat. How do you not see that?”

Turning to the mirror, I curl my fingers around the edge of the sink as I try to control my emotions. I look up at her in the mirror.

“Because if he did care about me, then he wouldn’t be here with Sienna. That’s not what you do when you care about someone. And it’s definitely not how you show someone that you care.” I bite off the last word.

“You blew him off, Andi! And Carrick is a man who isn’t used to being blown off. You seriously injured his pride, and this is his way of retaliating. I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s obvious that’s why he brought her here. He’s out there with Sienna, trying to show you that he doesn’t care when it’s as clear as glass that he does.”

Is that true? Is that why Carrick brought Sienna here?

No. And to think it would only be pure vanity on my part. I’m not that important to him.

“I don’t think so, and even if he did bring her here for that reason, it doesn’t matter because—”

“He’s a driver, and you can’t be with him! I got the memo on that one. I just…” She lets out a wistful sigh. “You guys would be amazing together. I just wish you could see that.” Turning to pick her clutch from the counter, she finishes with, “I just wish things were different for you, is all. You deserve to be happy.”

I wish for that, too.

“As do you.” I put my arm around her, giving her a half hug.

“You know what you need to do? Shake it off, like Taylor Swift is always telling us to do. Shake off all the Carrick-and-Sienna crap. It’ll make you feel a million times better.”

I let out a laugh as Petra grabs my hands and starts to shake them around. Then, she’s wiggling her body, and I’m laughing and joining in with her.

“Did it work?”

“Actually, it did.” I grin at her.

“Cool. Well, let’s get our hot arses back out there and take a lay of the land. You can forget all about Carrick. And I’m thinking I need to pull me some fine Frenchman tonight and get laid French-style.”

“Is there a French way of getting laid?”

“Dunno.” She shrugs. “But they invented awesome kissing, so I’m betting they fuck just as well, if not better.”

Laughing, I thread my arm through hers and let her lead me back out into the bar.





“DRINK?” Petra says into my ear the moment we’re back in the thick of the crowd.

I nod in response.

We head back to where we left Ben and Carrick. My heart starts to pick up pace as we approach, and I’m a little more than relieved to find them gone.

“I wonder where Ben is,” Petra says.

“He’ll be with the guys.” I squish myself into a small gap at the bar to try to get my drink order in.

Petra stands on her tiptoes, looking around. “Ah, yeah, there he is. He’s outside in the seating area with the rest of them.”

Turning my head, I follow her finger in the direction it’s pointing. I can see the guys, some seated around a small table, some standing.

Sadly, Sienna is there, sitting with her back to us, talking with one of the pit guys. Carrick is standing, facing our way, talking to Ben.

Almost like he hears me think his name, his eyes flicker straight in my direction, so I quickly look away, turning back to face the bar, hoping to get the bartender’s attention.

“Why don’t you go over to them?” I say to Petra over my shoulder. “There’s no point in both of us waiting here. It could be ages. I’ll come over with the drinks in a few. You can go chat with Robbie,” I say teasingly.

I told Petra what I’d said to Robbie and all about our fight. She was fine with it, and I was glad because the last thing I would ever want to do is upset her.

“Maybe I will.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “I might even pass up my plans for a French shag if Robbie acts like a normal person for once.”

I let out a laugh, shaking my head. “Go on.” I give her a playful shove.

Watching as she weaves her way through the crowd, I turn back to the bar, sighing at the sight of both the barmen down at the other end of the bar.

The DJ must have just turned up the music, and Calvin Harris’s “I Need Your Love” starts to pump through the speakers.

It’s impossible not to dance to this song, so I find myself moving to the beat, singing along with the words.