Sweet Carolina(8)

Neither spoke for a moment, lost in the past. Caro broke the silence. “I'm sorry about your dad. I was away…at school.”

Dell sat back and the chair engulfed him again. “Don't worry about it.” He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand and the gravel in his voice.

“It must have been hard on you.”

“So, Caro, why did you come here tonight?”





Chapter Three





Caro accepted the change of subject. Dell and his dad were at odds more than they'd ever agreed. Dell wanted to race, and Caudell didn't want him to. Dell did it anyway.

“I heard you lost your ride.”

“Old news, Caro.”

“Do you have any offers?”

“Nope. There isn't much call for a Cup driver after the season starts, unless…”

“Someone gets injured, or dies,” she finished for him.

“Exactly.”

“I'm running Hawkins Racing now. I need a Cup driver. Someone the other drivers will respect. Someone who can win races.”

Dell studied her from his plush leather cocoon. She hadn't expected him to jump for joy, but she did hope he'd say something. His silence, this scrutiny from those blue eyes chipped away at the fragile wall of confidence she'd pinned her hopes on.

“What are you saying?” he asked – at last.

Air rushed back into her lungs. She tried to hide her relief behind what she hoped was an I-know-what-I'm-doing expression and plunged on. At least he was listening, instead of laughing his head off. She couldn't think of many drivers who would listen to a word she said. As far as most were concerned, she had two strikes against her: first – she was a woman: second – she was young. Too young, and too female to run a race team. She gulped in fresh air and laid her offer on the line.

“I want you to drive for me. For Hawkins Racing.”

No laughter. Not even a hint of amusement. Dell studied her some more and she did her best to keep still while every cell in her body squirmed.

“What about Jeff Wilson?” he asked.

A legitimate question. “You've seen him drive. He doesn’t have the confidence to compete at this level.”

“So, he's going to lose his ride?”

“If I can find someone to replace him, I'll move him down to a lower series or keep him on as a spotter. I'm hoping he can learn from you. He needs a mentor.”

“You've never seen me drive.”

“What makes you think that?”

“You were away at school. Television doesn't count. It's not the same as seeing it in person.”

“I saw you win at Pocono, what was it? Four years ago? I saw your fifth-place finish at Watkin's Glen. And your DNF at Pocono last year.”

“How? I can't imagine your dad was happy about you being there.”

“He didn't know. I bought a ticket and sat in the stands. A friend loaned me a car. As long as I brought it back with a full tank of gas and no dents, I was free to use it whenever I wanted to. I couldn't see all the races up north, but I made it to a few. Enough to know you're a good driver.”

“You don't know anything, Caro.”

“You're turning me down?”

“No. I didn't say that.”

Caro tried to repair her confidence that slipped several notches when she thought he was going to turn her down. She seized on his lack of refusal, deciding to treat it as a victory for her. If she acted like he'd accepted, he'd have to go along, or clearly state otherwise. She was counting on the former. “Good. Then…as soon as your suspension is over, I want you in the garage. I'll have the lawyers draw up a contract for you to sign, and I'll have a fire suit made up for you. Is there anything else you need?”

“Money?”

Caro hesitated. There was no avoiding the subject. She held the top of her purse in a white-knuckled grip and looked him in the eye. There wasn't any way to gloss this part over, and she couldn't bulldoze her way through it either. Her confidence slipped another notch. “I can't match what you were making. I can't even come close.”

“What did you have in mind?”

Negotiate. He wanted to negotiate. She could do this. Really, she could.

“I was hoping you would take a percentage of the winnings, and of course, the sponsor will be generous.”

One strong eyebrow lifted in tandem with one corner of his mouth. Caro braced herself for the belly laugh she'd been expecting ever since she voiced her proposal. “Meaning all the barbeque I can eat?”

“It's a bit more than that, but yes, all you can eat. I know Marvin's Barbeque Pit is a step down for you, but they're good people.”

“They know their barbeque too,” he agreed. “It's not like I need the money.”

Her heart rate sped up and her confidence level accompanied it. No, Dell Wayne didn't need money. He'd won enough races on his own to ensure a more than comfortable lifestyle for some time to come. Add Caudell Senior's estate to the bottom line, and Dell could sit on his ass for the rest of his life. She was counting on that being the antithesis of what he wanted.