Page 37 of Drive Me Wild
“And how do you know that, Miss Bancroft?”
“Because that’s how well I knowyou.”
I also know that convincing myself I don’t want him is equivalent to thinking One Direction was the same once Zayn left—it’s just not true. I can tell myself that any desperation I feel for him is just a temporary emotional lapse, but I want more benefits than my health insurance and credit card combined can provide. Sleeping with Theo may be playing with fire, but I'm ready to burn, baby, burn.
FIFTEEN
THEO
I wouldn’t sayI’m a selfish guy, but I’ve never flown a woman I’m not sleeping with somewhere just because I know it’ll make her happy. But for Josie? I didn’t have to think twice about it. I’d sell one of my kidneys on the black market to keep a smile on her face. God knows the favors Martin had to pull, but I’ve learned not to ask questions.
We start our first race-free morning at a local patisserie that has tall glass cases filled to the brim with croissants, palmiers, colorful fruit tarts, and golden baguettes. Josie takes her time reading the daily specials written on a black chalkboard behind the counter before choosing a passion fruit and raspberry éclair.
Once we’ve collected our pastries, we settle into a small table near the open doorway to the kitchen. The scent of berry galettes cooling and chocolate chips melting makes my stomach rumble. I eagerly bite into my croissant as Josie chatters about what she wants to do first. Her itinerary is jam-packed with everything from locating the Roman ruins to traipsing down the cobble-stoned alleyways littered with half-timbered homes to checking out the Medieval architecture. She’s pronouncing a church in a French accent that’s worse than mine when Martin calls me.
I pick up, knowing he’ll keep trying until I answer. “Hey, can I call you later? I’m kind of busy.”
“No,” Martin says, his voice urgent. “McAllister just moved up all the sponsorship meetings.”
“I’m on the phone, too,” a voice I recognize as Russell’s pipes in. “And I highly suggest un-busying yourself, mate.”
Shit. It’s not going to be good if Martin called in Russell as reinforcement.
“You’re not supposed to surprise someone with a three-way,” I mutter, much to the amusement of Josie. “When did it get moved to?”
“Today,” Martin says hesitantly.
The croissant in my hand crumbles to small flakes as I crush it in my fist. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
Josie tilts her head and mouths, “Are you okay?” I force myself to smile and shoot her a thumbs up.
“As much as I love fucking with you, this is not one of those times.” Martin sighs through the phone. “The meetings start in an hour. At McAllister’s HQ.”
My hands grow clammy, the flakes of my crushed pastry sticking to my skin. “Well, that sucks, considering I didn’t pack my teleportation pants. How the hell did they get away with changing it so last-minute?”
“Apparently, they did it weeks ago,” Martin admits gruffly. “We were just conveniently not told.”
On a scale of one to screwed, I’m getting royally fucked up the bum.
“This is fixable, Theo,” Russell says hurriedly. “You join the meetings virtually, act like nothing’s wrong, and show Avery that he’s not getting to you. That you’re here to stay. Be the bigger man.”
I don’t flinch at Avery’s name; it’s no surprise he’s behind the so-called miscommunication of the moved meetings. Missingone isn’t great, but also not the end of the world. But missing an entire afternoon of back-to-back meetings with McAllister’s biggest sponsors—a.k.a the people and companies whose money secures my ability to race? Not great. Not great at all.
Hanging up the phone a few minutes later, I shoot Josie a pained smile. “Change of plans, angel.”
Josie is completelyunderstanding about the whole thing, promising she’s fine on her own. While that may be true, it doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation. Plus, the idea of her walking around a new city alone makes my stomach tighten. I don’t like it.
I make her share her location with me, but that doesn’t stop me from worrying. I owe Blake an apology for giving him shit whenever he worries about Ella’s whereabouts. Knowing bulky guards are protecting her would most definitely calm me down.
To try not to seem like a complete overprotective stalker, I wait until after the first meeting before checking in.
Theo Walker
How’s it going? Have you tried every flavor of ice cream the city has to offer yet?
Josie responds thirty painstakingly long minutes later by sending me a selfie—her cheeks are wind-burned, hair tied back into a high ponytail, pearly white teeth standing out against the deep pink color of her lips. Grinning next to her is a gray-haired gentleman with wrinkles older than a bottle of wine from the First World War.
Theo Walker
