Page 108 of Crash Course

Bree sighs. “I told you big brother was endgame.”

“No one said endgame.” My cheeks burn. I can’t tell if it’s from the coffee or the fact that part of me wants that.

“So what now?” Bree asks.

Megan reaches for her steaming mug. “There are three weeks until the final race of the Challenger series. Plus the F1 season is wrapping up soon and ARI’s—”

“Two points behind in the team standings,” Bree finishes. “I’m guessing Luca Ashford is chewing glass right now.”

“And there’s still no update on the investigation into Dekker’s dismissal.” Megan sips her coffee. “Are you coming out in public? Or is this a secret tryst?”

“I don’t know. It’s not anyone’s business.”

“But Jameson is everyone’s business.”

She’s not wrong, but I don’t have an answer. There are too many ways this can still go, and none of them feel safe enough to examine.

The bell over the door rings and my dad comes in with Keane. Even though I haven’t moved home, seeing him at his work shook something loose. Our stubborn standoff cracked, left room for…I’m not sure what.

I start to wave but they don’t even look over. They’re in an intense conversation, leaning over the table in a corner booth.

“…Luca called. Said he wanted to talk about Shay.” Dad’s voice is hushed. I inch closer to try and hear.

“About the crash?”

“No. Something else.”

I cross to them. My dad spots me first.

“This is about Jameson, isn’t it?” I start.

He and Keane look at each other. “What about Jameson?” Dad asks slowly.

There’s a noise behind us. Bree knocked over a coffeepot. She flashes an innocent smile. “Keane? How about I get you some eggs? On the house.”

“Huh?”

“Only catch is you’ve got to come up here to eat them.” She points at the counter.

Keane catches on and clears his throat. “Oh. Right.” He shifts himself out of the booth and I take his seat across from my dad.

“Shay, I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye lately, but this is important. Tell me you didn’t do anything to put yourself on Luca Ashford’s radar.” His jaw tightens. “I’ve seen what happens when he takes an interest.”

“Megan and I gave Jameson an audacious tire strategy for the first race of the Challenger series.”

“That’s all?”

I reach for Keane’s untouched coffee, turning it in my hands. “I might have wandered into the garage at the Ashford estate one weekend.”

“Shay…”

“It was a joke. But he might be more upset that I chewed him out at the hospital in Miami after the last race.”

“You did what?!” Dad’s horrified. I’m genuinely worried his eyes might pop out of his face.

When I list out all my infractions, I can see how I might not be on Luca’s good side.

“I couldn’t help it,” I say. “He plays his sons off one another. If you saw how he tries to manipulate them, you’d be upset, too.”