“Sorry,” I mumbled, pulling away and trying to focus back on the car and Bailey.
I waved her over, getting her helmet on and her buckled into the car seat. She was beaming the entire time.
“Now you do realize I go fast, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you know that I spin the car in circles fast like I showed you.”
“Yes!” she cheered.
Hell, she was adorable. Not an ounce of fear in her happy little face. If Daisy had told me she was my kid, I wouldn’t have questioned it for a second.
“And what word do you say if you want me to stop?”
“Panda!”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
I had bought a small microphone, attaching it into Baileys helmet and connecting it to a headphone I could slip in my ear in case she did want to stop. I handed the other to Daisy.
“Here. Listen.”
Her eyebrows furrowed, but she slipped it into her ear anyway.
I slid behind the wheel and looked back. For this one time, her seat faced me, and I could see the awe on her face as she looked around the car. It wasn’t the same as my other cars I raced. This one wasn’t gutted down to one seat, so there was still plenty of back seat for her to be strapped in, and that also meant it was slower, but that was fine for this.
I loved my nephew and niece. I couldn’t wait for more in my life, but Bailey was different. She was like me. Even now, I could see it, and I wanted to help her use that to her advantage and not let everyone tell her it was wrong.
I had never let myself imagine having kids. It wasn’t something that seemed possible with all the problems I had, but that was different now, too. Bailey didn’t bother me. I could carry her and hug her. Daisy didn’t bother me. The crew was fine with their hugs and affection. Even Liam and Lily didn’t bother me.
I looked back at Bailey one more time.
I knew I was improving, but I didn’t realize how far I had come. And now I had Daisy.
My chest squeezed, but I started up the car, revving it once before taking off.
I started off with a few laps around the small track, listening to her yells of happiness. Slowing down, I turned the car, forcing it to spin in circles, and loving the faint sound of giggling in my ear.
We parked as Daisy ran over, pulling open the door and checking over every inch of her, while Bailey recounted every second.
The crew gathered around, everyone listening to Bailey talk about us driving, and somehow I felt proud.
Fox stepped closer to me. “Looks like you have a kid.”
“I think so. I mean, I hope so.”
“You’re good with it?”
“More than good. I don’t know what you guys are complaining about. It’s like a built-in best friend. Where is the problem?”
Fox’s smile grew. “Oh, man, remember that when you have a baby to take care of.”
I waved him off, trying to ignore that feeling in my chest again.
“Kye!” Ash yelled, heading around the cars to me. “Come on! Scout and my dad are already inside waiting.”
“For what?”
She rolled her eyes, already grabbing me to drag me along. “The speeches, and all that boring stuff. Come on. All of you.”
FORTY-NINEDAISY
“I’m about to murder someone,” Kye said two hours later.
“For what now?”
“Making me stand here instead of being somewhere alone with you. I forgot how annoying everything was when I could be doing you.”
I smacked his stomach lightly, leaning into him a little more.
“We could always find a closet,” I said, knowing that my cheeks were about to turn red.
He grinned. “No closet here is prepared for me fucking you. Unless it is somehow padded and soundproof. I thought being apart was torture. It’s even worse when we are right next to each other and I have to keep myself under control.”
I looked down, grabbing his hands and bringing them together until my name was lined up.
I knew he said that he didn’t regret it, that he even liked it, but it felt strange to see.
