He frowned harder at Kye before turning back to me. Shock reverberated through me when he grinned, the wide smile softening his face. “None of us ever are,” he said. “You beauties just seem to find us, and what’s a man supposed to do other than fall in love?”

I laughed as Carly pointed him at the table of food next to Holt.

They immediately started bickering over the elevator situation, with Holt accusing Grandpa of being blind because the elevator was right outside the door and in full operation. Grandpa continued the argument back and forth until Holt was the one apologizing.

The rest of the crew was gathered around talking about cars and the races today. Scout, Kye, and Ash would be doing some form of racing today with Ransom, Quinn, Fox, and Chase helping them. Jax and Carly apparently helped run a charity side of Holt’s business, and they would be doing different demonstrations and games for younger races.

No one seemed to mind that I would be lingering around, and Quinn even told me a few things I could do to help Kye before his race. It was all simple things—getting helmets, and running things back and forth—but they didn’t hesitate to include me, even if I knew nothing about cars.

It was easy, fun, and more relaxing than I anticipated.

My chest ached. The never-ending reminder that none of this was real was like a knife in my heart.

Kye leaned into me until his lips were at my ear. “Ready to go watch some races?”

Heat ran down my spine until my thighs clenched. “No. I’m ready to go do other things, though.”

He grinned, but pulled me up with him as he stood. “Maybe later. For now, I have some work to do.”

Later.

The word echoed in my mind because I wasn’t sure what later meant for us now.

I leaned against the car Kye would be driving and watched as he checked over things under the hood.

“It’s so weird that I am the first girlfriend you brought around. I’m so used to Dean’s mom, who would constantly tell me how perfect his girlfriend before me was. They were friends from childhood and the family still loved her. Looking back now, though, I don’t think I ever stood a chance for them to like me when they were still so obsessed with her.”

“That’s weird. I mean, I guess if any of the crew broke up, we would be screwed because we’re all so close. I don’t know how anyone new could make it in without us at least mentioning the ex. Lucky for you, you’re the first girlfriend, and I think with what I have learned about relationships, you will be the last girlfriend I introduce, too.”

I sucked in a breath, warmth spreading over me at the small sliver of hope that I would be the last because he couldn’t want anyone else, but that died when I realized I was talking to Kye. The man who could go years without sex, and could probably make it another decade without a girlfriend, and not bat an eye. It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with his own preferences.

“Yeah,” I echoed. “Lucky me.”

“Ready to watch your fake boyfriend go those death speeds around a track?”

“No, not even a little.”

He leaned down, kissing me hard, and I wrapped my arms around him. He lifted me up, my legs automatically wrapping around him.

“What are you doing? There is a crowd of people here.”

“And?”

“And we don’t have to fake date for them.”

He gave an annoyed grunt before setting me down. “Holt is very much watching us from up there in his perch, right now. And I don’t know a lot of things, but I do know that I would be kissing my girlfriend before I race. I’ve seen the guys do it a hundred times.”

He hadn’t let me go, so I leaned back in. “I guess that is true,” I said, smiling as I kissed him again.

We stayed like that for a minute, his arms wrapped around me and expert lips kissing me. I was letting myself get caught up in the fantasy of this being real when the sound of my name cut through the noise of the crowd.

“Daisy?” my dad said. I could hear the disbelief in his voice. His face was white when I turned to him, his mouth still hanging open. I jumped back, but Kye grabbed my hand before I got too far.

“Daisy. What the hell are you doing?”

“Umm.” I couldn’t think of a single word as blood rushed to my ears, drowning out every sound besides my fast beating heart.

“Just a little luck before I go race,” he said with a wide grin. “Great to see you, Sheriff.”

“See me again,” my dad said. “You know I have you running from me earlier.”

“That was you? Wow, I was just getting a little practice in. Honestly, you are a great opponent. Maybe you should get out on the track with me today.”

“Kye,” I hissed. He wasn’t helping any of this.

“What the hell are you doing with my daughter?”

“Dating her?” Kye said, the pleased grin on his face making my dad’s turn red.

“Daisy,” my dad said, almost screaming now.

“Well, I have to go race. I’ll talk to you later…sweetheart,” Kye said, smiling as he leaned down to me. He liked this too much, taking every opening he could to mess with my dad more.

Before my dad had any chance to respond, Kye was getting in the car, waving as he pulled away.

“Daisy,” my dad said, stomping over as Kye peeled out to line up.

“Whatever lecture you have for me, can you not?”

“You just kissed Kye Baker. The guy I have arrested more times than I can count. The guy who just outran me when I was trying to pull him over.” He ran a hand down his face and sighed. “Dammit, you were in the car, weren’t you?”

“I’m the one who told him to go. I didn’t want to deal with you. With this,” I hissed.

“Maybe think about going out with a guy who wouldn’t run from the police. One who doesn’t love getting arrested and fucking up his life. Maybe one you are proud to date, not one you want to hide from me.”

I met his eyes, my hands on my hips. “I was hiding it because of you, not because of him.”

“I doubt that. You know, if he was a good guy, I would be fine with you two together.”

“Then are you going to believe me if I tell you that he is a good guy?”

“There isn’t a chance in hell I’m going to believe you. And based on what he just did and said, I’m going to tell you that he’s using you and you need to break it off.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You and I are going to have issues. A lot of issues.”