You, Me, and Lucky Number 13 by Kristy Marie

Author:Kristy Marie [Marie, Kristy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kristy Marie Books LLC
Published: 2024-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

COLE

Another win for Hahn racing, another celebration. This time, go-kart racing.

You’d think I’d be tired of racing and sore from sitting so long, and I am, but nothing compares to a concrete track with flimsy plastic barricades and my crew trying to best me for bragging rights.

I have my sights on the go-kart with the number thirteen painted on the side, but Lola rushes past me like a bullet… “Nice try Cole. You know thirteen is my lucky number.”

“Maybe it was your lucky number, but it’s mine now,” I tease. I did change my car number to thirteen, after all.

The whole crew settles in for a little friendly competition, and we’re off. Lap after lap, some of the pressure melts away.

I slam the go-kart into another turn, tires squealing in protest. The smell of burning rubber and gasoline fills my nostrils, a familiar cocktail that sets my blood on fire.

“On your left, old man!” Lola’s voice rings out, full of laughter and challenge.

I growl, a grin spreading across my face despite myself. “In your dreams, princess.”

We’re neck and neck, our karts barely an inch apart as we tear down the straightaway. The rest of the crew’s scattered behind us, fighting for third place. But it’s always been me and Lola at the front. Two apex predators, neither willing to give an inch.

I feel the ache in my muscles, the lingering stiffness from hours in the Viper. But here, in this moment, none of that matters. The world’s narrowed down to just us, this track, and the primal thrill of the race.

Lola takes the inside line on the next turn, edging ahead. Her hair’s a wild tangle blowing behind her, cheeks flushed with exertion and joy. For a second, I forget to breathe.

“Eyes on the road, Lawson!” she shouts, catching me staring.

I snap back to reality, overcorrecting and nearly kissing the plastic barrier. “Fuck!”

Her laughter rings out, a sound that hits me harder than any crash ever could.

We’re coming up on the final stretch. Everything we’ve been through, all the tension and unspoken words between us, it all fades away. Right now, we’re just two adrenaline junkies chasing that high.

I gun it, pushing my kart to its limits. Lola matches me, move for move. We cross the finish line in a blur, so close I can’t tell who won.

As we skid to a stop, breathless and grinning like idiots, I realize it doesn’t matter. Win or lose, being here with her… it feels like coming home.

We stumble out of the karts, legs wobbly and faces split with grins we can’t contain. The crew’s hollering, arguing over who placed where, but it’s all white noise.

I catch Lola’s eye. There’s a spark there, something electric that has nothing to do with the race we just ran.

“Rematch?” I ask, voice gruff.

She quirks an eyebrow. “Afraid I beat you?”

“In your dreams, sweetheart.”

We’re moving closer, pulled by some invisible force. The air between us crackles with tension.

“Hey, lovebirds!” Cam, shouts. “We’re hitting O’Malley’s. You coming or what?”

Lola breaks eye contact first, a hint of color in her cheeks.

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