The Champion (Racing on the Edge) (42 page)

Van seemed to sense the same confusion I felt and stepped
closer to Axel and Lily standing by the door. Axel had been in enough of these situations
with us in the past and he knew to stay next to Van.

“What’s going on in here?” Jameson asked peeking his head
inside the door. His eyes scanned the room cautiously.

“Daddy!” Axel yelled and ran toward him. Jameson caught
him in his arms with a smile, his brow furrowed as he looked over at this Gab
guy standing next to me. “Who are you?”

Gab looked nervous and reached out to offer his hand to
Jameson. “I’m
uh
...
Gab with
...
A
...
Tech.”

They shook hands, Jameson held on to Axel moving closer
to me.

Van picked up Lily. I was thankful our other two had
already fallen asleep and weren’t running out here to see what was happening.

“Gab huh
...
what
happened to Wayne?”

“Wayne?”

Jameson handed Axel to me. “Yeah,” he stepped closer to
Gab. “A-Tech has been an associate sponsor of my cup team and sprint car team
for the last two years.” He let out a chuckle. “Wayne Matson is their
representative that I’ve dealt with. So my question is
...
who are you and what are you doing in my hotel room?”
Jameson’s voice was hard and demanding.

Van simply stood aside holding Lily with a smirk on his
face. Van may be the bodyguard for us but if I would be afraid of anyone in any
situation; it would be Jameson, hands-down.

Sure Van had Jameson on size. Hell, he even had Spencer
and Jimi on size. What most failed to realize with Jameson was his brash
temperament that left you wondering when and how he’d react.

“I don’t know Wayne, but I am a representative with
A-Tech. They asked me to see about sponsoring him.” Gab pointed toward Axel.

Jameson simply nodded, his eyes focused on Van’s for a
brief moment before he placed his hand on Gab’s back. “Let’s talk outside.”

Gab agreed and looked over to me. “It was nice meeting
you, Sway.”

I smiled politely as a chill ran down my spine. I never
once told him my name.

Van handed Lily over to me just as I heard Jameson’s
voice raise slightly.

“If you know what’s good for you
...
you’ll walk away right now?” Van warned Gab as I pushed the
kids toward the bedroom.

“Mama
...
who was
that man?” Axel asked. His eyes were nervous.

“Nobody buddy
...
daddy
will be back in a minute.”

Sure enough, Jameson came back inside not more than two
minutes later.

“Hey buddy.” He whispered toward him trying not to wake
Arie and Casten. “Let’s watch that heat race.”

Two hours later, it was close to midnight and poor Axel
fell asleep with Jameson on the couch. Lily was on the floor with me as we
watched Axel’s race on replay.

As quietly as I could I took Axel and Lily back into the
bedroom with Arie and Casten. Amazingly, they stayed asleep, even when I nearly
dropped Axel on top of Lily.

When I made my way back into the living room of the
suite, Jameson wasn’t there.

“Jameson?” I whispered and then heard him laugh quietly.

“In here, honey.

Turning around I saw him lying in the bed already.
Smiling like a fool, I was out of my clothes and closing the door all in under
a minute. “What happened with that guy?”

His eyes seemed guarded. “How often does that sort of
thing happen?”

“You mean random people wanting to sponsor our son?”

“No
...
” his hand
moved from my hip to touch my cheek, his eyes focused intently on mine. “How
often do people get past security in the lobby to your room?”

“Security in the lobby? I wasn’t aware there was any?”

He chuckled softly and let his hand fall from my cheek,
he pulled me closer. “There is always security in the lobby of any hotel you or
our kids stay at.”

“Oh,”

“This hotel however
...
we
won’t be staying here again for that reason. He shouldn’t have been up here.”

“Who was he?”

“Van’s going to look into it but he definitely doesn’t
work for A-Tech. I called them and they’d never heard of him.”

“Jesus,” I panicked. “I let Axel answer the door thinking
it was you!”

He nodded. “We do need to be more careful. Axel is
getting a following now and whether we like it or not, he’s a target. If
someone doesn’t like me as a driver, well they might take it out on him.”

I knew that already. We experienced that when Axel raced
in the Western District Qualifier in March. When Axel outran his kid on the
track, the kid’s dad took his frustrations by screaming at Axel about Jameson
and his temper. It was something all of our kids would be facing having Jameson
Riley as their father.

My mood for sex was ruined with the thought that my
little spaz children were in danger.

Jameson sighed, the guarded expression returned and
kissed my forehead before pulling back to look at me. “He was looking for you.”

“Why though.”

“We don’t know yet but Van caught onto it when he only
said goodbye to
you                                 
.”

“Yeah
...
I never
told him my name.”

“That’s not why.” Jameson blinked slowly. “Just like our
kids, you’re a target as well. You’re very attractive and in the public eye.
They see you and they see
...
opportunity.”

He didn’t need to say anymore, I knew what he was
insinuating. This wasn’t the first time I’d been cornered by men even after
Darrin. There had been a handful of various men over the years who had come on
to me or saw that I was Jameson’s wife and tried their luck. I don’t know what
it was but when men found out I was married to Jameson, they tested their luck.
Maybe it was some kind of bragging rights if I paid interest to them, I don’t
know but it was all part of this lifestyle we had. Paying no mind, I ignored
them and the fact that it was even happening for the simple reason that it
didn’t bother me. I knew from the very beginning when I committed myself to
Jameson and his career choice this was a possibility. To have him, I’d endure
anything.

Yellow Line – Jameson

“What’s the air pressure in the right rear?” I asked
Tommy handing him the gauge.

“Jameson, can my son get your autograph?”

Keep your cool.
I told myself. I had to say this a
lot this morning. All I wanted to do was help get my son’s car ready to go, but
the fans here had another idea when they saw me in the pits this morning. I
signed autographs, took pictures, talked to reporters
...
I had done everything this morning but what I came for which
was to see family and to see my son race.

The right rear of Axel’s car kept losing psi as it sat on
the grid so Tommy changed it out while I signed yet another autograph.

“Daddy?” Axel called out as the horn sounded for the kids
to report to their cars. “Can you push me off?” Tommy usually pushed him off on
the starts and re-starts if needed but when I was around, I made sure I was the
one to do this for him. Another fan approached us and I shook my head. “I’m
sorry, not right now. My son is about to start his main event. Catch me after the
main and I’ll sign anything you want.”

The woman who had approached us simply smiled and walked
away.

“Of course I will buddy.” I knelt beside Axel’s car as he
adjusted all his straps and pulled his helmet on. “Now remember, stay focused.
One car at a time,”

They inverted the field again, since Axel had transferred
up through the mains, he was starting fourth. “I will be talking to you through
the radio in your ear. I’m just going to tell you when a caution comes out and
when it’s green again, okay?”

He nodded; the fear in his eyes evident. “Do you get
nervous?” he asked.

I had to think for a moment because no, I didn’t really
get nervous anymore. There are times when I would say I’m anxious to race, but
nervous, no. But I knew the feeling and I remembered from when I was his age
and even older during the time I traveled around. Sure I was nervous back then.

“When I was your age
...
yes,”
I finally told him when I saw Lily skipping over. “But you know what my dad
told me?”

“What?” I saw what Sway was referring to when she told me
Axel hung on my every word. Here he was, holding on to any piece of advice I
could offer him in this moment.

“Take one lap at a time, one car at a time.”

Axel smiled up at me and then looked at Lily. His bright
green eyes sparkled as she sported a t-shirt that said: Axel Riley’s fan club.
She then spun around to show him that back that had his number and underneath
it said number one fan.

“Are you good buddy?” I finally asked after chuckling at
Lily’s enthusiasm.

“Yeah, I’m good daddy.” He smiled at me and then Lily
again.

I made my way to the infield standing to the other
fathers, all of them giving me the look that said “We know who you are,” and
also telling me, “That’s why your kid places so well. Money and his daddy.”

That had absolutely nothing to do with it. Yeah, if Axel
destroyed a car, he had another one the next night or week, but that had
nothing to do with his talent in the sport. I don’t care how good your
equipment is or how many sponsors you have funding you. In the end, this sport
comes down to talent and patience. Some may not believe that but I do.

Look at when I started in USAC on the East Coast. Sure, I
had money but my money did nothing for me when I came head-to-head with the
fire-breathing beasts from the East. Talent got me where I am today and talent
has gotten Axel where he is, currently in first place with one lap to go.

He’d been battling hard, swapping the lead with a kid
named, Shane Jennings, when Shane’s front right tire caught Axel’s left rear.
Axel wobbled slightly while Shane smashed into the tire barriers leaving Axel
to take the win.

I had seen him win before, but the Battle at the
Brickyard would be comparable to me winning the Daytona 500, something I had
yet to do.

His fan club was jumping up and down, my mom included.
Sway appeared to be crying, which was nothing new. When it came to our
children, she was a little basket case.

When the cars pulled off the track Axel came back around
to be presented the trophy.

“Is Shane okay?” was his first question.

“Yeah buddy, he’s fine. See, he’s right there.” I pointed
to Shane who gave Axel a thumbs-up and walked back, with his dad, toward the
wall to his car.

The next thing he asked, “Are you proud of me?”

I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he always
asked this. “What would ever make you think I wasn’t proud of you?” I asked
hugging him once he untangled himself from his belts.

He seemed to contemplate this for a moment, not
immediately answering. When he did his voice was small and quiet. “You and
grandpa
...
you are
...
legends.” he shrugged as his eyes fell. “I just wanna make you
proud of me. I wanna be like you.” He avoided my eyes, looking at his shoes.

Placing my hand gently under his chin, I forced him to
look me in the eye. “You are buddy. Everything about you is just like me. I
don’t know if you should be proud, or worried.” We both chuckled and before we
could have any longer in our father-son moment, the announcer was wanting to
interview him.

“Did you have a good time?” he asked Axel who stood
strong beside me.

“Yep,”

“Did your dad give you any advice here?” He motioned to
me.

Axel looked up at me and winked. “Yep, he told me, be
patient.”

“Well, considering your dad is a NASCAR cup series
champion
...
you should listen to him,
huh?”

“I did.”

“Yes you did, because this monster trophy is bigger than
you!” he handed Axel the trophy that was no doubt bigger than my little pint
sized son. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” the crowd whistled and screamed, most of
which came from our family. “The winner of the Jr. Animal 120 class
...
Axel Riley!”

My dad was right when he told me nothing compares to
seeing your kids’ dreams come true. I just hoped that this was
his dream
and not something that he felt he had to live up to some unspoken expectation.
I never wanted him to feel like this was something he had to do. Knowing he
wanted to race was comforting. I never forced him to do this but in the back of
my mind I wondered if all that pressure I put upon myself to be great was
somehow imparted to him to do the same.

Either way, I needed to be careful of the yellow lines.
They blurred so easily when it came to parenting. It’s easy to let yourself
push your dreams toward them, but the line needs to be drawn. They are their own
people and they have every right to live their dreams and not yours.

One thing I did before we left that night, I found that
woman I turned down the autograph for a made sure she got the autograph she was
looking for. To me, that was me showing my appreciation for her respecting my
privacy.

18.
           
   Stop-and-Go Penalty –
Sway

Stop-and-Go
Penalty – A penalty which requires a driver to stop at their teams pit for a
timed penalty before re-entering the race. This penalty can be assessed for anything
from speeding in the pits to contact with an opponent.

“We need a night out Sway. We just do!” Emma stressed
pulling at her hair as she watched Noah smack his brother in the thigh with a
plastic knife.

“If those were my kids, I’d have to agree with you.” I
told her taking another drink of my mocha.