The Legend (59 page)

His hips
shifted again, his eyes darkened with want. “I tried. You wouldn’t wake up.”

“So what
did you do?”

Shrugging
shyly, he gave a soft smile. “I was pretty worked up
...
kind of like right now
...
so
...
”

Hot damn.

Jameson’s
cell phone started vibrating on the floor in his jeans. We were now officially
late for the meeting with Simplex.

I couldn’t
focus. All I could think about, Jameson knew the reaction I had to knowing he
had touched himself for pleasure, and it didn’t take long with his deburring
skills of a seasoned machinist.

When he
knew I had been satisfied, he was crawling up me and crying out in pleasure of
his own not more than a few seconds later.

Rolling to
the side, he sighed. “I feel better.”

“I can’t
get the image of you bleeding your pressure valve out of my head.” I said
shaking my head as I threw my arms over my face. “Now I’m not going to be able
to concentrate the rest of the day.”

We were
laying there for about two minutes when he looked over at me and grinned. “I
have to say, it was incredibly sexy seeing you watch porn, but also the most
adorable sight I have ever seen was you wearing that black hoodie over your
head.” His shoulder shook with giggles, his eyes crinkled at the edges. He
looked so much like himself now it was easy to think the accident had never
happened. But it had and we couldn’t forget that. “If I wouldn’t have been so
turned on, I would have laughed.”

“I’m glad
I could amuse you.”

I managed
to get him out of our bed and on our way to the shop but it was difficult for
both of us. Especially after him admitting he dreamt of me.

“Nice of you
to show up,” Alley welcomed us with a bitter smile.

Melissa
Childers, Jameson’s business manager, who was next to Alley, kept her eyes down
but I saw the corners of her mouth tugging into a smile. She knew.

“What’s
the purpose of these meetings?” Jameson said slouching beside me as we seated
around the table.

Only
Jameson could say that and get away with it.

“Why do I
have to sit here too? Why can’t you just take notes for me and I’ll take a
nap.” His hand found my thigh when Alley was talking with Melissa and going
over the appearances Jameson had scheduled for the next two days. We were set
to leave tonight and it would be non-stop media until the race, I was sure of
it.

Jameson’s
hand on my inner thigh was creeping north. “I’m exhausted after the last two
days.” He breathed in my ear moving my hair aside. “You really know how to run
an engine lean.”

He was
working on assembly prep and those in the room knew it.

Alley
cleared her throat and kicked him under the table. “Knock it off Jameson.”

He muttered
something under his breath tossing his pen at her defiantly.

Just to
piss Alley off, his hand found my thigh again. I wiggled away knowing I would
attack him if he kept it up.

I had a
feeling why Simplex Shocks and
Springs
, Jameson’s
primary sponsor for the Cup series, called this meeting and so did Jameson.
Knoxville Nationals was approaching and they knew Jameson was itching to get
back to racing. Would he race sprint cars again? I wasn’t sure. Since the
accident he hadn’t mentioned it.

Ed Sharp,
the new president with Simplex, made the trip from Bloomington where they were
based out of, and set his black briefcase on the table. Jameson glanced up at
him but said nothing but offering a head nod.

Some may
think that was rude but if you understood Jameson, you understood that wasn’t
from arrogance. He was cautious. And those that understood him—respected that
side of him after everything he had been through recently.

I knew Ed
wanted to speak with Jameson privately so when Alley and Melissa finished their
publicity talk, we got up to leave them alone.

“That’s
all right Sway, you may stay.” Ed said reaching for my arm. “I need to talk to
Jameson and I understand that he wishes for you to stay.”

Jameson
gave a nod to me to sit back down so I did.

“Jameson,
we understand Knoxville Nationals is approaching and we are requesting that you
do not race. We have let this go on for far too long.” Ed announced to Jameson
who was slouched in the chair next to me, his attention more on the pen in his
hand than the words being spoken to him. “We can’t risk it anymore. You either
stop racing sprint cars all together,” Jameson finally looked up when Ed
paused, his stare losing focus. “…or we pull sponsorship from the Cup team.”

There was
no response or outright form of objection from Jameson other than another nod.

As
Jameson, and me, began to stand, Ed spoke again. “There’s something else we
would like to discuss with you and Sway.”

Instantly
I knew where this was going. Melissa warned me.

FOX Sports
had approached her about documenting Jameson’s recovery and the progression of
the season after coming back from such a horrific injury. Jameson declined the
offer when FOX Sports originally proposed it. He also declined it when SPEED
proposed it as well.

Ed was
going to attempt to persuade him.

“We think
that it would be beneficial for your fans to see your progress and the
lifestyle that you live. It’s not every day a champion of their sport defeats
all odds and returns to racing mere months after nearly being killed.”

Jameson
stared at the wall as he spoke. “My lifestyle is mine. I give this sport
everything I have.” His head tipped to meet Ed’s stare. “In turn, I have
sacrificed my personal life for years and beyond my comfort. I’m not doing it.”

“Jameson,
let’s—”

“It’s not happening.”
He snapped. And if the glare he offered didn’t speak volumes for his anger, the
slamming door did.

The
problem was that Simplex, and every other business representative pushing him
to do this, didn’t understand that our lives had been judged since our proposal
in victory lane. Why would we want someone seeing the only privacy we had now?

When
Melissa pressed him to reconsider on the drive to Charlotte, he replied with, “If
you can’t understand why I’m saying no, you obviously know nothing about me and
shouldn’t be making business decisions for me.”

It was a
harsh choice of words for him to use with her, someone who looked out for his
best interest but in reality, at this point, was she really looking out for his
best interest if she thought publicizing his life more than what it already
was, would be beneficial for him?

To his
defense, Jameson had gone with the flow for years but one thing remained the same.
No media in the motor coach or our home. He allowed them all over our property,
the dirt track, Grays Harbor, in both race shops and his office, but never in
our personal sanctuaries.

We got to
the track around seven that night and situated in the motor coach. It was a
strange feeling being back at the track after nearly six months away but it
also comforting for here, surrounded by the only lifestyle we knew we could
deal with the pain those last six months had left on us.

It was
strange not having Jimi stop by. Usually on race weekends we saw him Thursday
night after we arrived at the track. Jameson felt it. I knew that he did by the
way he kept an eye on the door anytime someone came inside.

I watched
Jameson carefully, as I always did these days, but he seemed comfortable around
the boys. Most of the crew hadn’t arrived yet but Kyle and Spencer were the
first to greet him. Spencer had moved from the jack man on the team to the car
chief and gave the pit crew orders. It worked out well because Mason was now
heading up the boys that were at the shop.

Relaxing
in the motor coach most of the evening, Kyle gave Jameson a rundown of the last
few races and the changes Randy had made to the team. Randy and Jameson weren’t
seeing eye-to-eye on the way he was running Riley-Simplex Racing and felt he
was trying to turn it into something that it wasn’t. Jimi kept the team small
for a reason. It was manageable that way. Randy had already talked of adding
more cars and partnering with different sponsors. The problem was that Jameson,
being partial owner of the team, had to agree to it. And he wouldn’t. He didn’t
want more than three cars on the team and had no interest in partnering with
another sponsor.

Most of
the time when we were at the track, Arie and Casten were with us and Axel was
racing on the Outlaw tour. That hadn’t changed now that we were back at the
track. Arie was here but spent little time with us as she was now working with
Easton a little more and helping with promoting and what not. She was basically
acting as his publicist but they hadn’t announced anything as she was only
seventeen. Technically she couldn’t be his publicist. When Jameson was injured,
everyone in our family stepped up and did everything they could to make what we
had all worked so hard for over the years work. In turn Arie was learning about
the business side and what it took getting your name out there and how to
market yourself in a good way. It was a nice change from the rebellious
tattooed spit fire we usually dealt with.

Casten was
being your typical instigating fifteen-year old shit the next morning before
practice and I wasn’t thrilled. I had enough problems with trying to make sure
Jameson was all right and I didn’t need my delinquent spaz child being a shit
head. I mean, Christ, he was fifteen now. Was it appropriate to team up with
the other hoodlums and let the air out of all the golf carts surrounding the
drivers’ compound? No.

Arie
thought it was funny and left me alone to control him.
Brat.

Jameson
looked up noticing my frustration and crooked a finger at Casten. “Get over
here.”

Casten
pretended not to notice but yelled over his shoulder. “What?”

Jameson
glared kicking the flat tire to his own golf cart. “You heard me.”

Casten
came running. He knew when Jameson meant business and right then he did. When
he was close enough, he just looked at him and that’s all that was needed.

Casten
knew he went too far. “I’ll be with Jake and Cole.”

“Stay out
of trouble.” Jameson said as he walked away with Jake, Tate’s only son that was
racing in the Truck series this year. I had a feeling he wasn’t going to stay
out of trouble.

We also
hadn’t sooner arrived here at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and they were already
requesting a press conference. Alley noted it would be a good idea that Jameson
spoke with the media in a controlled environment where she could field the
questions if needed.

Standing
beside his car, I looked at Jameson when they asked the question. His defensive
eyes squinted into the sun. He squeezed my hand before letting go to lean
inside the car to grab his sunglasses.

My gaze
flickered to his and then back to the reporter. He took a deep breath before
placing his sunglasses on. “Yeah, I’ll do it.”

Jameson
didn’t want to do a press conference but he knew it was necessary after
everything.

“Do you
want me to come with you?” I asked as we went inside the hauler so he could
change into his racing suit for practice. Then he needed to be in the media
center.

Alley
walked inside to tell him something but immediately walked out when she saw
Jameson turn to glare at her.

Jameson
covered his face and then dropped his hands and forced a smile. “I don’t care.
If you want to go, go.”

And then
he did what I least expected in that moment. He hugged me. There’s something
about a hug. Like I said, it has the ability to speak volumes and nothing at
all.

That hug
made my decision, if there ever was a doubt, to attend the press conference.

When we
exited the hauler, we walked in silence to the media center. Jameson kept his
eyes forward as he held my hand.

Arie, Emma
and Casten were waiting outside the doors with Spencer and Aiden inside
standing in the back with Kyle. Jameson of course, went with Alley to the side
and spoke with Russ Campbell.

Casten
smiled at me and kissed my cheek. “Hey mama,” squeezing my shoulders I knew he
wanted something. “What my little delinquent spaz?”

“Can I
have money?”

“Why?”

“I saw
something that I wanted to get someone.” Casten gave me a little shrug hiding
his smile behind his hat he pulled down.

Handing
over money was something I found myself doing a lot on race weekends. I never
had cash. My kids stole it before it was ever in my possession.

Casten
started to leave but I pulled him back by his t-shirt. “I don’t think so. Get
back here.”

He did and
stayed by my side the entire time.