Race With a Heart
Chapter 226: Doubts

Chapter 226: Doubts

"He insulted you?" Karl was totally surprised. "How?"

Loreen Benson smiled about walked over to Lambert, who stood up to greet her.

"Hi, Jack," she embraced him in a friendly manner and kissed him on the cheek.

"Loreen," he responded with the same.

Now the woman turned to Karl and laughed in a friendly manner.

"It’s such a little thing between me and Steve," she said. "You know, me and him know each other from the old days. That’s why when I took over the management of the company I decided to team up with you. You see, even as a teenager I had a weakness for fast cars and fast men, so I know the world of auto racing better than any other sport. And I know that next to golf and tennis, it’s the one that attracts the people with the most money. And Steve attracts the women with the thickest wallets."

Karl looked at Jack as if looking to him for an explanation of his and Paxton’s relationship with the straight woman, but never asked the question. He smiled charmingly and turned to the woman.

"I assume I have the pleasure of Miss Loreen Benson?" he extended his hand to her. "I am Karl Walton. My pleasure."

"Pleasure reciprocated," the woman reciprocated his gesture and appraised him with her eyes. "Looking at the men associated with this stable I feel like doing a group campaign. I myself don’t know who is more handsome, the drivers or their boss."

"Karl is engaged," interjected Jack politely.

"I don’t see a problem," announced Loreen.

"Thank you, but maybe let’s take care of business for now," suggested Walton. "You don’t mind if Jack accompanies us? You seem to know each other, and Jack will be more than just a driver in the coming season."

This statement pleasantly surprised Jack. Loreen Benson did not seem surprised at all.

"So it looks like aur business predictions were accurate and you are withdrawing from active participation in racing," she noted surprising both men. "All right. Jack, with your experience in the world of sports and your acquaintances outside of it, I expect our cooperation to go as well as possible."

So the world was ready for Jack Lambert’s departure from the track. This was actually to be expected, after all, Jack had already had his years, but still... Lambert felt a sting in his heart. It’s one thing to think yourself that you’re too old and need to retire, and another when the rest of the world thinks so. Fortunately for himself, Jack intended to be a very active retiree.

***

Immediately after getting out of the shower, Steve went to meet Karl. A meeting probably with the woman who had kissed him so unceremoniously in the locker room. Martin knew there was no reason to be jealous that Steve had not reacted positively to her behavior, but he couldn’t shake the small stinging feeling of jealousy. He should be the one with Steve now. Now and always. He knew it was absurd, but he was jealous even of those days before he and Paxton met face to face. It wasn’t jealousy driving him crazy, all happiness, just an uncomfortable feeling that, after all, Steve had led a life before he met Martin and would continue to do so even if Martin were missing from it.

Martin himself was busy, too. Refreshed, he went to Abe’s office, where he tried to focus on what the chief mechanic was saying. His words, however, flew through Martin’s head without finding a place in it for much longer, and the young driver began to feel remorse. He should be able to focus, it was his duty, but....

"Abe, will it be okay if I go home early?" he asked. "I have a bit of a headache."

Allen looked at him with the concern of a father.

"For a long time? Maybe you should go to the doctor?"

"No, no. Karl has given me a lot to think about, on top of that there have been a few other issues, and I guess I’m just a little tired. I’ll get over it if I get some rest. You know I’m not one of those people who like to think a lot, so I think my brain has overheated."

"Are you still thinking about whether you want to stay with us as a driver?"

"Yes," Martin admitted grimly, although that was only part of his problem. "You know, I really like being a mechanic and racing stresses me out a little too much, but being on the same track with Steve Paxton is something really special."

"I remember you were a fan of his from the beginning," smiled Abe. "How do you feel being so close to him?"

Martin blushed.

"Strangely. But pleasant. Steve is not what I imagined him to be."

"Oh! So how he is?" said Martin.

"Better in every way. I’m really glad you got me this job, but at the time I thought it would only be for a while, and now... Now I feel like the whole world is deciding for me, and I... You know..."

"Sometimes it’s best to give in to the current. It’s not that the world has something against you. Sometimes its choices are just opportunities. You’ve been given a chance, but it’s really up to you to choose whether you want to try it or prefer something else. Listen, maybe you spend too much time just thinking about it. Maybe you should look for a girlfriend. You know, Ami was quite nice..."

"Ami is a friend of mine. As for a girlfriend, well... I don’t have time for that. Not now."

He wanted to say he had no interest, but Abe might ask about something, and that would not be advisable.

"You should always find time for a girlfriend. It’s good to have someone in your life who you can rely on and who can rely on you. Alright, go home, because you really look like crap."

And that’s exactly how Martin felt. Excited about the race, he had more than hoped his tension would pass under Paxton’s affectionate but commanding touch and had to settle for a shower. The shower, however, was in no way satisfactory.

Steve was in a meeting with some woman Martin knew nothing about except that she was attractive, had some professional connection to Karl and... was Steve’s ex. But Martin didn’t even know if they had only slept together once, such as under the influence of a crazy night out, or if they were dating a little more "seriously." Of course, Martin knew that Steve hadn’t seriously dated anyone since Hannah’s accident, but he could have slept with this woman quite regularly. Pretty, shapely and apparently rich judging by her expensive clothes, she was certainly an object of desire for many men. She used to please Steve, too. Who knows if the old torch will not be lit with a new glow.

No, no, no! Martin pushed these unpleasant thoughts out of his head with all his might. Steve loves him. He assured him of this with words but, above all, proved it with deeds. Steve and Martin were now together and they were happy. There was no reason to worry about any woman, even if she was so attractive. For Steve, contrary to popular opinion, once he found the right person, he was devoted to her wholeheartedly. Martin knew that he was that person.

Martin did not have to wait long for the bus. It arrived after two minutes with the windshield wipers off. The sky was still streaked with lead, but the rain had stopped. Martin boarded the bus while correcting his baseball cap on himself and took one of the many empty seats in the back. With such a cap and completely common clothes, he looked so inconspicuous that he could easily pass for an ordinary worker, say a cleaner. He put his headphones in his ears with a firm resolve that he would try to relax to the sound of music he liked, and happened to notice a group of middle school girls staring at the stable area. The girls were excited, as if they had just looked at some natural wonder.

"I can’t believe Steve is so close!" excited one. "I would give anything to go on a date with him!"

The other girl, probably more rational, replied:

"Are you crazy? Why do you need such a playboy?"

"Are you kidding? I’m sure I could make Steve settle down with me!"

"Really? Someone like you? This guy has super models and actresses at his beck and call. What could he possibly see in you?"

"Don’t be mean," a third admonished her. "Such super girls are just entertainment for guys like Steve. What he really needs is love."

Martin recalled what he had heard from Don in the locker room. Could it be that Alston was right? Do these girls really treat Steve like their dream boy? Will they really abandon him if the world finds out that the center of his interest is a man?

He suddenly felt very tiny. Damn! Could their love really hurt Steve’s career?

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.