Page 163 of The Champion
I knew that already. Spencer had plans to drive up toBurlington tonight and then he was heading to Canada for the weekend to goskiing with some of his buddies before testing began.
“Wait a second,” by now we had pulled into the garage. Iturned to face the boys. “You’re telling me that your sister showed up at thetrack today, without meknowing. You told her to get in the back ofSpencer’s truck to take a nap and then didn’t tell him or me that she was backthere when he left.”
“That’s pretty much it.” Casten nodded with wide eyes.Axel just stared at me in horror that I was going to freak out. And I did. Mylittle girl was in the back of a goddamn truck in the middle of winter, goingdown the freeway with my crazy reckless driver of a brother.
“You’re both grounded.” I told them slamming the cardoor. They followed me inside the house with the bags from Ranch House. “Andanother thing,” they stopped dead in their tracks knowing damn well what wasnext. “No Duel in the Desert.”
Axel looked as though he was going to cry and Castencould care less. Even though he raced, he just raced because he enjoyed it buthe held nowhere near the passion Axel held for it.
“What’s going on?” Sway came bouncing into the kitchenbehind us.
Casten hopped onto one of the stools next to the islanddigging through the bags from Ranch House looking for his dinner. “Dad lostArie.”
“I did not. You two did.” I pointed to both of them. “Imean it—you’re both grounded and will not race in Phoenix.”
“What do you mean Arie is lost?” Sway began to panic.
Casten, being a complete mama’s boy poured it on thick.“I’m sorry mama.” He hugged her while batting his eyelashes; she was a suckerfor that. “But look at it this way...youwon’t have to drive her to those stupid dance classes anymore.”
Sway slapped his shoulder. “Don’t be a jerk.” Herpanicked eyes found mine. “Where is she Jameson?”
By now, I was already calling Spencer and waiting for himto answer. “Apparently, your boys decided to convince her to take a nap in theback of Spencer’s truck.”
“Okay...sowhere is Spencer?”
“Burlington. Actually, he’s on his way to Burlington andthen Canada.”
It took her about thirty six seconds before she finallygrasped the meaning behind this. “Oh my god!”
“Now you finally understand.”
She turned toward the boys. “That was not a very nicething to do.”
Emma walked into the kitchen just then with Noahfollowing her.
“Why are you two here?” I asked annoyed when Noah kickedmy shin as he walked past. For being eleven now, he was still an asshole andeven more dangerous around cars then he was at two. He was a little fucker.
“We came over for dinner. Aiden and Charlie will be herein a few minutes.” She looked around the kitchen. “Is Arie with Lexi?”
“Nope,” Casten replied. “She’s heading for Canada eh.” Headded a Canadian accent on the end.
“Canada?”
“Yep,” He nodded. “Axel’s fault,”
Axel’s temper was exactly like mine. How do you think hereacted?
In a very quick movement, he had his younger brother onthe ground and in a headlock while Casten screamed bloody fucking murder forSway to rescue him.
Spencer answered so I let the boys wrestle around on thekitchen floor while Sway tried to get them away from each other.
“Spencer?”
“Yeah?” I could hear the faint sounds of his truck’sengine in the background.
“Where are you at?”
“I’m just outside of Burlington, why?”
