Kendall stood there, not sure what she was feeling or thinking.
“You’d better go and talk to him after the race.”
She turned and saw Tuesday standing next to her, tears in her eyes as well. “Tuesday? What’s wrong? What are you doing here?”
Normally her friend was in the media room for the races, if she bothered to attend at all. Tuesday only made race day about once a month.
“Remember I told you I was coming to Virginia to visit my parents and take my dad to the race?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry, I forgot. And I don’t know . . . I’m not sure I can go up there with Evan after the race. I’m so confused.”
“What you are is insecure,” Tuesday said vehemently, rounding on her. “And I just don’t see why. Do you realize how f**king lucky you are?”
Stunned, Kendall just stared at her, her cheeks going hot. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, look at you. You are so successful. You’re at the top of your field! Do you know how many women struggle to achieve success in their careers, and here you are, yet you never think you’re good enough. You have this guy who is so sweet and so amazing and so completely in love with you that he’s willing to make an ass out of himself, and you hesitate?”
With no idea where this was coming from, and stunned at the anger in Tuesday’s voice, Kendall just shook her head. “You don’t understand.”
“I do! I understand that you’re afraid. Well, big f**king whoop. Go ahead, be afraid, and spend your life alone. What a waste.”
Given that Tuesday’s voice hitched and she was now crying full force, Kendall knew this wasn’t just about her marriage. “Tuesday, what’s wrong?”
“My parents just told me my dad has cancer.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.” She reached out and wrapped her arms around her friend. “It will be okay, though. I know it’s scary but cancer is so beatable now.”
Tuesday stayed in the hug briefly, then pulled away, putting her arms across her chest. “Not in this case. It’s stage four. They’ve given him six months.”
“Sweetie, oh, I’m so sorry . . .” Kendall was horrified. She didn’t know what to say.
Jim came up to them. “Sorry to interrupt, but we need you, kiddo.”
“Go.” Tuesday waved her off. “I’ll be fine. But think about what I said. Life is too short, Kendall. It’s a total cliché, but damn, it’s the truth.”
Worried about her friend, Kendall told her, “I’ll be here after the race. Just let me know what you need.”
“You know what I need? Is for you to recognize what’s in front of you. Love. Happiness.”
Kendall didn’t know what to say. Cancer. God, what would she do if she got that news about her father? It suddenly made everything seem all so insignificant. What would she have done if something had happened to her father after she had stomped out on Easter?
So he hadn’t been a perfect father. Who was?
He did love her.
As did Evan.
With all his heart.
Suddenly, without warning or any real awareness of what she was doing, Kendall took off running.
“What the hell are you doing?” Jim asked, sounding freaked out and angry.
She just put her finger up to indicate one minute and ran like the wind, weaving around people towards the stage, her heart in her throat.
Tuesday was right. She was a complete and total fool. Was she really going to throw away the greatest love she’d ever known because she was insecure and afraid?
No wins on the track could ever make up for the loss of her marriage, and no life would ever be full and complete without Evan by her side.
Hadn’t she spent the last ten years learning that lesson?
She spotted him strolling towards pit road, looking handsome and adorable and maybe just a little embarrassed. A little worried.
But then he spotted her and he smiled. “I’m not much of a singer,” he started to say.
Kendall just leaped up into his arms and wrapped herself around him like a monkey, interrupting him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I don’t want to lose you.”
When his arms held her tight and he looked into her eyes and said, “Oh, baby, I don’t want to lose you either,” Kendall knew it was going to be okay.
And she vowed that they were going to cross that finish line together.
EVAN sat on the grass on the edge of the lake, next to Kendall, her head on his shoulder. He sighed deeply with contentment. It had been a twisting road, with a few caution laps along the way, but they’d made it to the end.
Or more accurately, the beginning.
It was a gorgeous Monday in Charlotte, spring in full bloom, the morning after his impromptu and badly done Rod Stewart serenade. “I’m never going to be able to go on YouTube again,” he said. “I’m sure someone has posted me singing and I’m equally sure everyone has slammed me for it.”
Not that he cared. It had gotten Kendall to talk to him and that was all that mattered.
Kendall laughed. “Don’t listen to haters. I think it was beautiful.”
“That’s because you love me.”
“I do.”
He turned and looked into her rich amber eyes. “You do, don’t you?” He knew she did, but he wanted to hear it again. And again. Every day for the rest of his life.
“Yes. I do. I love you, Evan Roscoe Monroe.”
Without his stupid middle name would have been nice, but he was feeling so smug in love, he’d take it. “I love you, too, Kendall Carolina.”
After they shared a deep kiss, intimate and tender, Kendall ran her fingers across his lips. Evan instantly went hard, sure she was coming on to him.
But instead she gave him another kiss on the lips and said, “Mmm, you taste good. But don’t ruin the sentiment with my middle name. It’s so singsongy.”
“You said my middle name first, sweetheart. Besides, yours is cute, like you.”
She made a face. “Thanks.”
“What’s wrong with cute?”
“It’s just so . . . cute.”
“Actually, I think you’re cute and drop dead gorgeous and sinfully sexy and pinup worthy, but I don’t want to swell your head.”
He was trying to make light, but she studied him searchingly. “I’m insecure, do you know that? Have I ever mentioned that?”
“I know you are.” He did. He saw that now in a way he hadn’t before. “I’ll do my best to reassure you.”