Everything around her seemed fuzzy, like she had consumed a few bottles of wine all by herself and was waking up with that extra dose of sleep in her eyes. Since Noah left, she had found herself feeling this way more than once, but this time it felt different.
Her stomach rolled and she had to wonder if she ate anything out of sorts, but she couldn’t remember anything. All she remembered was that the service auction was happening.
Groaning, Tate tried to adjust her position in bed then felt a steady hand reach out to grasp her arm. The extra touch caused her to realize something was wedged against her nose and that the sheets felt scratchier.
“Tate? Are you awake?”
Prying her eyes open, Tate looked around the hospital room, trying so hard to remember why she was there. When her gaze fell on Noah, she felt her lower lids well with tears.
“Noah?”
“Oh god. I was so worried.”
“What’s going on? What are you doing here?”
“I’ll explain everything, sweetheart, but let me get the doctor and Preston wants to speak with you.” As Noah released her arm and stood, his chair screeched against the linoleum floor.
“No!” she shouted, needing the comfort of his touch. She instinctively reached for his hand to keep him close. He looked almost relieved that she craved his touch.
Beside her bed, he pressed the red call button and explained that Tate had woken up, then he reached into his pocket for his phone and sent a message, all while holding her hand with a surprisingly tight grip.
Minutes later, the doctor came in, followed by Beau and Preston, who stood in the corner patiently.
The doctor performed his check-up and asked how she felt before explaining that she had experienced carbon monoxide poisoning due to the lack of ventilation in the building. Fear rippled down her spine when he described how another ten or fifteen minutes and she would have had permanent brain damage or would have died. Noah grasped her hand at that moment and she wondered what he was doing in the hospital room.
Once the doctor left, explaining that she could be discharged that day, Beau and Preston came toward the bed, her friend looking as if he had been through the worst night of his life.
“How are you feeling?” Preston asked as he settled his hips on the bed.
“I’m good, I guess. I don’t remember much of anything after arriving at the auction.”
“So you don’t remember going back to the garage after the event?”
“I don’t even remember being at the auction.”
Preston glanced over at Noah and then Beau, she supposed wanting their approval, which just pissed her off.
“I’m right here, you know,” she said, bringing the attention of the three males to her.
Preston had the decency to look ashamed. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to discuss what we found out. Would you like it just the two of us?”
“No, that’s okay. They can stay.”
“I’m not sure what your relationship is with Chad Bishop, but we have security footage of him following you into the garage after Beau dropped you off. Beau also helped us retrieve the security footage from your garage to witness Chad breaking into your key box and starting all the vehicles after he locked you in your office.”
Thoughts and memories began filtering through her mind as she remembered hearing footsteps outside of her office. When she went to investigate, she was sucker-punched in the side of the head and knocked out. Just that thought had an ache growing around her temple; she reached up to touch the spot and watched as Noah winced.
“He must have knocked you unconscious before locking you inside the building.”
“Where is he now? Were you able to find him?”
“He was apprehended not long after we were viewed the surveillance and also confessed to breaking into the apartment above the garage.”
Tate didn’t know whether to be alarmed or relieved. She had known Chad for years and though he tried to keep her from racing, he never came across as someone so vindictive.
Licking her dry lips, Tate tried to adjust herself on the bed as she asked, “Did he say why? What were his motives?”
Beau reached for her hand, drawing her attention away from Preston. “Tate, do you think that’s the best? He’s under arrest and you’re safe.”
“I want to know why. What did I do that made him want to hurt me?”
Preston chose that moment to offer some insight. “I theorize that he had two reasons. Of course, we won’t know until his deposition, but it seemed as if you were a threat to him as far as racing. We all know how talented you are and he was afraid of falling behind a woman. And the second, I think he harbored some feelings for you at some point, and when they weren’t returned, he turned to revenge. I’m certain Mr. Langley being in the picture didn’t help.”
“This isn’t Noah’s fault!” she shouted, then winced as it caused her aching head to throb. Noah reached over and took her other hand in his, drawing small circles with his thumb.
“That wasn’t what I meant. He was a jealous man that made a really stupid decision.
“Unless you have any questions, I’m going to let you get discharged and rest up.”
“Thank you, Preston.”
As the room emptied, Tate looked between Noah and Beau. They both looked like they had been through hell and back. She probably looked just as worse.
Silence filled the room until Beau cleared his throat. “I’m going to let you two catch up. Tate, I’m glad you’re safe. If I had known he was lurking close by, I would never have left you there alone.”
“Beau, it’s not your fault. He probably would have figured out a way to hatch his plan. It was probably why he pushed so hard to win the date.”
“I’ll talk with you later. Get some rest, okay?”
Her friend was hurting. She could see it in the way his shoulders hunched forward and the way he squeezed her hand before leaving. She hoped that he could release the guilt and realize that he wasn’t the one at fault. He had a much bigger heart than anyone realized.
When the door clicked behind Beau, Noah moved to sit on the edge of her bed, still grasping her hand.
“When I found you lying there, I thought that I was too late. My heart stopped beating, Tate.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching up and running her hand along the scruff of his chin.
“I thought I was too late. I was supposed to show up at the auction with this grand romantic gesture to sweep you off your feet, hoping you’d forgive me for being chicken shit and leaving and then nothing went to plan.”
“But you’re here now,” she whispered.
“I am. And if you’ll still have me, I promise that I’ll never leave you again.”
Her heart sang with his confession and promise, but she knew that it wasn’t realistic, especially since word had already begun circulating in the news that he may retire from racing. She may not have answered his texts, but she was unable to stop keeping tabs on him.
“You can’t promise that, Noah.”
“I can because I love you. I love you so much, Tate. I know it’s fast and maybe too soon, but everything I’ve ever done has been at two hundred miles per hour.
“I love you too, Noah. I knew it the minute you held me while I cried. But you live in Nashville and so does your family. My home is here, in Carson.”
“Well, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
***
Noah drove Tate home and let her sleep, and he was more than content to lay in her bed with her head casually resting on his chest.
Every time he closed his eyes, images of Tate’s lifeless body flashing behind his lids. He hoped that he wasn’t going to be plagued with those images forever. Beside him, Tate stirred. She loved him and it was the best feeling in the world. Better than any championship or trophy he had received.
“Hey, what are you still doing awake?” she asked and Noah rolled over so that they faced each other. Gently he tucked some of her hair behind her ear. The sheet was draped casually across her bare chest. When they arrived back at her cabin, Tate had been frantic in needing to make love to him after their confession earlier. But he had taken his time with her, going much slower than their previous sessions.
“I couldn’t sleep. Are you doing okay? How’s your head?”
“I’m fine,” she said with a roll of her eyes cast in a warm glow from the sunlight outside her window.
“Want to take a walk with me? I want to talk to you about something.”
When he spoke with his father, who was rightfully devastated about the arthritis diagnosis, they had hatched a plan for how Langley Racing could move forward. His father would bring up some drivers to join the team at a higher level and offered to let Noah work in the offices or management. But he’d had other plans and ideas. He just needed to run them by Tate first.
“A walk would be nice.”
From his place on the bed, he watched as a naked Tate moved around her room, tugging on a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top. She smirked at him as he asked if she planned on wearing any underwear. Yeah, they wouldn’t be out long. He couldn’t control himself around her if he knew she was sans panties.
Sliding off the bed, he grabbed his boxers and a pair of gym shorts he had stowed in his carry-on luggage.
Hand in hand, they walked outside. Noah led Tate to her garage, where he visualized his master plan. He only hoped that she could see his vision.
“When you brought me here, I instantly saw the potential in the track. And I can honestly say I have never had as much fun driving around like I did that day.”
Giggling, Tate added, “That’s because I let you finger fuck me while you drove my GNX.”
“Naw, that was the icing on the cake. But this track and set up? It’s truly a gem. Which is why I want to buy it from you.” Noah turned away from the track and looked at Tate as she stood slack-jawed.
“Wh-What? Why?”
“Let me explain. I told my father that I was done racing. I had met this amazing woman and didn’t want to risk my health, causing me to lose any time I could have with you. And then I thought back to how you mentioned I should look into coaching. So, I did.
“I spent the week learning everything that I could and I met with some of the coaches on our team and I really got inspired. Then I thought about this place and knew that I could turn it into a small, elite racing school. We could have a dirt track and a paved one.”
Tate was quiet, and Noah wasn’t sure if she saw his vision, but he needed her to see and understand his entire plan.
“And I thought we could convert your cabin into a small overnight stay for the drivers and their team. We could build a bigger house on another part of the property away from everything. Your garage is great, but we could build a cutting-edge one for training.”
She shook her head slightly as she gazed up at him. He realized that he probably overwhelmed her, but he had been so excited when the plan came to mind.
“You keep saying we. What does that mean?”
“Tate, sweetheart, I want to do this with you. I want you to help me run this. I mean, who better to show drivers that you can’t underestimate anyone. And I know just by your passion that you’d be such an inspiration.
“And by selling me all of this land that would help you settle things for your uncle’s garage. You’d never have to worry about making ends meet.
“I love you, Tate. If it weren’t for you, I’d never had realized what I was capable of. I want this dream only if I have you with me.”
“You sound like you have this all figured out.”
“The only thing I know is that I love you and want you by my side.”
“Well, then I’m in. I love you, Noah Langley. I want to share your dream. It sounds pretty amazing.”
“Hot damn,” he said as he lifted her in the air and kissed her senselessly. “Let’s go take your car around for a lap to celebrate!” he demanded as he set her back on her feet.
“Only if I get to drive.”
Noah watched her saunter away toward the shed door and he held back his need to make some silly comment about using his stick shift.
“Baby, you can take me for a spin anytime.”