Chapter 3

Saturday rolled around quickly, and I was thrilled to head to my grandpa’s shop with mom in the driver seat and little Josh strapped in the back. I had asked mom to let me drive, holding up my learner’s permit, but she was hesitant to let me drive with Josh in the car.

“That’s some confidence you have in your future race car driver,” I grumped.

“Jacob, I only have two of you. I don’t like taking chances with you both in the car.”

“Alright,” I acquiesced, deciding we’d get to the shop faster this way.

Our arrival found both grandparents awaiting us in grandpa’s dusty old shed. The gray, tin building had a big garage door and a steel side entrance door. Mom, Josh and I ducked through, closing the door to the cool spring air.

Grandpa had the heater blowing loudly from the corner of the shop, belching a good deal of dust with the heat. The former race shop had become an area to fix items in the front, and store a whole bunch of construction junk in the back. Old race trophies sat on shelves covered in dust and cobwebs and cluttered with countless other items. A few crates had been moved hastily aside to house what now sat just inside the garage door.

I took one look at her and I was instantly smitten by her charms. I wanted nothing more than to be inside of her. She had an elegant backside, with a gentle curve, she was dressed all in red with an aggressive stance, big, thick rear tires and a set of aluminum wings like an automotive angel.

I whistled out in appreciation for her looks, making a slow walk around her while mom and Josh greeted my grandparents. Grandpa, a thin, nearly bald old man watched with a smile as I walked around her, taking in her every curve.

“She’s a complete roller, and I got a hell of a deal on her,” grandpa drawled, his voice like a handful of gravel. I liked already that he knew she was a she.

“She’s uh, she’s missing something,” I pointed between the chassis rails under her long red hood.

“Yeah, Old Louie is taking care of that part.”

Louie Ross was a dear old friend to my grandparents and was a local legend of an engine builder. He and grandpa had been known to get the most out of a race car, whether inside or outside of the rules.

“I see.”

“We gotta take her all the way down to bare frame, blast and paint her and put her all back together again.”

“Unless you like the red?” grandpa asked after a pause.

“I had something else in mind, but it’s not technically my car,” I said sheepishly. Frankly the red on red was a tad garish for my tastes.

“Well, it’d look old school if you let me and Louie pick the colors,” grandpa countered.

“I’d like to start with a royal blue frame and white body panels,” added. “The same royal blue in the numbers, red outlines and ... And if you and Louie don’t mind, I’d like to pick the number.”

“Shit, that’s all fine,” Grandpa drawled. “Just so long as you don’t pick #1. There’s no creativity in that worthless number.”

Mom and grandma laughed knowingly. I assumed there was an old rivalry involved here.

“No, no. I’d like 42 if you both don’t mind.”

“Still your uniform number for sports, Jake?” grandma threw in.

“And school colors, yes,” I nodded.

“Can I sit in it?” Josh interrupted brightly.

Grandpa nodded, and I reached into the cockpit, pulling back on the steering wheel ring to disengage it, then pulled it off and set it on the big rear tire. I picked Josh up by the armpits and guided him into the seat. I reached in and snapped the steering wheel back into place. Josh was stretching as high as he could to see over the hood and he was off to the imaginary races, sawing away at the wheel.

“You’ll have to see if that seat fits you, Josh, and if you like that size steering wheel. Your mom insists on a brand new helmet, firesuit and Nomex underwear. She wants a new safety harness too. She said you guys would handle that part.”

“Yes,” mom said a little quietly.

“Another thing, Jake. This shop is a gawdamn pigpen. I need you to clean it all out so we have a neat space to work on this car. The whole thing will be a pile of bolts and a bare frame before we put it back together. This mess won’t do at all.”

“Not a problem. I can start next weekend if mom can bring me over,” I looked at mom for help.

“Yes, but don’t expect me to pitch in,” mom said with an eye roll. “I’m just the safety manager.”

“About that,” grandpa added. “I got a catalog here and a list of everything you need, including the kind of helmet the track requires you to have to race under their rules. Don’t forget a neck brace, arm restraints and a whole lot of tear offs. You’re gonna those.”

Grandpa started leafing through the catalog, pointing out items to mom.

I resumed my long walk around my new love, taking her in from every angle. Grandma sidled up to me with a smile.

“You’re grandfather is pretty excited to be doing this again, Jake. I’m glad you agreed to drive.”

I gave her a warm look.My grandmother, Betty Miller, was a portly older woman, who defied the march of time’s gray hair with chemical weapons, keeping her short locks an obviously fake brown.

“I practically grew up in this shop and at the races. How could I turn it down?”

“Well, Jake, you have other sports and interests and you guys haven’t gone to the races as much.”

“Well I have a good excuse to go to the races now.”

“That you do, Jake. That you do.”

I was still floating on a cloud when the second half of Saturday rolled around. I’d taken a long shower, applied more deodorant than should be legal, and spent quite a bit of time on my hair again. I picked out a long-sleeved T-shirt and noted that my best button flys were getting a little too short. I put them on anyway.

Alexis and company were late, about 20 minutes late, and I was getting nervous. ‘Do they know where I live?’ I started to run through scenarios. ‘Was this all a joke to someone? Did they get in a crash? Did Deedee change her mind. Did... ‘

HONK!

I whipped my head out the window, recognizing the Hunter minivan. I raced to the front door, grabbing my jacket.

“Bye Jake,” mom yelled from the family room, knowing where I was going.

“Bye mom!”

I ran out into the garage and out the garage door, pulling up short as I didn’t recognize Lexie’s mom at the wheel.

It was Lexie in the driver’s seat.

I walked cautiously to the sliding door as a very cute-looking Deedee opened it from the inside for me, sitting back into the bench seat of the Caravan. I jumped in and decided to shut the door quickly. Mitch turned and gave me a head nod with an outstretched palm to be high-fived.

“What’s up?”

“Yeah, what is up?” I looked at Alexis, leaving Mitch hanging for the moment. “I thought your mom was driving?”

“What’s the matter, Jake, scared?” she challenged, rolling her eyes at me.

It was a bit of a risk for her to drive on her school permit so close to her birthday. She’d be 16 in the fall, and she could lose her school permit if she got caught this way.

I decided to play it cool, slapping Mitch’s hand and dropping into the bench seat close to Deedee.

“Just surprised, I guess.”

I wasn’t going to let this get me off my game. I was genuinely happy to be out on a date, even a double one at that, ‘just bowling’ be damned.

It was time to turn my attention to my date, and what a date she was. She was clad in curve-hugging acid washed Guess jeans that were so much in style at the moment, and a medium blue fuzzy V-neck sweater that set off her smiling eyes. Great eyes, yes, but I could tell that sweater was holding back some amazing boobs. She had light makeup, with a little more around the eyes than I’d seen this week. And she was blushing slightly, a little more freckles on top of her freckles with her dimples in full effect. Being closer to her than I had all week, I also realized she smelled incredible, like some sweet berry. Strawberries, if I had to guess.

“Hi,” I smiled turning to her with my hand out. “Jacob Parker.”

She took my proffered hand and just giggled musically without shaking it. Her hand was hot and I’d already slyly gotten her to touch me, breaking the ice.

“I know who you are!”

“Oh, I thought this was a blind date, but I had no idea my date would be so pretty.”

“Good God, Parker. Laying it on a little thick?” Lexie gagged mockingly.

“Shush!” Deedee admonished Lexie. “Let him talk to ME for once.”

Deedee made a good point. I’d tried to talk to her only once during the week, trying to discreetly chat her up between classes without making a show of it. The situation didn’t lend itself to natural conversation. Lexie had dominated every other discussion we’d had.

“Let me make her laugh, Lexie. Nice things happen when she laughs,” I said somewhat suggestively.

Deedee’s dimples deepened and her chest heaved wonderfully with every giggle.

It did not take me long to discern that we were headed back into our small town, not toward the bowling alley. I decided to let Lexie play her game out. I’d roll with it and not let her get under my skin. I could see her eyeing me occasionally from the rear-view mirror in appraisal.

“Looking forward to the summer?” I turned my attention once again to Deedee.

“Oh, yes!” She gushed. I’m going to be a lifeguard at the pool, my family is taking a trip to Canada, and of course baseball games,” she beamed at me.

“Some girls think baseball is boring,” I said skeptically.

“In the summer, baseball is everything, Jacob. In the fall, football and cheerleading are everything,” she nodded quite positively.

“How come there are no cheerleaders for baseball?” I asked in jest.

“You’d get too distracted,” Lexie pushed her way back into the conversation.

Just then, Lexie pulled into the driveway of what I quickly discovered was Mitch’s house.

“Just bowling, huh?” looked at Lexie challengingly. “Or are we here to pick up your custom ball?”

“You just worry about your own balls, Parker,” she replied, to howls of laughter from Mitch.

“Oh, she got you there!”

Indeed she had. We all got out and I was little nervous as we piled into the house. Clearly no one was home and I wasn’t quite sure what would happen next.

“Mitch and I will be back in a while, Jacob. I’m sure Deedee here can keep you occupied,” She smiled predatorily.

Mitch gave me a grin and a thumbs up and guided his girlfriend up the stairs to what I assume was the direction of his bedroom. Deedee plopped down into the middle of a long couch and smiled at me.

Realizing my jaw was hanging open, I closed it and sat down, putting my right arm on the back of the sofa behind her, almost already in the classic movie theater position.

“Just bowling, huh?” I smiled at her, getting bit more into her personal space. She was really warm, and I was noticing again how great she smelled.

“We might still go bowling,” Deedee shrugged innocently.

“Right,” I said softly, leaning in a little closer. “Is this the usual Saturday night? Lexie drags Mitch upstairs and you’re stuck out on the couch by yourself?”

“Kind of,” she shrugged. “Only by myself since I got dumped. Can you keep a secret?”

“You can trust me. I want you to know that,” I replied firmly.

“She doesn’t trust Mitch,” she shook her head, whispering conspiritorily. “She likes to make out, and other stuff, but she knows he’ll try to take it too far if they’re alone. That’s why someone always has to be around.”

“Gotcha,” I said in understanding. “I won’t say a word.”

“But gosh,” I said looking into her deep blue eyes. “What on earth are we to do while we wait?”

She leaned forward a little, her eyes narrowing. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something...”

I leaned into her and narrowed my gaze, bringing my lips within an inch of hers, daring her to kiss me.

I wasn’t disappointed. She closed the distance, letting her lips press against mine, closing her eyes fully. She had such soft, bee-stung lips pressed softly against mine. I let a slight moan escape me and returned her kiss a little more firmly.

Deedee moaned softly in return, parting her lips as her tongue lightly touched my lips. I didn’t hesitate to invite her in, just the light tip of my tongue touching hers. I felt lightning bolts behind my closed eyes. Her kiss was exquisite, her taste phenomenal. I hadn’t been kissed like this, lightly as it was, in months. A horny teenager was waking up inside of me and I had to keep him under control to do this properly. I kept the kissing soft, even as she demanded more. I wasn’t going to be one to shove a tongue down her throat and ruin this. I let our pace quicken just a little, giving and taking with soft tongues before I dared to bring my left hand into place, gently putting my palm over her cheek. She leaned her neck back slightly, breaking out of the kiss in a soft moan. It was time to come up for air.

I leaned my forehead into hers, opening my eyes to see her deep blue eyes smiling back at me as we panted.

“You’re a great kisser,” she husked.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” I grinned, pulling her lips back to mine. I needed to keep her eyes off my crotch, lest she discover the steel I-beam I was suddenly sporting.

I felt her arms encircle me, pulling me into our liplock. She started getting more aggressive, lightly moaning as she spoke more urgency through her kiss. My left hand on her cheek, my right hand now around her back, I let my tongue graze over her teeth, kissing more opened-mouth now so we could both catch air.

Suddenly she put both hands on my chest, pushing me back gently, as she gasped for air.

“OK,” she panted. “Now the rules.”

“Now there are rules?” I asked between breaths, dropping my left hand to her knee.

“There are always rules,” she smiled lightly. “First, I’m a virgin, and I will be until at least I’m 16. That’s not negotiable.” She added firmly, still holding me at bay.

“Second, if you earn my trust, we’ll be doing more than just kissing, but not full sex.”

“See rule number 1,” I quipped.

She giggled and popped me in the chest with her palm. “I’m serious!” she squealed, her eyes wide.

I nodded in the affirmative.

“Rule three,” she continued. “Please don’t ruin my reputation,” she pleaded with sadness in her eyes.

“I would never,” I promised. “I want you to know that I will never pressure for more than you’re ready for, and what we do together is between us. I don’t brag, and I will not ruin your reputation. I want very much to earn your trust, that is, if we’re doing more here than ‘just bowling.’” I emphasised with air quotes.

“I hope we are,” she blushed.

“Great, then I have one rule of my own. Be upfront with me, be honest. Oh, and if you do ever decide to break it off with me, I want to hear that directly from you, not Lexie,” I said with some measure of vulnerability.

“That’s like, three rules,” she grinned.

“I was never good at math,” I shrugged. “But you get what I mean?” I said hopefully.