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.It felt good, familiar.“Okay, I think I’m going to open it up,” Bobby said.“Tell Zip to get ready with the green.”“Boss, you got—oh, hell, hold on a minute.”A crackling noise filled Bobby’s ears.What the heck was going on? Was there a problem with the headset? Or did his crew pick up something wrong with the car? “Bobby?”The sweetest voice he’d ever heard came over the air.His heart pounded, threatening to burst from his chest.“Bobby…it’s me, Leeann.”His grip tightened on the wheel.“Yeah, I know who this is.”“I…um, I wanted to talk…to you before you started.”He heard the hesitation in her voice, but had no idea what it meant.“Talk now.I’m a captive audience.”“Oh, this is harder than I thought it would be.”She was dumping him.No matter the outcome of today’s run, she was walking away.It’d been fun, catching up with an old love, but sorry, she wasn’t interested anymore.In the camp or him.“Just spit it out, Lee,” he growled.“Be your usual direct self.”“I love you.”His hands jerked.The back end of his car fishtailed as he rounded the curve.Letting off the gas, he slowed, righting his position.“Bobby! Are you okay?”Yeah, he was just dandy.Jeez, he’d never expected her to say that.“I’m fine.Tell them I’m fine.”She relayed his message to whoever stood nearby.He slowed the car as he drove the long straightway opposite of the crowd.Opposite of where Leeann was standing right now.“Say it again,” he demanded.“I want to make sure I heard you correctly.”“I love you and I want us to be together.Forever.”As long as you quit racing.He waited for the ultimatum, but it never came.“Maybe this should wait,” she continued.“I don’t want to distract you—”“You’re not,” he insisted.“Keep talking.”“Bobby—”“Lee, I’ve been driving a race car for the last ten years.I have it under control.” He cut off her protest.There was no way he was going to let her stop now.“You obviously thought what you had to say was important enough to get on the headset.So keep talking.”“No matter what you do, or where we end up, as long as we’re together and you love me as much as I love you, we’ll be happy.” Leeann’s words were soft yet they held an underlying strength and purpose.“The last few years have taught me that I’m in control of the good things in my life and I can handle the bad.The last few weeks showed me that I don’t want to face one more day without the best thing in my life.That’s you.”Stunned, he didn’t know what to say.“Your crew chief is insisting I hand the headset back to him—”“Lee, wait.”“I’ll be at the finish line.Please drive carefully.”The crackling noise was back and Bobby knew the next voice would be—“So, are we going for it on this next lap?” His chief’s deep growl filled his ear.“Or should we call it a day so I can pop open a cold one?”What he really wanted was to get Leeann back on the line but he had to take care of business first.“It’s too early for a beer, chief.Let’s do this.”He came around the last turn.Zip waved the green flag furiously and Bobby pushed the gas pedal deeper into the floor.Soon the world outside was a blur except for the hard-packed dirt in front of him.This was his world, this was what he did best and it felt so good to be back here.In control, pushing the limits, watching the tachometer climb as his confidence did the same.He was back.Bobby Winslow, racing champion, had survived a crash that almost took his life and could’ve ended his career.Damn straight, he was back.Nothing else compared to what he was doing right at this moment…except the woman he loved with all his heart.Leeann was his world now; she held his heart, mind and soul as surely as if she rode shotgun right next to him, just like she used to.He wanted her, every day, every night.He wanted a pack of kids roaming that big house.He wanted to get her a dog that would sleep at the end of their bed.He wanted to create a world where kids could just be kids, without worrying about cliques, money or what they were going to do during the long summer months except sitting in front of the television or playing on a computer.He wanted all of that more than he wanted this.And that easily, he made his decision.“You’re looking good, boss.Top speed, smooth ride.Ready to bring it in?”Yeah, he was ready.“Tell my buddy to wave the checkered flag.This ride is done.”One final lap, then he coasted to a stop at the finish line where the crowd had grown while he’d been driving.His chief helped him out of the harness, and he stood on his own feet, yanking off his helmet.He felt sore but happy.Accepting the back slaps and congratulations from his crew, his eyes were already glued on the tall brunette standing nearby.He started toward her, the crowd parting as she ran to him and threw herself into his arms.Holding on tight, he spun them in a circle, loving how her sweet laughter filled the air.“You better tell me right now, Bobby Winslow.I can’t wait a minute more.”He pressed his lips to her ear.“I love you, Leeann Harris.I always have and I always will.”Her set her down but didn’t let go.He couldn’t, not when holding her felt so perfect.All he wanted was for the two of them to be alone, but the people who’d come to watch him had other ideas.The questions came at him in a flurry.When Leeann started to inch away, he held tighter and looked down at her.“Don’t go anywhere, okay?”She nodded, her eyes bright.“They want you to say something about your test run, which to me looked pretty darn good.”Bobby smiled, enjoying the confidence and love in her voice, then turned to face the crowd.“If I could ask for a few minutes alone here with this pretty lady, I’ll come back to you all with a special announcement that the citizens of Destiny will be the first to know.”He grabbed Leeann’s hand and led her away from the cheering crowd, finding privacy on the other side of the trailer that housed his car.Before he said a word, he pulled his first and only love into his arms, lowered his mouth and gently kissed her.A kiss Leeann returned, her hands strong and sure against his back as she leaned into his embrace.They clung to each other, forgiving past hurts and sharing unspoken promises.Reluctant to release her, his lips wandered over her cheekbones, her eyelids and her forehead before he spoke.“I’m retiring from racing.”Leeann went still in his arms.“What? Did something happen out there?”“The test run went perfectly.”“Then why? You don’t have to do that.”Her words were warm on his neck.“I want to.It’s time, it’s the right decision.”“Is that what you plan to announce?” She leaned back to look at him.“Bobby, you need to be sure about this
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