"Great. They have awesome burgers." I dig in my pocket for my wallet, but she shakes her head.

"I got this one." Her lips curl just barely.

Not wanting to p.i.s.s her off, I don't argue her paying, knowing I can take care of it before she gets to the bar. "Thanks." There's a lull and silence between us. For the first time, her presence makes me uncomfortable. She's finding out too much about me, and I'm thinking I need to shut the gate before I lay it all out for her. "Don't forget, garage four. If you need me, call, okay?"

She nods. "Don't worry, I'm not afraid to ask where Wild Card is," she jokes, lightening the mood between us. "You'll have to tell me how you got that name." She begins to leave.

"Would you rather I show you?" I call out to her and she flips around, walking backward.

"Maybe." She shrugs her shoulders and my hand covers my heart when she circles back around again. I swear the girl knows exactly how to handle me. Just like Carly. My heart pinches and I step forward.

BY THE TIME I'm out of Rob's view, I can barely breathe. I place my hands on the fence, taking deep breaths in and out. The situation was intense and more than some rivalry on who can be best in a d.a.m.n drag race. There was an underlying hurt between the three of them and I'm positive it has something to do with whatever haunts Rob every day.

The bar is crowded by the time I make my way there. Standing in line, I wait patiently, acting as though I don't notice the stares and hushed voices. I just want to crawl into a hole and disappear, but that's not an option so I act as though I'm holding up just fine. As if I know what everyone else does around here, even if I'm in the corner of a very dark room, facing the wall.

"Hey, are you Wild Card's girlfriend?" A pet.i.te blonde comes up to me and she can't be more than eighteen.

"No." She's barely clothed with her half shirt and shorts that don't cover her a.s.s. Please don't tell me this young girl has some sort of past with Rob. I'll lose all respect for him.

A wide smile encompa.s.ses her face and a bubble pops out of her mouth. Snap. "Great. So you don't mind?"

"Like I said, I'm not his girlfriend." I interrupt her, hoping she leaves me alone. My eyes catch the guy and girl Rob just had the run in with. The girl stares over at me and I turn my head. There's more than just them, a whole group of them surround three tables. Girls and guys chatting and laughing except for the girl. A leggy brunette sits in the guy's lap and he tips his beer to his lips almost lost in thought.

I dodge to the side to know how many more people are in front of me. Two. Doable for me to grab the burgers and get the h.e.l.l out of this bar. After a little ignoring the girl goes away, probably in search of Rob. He's not mine; I can't claim him. I just hope he has higher standards than jail bait.

Finally, I reach the front of the line and a girl takes my order. Then she c.o.c.ks her head at the order again.

"Cheeseburger with extra cheese, add jalapeos, no lettuce?"

I double-check the order with the text Rob sent me. "Yeah that's it." She waves her hand in front of me in recognition of the order.

"For Rob? Wild Card?" Jesus, does anyone in this place not know who he is?

"Yeah." She smiles, pushing my hand full of money back from the counter.

"He texted Deb and told her he'd come by and pay for it." She points down and I follow her finger to a middle-aged woman chatting with Dan.

"Please let me pay for it." I inch forward across the edge, but her head shakes.

"Nope. Deb was clear and we don't cross Deb." She cringes as though I should just let it go and continue on my way.

Dan lifts his hand and waves over to me, and Deb glances to find who grabbed his attention. She smiles and they whisper back and forth to each other. Deb does a second peek at me, her smile a little wider as she nods her head at whatever Dan is whispering to her.

"Are they married?" I ask the girl after she finishes announcing my order over the microphone.

"Yep." The girl peers over my shoulder at the long line.

"Oh, sorry." I stuff my money back in my purse, grab my number and slide to the side.

"Good luck with Rob, he's a sweetheart," she says and I tilt my head.

"Are we talking about the same guy?" I joke and she laughs. Seriously, I was wondering if she was being sarcastic, but I'm not going to bother her with such a long line.

I lean against the wall of the bar, waiting for my number to be called. It's a cool place and their music choice is spot on. Maybe my dad would enjoy coming here, especially since they play his band along with most of his friends. Before I realize it, I'm singing the lyrics to myself and not paying attention to my surroundings.

"Hi." The cute redhead from outside stands in front of me.

"Hi." My eyes veer anywhere but at her.

"I'm Nora. Nora McConnell." She twists her fingers, weaving them in and out with each other.

"I'm Paige Kensington." I smile and she studies me for an uncomfortable second.

"I'm Carly McConnell's sister." My shoulders slump and this girl believes I should know who she's talking about.

"I don't know a Carly. Is she here?" The girl steps back and her eyebrows furrow.

"No. You're Robbie's girlfriend, right?" she clarifies and I wish she'd be more forthcoming in exactly what she wants from me.

"I'm his roommate."

"Oh, I may have s.p.a.ced out when I saw you. It's weird seeing him with someone else." Her words shock me because you'd think maybe she was an ex, but she's too young. At least I hope so. She peers back to her table of friends and then back to me. "Do you mind meeting me outside after you get your food?" I narrow my eyes at her because I'm slightly terrified she has a secret plan to kill me. d.a.m.n that crime show spree I've been on recently. Makes my mind go crazy.

"Sure," I agree. I desperately want more information about Rob and I'm pretty sure this girl's got the info.

"I'll be watching you." Creepy as all h.e.l.l, but she walks away. Back to the table. When she sits down, no one even notices she was gone, or acknowledges her existence.

Five minutes later, they call my number and the girl behind the counter hands the bag over to me. She leans over the counter and lowers her voice. "Tell Rob, he's got this." She winks and I'm wondering how much she knows of Rob. Then again, there's no jealousy regarding me bringing him food.

"I will." I hold up the bag in the air. "Thank you."

When I step away, my eyes automatically flick to the three tables in the back and I find Nora's seat empty. Why is this some incognito secret mission to talk to me? I'm not even a step out of the bar and I spot her on the side. I follow her down a dark narrow path between two buildings. Not exactly my smartest move now that I think of it. What am I going to do, suffocate her with a hamburger if she attacks me?

She stops at the end, sidestepping so we are desolate from everyone else. My phone dings again, a text from Rob asking where the food is. Hurriedly, I hammer one back to tell him it should be done in about ten.

"Nora, why exactly are you leading me away from everyone?" I try to remain in the sights of anyone walking by so if she does come after me, at least I'm not lying somewhere no one can find me.

"How is Robbie?" Seriously? Is she trying to find out if he's available?

"Ask him yourself. I'm done with this detective s.h.i.t." I begin to flee and she grabs my arm. Spinning around, I get angry. "Why do you want to speak to me?" My voice is cold and stern so she knows I'm done with this game playing.

"I told you, I'm Nora McConnell, Carly's sister." She sounds like a scratched CD.

"I don't know who Carly is. Do you want to enlighten me?" I cross my arms over my chest and the girl's face drops.

"He never told you?" Her shoulders slump and she kicks the gravel down with her shoe.

"Who? Rob? I told you, I'm his roommate." I'm hoping this clueless act I'm portraying profits me with more information.

"I know, but you seem close. I mean the way he took your hand. I a.s.sume when you said roommate, you meant more."

"Nope." I pop the 'p' with significance. "Just roommates." Not like I'm going to tell her that I want to be a f.u.c.k roommate with Rob, instead we just share the rent and divvy up ch.o.r.es.

"Oh." I'm fairly sure by her sad eyes and slumped body, I ruined whatever information she thought she was going to get from me. "Is he happy?"

Her solemn appearance makes me want to find out exactly what is going on here. "Sometimes. Although it may be an act. I'm trying to figure it out."

"You care about him?" She phrases it more like a statement than a question. But the way her eyes glisten with hope, I can't in good conscious lie.

"I do, but he doesn't always make it easy."

"He never has, but after the accident he really took a giant back step to a.s.sholeville." I spit out a laugh and she joins in.

"What accident?"

"In high school with Carly. He loved her so much." Her phone rings and she quickly answers it. "I got my d.a.m.n period, Xavier. You want to come in here and change my tampon? Yeah, didn't think so. Give me some s.p.a.ce." She clicks the phone off and shoves it in her purse. "I don't have much time."

"Before you go, who's Xavier and why is he so p.i.s.sed at Rob?" I step closer as though the secret she's about to tell me can't be revealed so out in the open.

"Xavier's my brother. Carly was Rob's girlfriend." She inches away from me and I follow her step by step.

"What was the accident? Was Rob involved?" I'm desperate for information, but she shakes her head.

"If he hasn't told you, I can't." She must notice my pleading eyes begging her for the information. "I'm sorry, I really am, but it has to come from him." She begins to sprint down the narrow opening, but flips around and jogs back to me. "The reason I wanted to talk to you is, take care of him, okay? Carly would want him happy and living life like he always did." She throws her arms around me and squeezes me lightly. "He needs to let it go," she whispers, and I'm stunned into silence as her small frame runs down the path.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I startle. Fumbling for my phone, it almost slips from my grip, but I recover it, seeing Rob's name across the screen. "I'll be right there." I snap before he has a chance to speak.

"I thought someone kidnapped you," he jokes. Little does he know.

"No." My voice devoid of any sa.s.s that usually comes out when talking with him. A longing to tightly wrap my arms around him rushes through me, and I'm fairly certain he can hear the sympathy in my whisper of a voice.

"Paige?" he questions. d.a.m.n, he definitely hears it.

I will myself to get over Nora and what she just told me. "Are you done f.u.c.king a random chick?" Knowing I need to throw him off in order to not end tonight in the Emergency Room after a huge fight breaks out. Rob doesn't seem like the guy who understands when others mingle in his business. Nora seeking me out, telling me things he doesn't want known could very well escalate a fight between him and Xavier.

The line is silent and I bite my lip quickening my steps to reach Garage four. There's m.u.f.fling in the background, but I can't really figure them out. "You are! You're f.u.c.king someone?" Finding my voice.

"h.e.l.l no. I might be an a.s.shole, but give me some d.a.m.n credit. I wouldn't ask you to come with me and screw someone else." He sounds angry and I know I just p.i.s.sed him off. My questions or the fact he's wondering what took me so long. "Dan's here. I gotta race. Meet me at the fence, okay? As soon as I win, we're leaving." The line clicks and I suck in a deep breath to come to grips with this man.

Going around, I veer over to the fenced-off drag way. Nora is back by Xavier's friends in the opposite lane as Xavier's eyes fixate on Rob from his own car. Rob's car roars up to the start line and the crowd begins forming quickly after word leaks the race is going to start. He never searches me out, which lightly stabs at my heart. I have to remind myself he has something much bigger going on right now. By the time the two cars slowly inch forward, Nora glances up at me and we share a small smile. Dan gets back in the caged area and it's the same sequence as Rob's earlier race.

When Dan's hands throw down, Rob doesn't start off as strong as Xavier and for a moment they're inches apart, each one taking a small lead. With the cloud of exhaust, I'm restricted to make out who won. Everyone screams a minute later and I'm not sure if it's happiness, or anger. I inspect Xavier's group and they all shake their heads except Nora who's staring directly at me.

"PAIGE!" Rob screams over to me and I jolt to search for him. He's on the return road, and he waves me over. Running over to him, the crowd begins to follow me, but as soon as I get in the pa.s.senger seat, Rob speeds off.

"Who won?" I ask for clarification.

"Me." It's one word and you'd think he'd crack a smile or something, but he doesn't. Silence fills our trip out of the raceway and down the country road.

THE SOUND OF the shower wakes me up. I should have been up hours ago at work, but after last night, I just can't go. I've beaten myself up most of the night for slaughtering Xavier. Why couldn't I have let him win? My hand punches the mattress and I sit up, my fingers in my hair, tugging on the short black strands. Images of last night flash through my head. Nora growing up into an identical image of Carly. Xavier's angry eyes toward me, Paige's timid behavior when she came up to the three of us. Mostly, it's Carly that crosses my mind though. The day of the accident, her loving eyes gazing at me like I was her savior. Seeing her siblings that hold the same green eyes and red hair. Their Irish genes shining through. Digging through my wallet, I search for the therapist's number.

I dial the number and the standard recording rings over the line. I wait for the beep. "Hey, it's Rob Winters, give me a call . . . please." I click off the phone and toss it on my bed.

Staying in bed all day sounds pretty d.a.m.n nice, so I turn on my television and prop myself up a little more on the headboard. Our doorbell rings and I wait for footsteps that it's being answered. A minute later it rings again, so I throw the sheet off me and put on a pair of sweats. The water is still running, signaling Paige is in the shower, so I shuffle down the steps and open the door.

A woman stands outside with a boy. She's attractive in that cougar kind of way. Short skirt, tight top and heels that show off her legs. The boy smiles up to me and I spot he's missing a tooth. "Oh my." The woman's hand covers her heart and she flirtatiously smiles. "Who are you?" She steps in without me inviting her and the boy follows, staring down at the ground with each step.

"I think the question is, who are you?" I shut the door, my hand still resting on the k.n.o.b.

"I'm Linda, Paige's mom." She places her hand on the kid's head. "This is Matty, Paige's brother." The kid peeks up through his eyelashes for a brief second and then back down to the floor. Brother?

"Oh, nice to meet you. I didn't know she had family coming." I inch closer now that I realize she's not at the wrong house.

"Believe me, the pleasure is mine." She steps forward and her hand lands on my forearm that's crossed over my chest. "I love your tattoos." Her finger traces the outline of my guitar tattoo. "Whose lips? They must mean something."

I huff and stare down at that stupid tattoo I've delayed too long to get covered. Jessa's lips puckered right to my skin, what the f.u.c.k was I thinking in that moment, other than I was holding on to another girl that I'd lost. "An ex. Thanks for the reminder to get it covered." I smile, not moving an inch.

"I'm sorry. You need help with your wounded heart?" s.h.i.t, this woman is forward. With her being Paige's mom, I'm not about to disrespect her, but d.a.m.n, she's nothing like Paige. Her son's eyes flick up and then back down and his cheeks flush pink from embarra.s.sment.

"Not by you," Paige appears at the bottom of the staircase and I whip my head around. "Sorry, Rob, my mom can be . . . forward." She bends down to her knees, placing her hands on the kid's shoulders. She ducks her head under so she can see him. "Hey, Matty!"

He lifts his head to meet her eyes and offers her a crooked smile. "Paige," the kid whispers, his shoulders deflate in relief at the sight of his sister. She pulls him into a hug and her mom finally removes her hand from my arm. Picking him up, she holds him on her hip like it's second nature.

"Mom, how on Earth did you find me?" she asks and I'm stuck between wanting to find out more information and not wanting Paige to think I'm intruding. Although, I'm positive she intruded into my life last night. The pity in her eyes wasn't hard to miss in the moonlight glow in the car on the way home. Someone told her something.

"Is that anyway to speak to your mother?" Her hand lands on her hip and she juts it out. "I followed you home the other day. But you never told me about your roommate." Her predatory eyes greedily move up and down along my body and Paige growls in frustration.

"Rob, would you mind giving us some privacy?" She sets Matty down on the ground.

"Yeah." I face her mom. "It was nice meeting you, Linda." I nod my head and then look at Matty. "Do you want some breakfast? I was just about to make some."

His scared brown eyes flick to mine and then Paige's. Never his mom's. "Go ahead, Matty. I'm sure you'll like Rob; he acts about your age." She doesn't even giggle at her own dig at me, let alone crack a smile.

"Paige is right, I have some Frosted Flakes." Sneaking behind her, I allow my finger to graze along the small of her back and she arches forward from what I'm sure was electricity shooting up her spine from my touch. "You okay there, Paige?" I back step to the kitchen, shooting her a wink before spinning around after Matty.

The cereal isn't even in my hands yet before shouting fills the small the house. "What the h.e.l.l? You can't just drop him off." Paige screams and I notice Matty's chin fall to his chest.

"So, buddy." I place three different cereals on the table. "Which will it be? Or I can make you eggs." He eyes the boxes and then scoots the Fruit Loops my way.

"Excellent choice. I think I'll join you." When I grab two bowls, the milk, and spoons, Paige and her mom are still going at it. Her mom rattling that she has no option and Paige arguing she needs to be more responsible.

After I pour the cereal and fill them with the milk, I sit down next to him. "So, do they fight like this all the time?" I toss my thumb in the direction of the living room.

He peers up and at first I think he won't answer my questions, but he surprises me. "Yeah." A boy of few words.

"Do you guys live close by?" He stares at me blankly. "Did it take long to get here?"

"Nope." He dips his spoon into the cereal and his mouth opens wide to engulf a huge bite.