Again, there are glances between us. Is this something we're going to share with an outsider or something we're going to keep to ourselves?
"It's a road downtown," Greg says. There's a look between him and Tyler and a nod.
"We road race," Tyler says.
"Race…like with cars?" Sandy asks.
"Yeah. Big shiny cars," Arden says. "You should see them and hear them. Fucking sexiest things ever."
Greg huffs as he breaks off another chunk of cornbread. Arden's overenthusiastic blurting isn't his style.
"Can I come to watch?" Sandy asks, her sweet voice all high and hopeful.
"It's not strictly legal," Tyler says.
"Not legal at all," Greg snorts.
"We'll keep her safe," Andrew says. "Whoever isn't racing needs to watch over Sandy like a hawk."
"Maybe it's best if she stays here," Greg says. "One of us could stay."
"I want to go." Sandy's tone leaves no wiggle room. Where Greg would probably put his foot down under usual circumstances, he's reluctant to here.
We're all treading on eggshells, trying to make a good impression, trying not to scare away the prettiest girl who ever walked through our front door and not piss off our friend whose heart has been like a raw piece of meat for too long.
"It's dangerous," Tyler says.
"Life is dangerous, Tyler," Sandy says. She doesn't know how right she is, or maybe she does. I'm expecting Tyler's face to go red the way it looks when he's thinking about Jake, but instead, he exhales, his shoulders slumping.
"Who's racing?" Tyler asks.
"It's supposed to be you and Greg tonight," I remind him.
He nods once. "So, you boys will look out for Sandy."
"Sure, T," Damien says. He's the biggest of all of us. Maybe not the toughest—Greg has that title—but his hands could crack a man's skull. If I was going to leave my girl in someone's hands, it would be his.
"Okay then. We need to eat up, then check the cars over. I want to get there early. Make sure we have time to check out the competition."
I guess that life goes on the way it did before Sandy arrives. That's a good thing, I think.
But racing comes with risks. I just hope that nothing bad happens tonight with Sandy as a witness.
18
SANDY
When the boys head outside to take a look at the cars, I follow them. I want to see what the big fuss is all about. The way they were all looking at each other like they were discussing a terminal illness has me intrigued.
Are their insinuations about the danger involved just male bluster?
Whoa. The cars are something else.
One is low, red, and sleek, with black and white stripes painted down the side. The other is fluorescent green, slightly higher and wider with bigger wheels. I'm not a car person outside of loving my old Lexus. Even if I had money, it wouldn't be the place that I would spend it. But I can tell how much the boys love this. They trail their fingers over the sleek paintwork as Tyler jumps into one and Greg into the other. Hoods are popped, and engines started. The purr of both cars in a confined space is as loud as jet engines at the airport. The floor seems to rumble with the power.
Greg leans over the engine, his right ear tilted closer. He's listening intently, but for what, I'm not sure. Is it possible for him to be able to determine a fault with the mechanics just by the sound? That would be some kind of super skill.
They both make checks, Tyler leaning into the car and fiddling with something. It's too dark for me to see what.
"What do you think?" Arden asks me, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. He has a quirky smile on his face like he has seen something funny but hasn't shared it with anyone yet.
"They sure are noisy," I say. "And impressive."
"The power under your foot…it's like ejaculating."
"TMI," Andrew says, his nostrils flaring.
"Well, how would you describe it?" Arden asks indignantly.
"Not like that," Andrew scoffs. "I mean, are you hoping that Sandy knows what ejaculating feels like?"
"I'm sure she's had an orgasm before," Arden says. His eyes unconsciously drift to Greg, and it hits me that they all know what happened here today. Blood seeps to the surface of my skin, heating my cheeks. It's not unexpected but still embarrassing. Sex isn't something I do easily, and trust is a big part of it. Still, Greg isn't exactly breaking my trust by kissing and telling. Tyler's looking for a relationship similar to Connie’s, or at least I think he is.
Relationships involve sex.
We're all on this planet because someone ejaculated.
Does Tyler realize how Connie and Natalie are with their men? Does he get that they all fuck as a group?
Carmella told me that juicy fact. Apparently, Connie has the best sex this side of the Atlantic, and I can believe it. Just one of her husbands would be enough to blow a woman's mind, let alone four of them.