Page 64 of That Summer

I hope the break was a true break and she’ll handle this leg with no issues.

Mentally, he flipped through the emergency places he could safely stop at. He’d marked out five, all after the ten-minute point in the leg. Would he need any?

“I think I can handle it. I’ve made it this far.”

“Yes, you have,” he said, putting the car into gear.

If you can do it, I can too.

He tapped his finger against the wheel to rid himself of nervous energy. A flash of light bounced off his racing flag key-chain.

‘Never Drive Faster than Your Guardian Angel Can Fly’

He gave a quick glance to his right.

She had clenched up again, as if in doing so, it would keep out the memories, flashbacks and trauma. Her legs pulled close against the seat, her arms rigid, her hands in tight little fists.

Carmen, Angelina, if you’re following us, please watch over Aurora. Keep her safe. Keep her calm. She’s worked too hard to have this all slip away.

She clearly needed a distraction, just as much as he did. It was enough to make surehearrived safe and sound. It was extra hard—mentally and emotionally—to make sure Aurora did the same.

“Music?”

“Yeah, sure. Something to focus on.” Her breathing moved from deep to shallow in a few heartbeats. Her head rolled forward.

Geezus—we’re not even out of town yet. C’mon!

The Ice Capp soured in his stomach.

He peeked to the overhead storage for music. Nothing much in there she’d want to listen to. She liked the top forty crap on the radio. Not real music in his opinion.

There it is.

One of his favourites. Who knows, maybe something completely different would be a welcome distraction? He’d know if it curled her toes or relaxed her to the core.

He fiddled and inserted the CD. When it kicked in, the most amazing symphony surrounded them. The recording was crystal clear. It was like being right in Carnegie Hall, sitting in the fourth row. The string section played with gusto while the brass instruments trumpeted along. Deep in the back, if you listened hard enough, the melodic harmony from a harp tantalized the eardrums. A gorgeous sultry singer—Guilia Bianchi—one he’d spent many nights watching on YouTube, began singing. He hoped it worked on her, like it did on him. Often, especially after a crazy night of racing, he’d find the music to take him away and soothe his rattled nerves.

She laughed slightly. “What is this?”

“Italian opera.” He turned it up a notch. “I have no idea what she’s singing about, but I make up my own ideas based on the pitch and tone of her voice.”

A smile built from his core. Each glance in her direction, he relaxed as much as she did. The first to unwind were her fists, and then her arms. With that, his grip slackened and the sour build-up diminished. As the diva pierced his heart with her universal outpouring of love, he noticed Aurora’s body posture sink into the seat. It worked on her, just like he hoped.

It made the car ride seem much shorter than it was. The car crunched over the gravel parking lot where he stopped near the main gate and killed the ignition. He stroked the top of her hand. “We’re here.”

“What? We’re here?”

Pride radiated out of him, but it was mirrored back onto him.

Her eyes grew wide as she took in her surroundings. “Oh my god, I did it. I really fucking did it.”

She unlatched herself and jumped out of the vehicle, racing over to him before he could step out. Lunging into his arms, she squeezed him tight. “Thank you, Lucas.”

He wrapped his arms around her. Part one of the big plan had been a complete success.

“My pleasure.” He set her on the ground. “Thank you for listening to opera with me. No one likes opera.”

“Nate does.”