Checkered Flag Cheater by Will Weaver Read Free Book Online

slower.”
    â€œWhat, are you—
hiccup!
—a doctor now, too?”
    â€œJust trying to help,” Trace said.
    Her chair scraped, and she came to the doorway of the shack. “All right. I’ll try almost anything.”
    â€œStand up and face the track,” Trace said. He stoodbehind her and looped his arms around her belly. She smelled like peaches and hair spray and summer.
    â€œNow what?” she asked.
    â€œNow I’m going to slowly squeeze upward on your belly while you bend forward.”
    She actually followed his instructions—and burped. She straightened up and broke away from his arms. “That’s it?”
    â€œWe’ll see, won’t we?” Trace said.
    Mel sat down on the bleachers and stared off at the track. They were quiet for a long time, which was a good sign. No more hiccups.
    â€œYou looked so different,” she began.
    â€œDifferent? Like how?”
    â€œOlder. Like a man. When you showed up at prom, I didn’t recognize you. That’s what upset me.”
    â€œHey, I’m the same guy,” he said.
    â€œNo you’re not,” she answered. “I know about race-car drivers.”
    She meant race-car drivers and girls—fence bunnies (as Harlan called them).
    â€œI don’t do that,” Trace said. He should have said,
I try not to do that
. But that part didn’t come out. He turned away, as if to survey the speedway. “The track is going to be great.”
    â€œYes, it is,” Mel said, coming over to stand close beside him. She looped her arm through his.
    â€œIt’s going to be a whole different speedway!” Trace said.
    â€œYou thought I couldn’t make it happen?” she teased.
    â€œNo. Not that,” he said. “It’s just a way bigger deal than I imagined.”
    â€œLike me,” she said.
    â€œYes, like you.” He turned back to her; she pulled him down beside her on the wooden bleachers.
    â€œThis whole grandstand is going to be demolished,” she said, touching the worn wood. “New aluminum bleachers with seat backs. New concession area. New johns.”
    â€œSounds great,” Trace said.
    â€œLet’s hope so. This whole thing has to work, or the bank and some investors aren’t going to be happy with me,” Mel said, looking across at the construction equipment.
    â€œIt’s gonna make it,” Trace said quickly. “Drivers are going to love the new track, and it starts with that. Once you have the drivers—once the car count is up—the fans will follow.” There was excitement in his voice.
    Mel was silent. Then she said, in a softer voice, “I was surprised that you came here to the track tonight.”
    â€œYeah, well, my options were kind of limited,” he replied.
    She stared at him.
    â€œI went home, but my dad has a girlfriend. They were pretty drunk.”
    â€œOh dear,” Mel said.
    Trace shrugged. “Adults. What can you do?” he said flatly. He leaned back on the bleachers and looked up atthe moon. So did Mel. The moon had a large bite out of its right side.
    â€œThere’s a word for that,” Mel said.
    â€œFor what?”
    â€œFor which way the moon is scooped out, but I can’t think of it right now.”
    â€œDon’t ask me,” Trace said. Their elbows touched as they leaned back farther.
    â€œRemember last summer when you took me to the gravel pit to see the meteor shower?” she asked.
    Trace nodded.
    â€œI really screwed that up,” Mel said.
    â€œNo you didn’t.”
    â€œDon’t lie. I did. And you know what?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhen I got home, I stayed up late, and you were right—the Perseid meteors started shooting across the sky one after the next. They were unbelievable.”
    â€œI stayed up, too,” Trace said, turning to her. “I saw them.”
    â€œWe just didn’t wait long enough,” she