Hot Laps by Shey Stahl Read Free Book Online

what my deal was but I said nothing and Hayden seemed even more uncomfortable
     that I wasn’t saying anything.
    My eyes finally locked with hers and I smiled. “Hey there.”
    Sensing her curiosity for who was with me, I introduced Hayden to my grandma. “This
     pretty girl here is my Grandma, Nancy.” Ruffling her hair playfully, Grandma leaned
     her head against my chest as I wrapped my arm around her. “Grammy, this is Hayden.
     She’s Tate’s niece.”
    “Nice to meet you, Hayden.” Grandma offered her hand.
    Hayden’s eyes found me and I could tell immediately she was nervous so I smiled.
    After shaking my grandma’s hand, Hayden stood there for a minute until she gave a
     small wave of her hand, her eyes locked on her feet. “Okay, see you.” And walked out
     before I could say anything else.
    Only problem was when she turned I think she caught her flip flop on the edge of our
     table and fell.
    I jumped up, scared she hurt herself only to see her laughing.
    “Are you okay?” she let me help her up but then turned and headed for the door.
    “I’m okay.”
    Watching her walk away, I was both amused that she just got up like it was no big
     thing, and slightly annoyed at myself.
    I felt like I should have invited her to eat with us but then again, no one ever ate
     with us so I didn’t say anything. Then I kind of felt like an ass.
    “I hope she’s okay.” I took my seat next to Grandma again.
    “Casten,” she gave me a little slap to the back of my head. “Why didn’t you invite
     her to sit with us?”
    “She was getting take out?”
    “So. Be a gentleman.”
    Just as I was getting up to go ask her if she wanted to eat with us, she was getting
     in her car.
    I shrugged flipping my palms up and raising my hands slightly. “Sorry.”
    Grandma shook her head. “Next time be a gentleman.”
    “Yes, Grammy.”
    I always did everything she said and never once got in trouble with her. I was always
     the good child. At least around her.

    “So …” Grandma smiled as we ducked down in the shrubs eyeing my dad’s truck parked
     in the driveway. “Did you bring the goods?”
    “I did. Went milk this time,” I held the bottle up and she let out a giggle, “since
     he hates it.”
    “Do you think he knows it was us last time?” Grandma had this innocent look of a child,
     no doubt a little worried, but still entertained.
    “Nah. We’re pretty sneaky.” Popping the hood, I placed the rotten milk that I let
     sit in my truck all day in the windshield washer fluid and then replaced the cap.
     “Besides, if anything he’d think it was Spencer paying him back for filling his truck
     with those peanuts.”
    Her eyes went wide. “Can you believe how mad he was about that?”
    “Yes. I can. He had some kind of phobia with that shit.”
    Grandma giggled wrapping her arms around my waist as I walked her back to her car.
     She just lived down the street from us and our property was gated, but I never let
     her walk alone.
    “Have they always been at each other like this?”
    “Yes,” she laughed, warm and flowing as the memories were to her. “Spencer loved having
     a little brother. Jameson didn’t. He never wanted to be touched and Spencer used that
     to his advantage.”
    “What was the first joke you can remember them playing?”
    “The one that comes to mind was Spencer with his glitter bombs. He knows Jameson hates
     anything on his skin and would fill his helmet with it. He’s been doing it since Jameson
     started racing quarter midgets.”
    “Did Dad ever get him back?”
    “Yeah. Jameson always did everything in less obvious ways like knowing what he was
     allergic to and then dumping it on his sheets. That ended when we had to take Spencer
     to the ER one night because he had developed a serve allergic reaction to flour.”
    I started laughing. We did that to Charlie two weeks ago.
    “Spencer also went through a football stage too when he was thirteen. Always had one.
     So