Pedal to the Metal: Love's Drivin' but Fate's Got the Pole (The 'Cuda Confessions Book 3) by Eden Connor Read Free Book Online

Shelby’s been showing us how grown up she is for years. She’s not about to tolerate such an old-fashioned notion. Don’t let him scare you.”
    “Wait. Am I at the right table?” I jerked upright. “Mr. Kossel, I don’t know who spends more time telling me I need to pay more attention to tradition, my mother or your son. And now, they’re just gonna let Robbie wriggle right off that hook? I don’t think so.”
    “Give him hell, Shelby.” Senior laughed. “Every man secretly wants a woman who’ll make him work his ass off to get her.”
    I winced inwardly. Senior had no way of knowing he’d just insulted the fuck out of my parents.
    This was a terrible idea. 
    Mom straightened in her seat, looking like she’d just had a corncob shoved up her ass. “Shelby, why don’t you bring Robert home for spring break? We have plenty of bedrooms. Oh. I know! Why don’t we all fly to the race? Doris and Richard have a lovely box at Martinsville. Have you ever been to a NASCAR race, Robert? It’s a huge party. Where will we be that week, honey?”
    “Bristol. That’s in Tennessee,” Dale added with an innocent look that made me choke on my tea. I took another shot at Robert’s ankle. He moved his foot, but had the sense not to take Mom up on the offer. The way Dale just happened to know the date of an event that was two months away gave away the pre-planned nature of her ‘sudden’ idea.
    “Sounds like a fun trip.” Senior beamed at Mom, then darted Robert a sideways glance, but Robert reached for the wine bottle and ignored his dad, thank the Lord.
    “Richard and Doris own the team, I believe? You’ve been with Ridenhour a long time, Dale. Quite the career.” Senior rushed to cover the awkward silence.
    “Quarter of a century. When they gonna cut that cast off, Shelby?” Dale propped his elbows on the table, resting his chin atop his folded hands. Mom nudged him. He dropped his hand beneath the table, then slid one arm behind her and gave her big eyes, like a naughty schoolboy who’d gotten caught with mud on his shoes.
    My anger at her for being embarrassed by Dale skyrocketed.
    I lifted my encased elbow and placed it on the snowy linen, meeting Mom’s glare with a bland smile. “I made them take new X-rays last week. Now, they’re saying only three more weeks, rather than six. He tried to say, once the cast came off, I’d have to go to physical therapy. I told him Harry’d get my tray-lifting arm into shape for free.”
    “Really, Shelby, you should listen to the professionals.” Robert stroked the grimy purple plaster like I was some lap cat. He lifted a brow and gave Mom an exasperated look. “Help me out here, Mrs. Hannah. She’s always been impetuous, but since the wreck, she’s gotten... well, let’s say her filter got knocked to the ‘off’ position. If it passes through her mind, it comes out of her mouth.”
    “This is still America, ain’t it?” Dale’s eyes twinkled. “Woman ought to be able to say what’s on her mind.” I wanted to hug his ass for that damn smirk. “Especially a college-educated woman like my daughter. When she talks, I listen.”
    “You will go to therapy,” Mom announced, sealing the idea in my mind that I, indeed, would not. “No arguments, Shelby. You can’t play around with an arm that was shattered in three places. I just spoke to Doris about this the other day. She assured me that physical therapy is covered by Dale’s insurance. Therefore, I fail to see the issue.”
    Robert sat up straighter. “Was there any problem with the insurance claim on the car she wrecked, sir?”
    “No claim. Her brother’s fixin’ ‘em both up.”
    “But, your vehicle insurance—” Senior began. “Uh, had coverage lapsed?”
    I glanced down for something to smack the old man with, but dale’s tone was smooth as glass. “Ain’t no claim to be made. Turns out, the insurance folks get their boxers in a bunch if you wreck durin’ a drag race. That’s not a