Shifting Gears by Audra North Read Free Book Online Page A

not sure about his personality. He was kind of strange, don’t you think?”
    Ranger frowned. “Yeah? I didn’t get that from him. Maybe he seemed a little smarmy, but he could have just been nervous, too. What do you think, Grady?”
    Grady thought about how his own nerves sometimes affected his behavior. How worked up he got on the track, and how it always brought out the worst in him. Panicked and unable to think clearly. Being crew chief could get really stressful at times, and for him personally, being nervous didn’t help matters any.
    He never should have stepped into that role, but they hadn’t had a choice when he’d started out.
    Fine, maybe he should give Fogerty a little leeway.
    â€œHe knows his stuff. I’m with Kerri that something’s off about him, but you could be right that it’s because of nerves.”
    Ranger looked at them both. “Seeing as we don’t have anyone else lined up—it’s been tougher than I thought it would be to find someone qualified—let’s give him a trial period. Three races, make or break. We can invite him out this weekend and maybe he can share the seat with you, Grady? We’ll pay him as a consultant, race-to-race, before we sign anything permanent.”
    Which meant that Grady would still be official crew chief for this weekend’s race, but Fogerty would be expected to jump in as acting crew chief for most of it. To prove his mettle. If Grady was still in charge, he would have said no up front, based on Fogerty’s attitude alone, but given their limited options, this was a smart move. For the billionth time, Grady was glad that a guy like Ranger had taken over Hart Racing.
    He pushed away the resulting feeling of failure simply by comparison and nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
    Ranger turned to Kerri. “What about you, baby? Is that okay?”
    She grinned. “You know I do whatever you think is best.”
    Ranger snorted. “You’re funny, sugar. Great, then I’ll let him know.” He started to rise, pulling Kerri along with him, but before they could leave, Grady asked them both to stick around for one more minute.
    â€œI didn’t have a chance to tell you, but I’ve got someone coming in Monday morning to interview for the team manager position.”
    â€œOh? Anyone I know?” Ranger leaned forward.
    Grady shook his head. “I don’t think so. Her name is Annabelle Murray. She grew up—”
    â€œChina Doll Murray?” Kerri blurted, but immediately clapped her free hand over her mouth, silencing herself for a moment before saying in a contrite voice, “I’m sorry, that was mean. It was what my friends and I called her back then. Just slipped out.”
    Ranger turned to Kerri. “So you know her?”
    â€œYeah. She was our neighbor growing up. She used to hang around a lot but we weren’t exactly friends. She liked watching Dad and Bit and Grady work on the cars, but she never said much. I thought it was because she had a crush on Grady.” Kerri flashed a grin at her brother, and Grady wanted to push her on what she’d just said.
    You thought Annabelle was into me? Because I’m sure as hell into her.
    But this wasn’t the time.
    Kerri continued. “She ended up becoming a teacher, like her mom was, and she moved to Texas with her husband…” Kerri trailed off, looking confused.
    Grady gave a quick explanation of what he’d found out that morning—that Annabelle had taken over her ex’s garage for a time but was now divorced and living back with her mother. When he was finished, Kerri whistled.
    â€œWho would have guessed she’d end up running a garage, of all things? I guess she really was paying more attention to the cars than to Grady, after all.”
    Grady refused to acknowledge how disappointed he felt at that.
    â€œShe just doesn’t seem the type,” Kerri added,