Smokin' & Spinnin' by Andrea Miller Read Free Book Online

this new world in which I am now gainfully employed. It is amazing how nice he is. He is the polar opposite of Ryan, not at all arrogant. However, I do suspect that he has those tendencies. I am sure in this sport, it is a requirement.
    I turn back to smile at Colton. “I really appreciate you taking the time to do this because I would have been clueless. Honestly, I walked into all this blindly, and I should have known better or have been better prepared.”
    Colton smiles again. “Listen, you will be fine. Ryan’s a jerk. Plus, the only way to learn is to actually get out and do it. Next week, you will be a professional.”
    I laugh out loud. “It doesn’t look like there will be a next week for me, according to Mr. Carter. Speaking of which, I better get back over there now!” I say to Colton as I roll my eyes.
    As I turn to go, my iPhone falls out of my front pocket. Colton leans over to retrieve it from the ground. Before he returns it to me, I notice that he swipes into the home screen and quickly taps something into it with his thumbs.
    I open my mouth to ask him what he is doing, but I am interrupted by the sound of my name: “Whitney!”
    I turn back to see who is calling me. It’s Ryan. My face immediately falls. It is evident that he is pissed off
again. Great!
    I turn to Colton as Ryan strides up to us. “Gotta go!” I turn to leave, and Ryan blocks my path.
    “What the fuck!” Ryan explodes again. “Where the hell have you been?”
    I don’t even dignify his question with an answer. As I stride away from Ryan, I hear Colton call out to me, “See you after the race, Whitney!” And he playfully tosses my phone back to me.
    What?
I am momentarily confused as I reach out to grab it, and then it hits me. Colton is trying to aggravate Ryan by making him think we have something planned after the checkered flag falls. I laugh out loud. I do really like Colton.
    Ryan calls after me again,
“Whitney!”
    I continue to ignore him as I waltz into the pit area and scale the ladder up into the pit box like I have been doing it for years. I look down at Ryan, who is regarding me intently, roll my eyes, and take a seat.As it gets closer to race time, several other team members join me on top of the pit box that overlooks pit road. “Whitney, I assume? An older gentleman in his midfifties reaches out to introduce himself.
    I nod my head. “Yes, sir.”
    “I am Ben, Ryan’s road manager. I hear he is giving you a rough time so far.”
    I smile. “Yes, sir, but it isn’t anything I can’t handle.”
    Ben laughs heartily. “Well, from what I hear, you are already giving him a run for his money!”
    I laugh out loud at his confession. “I guess we will see about that!”
    Ben starts to speak again, but is interrupted by the beginning of the opening ceremonies. He motions for me to stand up with him. The national anthem is sung by a well-known country music artist. Then another person takes the stage, who exclaims, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”
    With that command, forty-something race car engines roar to life. It is like a shotgun to my heart. Really, it scares the shit out of me, and I jump instinctively. It is so loud.
    Ben laughs, but quickly retreats. “I should have warned you about that!”
    I take a deep breath as I try to regain my composure. I can’t even manage a word as the blood sears through my veins. I feel like I have literally been shot. My face flushes from embarrassment again.
    Ben hands me a radio with a headset. “Here…take this. You can listen to communications between Ryan’s spotter and crew chief.” I musthave a look of ambiguity on my face because Ben begins to explain. “Ryan’s spotter, Mike, helps him from the tower up there.” He points to a large building over the front straightaway. “Mike helps Ryan to see through his blind spots.”
    I nod my head as I take in the information.
    “Bobby, Ryan’s crew chief”—he points out a man standing below in the pit