"Brooke, wake up. We're here."
"Huh?" she sleepily stirred.
Slowly her eyes opened and focused on the scenery passing by in the car window. There was a large building that bore the name Cooper Lee Enterprises. Nathan maneuvered the Camaro to a parking space towards the back.
"Here we are, sleepy head", he said, taking the keys from the ignition. "This is it."
Brooke stretched and yawned before opening the door to get out. Her eyes surveyed the area and widened when she noticed the track behind her.
"Nathan, this is it", she said excitedly. "There's the track!"
He couldn't help but smile at all her enthusiasm. She was like a little kid at Christmas.
"Whoa. Slow it down", he chuckled. "It's a track but not the one for our race, remember? We have to go to Darlington for that. This is Charleston."
"Oh", she shrugged. "Well, can I still go look?" she asked hopefully.
Nathan shrugged.
"Sure. Knock yourself out. I'll be down in a minute. I'm just gonna go say hi to a couple of people."
Brooke practically skipped to the track and Nathan stood just watching her for a minute.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the prodigal nephew", Cooper came up behind him grinning.
Nathan turned around and smiled.
"What's up, Coop?"
Cooper playfully slung an arm around him and pulled into a manly hug.
"Nothing much, man. I had to do a double take when I thought I saw your ass out here. Why didn't you tell me you were coming down today?"
"I really didn't know until the last minute. Brooke and I have been trying to get down here for a while. It's just been crazy getting matching schedules. Anyway, we're here and I wanted to bring her down and check out the new ride."
Cooper shook his head as he watched Brooke running ahead on the track.
"Dude, she's hot. Much hotter than I remember. Damn!"
Nathan rolled his eyes.
"She's cool."
"She seeing anybody?"
"Not that I know of. She's new in town and all. Mom gave you as much of the back story as we know."
Cooper ran his hands together.
"Young, svelte, beautiful. New in town, perhaps kind of lonely. And she's into racing, too? I'd say it's my lucky day. Or at least hers. We're a match made in heaven."
"Coop, Brooke is here to help me out. I didn't bring her here to have you hit on her. Besides, I just don't think she's in the market for a man right now."
"Fine. I'll back off. Play it smooth. But she won't be able to resist me and my worldly charms for long."
"I'm sure."
"Okay. Um, you sure you're not eyeing her for yourself?"
"No. We're just friends and in case you forgot, I have a girlfriend, who is probably running around here as we speak."
Cooper gave a knowing smile.
"No, man, I didn't forget. I was just making sure you hadn't either."
"Can we take a look at the car?" he asked, changing the subject.
"You bet", Cooper grinned. "It's a real beauty and you're gonna love it, Nate."
The men walked over to a hanger and Cooper instructed one of the crew members to remove a tarp from a car in the back and drive it onto the track. When it arrived, Nathan felt his knees buckle. It was a black Monte Carlo SS complete with racing stripes and the number "23", Nathan's lucky and favorite number…the one he'd worn on his jersey Senior year in high school as a Raven. Right above the door was his name in huge letters… "Nathan Lee".
"Now this is a hot car", Brooke exclaimed.
Nathan just shook his head in disbelief.
"Dude…I don't know what to say. This is too much."
"Consider it a gift", Cooper shrugged.
"You know I can't just accept this, man."
"Fine. Pay me back with a win."
"Coop…"
"Not another word unless it's a thank you", Cooper winked as he walked over to Brooke.
"So I don't get it", Brooke frowned. "Did you buy this or did you build it?"
"Funny, you should ask", Cooper answered suavely, his eyes twinkling. "Follow me. There's something I want to show you."
Brooke smiled and she and Cooper made small talk while they walked ahead of a quiet and overwhelmed Nathan. Finally they were at the back of the hanger.
"What's this?" Brooke asked.
"This is what is known as the cage", Cooper pulled back a curtain to expose a frame of a car still in the middle of assembly. "All the cars we custom build start out looking like this. Today the guys are gonna install the front end and the suspension components. Once the body is built we have to put the car on the track to test it out, then all you have left is fine tuning it to fit the driver's style and personality."
"This is so cool", she said after the brief tour and return to Nathan's new Monte Carlo. "Aren't you excited, Nathan?"
He tried to smile.
"Yeah. This is pretty cool."
Brooke watched as he popped the hood. She reached in her bag pulling out a small notepad where she annotated the horsepower, engine size and other detailed components.
"You're pretty good", Cooper observed over her shoulder.
"Thanks", she winked. "I had a pretty cool teacher."
"The only thing left is for you to take a ride in one of these babies. What do you say?"
"Really?" Brooke asked.
"Really. This is a good view and all but the best view comes from inside. Nate?"
"Yeah but Brooke should take the course and it's so much to do. She wouldn't be ready before at least tomorrow and we can't spend the night…"
"Yeah, if she were actually gonna drive. She's just a shotgun passenger. Now quit being a little pussy and get out there and show her what it's all about."
"Yeah", Brooke teased.
"Brooke…"
"Come on, Nathan. Please. Pretty please", she begged.
How could he resist that face? With a sigh, he relented and they geared up to take a spin around the track. They got in and started the engine and began circling the track building up speed as they went along.
"Okay, Brooke. You want to enter turn one high, remember?"
"This is so fun! I just can't believe this thing didn't come with a CD player."
" Come on, Brooke. You have to pay attention."
"Okay. I know. This is just so exciting. I can't help myself…"
"Brooke", he sighed.
She sensed the change in his mood and the serious tone of his voice.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"Nate, talk to me."
He took a deep breath.
"I don't know. I guess it's just nerves. Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. And Coop getting this car for me…"
"It's a great car."
"Yeah but I kind of like to do stuff on my own. My old car was good enough. I just want to win on my own."
She smiled at him.
"And you will. This is all you, Nathan. Coop just wanted to help out. Just like I do and Daytona and her father and everybody. It's okay. But when it comes down to it, on race day it's you behind this wheel. It's all on you. But don't get down on yourself. You should be happy. This is going to be great."
Brooke was right and he knew it. It just took a little outside prodding to help him figure it out.
"Yeah", he managed to smile. "I guess you're right."
"I'm always right", she grinned. "Now show me what this baby can do."
They were both feeling the need for speed and Nathan knew exactly what to do. He kicked it up a few notches keeping at 5 on the tack, safe enough for the test run but just fast enough to give Brooke a newly discovered thrill at 140 miles per hour. He glanced over to make sure she wasn't frightened and she wasn't. She squealed with excited delight as she clutched on to the safety belt. Her happiness was contagious and he couldn't help but grin either. It was all coming together and the pretty brunette had proved to be a valuable asset in more ways than one. She was an important part of the team. He just hoped she'd be able to co exist with the other Team Lee VIP member…his brother, Lucas.