Chapter 12

Speed left the bathroom and slowly made his way out of the garage. A group of reporters stood waiting for him.

"Oh, crap, I forgot all about them," he said. "I wish that just once they'd leave me alone." He forced a smiled on his face as he approached them.

A reporter from the Racing Channel shoved a microphone in his face. "Speed, you've got pole position, how do you think you'll fare today?"

"I'm hoping that the good timing I had yesterday will carry over," he replied, again feeling as if he was going to be sick.

"What do you think of the group of racers known as "The Girl Team" the reporter from ESPN asked him.

Speed gulped, he should have known he'd be asked that question. He thought for a moment before responding. "From what I've seen of their driving, they are very skilled racers. I'm sure they'll make for some tough competition today."

Another reporter from the local ABC affiliate chimed in, "The lead driver, Dallas Maverick, is your next door neighbor. Have the two of you exchanged any racing tips?"

Speed was taken aback. "We're just friends, nothing more!" he sputtered; his face red. He bit his lip, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. "I'm sorry but I don't have time for any more questions. I have to get ready for the race." He quickly turned away from them and went back into the garage.

The reporters were left to scratch their heads in confusion. "What was that all about?" the ABC man wondered.

The man from ESPN grinned. "It would seem that Speed doth protest too much, huh?"

---

Speed stood in the garage, mopping his sweaty brow with his scarf. "Stupid, nosy reporters. Why don't they leave me the hell alone?" He clutched his belly, nausea once more assaulting him. "How long does a hangover last anyway?"

"So, here you are," Trixie said from behind him. "I'd almost think you were trying to hide from me."

"No, not at all. I just came from the uh… bathroom." He leaned over and pecked her cheek. "Um, was I supposed to pick you up?"

Trixie shook her head. "No. Don't you remember that Janine and I were coming with your mother?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "My mind's been on the race, you know how I am…"

"Yeah, I do," she responded. "When you get your mind set on racing, everything else gets pushed to the side. But, that's okay, I'm used to it."

He chuckled, "I've been told I can be a bit self-involved at times."

"Just a wee bit," she teased. With some concern, she noticed that he held his hand on his stomach. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Just a bit of a bellyache. I think that the Moo Goo Gai Pan I had last night is taking its revenge on me. My fault for eating so late," he said, hating to have to lie to her. "Been puking on and off all morning."

"Yuck. I don't envy you. But, the more you get sick, the faster you'll start feeling better," she said sympathetically.

"I hope so," he said with a slight groan as they walked outside.

Dallas watched the couple move away from the garage towards the Mach Five. "Ah don't know what he sees in her. She's got the figure of a boy, no shape at all." She grinned satisfactorily as she thought of the affair she and Speed were having. "Too bad Trixie doesn't know what her loving, dedicated boyfriend is doing behind her back."

She went over to her duffel bag and removed the present she had bought at the gift shop earlier. "Ah've been waiting for the right moment to give this to Speed." Oh yes, now would be perfect time to give the present to him what with Trixie there to witness it all.

"Yoo-hoo, Speedikins!" Dallas called as she walked towards them.

"Oh great," Trixie thought, "Just what I need, the Texas bimbo."

"Hey, Dallas, what's up?" Speed grinned, watching the sexy way she moved.

"Shouldn't Ah be asking you that question?" Dallas asked, winking.

Speed's face reddened. He looked down, not able to face either woman.

Dallas smiled, knowing that Speed was definitely having a physical reaction to her. She could feel Trixie's glare boring into her. Just what she wanted. Her smiled widened to sickening proportions as she finally acknowledged Speed's girlfriend. "Hello, Trixie. Ah see you're going to help out in the pit," she said, referring to the outfit that Trixie was wearing. "It's right smart of you to wear something old and out of style when you do something like that."

"Isn't that a new blouse you're wearing, Trix?" Speed asked.

"Yes," Trixie said with a scowl.

Dallas acted surprised. "It is? Ah'm soooo sorry. Ah guess Ah forgot that not all women care whether they dress in style or not. Ah do have to say, Trixie, Ah admire you for not being embarrassed about buying clothes off the discount rack."

Speed said nothing as he looked from Trixie to Dallas.

Trixie's anger built at Speed's silence. Wasn't he going to defend her? She'd had just about enough of this whole thing with Dallas. "Is there any reason you came over here?" Trixie didn't try to hide the sheer hatred in her voice.

"Oh yes, Ah have something to give Speedy." She held out the present she'd bought for him. "I saw these in gift shop and thought they'd be perfect for him."

Speed's voice was filled with delight. "Driving gloves! Oh wow, they're really nice. Thanks!" He opened the box and tried them on. "Very soft inside." He thrust his hands in front of Trixie's face. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"I've seen better," she responded flatly.

Dallas smirked. "I doubt that. These are the highest quality gloves ever made. And look at the deep color, it accentuate his long slender fingers…" She turned to Speed, "Don't they darlin'?"

He giggled nervously. "Hehe, yeah…I guess."

Trixie narrowed her eyes. "Speed has perfectly good driving gloves."

"He doesn't need them anymore. Not with those new, soft, deerskin gloves. They're so much nicer than those icky ol' thangs." She grinned as she watched him stretch his fingers. The expression on his face told both women exactly how he felt at the moment.

"These fit so well. I'll bet they have a good grip of the steering wheel." He reached into his back pocket and removed his old gloves. Examing them, he said, "Icky, yeah, I guess they are a bit icky." He discarded them to the ground.

Trixie pulled a face of disgust at her boyfriend. "Icky? Hmpf! You certainly didn't think they were icky when I bought them for you!"

Dallas moved closer to Speed. "Well, maybe at one time he thought they were fine. Until, he saw what true, well-made gloves feel like."

"Ohhhh!" Trixie fumed. "I'm not even going to bother wasting my time with either of you anymore." She straightened and walk deliberately away from them.

"Oh damn, she's really pissed off," Speed said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I really need this right now."

"Aw, what's the matter, sugar, you have a headache?"

"Yeah, and it's a whopper. My eyes feel like they're gonna pop out of my head."

"Oh, Ah get those kinds of headaches sometimes. You know, Ah think Ah might have somethin' that'll help you."

"Do you?" Speed asked, hoping that soon he'd feel some relief. "I'd really appreciate it."

"Ah'd never want you to be in pain, Speedy. You just hold on a minute an' Ah'll be back with something that'll make you feel better lickety-split!" She headed back towards her pit.

"God, I hope that whatever she has will help this nagging headache," he thought as he watched her rummaging through her bag.

Trixie had gone back into the garage, but was still able to keep on eye on Speed and Dallas from where she stood. When Dallas walked away, she almost went back to Speed. Almost. "No, I'm not going to go to him. He let that witch insult me, he should be the one to apologize." She definitely decided to stay where she was when she saw Dallas return. "Now what?" she wondered.

"Honey cakes, Ah have the perfect cure for you." Dallas held a small prescription bottle. "Darlin' hold out your hand."

Speed hesitated before letting her pour three tiny pills into his hand. "Uh…what are these?" he asked.

"Nothing dangerous. It's just something my doctor gave me to help with the nasty sinus headaches Ah sometimes get." At Speed's unsure expression she added, "Don't worry, they're not dangerous. I take them all the time."

Speed nodded. "Okay, if you take them, I guess they won't hurt me any. But, why three?"

Dallas smiled. "Honey, you're a man, you're bigger and more muscular than Ah am. Two of those lil ol' pills wouldn't be enough to help a strong, masculine guy like you."

Speed blushed, Dallas really knew how to build his somewhat fragile ego. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll drink some water and take them."

"You do that an' before you know it, you'll be your old self again." She squeezed his hand, he didn't pull back.

"Thanks, Dallas. Um…Are we still gonna meet tonight?"

"Of course, Honey. But, Ah might be a little late. Daddy will want me to have a celebration dinner with him, whether I win or not. So…" She reached into her pocket and pulled a single key attached to a green plastic key chain that read, Pines Motel UNIT 5. Maybe you should take this and wait for me in the room."

"Sure," he said as he took the key and stuck it in his pocket.

"Oh and remember not to worry about anything. Ah don't think a couple of times without using protection is a big deal. Ah'm sure Ah'm not pregnant."

"Pregnant…" the word slammed into Speed's brain. No, she couldn't be. Could she? "Yeah…sure…" There was a moment of silence before he continued, "Dallas, maybe it's not such a good idea for us to meet later…"

"Why not?" she shrugged. "You've got condoms, right? Just make sure we use them. We'll be safe. An' if Ah am carrying your child, well it's already too late so we might as well enjoy ourselves."

Speed couldn't argue with her logic, besides his head was pounding too hard to really think about much of anything. "Alright, I'll see you after the race." He almost leaned in to kiss her, but thought better of it. "Thanks for the meds, and good luck today."

"You too, Darlin," she said. "See you later." She grinned malevolently as she watched Speed pop the pills in his mouth, bend over a water fountain and swallow them down. "You'll need all the luck you can get after those pills kick in, Speedy-boy." she whispered to herself.

She went back to her pit and tossed the pills in her duffel bag, the label faced out: CAUTION – May cause extreme drowsiness, do not drive or operate heavy machinery. Do not take more than the prescribed amount, as the active ingredient in this medication may act as a hallucinogen.