There was a lot of hesitation considering how much was happening around Dean at the moment, but finally he decided to go to that car race. And as Renee had promised, she accompanied him there. It was a nice escape. One day that was spent without worrying; no work, no personal problems, no life struggles. Just Renee. Dean was surprised to see her enjoying their day off. She cheered for her favorite and Dean watched her. He was happy; truly happy. Finally he felt relaxed. Not that the race was boring but he could fall asleep right there in his seat. It was so wonderful.

After the race finished, Renee waited for some people to leave so that it wouldn't be so crowded at the entrance and then she stood up to leave too. Dean left his seat as well but he stopped Renee from turning toward the exit. "We're not leaving yet," he announced to her.

"No?" There was something excited about the way she asked. She seemed to have liked the event Dean took her to so much that she didn't want to leave just yet.

"We're meeting somebody."

The stadium was emptying out. Dean was holding Renee's hand as they made their way through the crowd. He was guiding her to safety. People were annoyed when he pushed them aside to pass by them and get to the front. Dean was enjoying pissing them off and Renee surprisingly found some pleasure in it too.

Renee knew better than to ask Dean where he was taking her or who they were meeting; he wouldn't tell her if she asked. He would just smile. It was fun for him to know more than others.

They approached an area where the unauthorized persons were not allowed. "And I guess you'll let us in," Renee spoke to him.

"Of course," he grinned.

"Are we meeting a rider that was in the race?" It seemed to make Renee glad if that were true. "Do you know any of them?"

"I know half of them."

"Is by any chance among them the one I wanted to win?" Her favorite rider in green car unfortunately ended forth; he missed the podium by less than two seconds.

"Bart? Maybe we could see him a little later. Right now I think he's pretty pissed for losing that third place."

The security stopped them; they were told they couldn't go any further. But Dean did some smooth-talking and showed the guy a pass. Immediately they got through. The security guy even apologized for inconvenience. Then there were no problems. Nobody looked at them because they'd find it weird for them to walk through the paddock.

"Don't you feel differently being here than when you're watching the riders from your seat?" Dean asked.

"I feel like I don't belong here."

Dean chuckled. He was used to being there so he found Renee's nervousness unusual but cute.

They turned left at the gate that belonged to winner of today's race.

"You know the winner?" Renee asked before they entered or saw the man of the day.

"We've been friends for a couple of years."

"That's cool."

Renee's reaction prompted Dean to wonder. "Isn't it strange? Once you're surrounded by stars you forget you're a star yourself."

"Don't worry, honey. I haven't forgotten who I'm dating."

"Good. Please remember it when you see those guys." Dean knew how they looked and what effect they often had on women. Renee wasn't like the other fans but still it was dangerous to bring her there.

"Is it me or are you a little insecure?" Renee teased him. Then she stroked his cheek but pulled her hand away when she noticed a guy walking toward them. He was in the black overall; his helmet was off. A part of the overall was unzipped and showed his chest. He walked briskly. There was smile on his face; of course, he was the winner.

"Dean! Great to see you here," he started speaking loudly even before they were close to each other. Then Dean and he greeted like old friends.

"This time without Cas–"

"Congrats to your fantastic race," Dean said in a hurry to avoid that sentence to be finished. It contained information that Renee didn't need to have; that this rider and others, too, were used to seeing Dean with Cassie. They were regulars to the races. Ever since she moved to Las Vegas and Dean took her there for the very first time she started to love it. And when Dean came to the city, they attended a race together. Never before had anybody seen Dean visiting the paddock without Cassie and vice versa.

"Thanks," the happy but confused winner responded. He watched Renee; she didn't seem to have noticed anything strange about his unfinished sentence. It was loud in there so that may have helped to avoid the uncomfortable, difficult-to-explain situation.

"Hi," the charming guy with blonde, wet hair addressed Renee. He offered his hand for official greeting. "I'm André." He gave Dean a short, sly look; it was his job to introduce them.

"Renee," she smiled back and accepted his hand.

"So Renee; are you a fan of mine?"

Dean was first to answer, "No. She actually wanted Bart to win."

Renee wasn't happy that Dean revealed the secret. "No," she refused the accusation. "Well, yeah," she changed her mind and said the truth. "But I don't know any of the riders. This is the first time that I'm here."

"I hope it won't be the last. There're never enough pretty girls here."

"Hey! Hey! Back off," Dean interrupted their discussion. "It's my girlfriend you're talking to."

"I think you should have started with that information," he joked. And to Renee, "He hates when I flirt with the girls he's here with."

Dean was on the alert. He shouldn't have said that. André shouldn't have said that in front of Renee. And André realized it himself. He sought a way out of the trouble he might have gotten Dean into. But Renee was quicker. "Does he bring a lot of girls here?" she asked. She wasn't angry but rather curious. Of course it didn't make her happy but it could have been worse.

"Well . . . no . . . not anymore . . . not since . . . how long have you been together?" So he evidently chose the screw that strategy, after all.

Renee smiled. Dean was getting ready to kill him. Finally things were good between him and Renee again and now the guy who was supposed to mean no threat to their relationship was gonna mess it up for Dean? No way.

"Renee, darling, sweetheart, I swear I don't bring any random chicks here." For one thing, that was true.

"I didn't say anything," she defended herself. Despite everything, she kept her relatively good mood. "Breathe, Dean. You're safe." She smiled at him. Then added, half-jokingly, "For now."

Afterwards she looked at the rider that was still in their short distance although pretending to looking for something. Now that the fight was averted, he returned with all the consciousness to the guests. "So what do you do, Renee?" he asked.

"I'm a broadcaster. I work with Dean. But I guess he omitted that information as well."

"To be fair, he's not once spoken of your existence."

"Now you do it on purpose, don't you?" Dean attacked.

"He's just jealous," André explained Dean's behavior to Renee. "He's a generally jealous type of guy."

"Bullshit," Dean uttered. But they both knew better. Dean was not only jealous when a guy flirted, or just talked, to his girlfriend. Maybe it wasn't a rule but he also got jealous when guys flirted with his ex-girlfriend. At least when André flattered Cassie. It worked perfectly to piss off Dean. And André, as a true friend, enjoyed it. Cassie did as well; she didn't mind much how protective of her Dean was although they were long apart.

"André," a guy holding a shirt called at him. André turned around. "You need to sign this," he said and handed him the shirt and a marker.

"Could I get an autograph too?" Renee asked.

André smiled, "Sure. Where would you like to get it? Photograph, T-shirt, or would you like it on a part of your body?" he asked, perfectly teasing Dean.

For a second she considered the last option, but after seeing Dean's annoyed face she decided for the photograph. "You seemed to be used to giving out autographs," Renee noticed. His hand was steady even when he was signing that T-shirt basically in the air.

"I have won most of the races this season. And I'm the last year's champion," he let her know.

"Good luck for the rest of the races."

"It's not the good luck that makes me pass the finish line first." André leaned toward her, speaking more quietly, almost whispering, as to tell her a secret. "You wanna know why I win and not them?" he pointed at nobody in precision but Renee got it. She shook her head, interested in the answer. He said, still pointing, "Married. Married. Engaged. Two children. Steady relationship." Then he pointed with the finger on his left hand at himself. "I'm single. I'm fully committed to the racing. Nothing can distract me."

"Nobody awaits you at home," Renee countered.

André smiled. "True. But then again," He reached for the object on the table nearby. "I got this." And he showed his trophy. Seeing Renee's non-understanding look, he said, "I know what you think right now. Gosh, of course he's single when he's so cocky. But you know, few of us are so lucky that they find somebody worth sacrificing their career for. Maybe when I find that person, I'll stop winning and be a loving husband instead. Until then . . ." The end of that sentence never came.

That year was his last at the circuit. He became a champion. Unfortunately he broke his collar bone at the last race of the season and another injury from motocross in his spare time stopped him from sitting down behind the wheel again. At least not professionally. So in the end it wasn't falling in love that prevented him from winning. But that came too. And he really became a loving husband. And his wife was one of the girls that came to see him after the race. But she wasn't a fan. Not at first. She was just a former girlfriend of his good friend.