Stacked Deck

“Yes. But right now you need to understand where I’m coming from. I have the money that it takes in this game. I have the desire and I’m going to be involved in buying, building and running a winning Formula One team. That’s going to happen, period. It’s not a question. And I want the best drivers in the world on my team. I think you’re one of the very best talents there is. But you need the right people on your team and the right equipment.”

“And Giambi’s not the right guy?”

“That depends on his future. If he’s got a financial problem, which he does, compounded with political problems, that changes things where he’s concerned. So I have to know something about you.”

“I’m an open book.”

Another lie. She couldn’t seem to get him to drop his act. She’d have to try a different tactic.

“What is your top priority?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is it loyalty to Salvatore Giambi, or is it your desire to get back into Formula One racing?”

“I’m a loyal kind of guy. He’s done a lot for me and I wouldn’t betray him, if that’s what you’re asking.” He did a short fugue with his fingertips on the table. She couldn’t make the tune out, but Beth finally felt as if the door had opened just a crack.

She said, “I’m not talking betrayal. If he couldn’t make it work for you, would you walk to another offer?”

“If he couldn’t make it work, then yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Look, I’m a racer. I’m not anything else. I don’t want anything else. I want to race. I’ll do what I need to do, within limits, of course, to get back into the game.”

His eyes held her gaze. He was finally telling the truth. Gotcha!

“Good. We’re beginning to understand one another.”

For the next forty minutes and two more drinks, JD listened to Anne analyze the world of Formula One and how she intended to conquer it. The woman knew more about racing than he did. She knew every team, every driver and his results for the last ten years. He was amazed and highly impressed.

He found himself laughing with her, enjoying her enthusiasm, and really starting to like this rich widow’s vision of his future.

At the same time, he was growing increasingly wary. As Giambi had said, and as JD well knew, the most dangerous woman is one who is both great-looking and smart. She was working hard to reel him in, but he wasn’t going to be that easy.

When they left, she said, “You don’t mind if I drive a short distance, do you?”

He started to hesitate, but she grabbed the keys right out of his hand. “You aren’t going to deny me a thrill like driving a Bugatti Veyron are you?” She brushed up against him ever so slightly, but he felt the heat charge up his legs.

“Be my guest. Just take it slow. This baby can get away from you in a hurry.”

They got in and he turned in his seat, pointing out the details of the car. A lot of females he knew, and a lot of males for that matter, couldn’t drive stick, let alone handle a real beast like this one. He didn’t want her launching it into a wall before they even got out of the parking lot.

Next thing he knew he was the one launched. He flew backward into his seat as if he’d been body slammed. And suddenly they were leaving town like they were escaping the front wave of a tsunami.

“Shit! Slow down,” he yelled. “This thing has over a thousand horsepower. More than a Formula One race car. It’s a lot to handle. You’re gonna get us killed.”

“Not if I can help it,” she yelled back, laughing.

And she continued laughing as they jumped from zero to a hundred so fast it was like they’d been shot from a cannon.

And then, the full monster sixteen cylinders kicked in and she nearly lost it. She fishtailed coming around a turn, he grabbed the wheel and helped her get it straightened out, but she pushed his hand away.

She said, “Whoa, that’s some beast under the hood. Damn, this feels good.”