Chapter 140
Chapter 140:
Brinley eased into the driver’s seat, clicking her seatbelt into place as her phone buzzed.
The name “Austin” lit up the screen, and after a brief pause, she swiped to answer.
“Where are you?” Austin’s rich, steady voice came through.
“I just left the Housing and Urban Development Department,” Brinley replied, turning the key in the ignition. “Did you see those rumors floating around online p>
A faint shuffle of papers sounded on Austin’s end. “Yeah. Do you want me to handle it p>
Brinley’s fingers tightened around the wheel.
She knew Austin could squash the gossip effortlessly, but that wasn’t her style. “No, I’ve got this,” she said quietly. “I signed up for the exhibition race, so this mess is on me to clean up p>
A brief silence followed, then a soft chuckle. “How do you plan to handle it? By learning more about racing from the book ‘Racetrack Engineering Analysis’ that you borrowed from me p>
Brinley’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment. “Stop teasing me. I’m thinking of having PR drop some training shots and tie them to old interview pieces to shift the narrative p>
Nеw 𝗐𝘦𝗲𝗸l𝗒 с𝗵а𝗉𝗍е𝗿𝘴 𝘰n
“Fair enough. I’ll stop,” Austin said, his tone turning serious. “Where are you practicing? Do you need someone to look out for you p>
“No need to bother,” Brinley replied quickly. “I’ve got some old friends helping me out p>
She definitely didn’t want to run into Austin at the track—especially not while she was there as herself, without her professional facade.
Austin’s voice stayed even. “Stay safe, then, and come home early tonight. I had the chef make some soup for you p>
“Got it,” Brinley said, ending the call quickly.
She sank back in her seat, staring out at the fading twilight, and let out a slow breath.
Austin’s easygoing demeanor always masked his knack for finding her weak spots.
Instead of heading home, she steered toward a racetrack on the city’s edge. Less isolated than her previous spot, it was perfect for someone “new” to practice in.
She had already told Jensen to stash the red race car and bring out a plain white one instead.
As she pulled in, Jensen was waiting by the entrance with a young man in work gear.
“Brinley, meet my cousin, Fenton Miller. He used to be a racing team technician, and he’ll help you train,” Jensen said, nodding toward him.
Fenton, looking barely out of his teens and a bit shy, gave a quick nod. “Nice to meet you, Brinley p>
“Thanks for helping out,” Brinley said with a warm smile.