Connor yanked off his helmet and, without a second thought, pped it right onto Gwh''s head. Before she could even process what was happening, he''d already vaulted over the railing and, with a cocky grin, blew her a kiss from the track below.


    A chorus of gasps and chatter immediately erupted around her.


    "Whoa-did you see that?"


    "Was that Connor? Is that woman his new girlfriend?"


    "Seriously? He''s got a girlfriend again?"


    "Nah, something''s different this time. All those other girls were just rumors, but a helmet? That''s huge. That means he''s serious."


    Gwh stared down at the helmet in her hands, momentarily stunned. She knew just how sacred a helmet was to a racer. And now Connor had handed his over to her, just like that-no hesitation, no fanfare. If she still couldn''t figure out what he meant, she''d have to be a fool.


    He must have misunderstood. Or maybe-ever since she''d identally rear- ended his car, he hadn''t mentioned repairs orpensation, just asked for her number and invited her to watch him race. Was he actually... interested in her? The thought made Gwh distinctly ufortable. She nced at Connor''s friends nearby and awkwardly extended the helmet toward them.


    "Sorry, could you return this to him for me?"


    The group looked stunned. One of the girls shook her head. "Sorry, we can''t help you with that. If Mr. Kaufman finds out, he''ll lose his mind."


    Mr. Kaufman?


    Gwh blinked. Connor barely looked older than her, yet they called him Mr. Kaufman.


    "Yeah, you seriously didn''t know? Connor''s totally into you. Oh my god, are you really going to turn him down?"


    Gwh caught the look of disbelief in their eyes. She hesitated only a second before slipping her left hand into view, showing off the simple silver band on her ring finger.


    The design was understated, but the meaning was unmistakable. Nobody her age wore a wedding ring just for fun.


    Everyone in Connor''s circle stared, dumbfounded.


    He''d just made his feelings so obvious—and she was married?


    That''s a hell of a taste, someone muttered. Guess every guy likes a married woman now and then.


    "I''m already married," Gwh exined, her tone polite but firm. "And I''ve got to run. I''ll leave the helmet on my seat, could you let him knowter?"


    She didn''t wait for a response. Thest thing she wanted was to stick around for another second.


    Out on the track, drivers were


    climbing into their cars, gearing up for the race: Connor hadn''t gotten in yet; his gaze swept over to the stands to the spot he''d picked out for Gwh-closest to the action. He wanted her to see him in his element. All his life, he''d never backed down from a challenge.


    He slid on a different helmet-he''d worn the one he gave Gwh for years.


    He''de to Greenvale with his


    uncle at fifteen. Before that, he remembered almost nothing. His uncle once told him he''d been in a serious crash as kid, but the memory was gone, reced by a nk space. Some things are better forgotten, his uncle said.


    Connor didn''t dwell on it. Missing those years didn''t bother him—what did it


    matter? Childhood was just school and fooling around.


    His parents? Barely a blip in his mind. His uncle said they''d left for Europe and cut contact long ago. With no memories, Connor felt neither love nor resentment.


    Outgoing by nature, he''d once lived in Starfall City, or so his uncle imed. They''d moved to Greenvale for business. But for Connor, Greenvale was home- every memory he had was rooted here.


    Gwh''s sudden departure threw


    to a


    him for a moment, but as soon as he slid into his car, adrenaline wiped everything else away. Once the race began his focus sharpened to razor''s edge. Every move he made was wless, and his supporters in the stands could hardly breathe-watching him, their hearts pounded in time with the roar of his engine.