Perfect Storm

Chapter 7

Much to my dismay, Ross's little PR appreciation post had a lot of people talking. Because he had tagged Ryan, Joey and Austin in it, as well as Penske, it had gotten even more views, well into the thousands with hundreds of comments, and I couldn't help but read a few.

@blaneys#1fan: Does this mean Ryan and Bree are back together? Please say it is 🙏

@fangirl12: Ryan and Bree belong together ❤️

@blaneybabe: Bree is so much better for Ryan than @lakenwoods

Oh great, Laken got tagged as well.

@blaneyfangirl: I actually prefer Ryan with Laken 🤷‍♀️

@blaneys#1fan: @blaneyfangirl no way! Ryan and Bree all the way. Laken is all about herself.

@blaniac12: Bree > Laken

@fanofmelonman: I think there is something going on with Bree and Ross.

@melonmansgirl: Ross and Bree make a cute couple.🥰

@cindricfan: But why is Austin so cute with Bree? 🥰

@penskefan: @cindricfan no way!!! She's too old for him.

@12hasmyheart: Bryan (Bree and Ryan) stan.

I had read enough. I'm sure Ross didn't expect this to blow up the way it did. Or maybe that was his whole intention. It was no secret that he wanted me to get back together with Ryan. I should be mad at Ross for causing so much attention, but I'm not sure how I feel. I know one thing for certain though, if Laken sees it, and I'm sure she will since she got tagged, she won't be happy at all since apparently a lot of fans still ship Ryan and me.

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I decided not to confront Ross about the little mess he created. He would either play it off as an oops, or he would use it as another opportunity to throw it in my face that I should tell Ryan the truth and try to get him back. I had no desire to keep beating a dead horse. Besides, even if I did tell Ryan the truth, who's to say we would even get back together? Maybe he really is happy with Laken like he claims.

Throughout the day, I focused on work. We had a lot of racing going on, so it was easy to avoid Ryan, and everyone else for that matter. I turned off my notifications for Instagram because they were constant and refused to even look at them. I was here to do my job anyway.

Ross failed to advance to the main race, so that was a huge disappointment. Instead, I found myself watching the Penske drivers out of habit. Austin didn't advance, but Ryan and Joey did.

Ryan got wrecked by Erik Jones and showed his displeasure by throwing his HANS device at Erik's car. A rare show of emotion from Ryan, but amusing nonetheless.

Joey ended up winning, which made me happy. I had never seen him smile so big. I didn't get a chance to congratulate him. He cut his media short. He had to rush back home to North Carolina and get ready for his daughter's birth.

********

As promised, I baked a batch of cupcakes for Joey, Brittany and the boys, only I made the frosting pink in honor of their baby girl. I gave them a couple of days to settle in before I showed up with my congratulations.

Brittany looked amazing. I couldn't believe she had just given birth mere days ago. Joey was over the moon as expected and Hudson was so happy to see me. Jameson, not as much. He most likely didn't remember me since he was so young.

"This is Emilia." Joey said with a huge smile, handing me the tiny, pink bundled newborn before I could protest.

This was a bad idea. Emilia was beautiful and perfect, but holding a baby was a stark and bitter reminder that I would never hold one of my own. A reminder of the one that I lost. A reminder of what could never be.