Chicago Love ✔️

Chapter 17: Meeting The Guys

Hailey glances over her shoulder, seeing the side door to the hauler open up. The meeting must have been over as she watched each of the four crew chiefs exit first, flashing a quick smile and nod to Blake. She then keeps her eyes peeled as the four drivers followed. 

Her eyes locked on Alex, trying to read every emotion that was on display. She saw the defeat as he tried to hide it after the qualifying effort. She saw the frustration when his teammates had qualified a lot better than him. She had hoped that had lessened, thanks to the meeting and ideas traded ahead of tomorrow. 

"There's a pretty lady sitting here and yet I have not been introduced to her," William's comment breaks the silence amongst the group. Chase and Kyle then both stop, turning to face the blond sitting in the chair beside the Ally trailer. Kyle flashed a quick smile, before turning his eyes to Alex with a grin. Perhaps there was something good to come out of that night at 34 Raceway after all. "I thought we were friends Alex." 

"I may just have to tell Ryan that you're flirting behind his sister's back," Alex teases, causing a shocked expression to fall on William's face as Alex had never used William's relationship with Erin in any of their bantering in the past. He didn't know whether it was a feeling he liked to be shared, either. Was this a product of this blond sitting here? "Hailey, I would like you to meet my three trusty teammates - Kyle, Chase, and William." 

"It's nice to meet you," Hailey states, standing up from the chair as she looks each of them in the eye with a handshake. She hated it sometimes, but spending every single day analyzing people's reactions to questions and events had her doing it outside of work. She found herself looking into the eyes of each of them, trying to read their intentions and reaction to her being there with Alex. 

"So you are the reason that Alex was very distracted in the meeting after last weekend," William states, as Alex's cheeks go bright red in response. If he was going to get teased, then William was going to ensure Alex had instant regrets about it. "You can thank me for suggesting that he extend the offer for you to join him this weekend." 

"Would you like a medal to pin on your chest?" Alex questions, wishing he hadn't gone forth with introducing her to the boys yet. He could already tell this was probably just the beginning of the comments he would be offered in exchange of his behavior. There was no way he would survive another weekly meeting at the shop. Maybe they could go back to doing those over zoom. 

"I hope you have a great weekend with him," Chase comments as he goes to leave them. He had an appearance to get to for NAPA and knew he'd be in trouble if he was late. "I'll see you boys tomorrow. Good luck." 

"And I figured she may thank me for getting you to do something you were afraid to do," William continues the previous conversation after Chase had walked away. Alex wished he could find some way to make his teammate disappear and shut up. Why was William picking this moment right now to be annoying? 

"Is he telling the truth?" Hailey offers as she looks over at Alex, earning a shrug in response. Perhaps she was right about not heading back to the motorcoach. Perhaps she was right in setting boundaries. If he was having second thoughts, then maybe she should embrace the ones she was experiencing. "Truthfully, I almost did not accept your offer. I was scared to ask my boss at first for the time off. I was also nervous about seeing you again." 

"It's like they're made for each other....." Kyle just rolls his eyes as he could see how much it was getting under Alex's skin right now. William was always thought to be the quiet innocent one of the bunch. Clearly everyone needed to see this discussion right now to learn otherwise. 

"And I'm pretty sure they would like to enjoy their weekend in peace," Kyle suggests, eyes still locked on Alex in trying to read the series of emotions he was feeling. Kyle could only wonder about the conversation that was to come between Alex and Hailey after they left. "What if we be a good pair of teammates and friends and allow them to do that?" 

"But this is more fun...." William pleas, as Alex locks his eyes on him, hoping to change his mind immediately. He almost wanted to pull him aside in the next couple of days and smack him silly for this behavior. "Besides, nerves are nothing new in a new relationship. It's part of it, right? So how did you meet? What made you fall in love with our trusty teammate?" 

"William...." William looks over at Kyle, clearly the message he was trying to deliver going right over his head as the comments continued. It was now Kyle and Alex offering the same gesture together. Didn't William notice what was happening? "I'm sure Alex and Hailey can share the details with you another time." 

"We met that night at 34 Raceway as Kyle will remember," Hailey answers the question, locking her eyes on the guy in the green and white firesuit. She could tell what he was trying to do in seeing the ever-changing emotions written right on Alex's face. She felt bad that this was how his teammate was choosing to behave in this moment. "We then met up again when you guys were in Chicago for the street race." 

"So that's why you weren't at your hotel room...." William muses out loud, as Alex just rolls his eyes. Of course it would be his teammate who would realize he hadn't stayed the night as intended. But how did he figure that out? "Look, I care about him. So promise me you won't hurt him and I hope you have a blast this weekend."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Kyle adds as he finally pulls William away from pair, looking back with a bit of sympathy as he and William head off together.