Girl in Gold

Chapter 13 ~ Owen William Rhodes

***

CHAPTER 13

Owen William Rhodes

***

"Drivers, get in yer cars!" the flag girl called, all but dressed in her underwear. Not that it's a problem, Owen reminded himself.

The Eastern cyng walked over to his car near the yacht. Quicksilver stood waiting, lights from the boat flickering across her polished surface.

"This is dumb," Seane sighed, sliding into the driver's seat while Owen stumbled into the passenger seat.

"I know, but I can't afford the night to end in failure."

"If we lose, we'll be at a disadvantage."

"But if we win, we'll take the lead."

Seane grumbled, starting the engine. He drove to the starting line, parking near the side to leave room. Goldie's car had a low purr as she stopped between Bowmen and him, and the four racers stood ready. Owen with his Aston Martin, Goldie with her Illion, Blake with his Alfa Romeo, and BD with his tacky custom car.

"I don't think winning a race is the same as winning a girl's heart," Seane said, tugging at his fringe.

"The method isn't great, but the reward will be. Besides, it's a guaranteed win with you behind the wheel."

"Not necessarily. And you can't afford another gamble. You already made an ass of yourself. Getting a girl drunk isn't romantic."

"Girls always try to get me drunk when they're interested."

"And how often does that work?"

Owen paused, his fingers tracing the woven nylon of his seat belt.

"Often enough."

"Drivers, are ye ready?" the flag girl asked, handkerchief raised.

Seane revved, others joining in, and everyone sent looks Goldie's way. The girl must have had some screws loose if she thought she could keep up with them. Poor thing was going to embarrass herself. She looked over Owen's way, and he sent a kiss, still feeling the drinks from earlier. The girl scowled.

"She's gorgeous," Seane mumbled.

Owen shot a look at his friend.

"Hey! Goldie's mine."

"Not the girl, the car, you numbskull."

Seane rolled his eyes, and Owen rubbed the back of his head.

"Ah. Well, it's an Illion," he said. "Expensive, but that's all."

"You really know nothing about cars."

"Automatics lack aggression."

"That Illion of hers got paddle shifters," Seane emphasised. "She can manually change gears with an automatic transmission. Not to mention the quad-turbo engine with about one-thousand-four-hundred horsepower. It doesn't have a ten-mil price tag for nothing. Let's hope she doesn't know how to drive that beauty properly."

"Or?" Owen asked.

"Or we've already lost."

He gulped, looking over to where Goldie stared straight ahead, eyes locked on the road. She was just a hot rich girl, he told himself. A hot rich girl whose kiss he could not shake off.

"Get set," the flag girl called teasingly, and Seane revved.

"Go!"

Quicksilver shot out like a bullet, the fastest to pull away. It was Seane's signature move to leave his challengers behind from the start. And yet... A low hum was right next to them. Owen looked over, and Goldie was more than keeping up.