Whole Lot More

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine

The All Star Race was strictly a race that was supposed to be fun for the drivers. No points, no bad points day if you wrecked. You win, and you were a million dollars richer, you finished second and you were only the first loser.

It was as simple as that.

The rules were simple; there were none. You could wreck someone for the win, bump draft... basically anything you couldn't do in a normal race you could more than likely get away with in the Nextel Open and All Star Race.

And all the drivers loved it.

The thrill of a no holds barred race was exciting for everyone, which was exactly why every year, the stands were packed. And the fans were looking forward to a action-packed night.

*~*

"Are you sitting on Martin's pit box tonight?"

Brynne smiled at her best friend and nodded emphatically. It was weird to have the both of them down in North Carolina; of course weird in a good way.

It was such a different atmosphere down here and the two of them loved. As much of a city girl as Brynne was, and as much as she loved Boston, this city was entirely different and she definitely loved it.

Julie fit right in, being the country girl that she was. And as much as Brynne thought she wouldn't fit in being that she was from a big city up North, amazingly, she did.

"I am going to. Are you sitting up on Junior's?"

"Yeah, I told him I would."

"Too bad we have to be cheering for different people tonight, because Martin's going to kick some ass!"

"Yeah, I don't think so. I think it's going to be us in Victory Lane tonight there, Brynne."

The two laughed together. "Look at us now, whoever would have thought we'd one day be here? Especially the both of us."

"Yeah, I never did. It was always just a dream. But it no longer has to be a dream, because now it's reality."

Brynne nodded, "That it is. It still feels surreal though, like when I went to meet his family, it felt surreal that months ago we were talking on the computer and he told me he was Martin Truex, Jr. and I didn't believe him. Now look at us."

"Weird shit happens sometimes. Fate has a hand in everything, though."

The two went quiet at the thought that fate might have a hand in the positions they found themselves in today. But they didn't think much more about it than that, just enjoying the fact that they were here and truly happy for one of the first times in their lives.

*~*

Julie and Brynne hung out in Martin's coach when the boys were at the driver's meeting, the two of them flipping through the channels, hoping to find something on.

Of course, there didn't seem to be anything on. In the end, the television was shut off and the two just sat there for a minute, the anxiousness for the race buzzing between them.

Both clearly remembered how the Nextel Open ended the year before, with Brian Vickers getting into the back of Mike Bliss for the win. It could honestly happen again.

Brynne's cell phone ringing cut through the silence in the coach and she reached for it without even looking at the caller id flashing on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Brynne, dear?"

Brynne sighed, hearing her mother's voice. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to her mother, but she knew the direction the conversation would take, and it wasn't one she wanted to go into.

"Hello, mother."

"How are you doing, dear?"

"I'm doing good, I'm happy."

"That's always good to hear that you're happy sweetheart. Is there anyone special in your life?" Obviously her mother hadn't been watching the Sports segment on the news anytime lately.

"Actually yeah, there is."

"That's great to hear, what's his name?"

"Martin."

Silence spanned across the phone line, and Brynne knew it was coming. It always did.

"We miss you at home, sweetheart."

And there it was. "I know, mother."

"Well, you should come visit –"

"I have a business to run, I can't just up and leave it to come visit for awhile. Things just don't happen that way in the world nowadays, Mom."

"Sweetie you haven't visited since –"

"Don't even go there."

"It's not healthy. You can't just run all your life."

"Thanks for the advice mother, but at the moment I'm enjoying running. And as much as I would love to continue this conversation, I have to be somewhere. So I'm sure I'll talk to you sometime soon."

"I love you, Brynne."

Brynne hung up the phone without another word. She couldn't honestly blame her mother for trying to get her to come home, but she couldn't force herself to ever go back to that place.

The minute her cell phone hit the table Julie looked at her and smiled tightly, "Your mother?"

"Yeah."

"She still trying to get you to come home?"

"Of course," Brynne sighed, "When doesn't she? She just doesn't understand why I can't do it. I'm not ready to go back there yet. There was a reason why I moved to Boston in the first place."

*~*

They headed out to pit road the minute the boys got back from the driver's meeting, enjoying the hoopla surrounding this race. So many stars had showed up for it, and the fact that it was in their "home" made it even bigger.

Girlfriends, wives and children of all the other drivers cluttered pit road, not to mention the girlfriends, wives and children of all the pit crew members. All in all, it caused for a very busy pit road.

People were all crushed together and the excitement for the race could be felt through the air.

Introductions for the Open were made and all the driver's got into their cars and started the engines. There was just nothing like the starting of the engines on pit road to get someone's adrenaline rushing.

Brynne, Martin, Julie and Junior stepped behind pit wall and watched the Open from back there. Watching through the ten caution flags until the checkered flag flew for Scott Riggs. He was going to advance to the All Star Race.

"Guess that means that we're up, huh?"

"Yeah," Martin nodded, leaning down and kissing Brynne, "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," she grinned, "Go out and kick some ass and I'll be sitting up here on your pit box cheering for your ass."

"Ditto what she said," Julie laughed.

After quick kisses the guys headed down pit road towards the center of the track where introductions were being held, and Brynne and Julie stood next to each other for a moment.

They gave each other a quick hug, before turning and heading their separate ways. Brynne stopped a couple feet from her best friend and turned around with a grin. "We're still going to kick ass."

"In your dreams, B."

*~*

"Way to GO, guys!" Martin screamed over his radio as he crossed under the checkered flag in first place once again, "We're going to Victory Lane, AGAIN! And we're a million dollars richer."

Everyone in the #1 Chevy pit was going WILD. Including Brynne. Who'd had to have Bono help her down so she wouldn't fall off the pit box when she was jumping around.

Their teammates in the 8 pit were going wild too, seeing this as a win for DEI and not just Martin, and Brynne looked down and could see Julie and the guys heading towards Victory Lane to meet Martin, too.

"I'll see ya'll in Victory Lane," he screeched over the headset, and Brynne grinned as she and all the guys made their way down there.

It took Martin a couple minutes to follow the truck around the track and do some burn-outs, but soon enough he was making his way into Victory Lane and pulling the black car to a stop in the center. The sponsor's drinks were immediately set on top of his car, and he pulled his window net down, giving himself a minute to catch his breath.

In the end, it had been a duel between himself, his teammate and Tony Stewart for the lead. The three of them had exchanged the lead a dozen times in the closing laps and it had been a battle right until the very final corner of the very final lap.

Yet, he still was the one sitting in Victory Lane.

The crew went wild as Martin jumped out of the car and beer and water went flying all over everyone. He hauled himself up on the window ledge and held his arms up in the air, getting drenched by beer and water and whatever else happened to be flying through the air. Who knew anymore.

When he finally jumped down off the door, the tv crews were on him like white on rice, but at the moment he didn't care.

"That was an awesome duel there at the end," the reporter said.

"It was. The three best cars were fighting for the win in the end, and my car was amazing. These guys got it just right in the practices leading up to the race, and it couldn't have been any better. I have to thank the guys and all my sponsors and everything else. This is just... amazing."

The reporter laughed with him, "Anything else, Martin?"

"There's going to be a party tonight!"

The crew cheered at that and Martin turned away from the reporter, immediately searching for Brynne, and finding her off to the side talking to Julie and Junior.

"Guess what?" he whispered in her ear, causing her to whirl around with a bright smile.

"What?"

"I won."

"I see that," she grinned, looking around at all the people standing around in Victory Lane; but it didn't faze either of them.

"This is the second time I've won this season, baby..."

"I guess it is, huh?"

"Yeah. And both times... you've been there."

Brynne laughed heartily, "I guess I'm just good like that."

"I guess you're going to have to start coming every weekend with me, because damn you're my good luck charm!"

With all of America watching via the camera still on the two, Martin leaned down and kissed Brynne good and hard, amidst the catcalls and whoops in Victory Lane.

*~*

The endless pictures had started, and Martin had dragged Brynne into the mix this time. Hat after hat was placed on her head, her feet started getting tired from standing for so long, but still the smile never wore off her face.

She was definitely thoroughly enjoying the experience.

Nearly an hour later, all the pictures were taken and the crowd had started dwindling out of Victory Lane, leaving just a few sparse people.

Julie and Junior stood off to the side, waiting for Martin and Brynne to catch up with them. Once they did, Junior gave Martin a pat on the back and Julie hugged him.

"We're definitely going out tonight!"

"The boys are already gettin' ready. They're gonna meet us out there tonight."

"Sounds like a plan to me. What I really need to do right about now is get a shower and a change of clothes, so I'm heading back to the coach."

"I'm going to go get ready with Julie," Brynne said, kissing him, "I'll see you in a little bit."

"You betcha," Martin grinned.

Julie, Junior and Brynne went off in the direction of Junior's coach, and Martin headed off towards his. The minute he turned the corner to the coach lot, his cell phone rang and he answered it quickly.

"Hello?"

"Who the hell is she Martin?"

Martin let out a slow breath, trying to control himself from telling her exactly where she could shove it. He was supposed to be celebrating, not dealing with her. "Christ Kaleen, what the fuck do you want?"

"Who. Is. She. Martin."

He no longer felt like lying about who Brynne was, anymore. He wanted the whole damn world to know she was his and that he was quite possibly in love with her. "She's my girlfriend, get over it."

"Your girlfriend?! You asshole, you stupid asshole. Here I am sitting pregnant with your fucking kid, getting to be as big as a balloon, and you're off fucking some stupid ass twit, taking her to the races with you and completely forgetting about me. Your pregnant girlfriend –"

"Ex-girlfriend, Kaleen, get it right. We've been over for a long, long time. I've told you this time and time again, and still you have this pretty, little vision in your head of the three of us being a big, happy family. I could never be happy with you Kaleen; I don't love you. So get it in your head once and for all that it's over between us, and as much as you want to hope, there will never be anything between us ever again."

Her breathing got heavy, and even over the phone he could just hear her seething with anger. "Does she - your little whore - know about me and the baby?"

"Of course she does."

"Yeah, well you better hope that she does Martin, or I'm going to be making your life a living hell."

*~*