Minutes to Midnight

Wake (Chapter 1)

Shay's POV//

I woke up knowing that today was NASCAR'S "Super Bowl" if you will...it's the Daytona 500! I slowly started to get up out of the bed, so I didn't wake Ryan up. I decided to let him sleep for as long as he could with today being one of the busiest days of the season. The race didn't start until 2:30 in the afternoon, so we still had plenty of time as I looked over at the clock to see that it was only 9:30. I left the bedroom and headed into the kitchen of the motor home to make us some coffee. While I was waiting on the coffee maker I sat on the couch and looked through my social media pages. I knew that I had to wear a really good outfit today because everybody would be at this race, I wanted to get pictures with Ryan, Whitney and I obviously had to have pictures, and NASCAR wanted to get a group picture with all the "wives and girlfriends." The coffee maker turned off so I stood back up to fix our mugs to how both Ryan and I like them to be with plenty of cream, sugar, and coffee creamer. 

It was almost 10 o'clock before I went back into the back bedroom of the motor home where Ryan was still snoozing away. I made sure to set his hot coffee down first on the nightstand on his side of the bed before I went back over to my side of the bed and crawled to where he was. I gently leaned in and kissed his cheek  before I leaned back out and ran my hands through his curls. He stirred for a little bit before he slowly started to wake up from his slumber, and then out of know where he grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. 

Ryan's POV//

I woke up around 9:40 and reached out for Shay only to realize she was already up, so I decided to turn back over and sleep some more before I really had to get up. I dozed back off and didn't wake back up until my girl had came back to the bedroom to wake me up. I felt the bed dip back down where she was now sitting on the bed, then I felt her soft smooth lips on my cheek. She then began to run her hands through my ever growing curls, when she was leaning back from me I sneakily grabbed her from behind her back and pulled her back into my arms. She looked so beautiful even in just one of my t-shirts and a small pair of pajama shorts that she had on. She truly was something special and I couldn't believe that she was all mine. 

I finally had woken up enough and wanted to tell my beautiful girlfriend good morning. So I slowly started to sit up more in the bed with her still in my arms, before I spoke to her. "Good morning my beautiful girlfriend. Are you excited for today?" She looked up at me and smiled before replying "Good morning to you my handsome boyfriend. I am excited for today." She then asked me if I was nervous about this race; I replied back to her and said that "I was excited for today, and that I wasn't overly nervous because I had a really good car in both practice and qualifying."  I was starting this race just outside of the top 10 in 14th while Joey was in 4th and Brad was in 35th. 

She replied with an "okay good I didn't want you to be nervous. This is the start of the new racing season and It doesn't matter what place that you come in because I will always be proud of you." She always knows how to make someone feel special I thought. I told her that "I am so happy that you are on this journey with me because I wouldn't want anybody else." I leaned down to kiss the top of her head before she leaned up to meet my lips with hers. We kissed for a few minutes before my alarm clock started ringing alerting me that I needed to actually get up to prepare for the day. 

I had to go to a drivers meeting with my crew chief so I didn't have to get completely suited up now. I decided to just wear a vintage racing shirt like I always do with a pair of jeans and a hat. I drank my coffee, brushed my teeth, and then told Shay bye for right now before I headed out the door of the motor home. 

Shay's POV//

After Ryan left I needed to start getting myself ready before he gets back and his family starts arriving to the track. I decided to wear a long brown cardigan sweater with a white top and a pair of black pants, and my leopard print shoes. While I was applying my makeup my bestie Whitney was calling, so I answered the call and put her on speaker phone. Whitney and I have been besties since college where we met and we cheered together at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is also responsible for introducing Ryan and I to each other. 

**Phone Convo with Whitney**

Whitney: Hey my girly I can't wait to see you today! Do you have the best outfit picked out?

Shay: Hey my bestie girl. I am so excited to see you today, haha I was struggling at first but I think I found a good one. 

Whitney: With it being February it's pretty chilly still so I decided to wear something more covered up today. Since you know those other snooty wives will be here for this group picture that NASCAR is doing. 

Shay: You are so right with it being only February it is still cold out. Some of those wives ain't got nothing on us though. What did you decide to wear?

Whitney: I am wearing my tighter jeans with a flowy low cut blouse with red and black polka dots on it. What about you? 

Shay: I am wearing a long brown cardigan sweater with a white top and a pair of black pants and my leopard print shoes. I just finished up my makeup so I just have to curl my hair before Ryan gets back and his family starts coming over to the motor home in a few minutes. 

Whitney: That outfit sounds so adorable. I'll let you finish getting ready and then I'll see you in a hour or two for pictures!

I got off the phone with Whitney and began plugging my curling iron in. My hair is stick straight on its own but I wanted some cute curls today. While I was waiting for the curling iron to get hot I wasn't paying attention and the door of the motor home slowly started to open causing me to freak out.