Chapter Twenty Nine

Nicky wasn’t sure if this was a really good idea, or a really crappy one.

The circus was on home turf now, having touched down in Laguna Seca,  the track near Monterey, California, for the weekend’s activities, and Nicky was relieved as always to hear English being spoken predominantly around him, rather than a language he didn’t know.

But for the last week or so, he had heard Dixie rail – in English - about becoming increasingly anxious about Javier’s injuries sustained during quals at Sachsenring and his refusal to see a proper doctor, instead relying solely on her.

In her opinion, Dixie had told him confidentially the night before, Javier probably needed surgery, even just something laparoscopic to fix the problem she felt was getting worse, rather than better.

She had also told him that Javier had nixed the idea every time she brought it up.

Dixie was getting more and more worried, and Nicky didn’t like her distance from him anymore than he imagined Javier liked having a busted up shoulder, no matter how nice a trainer Dixie was to work with.

So Nicky had decided it was time for a man to man talk, no matter what outcome may be.

He rapped on the door to Javier’s coach and waited until he heard the Spaniard shout for him to enter.

He did, ducking into the shiny brass and chrome interior, marveling at the space and set up, so different from his own home away from home on wheels.

“Gamble,” Javier said, he voice surprised by his sudden houseguest. “I certainly was not expecting you to open the door. Dixie, perhaps, yes, but not you.”

“How’s your arm?” Nicky asked by way of greeting.

Javier tried to shrug, wincing slightly. “It is sore, but not so bad. Good enough to race, eh?”

Nicky sat down at the table across from where Javier sat and fixed him with a stern look. “You’re gonna get yourself hurt worse if you get on a bike and you know it.”

Javier sat back, saying nothing.

“Look,” Nicky said, running a hand through his hair distractedly. “Dixie hasn’t told me any particulars, hasn’t spilled any secrets about your health. She takes your privacy, or any of her clients’, privacy really seriously, and she wouldn’t give me an advantage, in any case. But she has told me she’s really, really worried. And that she thinks you might need to have some form of surgery.”

Javier sighed. “I don’t have time for surgery,” Javier said, his tone tight, and Nicky nodded, completely understanding his frustration. “We test this week, we qualify only days away. How could I possibly have surgery in between all my obligations to the American fans? To the sponsors? To everyone here in California?”

“I’ve been thinking about that, because I figured it was what was holding you back. It’s what would hold me back,” Nicky said. “The answer is: me.”

“You?” Javier said, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

“What if I take on some of your appearances and engagements? You can have surgery and have a few days to recover, and I’ll cover all your publicity shit so you can get back on the bike and ride. I’m sure some folks will be disappointed, but the rest will probably be even happier to see me,” Nicky said with a wide, teasing grin.

“Why?” Javier asked, sounding vaguely suspicious with just that one word.

Nicky sighed. “Because it’s what I would want someone to do for me. And because if we’re gonna take this championship to the wire between us, I want to do it when you’re at your best, not as a consolation prize because you got a little boo boo.”

Javier grinned at that. “It feels like more than a ‘boo boo’, let me tell you.”

“Plus,” Nicky said, continuing, “it would mean I would get my girl back from your clutches. Again.”

Javier’s face turned serious. “She has been a great help to me, but you know, yes, that there is nothing between Dixie and me? She is my helper, that is all.”

“I know,” Nicky said, meaning it. “But it’s still hard to have her gone, and taking care of her ex, no less. I want my girl back. We haven’t fought about it exactly, but she knows I don’t like it when she’s with you, and she’s here with you a lot of the time. There is tension between us; not a lot, but more than I like.”

“When she says your name,” Javier said, “her face lights up. Every time.”

“It does?” Nicky asked before he could stop himself.

Javier nodded. “It does. That is my gift to you. You are truly willing to help with appearances for me?”

“If it means getting Dixie away from your cheating ass, then yeah,” Nicky said with a teasing smile.

Javier grinned. “You sure you can take me on at the end if I am healthy? Can you beat me?”

“Count on it,” Nicky said, his voice cocky and sure. “I want a fair fight between us. I don’t want to win by default.”

“Same goes, friend,” Javier said, standing up and extending his good arm for a handshake. “Gentleman’s agreement?”

“Gentleman’s agreement,” Nicky said, shaking his hand.

**

Two hours later, Dixie bounded into Javier’s coach and called out, “I brought the weights today, so we can give those a try!” she shouted, shucking off her lightweight jacket.

Javier ambled out of the bedroom with a smile. “You sound positively gleeful at the thought of hurting me. Again.”

“It’s a perk of the job,” Dixie agreed. “Why aren’t you ready to work out?” she asked, noting his jeans and button down shirt and bare feet.

“Dixie,” Javier said, his voice soft. “I have decided to have surgery. I’m meeting with Dr. Costa in an hour to discuss the best options here in California for a quick surgery and fast recovery time.”

Dixie took a moment to process this. “But only a few days ago, you were adamant about not…”

“Sometimes, you need someone else to kick you in the ass, yes?” Javier interrupted. “But regardless of my surgery or not, I wanted to tell you something.”

“What’s that?” Dixie asked, cautious now.

“I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your helping me the last few weeks and that I know it couldn’t have been easy on you or Nicky. I wanted to tell you I think you are a fantastic woman, and that if our breakup – or what immediately preceded it – made you feel like any less of the woman you are, I am truly sorry. For you are a wonderful woman, and I hope we will always be friendly with one another. It’s rare to find a woman I actually don’t mind talking to for longer than five or ten minutes.”

Dixie smiled. “Thank you for the apology. It’s nice to hear. And yes, I hope we stay friends too. I find you tolerable, I suppose…” she said, grinning. “And Nicky will probably turn cartwheels to learn I’m off your nursing service for now.”

“I think you’ll find him far too busy for the next few days to have time for any acrobatics at all,” Javier said cryptically, but Dixie didn’t bother to ask what he meant, instead feeling happy he was going to be taken care of.

“I want to know what you decide on surgery,” Dixie said seriously, shrugging her jacket back on.

“I won’t make a move without you,” Javier said.

“If only you’d done that before,” Dixie shot back with a teasing smile.

“Ah, but if I had, darling Dixie, you would not have found your cowboy,” Javier said, triumphant. “Yes?”

“yes,” Dixie agreed happily. “You’re right. It all settled the way it should.”

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