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though,” he assured her.
    She looked so happy, she might start skipping around the gym. But she said calmly, “Thank you, Zack.”
    He grunted, already wishing he hadn’t made the offer. Who knew how much time it might take to get ready for an interview like that?
    Still, as Gaby left the room—and dammit if she wasn’t skipping—he couldn’t get too upset. He’d spend more time in the gym, if necessary, and sleep less. He stepped onto the treadmill and set himself up for a punishing hill climb.
     
    Z ACK ’ S ENGINE BLEW UP during Friday’s qualifying at the Pennsylvania track. Thankfully it happened near the end of his lap, and he was able to coast over the line to qualify thirty-third. Trent, as usual, was in the top ten.
    The team had worked like crazy to install a replacement engine and set it up. They made it, but the mood around Zack’s pit as they awaited the start of the race was grim. He knew the team was taking their cue from him, but he couldn’t bring himself to smile when another major loss stared him in the face.
    It didn’t help that Gaby was bouncing around like an overinflated tire, all happy because she’d suckered him into doing an interview with some magazine. Idiot, he castigated himself. You’re not good at that stuff.
    “I hope you’re a PR witch doctor,” he grumbled to Gaby ashe waited next to his car for the national anthem to start. “Because that’s what it’ll take to put a positive spin on this race.”
    “Sorry, but there’s no magic,” she said blithely. “You’re on your own out there.”
    Nothing new about that, Zack thought as he circled the track a few minutes later. For some reason, the thought didn’t bug him, as it usually did.
    Up ahead, the lights turned green—Zack was too far back to see the flag—and he floored the accelerator.
     
    W HEN Z ACK FLEW OVER THE finish line in fourth place after as good and clean a race as a driver could hope for, Gaby whooped as loud as anyone. There had been magic out there, all right, and it had been all Zack’s doing. Getaway would be thrilled. She was thrilled.
    Zack climbed out of his car to the applause of his team. He pulled off his helmet and ran his hands through his hair, swaying slightly as he adjusted to being out of the cockpit.
    “Great driving,” Dave Harmon said.
    Chad stepped forward. Gaby wondered if anyone else saw the way Zack stilled as he looked at his big brother.
    “Chad,” he said, and something in that clipped, masculine syllable tugged at Gaby’s heart. She found herself willing Chad to say the right thing, her mind putting words in his mouth.
    “Nice going,” Chad said.
    It didn’t seem nearly enough to Gaby, but Zack’s shoulders eased, and he and his brother gripped hands in a firm handshake.
    “Our setup was slightly off, the car was pushing in the turns—we guessed the track temperatures wrong,” Zack said. “If we can get a handle on that, we’ll do even better next week.”
    Briefly, Chad’s other hand clasped their joined hands. “Looks like Trent’s buying the beers tonight.” The youngest Matheson had finished ninth.
    “I’ll drink to that,” Zack said. His gray eyes met Gaby’s.“Seems I’m doing my job,” he said. “How about you? Got that interview arranged?”
    Something in the arrogant raise of his eyebrows, tempered by the warmth in his gray eyes, made her want to laugh. Or maybe it was just the general jubilation.
    “As a matter of fact, I do,” she said. “Ten o’clock Tuesday morning, your place.”
    She expected him to balk at doing the interview in his home but he merely nodded.
    “We’ll start preparation on the flight back to Charlotte tonight,” she said.
    He squinted a little, but nodded again.
    “Then we’ll spend most of Monday doing more prep,” she continued. She’d gone too far; he opened his mouth to protest.
    “See you on the plane,” she said quickly, and waltzed out of the pits.

CHAPTER FIVE
    A SINGLE INTERVIEW with Now