On the Edge Read Online Free PDF

circumstances.”

    “But, Dad, Becca was going to talk to you about trying out for her team.”

    “She did. I said no.”

    She wanted to run to her dad and shake him. She wanted to grab him by the arms and make his teeth chatter. She wanted to…she wanted to give him a time out.

    “But, Dad—”

    “No buts. I said no and that’s that. Now, say goodbye to Ms. Newman.”

    Lindsey couldn’t speak. She stood there for a full five seconds, waiting for her dad to change his mind. He didn’t and she knew better than to argue.

    She sighed, saying, “Goodbye, Ms. Newman. Thank you for everything. I won’t ever forget seeing the shop. Or looking through your photos. Or eating lunch with—”

    “Enough,” her dad said. “Time to go.”

    Becca ignored Adam’s frown, stepping forward to say, “You’re welcome, Lindsey,” and then giving her a hair-nuzzling hug—wet, red strands and all. Lindsey wanted to cry. Becca Newman was so darn nice.

    “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call. Your dad has my home number.”

    “Thank you,” she said over the lump in her throat.

    Becca stared down at her for a moment longer, kind eyes looking sad. Then she flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned to Lindsey’s dad.

    “Mr. Drake,” she said, “I really wish you’d reconsider about next month.”

    “Sorry. We’ve imposed enough. C’mon,” he said to Lindsey.

    “Maybe we can come back and watch the tryouts?” Lindsey said, bouncing up on her toes in excitement at that excellent suggestion. And maybe she could get her dad to change his mind before then….

    “Sure,” Becca said at the same time her dad said, “No.”

    Drat it all. Why couldn’t he make this easy? But even her next suggestion—that they should stay the night and go and tour Newman Motorsports tomorrow before they left—was met with a firm, “No.” Lindsey figured she better give up. Her dad had the same look on his face as he had when she’d tried backing his truck out of the driveway, crushing a few garbage cans along the way.

    “Goodbye, Ms. Newman,” she said.

    “Bye,” she replied softly.

    But it wasn’t until they were out and into his battered truck that he let her have it. He didn’t yell. All he said was, “If you ever do something like this again, I swear, Lindsey, I’m sending you off to boarding school.”

    “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

    “And don’t try that ‘daddy’ stuff with me.”

    “Okay, Daddy,” she said.

    “And don’t, not for a minute, think that I’m interested in Becca Newman.”

    Okay, that shocked her enough that she felt her mouth drop open.

    “Close your mouth,” he said. “I saw right through you. You were trying to matchmake.”

    “But, Dad, she’s really great.”

    “She’s not my type.”

    “Yes, she is. She likes to fish. And she owns a race team—”

    “And that’s the most obvious reason why she and I would never work out. She’s rich. And famous. And I’m not, repeat, not going to The Talent Show, or whatever they call it. Becca Newman is in a class by herself, and I’m not. The two of us getting together would be about as likely as Spock falling for a human.”

    “Who’s Spock?”

    Her dad stared at her for a second, blinked once, then said, “That’s sad.”

    “Why?”

    “You don’t know who—?” Her dad shook his head. “Never mind,” he said, starting up the car.

    Lindsey crossed her arms in front of her, mentally saying goodbye to Becca’s fancy house, mumbling under her breath, “Everything I went through, and he went and said no.”

    “I heard that.”

    “So?” she said in exasperation, sitting up again. “You’ve always taught me to never walk away from a challenge, and yet here you are doing it. What kind of example is that?”

    He stared at her for another second before saying, “Clever.”

    Lindsey felt hope spark within her.

    “But it won’t work.”

    She released a huff of irritation as she