More to You ✔

Chapter 46 - Go-karting (Mitch)

The roaring karts and gasoline fumes turned out to be an ideal distraction. The indoor track wasn't quite what he had grown up on, and it felt a bit like racing around in a parking garage between the posts beneath the fluorescent lighting. But it was racing nonetheless, with a mix of aggressive and cautious drivers vying for the lead.

It took Prae a few laps to get the hang of steering the kart, but she was tailing Mitch by the end—like Emily used to when they'd beg their parents to let them go-kart. Every once in a while, Em won, but Mitch's controlled turns and well-timed accelerations got him further than her heavy foot and impulsive steering that had her bumping the tire walls. She was always quick to challenge anyone who passed her, which he had teased her about, but with time, he understood it. She wanted the rush and adrenaline to consume her as he did now. If she won, it was a bonus.

He and Prae pulled into the starting area and motioned to the attendant that they'd do their second race. Mitch flipped up the visor on his helmet and turned to Prae. "How do you like it?"

She lifted her visor. "I prefer my motorbike, but this is quite fun."

New racers settled into karts nearby. "Want to make the next race interesting?"

She grinned. "How?"

"Winner chooses what we do afterwards."

"Okay, but not a nightclub. I know we are around RCA, but..."

"Deal."

After the other racers were ready and the staff member signalled their start, the cars took off. The roar of the engines and occasional tire screeches transported him to America and an outdoor track that Emily, Shawn, and he used to visit. He pictured her long blonde hair escaping her helmet tossed around in the wind, her taunts to both him and Shawn, and her many excuses for why she was robbed of first place. Mitch would reassure her and offer to show her some tricks, but she always refused to listen.

In the last minute, Mitch hit the brakes to avoid smashing into two karts that had just collided. The drivers slowly cleared the path as Prae pulled ahead to beat Mitch and maintain that lead until their time was up.

As they left the cars in the waiting area, Prae wore a smug smile. "I supposed I ruined your plans."

"I'm excited to see what you've thought up."

"La Normandie?" She flashed her teeth and laughed.

She was cheeky; he'd give her that. "Careful, I am petty enough to smooth talk our way into a table and send Tom the photo."

She stared at him before shaking her head. "I was thinking of Benchakitti Park. It's nearby."

They returned the bright yellow helmets to the employee and stepped past the automatic door into cleaner air space. Prae's high heel clicked on the tiled floor. "When you say nearby, you mean in a cab, right?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"I can't believe you beat me in those." Mitch eyed her two-inch heels.

"I can do plenty in these, especially when my competition is distracted. Is Maria still on your mind?"

"I wasn't thinking about her."

Prae's forehead creased. "Not me, I hope."

He laughed as they navigated past the bar and billiard tables. "No, having feelings for one woman who is into Tom is more than enough pain."

"I understand completely."

They continued down the stairs to the main level of the mall. Something in him itched to explain himself more. Perhaps it was the anniversary coming up sooner than he could handle, or telling Maria about Em had dislodged rock from his foundation of denial, or knowing that Prae came from a culture that urged her to change the subject when she noticed he was uncomfortable.