Chapter 62
Chapter 62: By the time Belinda reached her fifth race, the field had thinned from a dozen to just three competitors. Allen was among them, barely able to conceal his admiration as he watched her maneuver the turns. When Belinda crossed the finish line and caught her breath, Allen rolled his car over to hers. He climbed out, removed his helmet, and handed her a bottle of water with a broad grin. “You’ve clinched another win. Will you join us for the sixth round as well?”’ “Absolutely,”’ Belinda replied, accepting the water. Off to the side, Madisyn was busy tallying Belinda’s winnings on a tray. “Over the years, I’ve lost plenty at this track,”’ she said. “But today, with my best friend by my side, I plan to win it all back.”’ Laughter rippled through the crowd. “Madisyn, hearing you say that makes us wonder”is Miss Nelson really just your best friend, or did you bring in a ringer to reclaim your losses?”’ Madisyn shot the speaker a pointed look. “Come on, we’re all racers here. If she were a pro, wouldn’t you recognize her?”’ The challenger fell silent. Allen laughed, his eyes sparkling. “Belinda’s skill rivals that of a professional, but her slight hesitations betray a bit of rust. It’s more like racing against a retired legend than a current pro.”’ He turned to Belinda with an ingratiating smile. “Isn’t that right, Belinda?”’ The crowd joined in the teasing. “Hey, Allen’s currying favor with her now”it’s rare to see him like this!”’ “Look at Allen, back from overseas and smooth with the ladies!”’ “Maybe soon we’ll be calling Miss Nelson Mrs. Wilde!”’ ï¼ï½ï½ï½ ï½ï½ï½ï½ï½ï½ ï½ ï½ï½ Allen’s cheeks flushed for the first time. He glanced at Belinda, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “They’re just joking. Please don’t mind them.”’ With a graceful smile, Belinda screwed the cap back onto her water bottle. “I’m not bothered. But”¦”’ She raised her clear eyes, casting a glance at the young men in the distance. “It really isn’t appropriate for you to associate a high-quality bachelor like Allen with someone who just got divorced like me.”’ Her statement stilled the racetrack in an instant. Those who had been laughing, including Allen, who stood next to Belinda, all turned to look at her, their eyes wide with shock. The sudden silence was so complete that only the whisper of the wind was audible. Madisyn pursed her lips, collected the items in front of her on the tray, and moved to stand beside Belinda, patting her shoulder with a touch of sadness. “Why would you bring up your divorce now, of all times?”’ Belinda offered a wry smile in response. “If I don’t mention it now, it’ll only cause more embarrassment for Allen when it eventually comes out.”’ With those words, she gently tapped Allen’s shoulder, climbed back into her race car, and took off for another lap around the track. Just then, the door at the edge of the track swung open, and Kristopher and Cathy emerged from the changing area, appearing in succession. “Kristopher.”’ Cathy, donned in a charming pink racing suit, walked forward, her hand raised to shield her eyes from the glaring sun. “It’s too loud here. I don’t like the vibe”¦ Can we find a quieter place?”’ Kristopher halted, turned to face her, and frowned. “Didn’t your sister Joyce once tell me how much you adored racing, even saying your skills could rival those of professional drivers? And now you’re bothered by the noise at the track?”’…