080.3.3 - quotes

[shelbycobra]

"Maybe everything was meant to be this way."

I have all the days counted out in my head. There are two until I get on a plane from Indianapolis to Pennsylvania. Six until I step back into my race car for the first time in two weeks at Pocono. Nine until we fly from Pennsylvania to California. And thirteen until the season finale at Sonoma, where I'll either be celebrating my first championship or kicking myself that I let it get away. I know exactly what I have left to do, where it will be, and I can see the finish line.

( There's so much that's behind me now that it feels implausible. )

--
Shelby Manning Martin
Need For Speed OC
787 words

001.3 - Flowers

[tells_no_lies]

He'd regretted the decision almost immediately after leaving the shop. His subject had gotten the call around three in the morning about her grandmother's passing. Lightly salted scrambled eggs sat untouched on the table as he watched her sit solemnly on the tiny love seat, clearly upset. Several phone calls were placed early that morning; both by himself and by her; including booking flights to Dallas. Last minute changes were never good, but clearly unavoidable in this scenario.

No, Lisa was off to Dallas that night and that meant Jackson was, as well. The funeral was scheduled for the day after she arrived and much to his relief, she'd be catching the red eye back to Miami. It wasn't ideal, but at least he wasn't going to have to avoid her mourning family members. Having her alone was paramount to the job. He'd make it work. That's what he did. His job.

But as he left the shop, he knew he'd stepped far out of line in his duties. He'd spent far too long on the Reisert girl. Knowing your mark was important and he made the excuse often, but he knew if his employer could see him right now, they'd terminate the contract with him and hand it off to someone else. Someone who wouldn't send a rather ostentatious bouquet of orchids to the funeral of his mark's grandmother. It was safe, he felt. She'd never know. He had used a fake name, left the sympathy card unsigned. There was nothing attaching him to the transaction. Nothing but his suddenly overdeveloped sentimentality.

Thank god it would be over soon. He needed to get as far away from Lisa Reisert as humanly possible.

Jackson Rippner | Red Eye | Canon