Legacy | Ryan Blaney | Book 6

22 | some mistakes get made

S U M M E R L Y N
B L A N E Y

Noah left to go hang out with Kianna, leaving me alone in my thoughts. I felt a roller coaster of emotions surging through my body. I know now why Theo was so hard to reach. He thought I'd be disappointed and force something out of him that he wasn't ready to speak on. The word love means so many things, so many thoughts and emotions are attached to it. I know when the time came and Theo told me this story, I was still going to love him. I wanted to get past this together.

My phone buzzed beside me. My mind instantly assumed it was going to be bad news.

THEO ❤️

From Theo: Hey... can you come over?

To Theo: Of course, I'll be over soon.

I press send and got myself out of the house. I could begin to feel my heart race as I walked over to Theo's house. I didn't know what was about to happen, but I was ready to fight this alongside Theo whatever this situation turned out to be. I walked up Theo's long driveway attempting to control my breathing. I got his door and just stood there. I was second-guessing myself if I really was ready to find out the truth.

"Theo, it's Summer," I said knocking on his door. I folded my arms across my chest awaiting an answer. I could hear Theo through the door, he was trying to recollect himself before he faced me. The door finally swings open, I saw a wreck. Theo was at his lowest point. My heart broke. He was broken.

"Summer-" I cut him off and pulled him into a hug. He was taken off guard but slowly returned the hug. He buried his face into my shoulder. "I-I don't know what to do Sum."

"That's why I'm here. We're going to figure this out together."

Theo and I settled down in the back yard overlooking the lake.

"Brexton and I go way back-" Theo started, he stopped trying to find the right words.

"It's okay, take your time." I soothingly rubbed his back.

"Believe it or not Brexton and I used to be great friends. We practically grew up together, we raced together through the circuit. Until Brexton threw me under the bus." He swallows hard. "We were teammates, I raced for Kyle at KBM with Brexton in the Truck Series. At the time, I was dating someone. Everything seemed to be going fine. I was successful, I thought I had everything I needed. Until one day, I saw Brexton and my girlfriend hooking up. Brexton and I got into a huge fight, honestly, it was worse than what happened at Bristol. I swear I could've killed him in that moment."

"So that's why you too hate each other guts."

"Trust me, there's more to the story." He sighed. "Brexton went to his dad and threw me under the bus. After that season I wasn't apart of a team, nor did any team want me. I had one more year on my contract with KBM, but Kyle literally tore apart the contract in front of my face. All because I put my hands on his son, who quite frankly deserved it. Brexton thinks he can get away with everything. I hate those types of people. And even though your dad is the biggest name in NASCAR, you don't act like a complete asshole to others as Brexton does."

"What happened after you got cut from KBM?"

"I took a year off because nobody wanted me. I'm assuming Kyle told every team possible not to sign me." He sighs. "I sat at home for that whole year, watching Brexton win week after week in Xfinity. Jealousy can make us do stupid things. So, I ran some sprint car races here and there, I ran ARCA some too. After that year, I was determined to find a ride. I actually got contacted by Joey, he wanted me to run full-time for his Xfinity team. I accepted almost instantly. Season opener came, Brexton was defending champ, and I don't think I ever had felt so much hatred and jealously towards another driver."

"I remember that race. It was my first year in trucks and I decided to stay and watch the Xfinity race."

"You can probably remember me moving him for the race win." Theo leans back. "I felt powerful, like I'd beaten a giant. I felt like I belonged there and it felt damn good to finally beat Brexton at his own game. But that move would cause an endless rivalry between us two. I've costed Joey and Penske so much money, time, and sponsors because most of the time my mind was set on revenge. Finally, I got to move into Cup the same year as Brexton. Joey had given me warnings. He thought putting me into Cup would redirect my focus on winning rather than revenge. Things were good for a time until we were both in contention for a championship in our first year. I got my final warning from Joey then."

"Joey was fighting for sponsors because they all wanted out?"

"Exactly." Theo looks over at me. "During the offseason, I got some serious help. I had been carrying so many negative emotions, and I was working on becoming a new person. During that offseason, that's when I started dating Kendall. Everything was going fine until I saw my ex that Brexton took from me. I thought I was strong enough to turn my back, but there was a little part of me that still had all this hatred towards Brexton. So, I hooked up with her. I felt guilty afterward, and Kendall didn't deserve a guy like me. So, I confessed the day after I had hooked up with my ex."

"Theo, you don't have to tell me everything all at once." I frowned, seeing this was a lot for him. It took a lot of energy out of him reliving his past.

"No, I need to Summer. I need to be honest with you because you've been nothing but honest with me. You deserve to know who I was." Theo takes my hand. "Just let me share this with you."

"Okay." I sadly nodded, seeing so much pain in his eyes.

"Kendall and I had a messy break up as you could imagine. I needed serious help now, and I started seeing my therapist every fucking day. I needed to change who I was becoming, I couldn't recognize myself in the mirror. I didn't like who I saw. After months of therapy, I finally started to feel new and whole. I started to see my worth was not in making Brexton suffer." Theo sits up straight. "And that brings us to this year. I met you. Not gonna lie I liked you ever since your first year in trucks." He confessed, making me smile. "I was finally in a place where I was ready to move on and be a better man. I wanted to move on with someone who was going to push me to be the best version of myself, and I had this gut feeling you were the one. So, I made the move."

"And I'm super glad you did." I chuckled.

"Then Sunday happened. All season long nothing had happened between Busch and I on the track, until this week. I blew up. Old emotions that I thought I'd let go of were still there. And he brought you into the fight somehow and I lost it. Then I saw him trying to make a move on you outside the care center-"

"You lost it again. You remember when Brexton stole your ex, and you thought he was trying to do it again." I put together his final words.

"I'm proud that I stood up to him, but I wish I would've handled my emotions differently, then I wouldn't be sitting here with my career tarnished." He says. "I have never seen Joey so mad and disappointed. I didn't beg him to keep me, because I knew I had one final chance."

"And because of me, you lost your chance."

"No, Summer, I would never put the blame on you. It's my fault. All this started way before I met you, it's never going to be your fault." Theo gently turns my head towards him.

"Then let me at least help you find another ride." I pleaded.

"No, Summer. Driving a car is the last thing on my mind right now. I need to save myself first, I made mistakes and I need to live with the consequences."