Legacy | Ryan Blaney | Book 6

27 | the truth will set you free

M C K A Y L A
B L A N E Y

"Summer, just on time for dinner-" Summer slams the door shut, running upstairs. I looked over at Ryan, concerned. "Where did she just come from?"

"She should be coming back from Stewart Haas?" Ryan questions. "Yea, she had the tour today. I don't know why she would be upset."

"Mom, dad, you do know Theo races at Stewart Haas now right?" Briella questions.

"They probably ran into each other." Jordyn chimes in.

"Shit, I totally forgot about that. You don't think they talked?"

"I think they definitely talked, she would never come home like that if they didn't." I sighed, finishing up dinner. "Hey honey, come get some dinner." I motioned Noah over to the dinner table.

"Is Summer back?"

"Yes, but she went straight up to her room. Just leave her for now."

After dinner, I went straight upstairs to see how Summer was doing as Ryan and the rest of the kids were cleaning up. Summer has gone through so much this year, it was almost not fair. But I had to remind myself that she was twenty years old and experiencing new things. I can't carry her through life anymore or protect her from these things, she needed to experience these things on her own. But I could be there to help guide her a little, even if it wasn't much help.

"Summer, honey, its mom." I knocked on her door. "I just wanna make sure you're okay," I add trying to hear what was going inside her room. The door swings open, and the sight of my daughter made my heart break. "Honey-" I pulled her into my embrace. She sobbed into my shoulder. "Come on honey." I guide her back inside her room, closing the door behind us. "Talk to me honey."

"I-I love him mom! A-And I-I-I just told him n-no!" She sobbed. "I don't k-know what to do!" She almost screams.

"Summer, I know it's hard, trust me I understand. Love is not easy, I learned that the hard way with your dad." I brushed her hair with my fingers. "I told your father no multiple times, love is complicated, and it can be messy at times, but I do promise you it is worth all this pain."

"B-But it h-h-hurts too much!"

"I know, but it will go away, I promise." I kissed the top of her head.

N O A H
B L A N E Y

I closed my laptop after I finished reviewing notes for the next race. As I set my laptop to the side on my nightstand, I heard a huge crashing sound come from Summer's room next door. I run out and tried to get into Summer's room but her door was locked.

"Summer, open up!" I called out. "Summer, please-"

"Go away Noah!" She yells back in response.

"That's it," I mumbled to myself. I throw on a sweatshirt and headed downstairs.

"Where are you going?" My mom questioned as I passed by.

"I'm fixing something," I replied running out the door. I run about a block before I arrived at the destination. I heavily knocked on the door, impatiently waiting for an answer. As I knocked again, the door swings wide open.

"Noah? What are you doing here? It's almost midnight." Theo questions sleepily.

"Throw on a jacket, we're taking a lil trip, and I'm not taking no for an answer," I state. Theo hesitantly grabbed a sweatshirt and his phone. The walk was tense but quiet. If Summer and Theo weren't going to fix their issue, I was going to force them to talk. They were both clearly miserable without each other.