With the top half of his jumpsuit tied around his waist, Jason came over to rest beside me in the shade. They were selling beers inside and Vincent had gotten one for me, although none of the men were drinking. But I was having a great time, sipping an ice-cold beer and watching the competition.

“Rub that on my back, would you?” Jason said, leaning against the hood as I ran the cold aluminum can over his shoulders. He shivered in contentment, sighing as he closed his eyes. “It’s hot as fuck in that car.”

“You were amazing to watch out there,” I said, my breath hitching for a moment when he opened his eyes. I didn’t think I would ever quite get used to how blue they were. “What happens now?”

“I qualified for the next stage of competition,” he said, humming gratefully when I slid the can down his back. “Next up is tandem drifting.”

“Tandem? What’s that?”

“You’ll see. I’d hate to spoil the surprise for you.” He straightened, the two of us watching Lucas and Manson work. Vincent had brought a small speaker along and Manson had his phone hooked up to it, playing “Hunting Season” by Ice Nine Kills. It was the first time I’d watched him and Lucas working together, and it was clear how practiced they were. It was like they could read each other’s minds, grabbing tools for each other before a single word had been said.

At one point, as they both fiddled with something under the hood, Manson leaned close and whispered in Lucas’s ear. Lucas looked up at him with wide eyes, freezing for a moment before he shook his head and scoffed, his face reddening. I had no idea what had been said, but it still made me smile.

“What are you grinning about?” Jason said, resting his arm on my thighs.

“Just watching you guys,” I said, leaning back on my hands. “It makes me feel happy when Manson and Lucas flirt with each other, or you and Vincent…I don’t know, it’s nice to see. I’m not sure if I can explain it.”

“Sounds like compersion,” he said. “It’s when you feel happy for someone else’s happiness. Like when Vincent flirts with you, I know he’s enjoying himself and enjoying your company. So it makes me happy.”

“I had no idea there was a word for that,” I said. “It’s like the opposite of jealousy.”

“Yeah, it’s like that. Finding joy in other people’s joy. That’s part of why the four of us get along so well. We really want to see each other happy.”