“You’re looking like a raccoon. A cute raccoon, but a raccoon nonetheless.”
I resist the urge to feel the spot where he touched me. He needs to stop doing that, teasing me with almost-touches and flirty remarks. It’s impossible to focus on this competition when I can’t stop thinking about tumbling into bed with him.
The sun is at its peak, and we’re almost out of water. It’s time to head down for a lunch break, and I’m about to say so when I see a thick mass of dark curls crest over the horizon. Damien is here. Josie’s on his shoulders, beaming brightly. They’re wearing matching hot pink shirts that say ‘Blondie’ in big curly letters just like Reid had talked about.
He lets Josie down, and she runs over to me and hugs my leg. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to see them until this moment, when they are all right in front of me. Damien hands Reid a giant box full of shirts. “Here you go, man.”
Of course Reid actually went through with making shirts. Itmakes total sense he used Damien to do it. That man always has a hookup.
They’re cute, and it makes this all feel real. I start to panic.
Reid rubs circles on my back. “Oh no. You hate them?”
A laugh forces its way out of me, but it sounds more like a sob. I sit myself down on a rock, and Josie makes her way into my lap. “What’s wrong, Aunt Addie?”
I wipe tears from my eyes. “Nothing bug, I’m just excited to see you.”
Ruffling up her dark brown curls, I look up at her dad. He must realize how scared I am because he comes over and gives me a side hug. I’ve never known Damien to be affectionate with anyone but with his daughter—she has him wrapped around her finger.
They observe us as we work on the trail for a while before Josie starts yawning and they head back to the hotel. It’s hot today—the sun is pounding down, and I have to drink water every two seconds or I’m going to pass out.
Reid strips off his hot pink shirt and lays it out on a rock. “Take a break, Addie. I’ve got this.”
“What am I supposed to do? Just sit here?”
He winks at me and his muscles flex while he takes the shovel. “Just enjoy the view.”
The view makes me even thirstier. He strains himself as he pounds the sandstone down, making sure the trail flows perfectly.
They finish right as the sun begins to go down. I’m sitting biting my nails, trying to stave off a panic attack. I try to focus on the clangs of the shovels against dirt, but every few seconds I get distracted by Reid’s biceps.
Reid leans down beside me, heat radiating off of his hard abs. He pushes his sweaty arm into my side. It should disgust me—he’s covered in dirt, smudged under his eyes and across his brow—but it makes him sexier.
“Ready to head home?”
I nod and try to peel myself off of the rock. My thighs seize up a little, and I fall back.
He leans down in front of me. “Climb on.”
“I can walk.”
“I know you can. But you don’t have to.”
Reid meanders down the trail like we have every other day, but this time it feels different…tomorrow I have to ride this trail and officially find out if I actually deserve to be here.
35
The sun rises on the next day, and we’re up on the trail before it fully crests. Reid and I spent hours fine tuning my bike last night.
We got a new frame keeper in, it’s hot pink with my nickname etched on the side. I decided to lean into this whole ‘Blondie’ thing. If I’m taking a risk and putting myself out there, my outfit might as well reflect it. Just a year ago, I hated the color pink, thinking it somehow made me less of a rider to enjoy girly things. It feels good to try and embrace both sides of myself.
My tires are pumped to perfection and my chain is gliding perfectly. If I fail, it’ll have absolutely nothing to do with my gear. It couldn’t be any more dialed than this.
Reid tried to massage me again last night, but I refused. Instead, I sat on the floor of my shower until the water ran cold and my fingers shriveled up. I still can’t believe I’m actually here. It feels unreal, as if I’m watching someone else live in my body.
This will be the first time I actually get to ride down the line we’ve been pouring our blood, sweat, and tears into. My training program next year should just be trail building. There are muscles in my body aching right now I didn’t even know existedbefore this week. The space between my pointer finger and my thumb is throbbing as I grip my handlebars.
Even my gloves are pink now. Reid picked them up last night, and they fit perfectly. There aren’t any weird seams on the inside forcing away my focus. They disappear onto my wrists and provide some stability.
