Travis waited until everyone else had gone too. He sent me a long look full of promise before following after Gordon andAnnaka.
“Go slowly, Aiden,” I cautioned, my heart in my throat as I watched him zip along thetrails.
I’d started driving regular sized ATVs at his age at my grandpa’s, but it was different when it was your child. The amount of anxiety that accompanied fun adventures like this was suffocating. But to their credit, everyone was cautious of my seven-year old, not riding as hard or as fast as I knew they usuallydid.
It took ten minutes to get to our regular mudding spot in the clearing. We rode through the swampy area, so everyone’s legs were covered in mud by the time we made it to the clearing. Aiden was grinning widely, his face caked in mud. He was the kind of child who could have a blast with kids oradults.
Near the end of Brock’s section of property was a clearing, and Brock and his friends had created a large track there with miniature jumps for their dirt bikes and ATVs. When I was fourteen, I’d tagged along a few times, but it was my first time going inyears.
The clearing had a couple of springs underneath running through it, but the ground wasn’t as muddy due to the lack of rain. I relaxed a little, trying to lessen the ferocious hold on my momreins.
We took turns running the track and eating sandwiches. Aiden hooted and hollered when the guys called for a race. I let Elle borrow my ATV, knowing she could handle it. She beat Braden, a wave of mud splashing him directly in theface.
After winning, she paused to gloat before pressing hard on the gas and shooting forward, driving back to where I was waiting with Aiden. I’d made him take another break to drink more water, and he was pestering me torace.
“Come on Mom! Just one race? PLEASE!?” he pleaded, his blue eyes wide withhope.
“I don’t know, Aiden,” I said, uncertainty ringing in my voice. Aiden had only been riding ATVs for a year, and his youth sized one likely wouldn’t hold up against the other, more powerful machines. I didn’t want him to be disappointed, or get hurt trying to keep up with theadults.
“But Mom!” he whined, pouting. “Even the girls got torace!”
“Hey now, that’s not fair,” Elle frowned, a hand on her hip. “Why are you using us girls as an example here, kid? Girls have every right to race. Hell, we’re better than youruncle!”
“I know,” Aiden replied sheepishly, his pout growing as he kicked at the dirt. “But I’m seven now! I can race too! I bet I’d beat Uncle Braden. It doesn’t look hard atall!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at hisresponse.
“You can race me, little man,” Travis offered, grinning at Aiden. He ran a hand through his wavy, dark blond locks. My eyes shot to his, and Ifrowned.
“Now I really don’t know,” I scowled, angry at the frantic beating of my heart, and at his intervention. It was unwanted…and yet, it feltright.
“I promise, it’ll be fine,” Travis assured me, his eyes lingering on my face. A look of longing passed across his features. I sighed heavily, my lips lifting in a reluctant, tightsmile.
“Fine, just one loop,” I told Aiden, trying to maintain my authority. It was challenging; the look Travis had sent me had all but meltedme.
As much as I liked to pretend I was impervious to his charm, I reallywasn’t.
“Three! Two! One!” Tessa called out, playing flag girl with a delighted grin on herface.
I watched with my heart in my throat as Travis and Aiden raced around the track. Aiden was going as fast as his little ATV would allow him. I chewed on my nails, anxiety swirling around in my gut as I watched. I couldn’t relax until Aiden had finished the loop first and was tossing his fists up invictory.
My eyes found Travis’s from across the field, and my heart paused in its frantic rhythm at the esteemed smile he flashed atme.
Everyone was covered in mud and sweat when we finally got back to the lake. I helped Aiden peel out of his sodden kinetic trifecta pants while everyone elsedismounted.
Tessa jumped off her Grizzly, watching the trail where we’d come from with a satisfied smile on herface.
“Where’d you leave Elle?” I asked. She nodded as Braden’s ATV came into view, speeding onto the beach. Elle clung tightly to Braden, and jumped off as soon as he came to astop.
She stalked over to Tessa, a scowl on her lips. “How could you do that? Leave me with him like that?” shehissed.
Tessa seemed to wince apologetically. “I’m sorry, he paid meoff.”
“Howmuch?”
“A hundred bucks, actually. I figured we could split it,” Tessalaughed.
“No, I’ll be taking it all,” Elle informed her. Before either girl could say another word, Braden had scooped Elle up in his arms and was sprinting to thedock.
