Swallowing hard when he gives my fingers another squeeze before dropping them, I follow him back to the tipped over bike and shudder.
“Will you promise to hang onto me if I put you on the back?”
What other option do I have?
We’re easily half a mile away from where he left the truck and I sure as shit can’t push this beast back to where we parked if he needs help. I barely got Hatley’s out of the bed without dumping it on top of myself.
Besides … it’s not weird if it’s necessary, right? It’s not like I want to touch him.
I don’t.
My stomach rolls.
I nod anyway.
“Promise.”
Chapter 24
Emmett
The edges of thebandages are itchy.
I know picking at them makes it worse. It frays the sides, loosening the threads holding it all together.
But I can’tnotmess with them.
It’s loud, the raging of several motors all competing for the same space. All falling into the same worn-out line, the tires kicking up more and more dirt with each roaring rotation.
Feet fling out, boots making contact with ground and bikes alike as they whip around a corner and race to move up. To get closer to the finish line.
And right in the middle of it all is Tristen on his dark green bike.
My heart kicks up when a competitor’s tire rams into his back one and he wiggles.
Nononono.
He straightens out and guns it into the straight away, sailing right over the bumps in the path like they’re not even there with his ass raised from the seat.
How does he do that?
A piece of fabric rips off from my palm, and I step up on the bleachers when I lose sight of Tristen.
“Hey! Down in front, man.”
Hatley whips around next to me and scowls at the person that spoke. “Leave him alone.”
“Fuck you and your friend. Get him out of the way.”
My shoulders rise and I duck my head closer to my chest.
“My bad,” I whisper and step back down, the height of the hills Tristen is racing over too high to see anything.
There’s a tremble to my fingers when Hatley yells back something I don’t pay attention to.
Voices rise behind me, and I tug on the strings of the hood, closing the fabric in around my face until there’s nothing but dirt in my field of view.
Focusing on thebbbbrrrrrgggin the distance, I can almost imagine seeing that green bike come around the corner, cross the line first, and the race to end.
