Page 9 of Heartbreak Hill

“What’s wrong?” Nadia asked.

“Kiran,” Rafe said with a sigh. “He’s not running today.” Kiran Dunlap had been Rafe’s best friend since their freshman year in college, when they’d met on the rowing team. This would’ve been Kiran’s first time running in the Commonwealth Cup. Rafe had asked him, in hopes they’d be able to convince more coworkers to join them next year and enter as a team.

“How come?”

Rafe shook his head. It didn’t matter what excuse Kiran came up with; Rafe would run regardless. He turned his attention back to Nadia and the girls. “I can’t wait for tonight.”

“Why, what’s tonight?” Nadia asked.

“Nachos,” he said with a wink. “I don’t even care where we go out to eat, as long as there are nachos.”

“Can we go with you?” Gemma asked.

Rafe nodded. “Big family dinner. Grandma and Grandpa will join us.”

“Yay,” Lynnea said with a mouth full of banana.

They ate breakfast and washed up, and Nadia somehow convinced Lynnea that pirates weren’t allowed at the race. She reluctantly changed, donning the same shirt her mother and sister wore, and begrudgingly made her way downstairs.

Rafe stood at the bottom of the stairs. When she was three steps from him, she launched herself into his arms.

“Are you going to win?” She placed her hands on his cheek and scratched her nails against his scruff.

“No,” he told her, despite wanting to. He figured if he won, she’d be over-the-moon happy for him. And if he didn’t, she’d still be proud, and he wouldn’t have let her down. “There are way better runners than me.”

“Next year,” she said. “You can practice more better.”

Rafe didn’t bother correcting her, even though he knew he should. He pulled his youngest closer and held her to his chest, kissed her forehead, and then moved her to his hip. He’d carry her as long as she’d let him.

Rafe couldn’t have scripted his morning any better.

Rafe drove them to the staging area, not far from the starting line. Nadia got out of the car and moved over to the passenger side. She reached for her husband.

“Today is going to be great. I’ll see you at the finish line,” she told him. Rafe kissed her, much to the annoyance of their daughters, who heckled them from the back seat.

“Thank you.”

“I’m so proud of you.”

“I haven’t raced yet,” he reminded her.

“Doesn’t matter. When you first raced, three years ago, you said you’d better your time each year. Now you have a chance to win.”

His smile beamed at her compliment.

“You wanted something and worked to achieve it. That’s exactly the kind of work ethic we’re working to instill in our children. You’re a very good role model, Rafe Karlsson.”

Rafe thanked her again and stepped aside to open the back door. He leaned in. “I’ll see you girls at the finish line.”

“Good luck, Daddy,” the girls said in unison before he shut the door.

He gave Nadia one last kiss. “Run fast,” she told him.

Rafe laughed. “It shouldn’t take me more than an hour.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Rafe kissed Nadia again. He waited for her to get back into the car and leave before he left the parking lot. He let a couple of cars pass by and then made his way over to the tent where he needed to check in. After he gave the young woman at the table his name, she gave him a bib to pin to his shirt and directed him to the starting line.

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