Page 11 of Finding Delaware

Behind the backyard, several acres of land make up Dad’s property, which is divided by a fence. When we cross through the gate and onto the field, I glance over to see Taylor stop short as he takes in what I’m showing him, a grin pulling at my cheeks when his eyes almost bug out.

“Ta-da,” I say lamely, throwing my arms out wide.

“You have a dirt bike track in your backyard.” He huffs a dry laugh, raising his face to the darkening sky. “Of course you fucking do.”

Yeah, I do. It’s not the prettiest track in the world or the biggest, but it’s mine, less than half a football field in length and complete with jumps.

“This used to be a pasture for the horses,” I explain as I lead him further. “My mom trained them for a living. But after she died...well, horses were more her thing than Dad’s, so he sold them and had this track made for me.”

“Money really does buy happiness,” he mutters, and I stiffen but force myself to ignore the comment.

What Dad did for me was a mercy. I was drowning after Mom’s death, spending every day at the motorsports park trying to outrun the grief, and he wanted me to have a space of my own to do that. Yeah, we’re well-off, but that doesn’t mean my dad hasn’t earned his living or loves me any less because of it.

Turning toward him, I freeze when I see the look on his face. There’s a smile on his lips, excitement shining in his eyes as he takes in the track, and it reminds me of that day in PE three years ago when I thought I’d get to see that look on his face forever. I didn’t realize until this moment that I’d missed it.

“You wanna go for a ride?” I ask hoarsely, low-key wanting to keep that light in his eyes for as long as possible.

He throws me a sideways glance, lips turned down. “With you?”

“Yeah, why not? This can be like neutral ground or something. A fake place. Like…Delaware.”

“Delaware?”

I shrug, raising a brow at him. “Have you ever heard of that city? I don’t even know where or if it exists.”

Taylor’s eyes nearly bug out of his skull. “Delaware is astate, dumbass.”

I knew that. I just wanted to see ifheknew that.

“What?!” My jaw drops in faux surprise. “See what I mean? How do we know it’s even a real place? Seems fake to me.”

“The people that live there would disagree with you,” he huffs, gazing around us. “So, what, this track is a land of make-believe or some shit?”

Nodding, I do my best to toss him a megawatt grin. “Exactly. Out here, nothing has to exist. No fights. Just us. Just Taylor and Huckslee.” Like I wish it could be. “What do you say?”

He seems uncertain, eyeing the track eagerly as he considers it. My heart starts to thump wildly in my chest.

Please say yes. Please.

After a silent moment, he steps away, slamming a wall between us. “I’m not playing pretend with you, Huck.”

“Suit yourself.” I shrug again, walking away to hide the disappointment I’m sure is plain on my face. Which is confusing as hell because why the fuck was I wanting to hang out with him, anyway? With Taylor Tottman?

Two days ago, he filled my backpack with milk while sitting behind me in the library, ruining all my homework.

Thankfully, that stunt had gotten him banned from there for the rest of the year, but after all his bullshit, what possessed my mind into thinking we could spend any amount of time together in peace?

I’m glad he said no. Really. Not irritated by it at all.

After grabbing my two-stroke from the garage, I bring it back to the track, pulling on my gloves before thumbing the throttle. I’m about to start it up when the sound of an engine reaches my ears, and I turn just in time to see Taylor fly by on his awful yellow bike.

“That’s cheating!” I yell, laughing when he grins over his shoulder and flips me the middle finger.

Something warm floods my chest, an emotion I can’t place, and as I race after him, a dangerous thought bounces around my brain.

Maybe, at least for the next year, things will be okay.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

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