Page 42 of See You at the Finish Line

“You have a superpower.”

“I know.” The line is quiet. “Paige, maybe this is a good thing. This is what you’ve been working towards in therapy—finding the bits of yourself you’ve lost.”

“It’s supposed to be on my own timeline.”

“This could be a sign from the universe nudging you in the right direction.”

Fuck the universe. “Or it’s just Ashford being an asshole.”

“That is entirely plausible as well,” she agrees. She lets the conversation drop, knowing I’m at my limit with Adam. “How was your first date with that hockey player?”

“Nate,” I remind her. “It was good. He seems nice.”

“He’d better be nice.”

“He is.” Thinking of Nate makes me feel strangely guilty. I’m pretending I don’t know the reason why.

“Paige,” Leah says, her voice serious.

“Yeah?”

“Do the race.”

The whole drive home I think of ways to get out of it. Could I get a doctor’s note? I’d have to get a doctor first, which I’ve learned is kind of hard in this country.

Could I speak with Maxim? I don’t want to ruin my chances of keeping the job. Demitri would be the better bet on that front. Maybe I can sabotage the race so it gets cancelled. Except it’s for charity. Ugh, I’m going to hell.

Q greets me when I get home, full of energy and excitement for her nice long walk. She’s happy here. She loves the cooler weather—that traitor. She’s been forcing me to get out of the apartment more often, always wanting to go to the dog park or for a walk around the neighbourhood.

Her big shaggy legs bounce with happiness as people coo and aww at her. She gets so many pets that she’s wiped out from the attention when we arrive home. Q doesn’t even put up a fuss when I have to clean her paws off from the muddy puddles she’s stepped into.

I get a mug of tea ready and climb into bed even though it’s only two in the afternoon. I'm snug in my blankets when I notice I left my closet door open.

With a sigh, I get out of bed and glimpse the only box I left unpacked peeking out from behind the junk that’s already starting to accumulate.

The words JUST IN CASE written in small block letters along the side stand out, taunting me.

“Goddamn it!” Simon cursesas he smashes his hand with a hammer for the third time in twenty minutes.

“Seriously?” Liam snorts, though his line of nails is crooked, so I don’t know what he’s laughing at. I should’ve hired someone to build the deck for me, but I thought it would be a good bonding experience with my siblings.

“You missed a spot,” Isabel says from where she lounges on a lawn chair. She’s monopolizing the small bit of shade with a pitcher of margaritas beside her, her hammer conveniently lost already.

“Care to help?” I ask. The sun beats down on my neck, but I know I shouldn’t complain. With autumn right around the corner, our sunny days will soon be gone.

“No thanks, I don’t want to be liable for anyone who falls and breaks their neck out here.”

My little sister, ever the lawyer.

“Have you talked to Dad recently?” Liam asks, stealing the glass from Isabel as she’s about to take a drink. She purses her lips but doesn’t object.

I was waiting for this question. I’m surprised it’s taken this long for one of them to bring it up. We’ve been working out here for what feels like six hours—it’s only been two—and this is the first time Dad has been mentioned.

“You know I haven’t,” I answer and then drown out whatever he was going to say, whatever guilt trip he had prepared, with a swing of my hammer.

The nail goes right into the wood. My hands ache from the labour, especially considering I’ve built half the thing by myself. But it feels good. I needed this outlet. Running reminded me too much ofher.

I know what Liam wants to say. It’s nothing I haven’t heard before. Ever since I quit my physiotherapy job, my father has all but stopped speaking to me. It’s made holidays extra fun.

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