Page 58 of Worthy

″I thought he was messing with me,” Ryder protests as he flicks Deacon off. “I mean, Cade dating? That’s absurd, right?”

“Was the bet about Cade dating, or dating a guy?” I straighten my spine out of instinct.

“Dating, obviously,” Ryder huffs. “I knew he was into you since that first concert, I just didn’t expect him to still be into you since he doesn’t do repeats.”

“Dude, do you hear yourself? Show some respect,” Cade barks at him.

″Sorry,” Ryder grumbles as his eyes dart to the floor, and I find myself biting back a snort because he really does look guilty.

″It’s cool, he’s trying not to laugh.” Cade smirks at me. “He knows all about my sordid past and likes me anyway. Go figure.” He squeezes my hand affectionately, and I elbow his arm, only because he knows I hate it when he puts himself down.

″Ow. Save that for the bedroom.” He winks.

I know what he’s doing, resorting to his flirty, nonchalant manner in order to stave off serious questions about us, and while I normally hate when he does this as a defense mechanism, right now I’m onboard with it. I’m not ready to explain this any more than he is, so for now I’ll hide behind this wall with him.

“So, are you really going to parade me around half naked for this race Al? My guy might not like showing me off like that.”

Okay,wow. I know the possessiveness is part of the act, but the more he says it, the harder it is for me to dismiss. I mean, I’m already taking a gamble on whether I’ll be able to walk away unscathed after our time runs out, and that’s without him trying to claim me.

I’m all sorts of mixed up right now. It’s barely been two weeks since we decided to explore this thing between us. And while I know it’s supposed to be temporary, the fact we’ve been virtually inseparable makes the temporary label hard to remember. Then there’s the hand-holding and him calling mehis guy. Rationally, I know why he’s doing it, but emotionally…

I like having Cade hold my hand. I like hearing him refer to me as ‘his.’ And even if those gestures are for show, I find myself wondering if any part of him thinks this is real, the way a tiny part of me is starting to.

″Oh please,” Ally scoffs, bringing me back to the present. “He’ll be too busy fending off his own admirers to worry about you.”

″Wait.” Cade frowns. “I don’t like that idea any better. Give him a baggy pair of jeans or something so people can’t see his fine ass.”

He says it jokingly, but there almost seems to be a little panic in his eyes. I squeeze his hand, though when he turns to look at me whatever I thought I saw is gone.

Ally passes out costumes and we all get dressed. I’m still not overly familiar with the show, but it seems to me she’s done a great job with the costumes, right down to the wigs some of the guys are wearing. Out of all of us, I think I look the least like my character, because the black spray in hair dye makes my hair look sort of gray, but Ally seems satisfied and Cade swears that’s all that matters.

Ally makes us all pose for pictures, snapping the first one Cade and I have taken together, and when she’s satisfied with the results, we all head out to grab our bikes.

Cade lifts the bikes out of his truck, his lean muscles rippling under the thin fabric of his jersey, and I can’t help notice the passing stare of several women walking by. The way they’re ogling him has me on edge, possessive almost, which quickly fades when Ally screams in delight.

″Oh my gosh, Cade! It’s amazing. This is the perfect solution to keep my coat from getting tangled.” She launches herself into his arms and squeezes the life out of him before climbing on the bike. She fluffs her coat over the bustle frame and starts riding around the parking lot in circles, squealing as she goes. “It works!” Cade shakes his head and laughs, amused by her excitement, and I have to admit it is infectious.

Cade hands me a bike, one he was able to borrow from a neighbor, and then we all make our way to the starting gate a few blocks away. We collect our bibs and pin them to our clothes, then line up for the start.

Just as Cade warned me, this isn’t a typical race. Not only are we counting laps instead of time, virtually everyone is in costume, most bikes are decorated or re-engineered like Ally’s, and entire families including kids on training wheels are taking part. I’ve never seen anything like it, unless you count Halloween, but even that is mostly parents escorting costumed kids, not entire families dressed in a common theme.

There’s so much going on, I’m not sure where to look. One family is dressed like Raggedy Ann and Andy, their kids in matching outfits. A group of twelve or so are all dressed like Waldo, and another group is dressed like Mario Kart characters complete with bikes decoratedto resemble the vehicles each of the characters use in the game. The creativity surrounding me is amazing, and I’m starting to see why these events are so much fun.

Once the race begins and we start weaving our way through town, people line the streets to cheer us on, clapping, shouting and ringing cowbells. We wave to the crowd as if we’re in a parade, which I guess in a way we are, as we do lap after lap.

It’s clear the entire town is involved one way or another, and that sense of community is almost overwhelming. Not in a bad way, just different. Where I come from, you might have a neighborhood or a school come together for a common goal, but you certainly never get the entire town, and while this feels sort of like a big party, it’s also a little emotional to see how supportive people are of each other.

I knew from the first moment I stepped into this town that the sense of unity outweighed anything I’d ever known, but I didn’t understand the sheer magnitude of that until today.

Katah Vista isn’t wealthy. Wealthy people come here, have second homes here, but the town itself doesn’t have money. It has blue-collar, hard-working people. Yet, every single one of them is digging deep for this charity event, whether by raising money, donating food or staffing the event. Everyone has a role and is doing their part.

Yes, it’s social and kind of like a giant street party given that most everyone is in costume, but at its core this is an event with a purpose. You might find events like this in bigger cities, though you won’t find the entire city participating, and the fact everyone here is involved calls to me in a way I wasn’t expecting. At the same time, it’s familiar since it’s reminiscent of how I got involved with environmental science.

It makes me feel more at home here than I do in my actual home.

Yes, the town is small, and that comes with typical small-town issues like a lack of amenities and an abundance of gossip. Yet looking around me, I don’t see a single disengenuous smile.

Throughout the race, we stop at different houses for snacks and drinks, chatting with other racers and spectators while we take a break. At each stop, we’re ushered inside as if we’ve been expected, although from what I can tell there is no schedule. There are hugs, toasts, picture taking, and smiles all around. Even for me, despite the fact I don’t know anyone. It makes me feel like I belong, and for a guy who’s always felt like a bit of an outsider, that’s huge.

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