Page 40 of Love in Tandem
It was hard to be truly confident, considering he and Charlotte had only ridden a tandem bicycle around the block once— without the trailer and additional baggage—before the chain fell off and the front tire caught a flat, which led to discovering further problems and a better realization as to why the bike had been gathering dust in someone’s garage. Zach and Charlotte had been forced to buy the only other tandem bicycle available on short notice, the top-of-the-line model at the bike shop that was on sale for two thousand dollars.
Talk about hullabaloo. The trip hadn’t even started, and they were strapped for cash.
“Anyway, you know Ty insisted on a big ceremonial send-off. For posterity’s sake. Oh—” Zach snapped his fingers. “That reminds me. You packed plenty of butt cream, right? Because you’re definitely going to need it for your posterior’s sake once we really get going tomorrow.”
Sophia let out a loud whistle, cutting off Charlotte’s response, as she joined them next to the bike and snapped a photo with her phone. “Looking hot there, Sis. Don’t be leaving a trail of broken hearts now.”
“Shut it,” Charlotte said, now yanking the waistband of her shorts up to the middle of her abdomen. “I’m already chafing. And don’t you dare post that picture online.”
“If it makes you feel better, biking shorts look way more flattering on you than on Zach.” Sophia elbowed Zach with a wink.
Zach worked hard to not adjust his own shorts. He didn’t give any thought to wearing them when he was biking by himself, but for some reason, standing here in front of Charlotte and half the town, yeah, he might be chafing too. “Ready to get this show on the road?”
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. Should I use the bathroom again?”
“Charlotte, we’re only biking half a mile.” Long enough to appease Ty and make everyone happy, then load up his Jeep to drive down to Nashville, where they were staying overnight at a buddy’s place before the real start of their journey tomorrow morning. “Let’s just get going. We’re already behind schedule.”
“I know. I just . . .” She tugged on her shorts. “Do I need a Shewee?”
“What in the world is a Shewee?” Sophia said.
“I don’t know, but Arlene said I needed one. Something about it helping me pee like a man in the woods. Do I have to pee like a man in the woods? Why can’t I pee like a girl in the woods? I’m not sure I want to pee like a man in the woods. I’m not sure I want to do anything in the woods. Aren’t there bears in the woods? I thought the Natchez Trace was a highway. I thought I could do this. I thought—”
“You can do this,” Sophia said, pulling Charlotte into a hug tight enough to thankfully squelch her rising hysteria. “Think of your music program. Think of Mom and Dad. Think of anything but your bladder, and you’ll be fine.”
Charlotte released a whimpering laugh, and some of the nerves Zach didn’t realize had been gripping his stomach loosened. Sophia was right. Everything was going to be fine. It was. Especially once they put some distance between them and this town.
As if reaching the same conclusion, Charlotte lifted her shoulders in a deep breath, then blew it out as she turned toward Sophia. “Speaking of Mom and Dad, have you by any chance talked to them recently?”
“Not since they’ve been in North Carolina. Why?”
Charlotte shrugged nonchalantly. “No reason. Just curious.”
Did Sophia not know about their mom’s cancer coming back? And was Charlotte not going to tell her? Weren’t sisters supposed to share everything?
Rick breezed over with a giant foam finger on his right hand, distracting Zach from overhearing any more of their conversation. “Hey, man. Can’t wait to hear all about your trip. I don’t know why, but this is so exciting. It’s probably how people felt watching Charles Lindbergh prepare to take flight, don’t you think?”
“Charles Lindbergh? How old are you?”
“Old enough to remind you that I don’t want to hear about any funny business taking place inside that tent. Charlotte’s a sweet girl. So don’t you be putting the moves on her and making her all googly-eyed and leading her into doing something she’ll regret. Got it?” Rick jabbed his foam finger against Zach’s chest.
“I’m pretty sure after a full day of sitting on a bicycle seat, Charlotte’s going to feel like she’s wearing a chastity belt. I don’t think you need to worry about googly eyes.”
“Good. Glad to hear it. And now that we’ve got that out of the way—” Rick pressed the foam finger against his brow in a salute. “Good luck. Godspeed. Fare-thee-well. Parting is such sweet sorrow. I will always love you.”
“I get the idea,” Zach said.
“Last one.” Rick lowered his giant finger from one shoulder to the other as if he were knighting Zach with a sword. “May your roads be flat and your bottoms not sore.”
“Beautiful.”
Rick smiled. “I’ll be praying for you, buddy.” Then he disappeared back into the crowd.
Charlotte finished saying goodbye to Sophia with a promise to call when they reached the halfway point. “If you don’t hear from me, just assume I’m dead and try to move on.”
“That’s my girl,” Sophia said, squeezing Charlotte’s hand. “But I’m sure you’ll do great. The whole town’s praying for you, you know.”
Zach settled onto the front seat before Charlotte caught him rolling his eyes. Prayers weren’t going to get them anywhere if they never left the parking lot.
