Page 133 of Burnout
“Wait. They knew you were coming?” Avery asks, looking from me to Flynn and back.
“I wanted to surprise you. Quinn told me you had big news. There was no way I was going to miss your celebration.”
She lunges at me, hugging me again. I glance over her shoulder to Flynn, really seeing him. He’s wearing a button-down shirt and his jeans aren’t at all wrinkled. “Wait, did you say you wanted to go to a dance?”
After we drop off Flynn and swing by Avery’s dorm so she can change, we head to The Tipsy Rose. Archer and Brogan greet me from behind the bar. Arch doesn’t bartend, but he likes to hang back there sometimes when Brogan is working.
“Good to see you, bro,” Arch says.
Brogan sets a shot glass in front of me with pink liquid.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I’m calling it Neon Punch.” He winks.
I toss it back, grimacing at the sugary sweet taste that has a bit of a kick to it. Accurate name. I sit down and pull Avery onto my lap. I can’t stop touching her.
Colter and Quinn show up not much later. Avery stands to hug her friend, and Colter walks toward me. He holds his handsout as he looks me over and then steps forward to hug me and slap me on the back.
“How is the new team?” he asks when he pulls back.
“Good. Really good. I think it’s going to be a hell of a season.”
“I’m so stoked for you,” he says. “Miss you around here though. Everyone at the track does. Even Brooklyn has been less sunshiny, if you can believe it.”
I bark a laugh. “Yeah, I can believe it. And I miss you guys too.”
I have. Of all the teams I’ve been a part of, that one was effortless, like family. “You think you might still have room for me during the off-season months?”
He dips his head, eyes widening. “You want to come back?”
I nod. “I’ve been thinking about it. I already kick your ass in one sport. I should probably see this one through so I can show you up in freestyle too.”
He laughs loud and long. “Dream on, Holland.”
Avery and I are the first to leave the bar. As glad as I am to see everyone, I need some time alone with my girl.
Outside of the bar, we walk hand in hand toward my motorcycle. I hand her the helmet without a word, and she slides it on over her blonde head.
“Where to now?” she asks as I help her onto the bike.
“Anywhere you want, princess.”
EPILOGUE
“Here he comes.”I grab hold of Flynn’s arm as Knox rounds the last corner of the track and speeds toward the finish line. His pink jersey will never not make me smile.
I scream for him, like I’ve done every time he’s passed us. I doubt he can even hear me over the noise, but it’s the only outlet for all my pent-up anxiety. There’s still five minutes left, but with every lap, my nerves grow.
His face is mostly covered from his goggles and helmet, but when he makes the jump in front of us, whipping his bike with flair, I swear he’s grinning. He loves being out there and I love watching him.
His bike, including the number eighteen plate attached to the front, is covered in mud. It rained after the first race of the day, making a mess of the dirt track. But the sun is out now, not a cloud in sight, and Knox is tearing it up out there, leaving everyone else quite literally in the dust.
He’s had a great season so far. He’s leading in points and race wins. He’s been unstoppable. All while continuing to cheer me on as I finished my second year and captured my first NCAA all-around title, making sure Flynn graduated and haseverything ready for college this fall, spending time with Archer and Brogan, and helping Hendrick with wedding stuff.
I am in awe of him and his big heart.
He’s here and then he’s gone. Just like that, zooming out of view.
