Page 6 of Be Still My Racing Heart
He huffs and puffs while trying to catch his breath, bending over and resting his hands on his knees. “Or something, Miss Blake! Missus Louise sent me a text saying I’m finally going to get a Big Brother!”
I clap and then give him a one-armed side hug. “That’s so exciting. You’ve been waiting for almost six months! Who is it? Is it one of the players from the Houston Rockets?”
Trevor lifts his head and stares at me as if I’m the most oblivious person on the planet at this moment. “Uh, no. It’s your boyfriend. I thought you would have known that.”
“I don’t have a boy.… Oh, you mean Ryder. He’s not my boyfriend; he’s my brother’s best friend. Today is the first time we’ve officially met.”
“But you want him to be. I can tell,” he says with a self-assuredness that would rival Ryder’s cockiness. These two are either going to be perfect for one another or a disaster waiting to happen.
“We. Just. Met. Trevor,” I huff. “And why is Ryder your Big Brother? He’s not a basketball player. That’s still the sport you want to be mentored in; am I right?”
Trevor’s eyes light up when he peeks over my shoulder, but I don’t need to turn around to know that Ryder is standing behind me. A deep baritone voice washes over my skin, wiping away any doubt. “Drive, determination, physical strength, and mental fortitude are characteristics of every athlete—even for a professional badminton player like yourself. The will to persevere—even when the odds are stacked against you—comes from within.”
“What about teaching him actual basketball skills? That’s also important,” I argue.
“I can hold my own in a game of basketball, Blake, and I look forward to Trevor showing me what he’s got.”
“You two should argue about this over dinner,” Trevor adds unhelpfully as his eyes full of mischief and darting between Ryder and me.
Before I can respond, Louise calls me into her office and defuses the tension that’s building out in the hallway. “Blake, if you have some time to spare, I’d like to discuss the upcoming annual event and get your input.”
Ryder hooks a thumb over his shoulder. “Trevor and I are going to hang out for a bit, but why don’t you come to the track on Wednesday? You can practice with Teague and me as we take the cars for a test drive. Then we can come here and maybe grab a bite to eat afterward.”
Is he asking me out on a date? “Oh. Well, I um….”
It’s as though he can read my mind when he says, “It’s not a date, Blake. I was hoping to pick your brain about Play It Forward, but if you have other plans, I understand. It’s no biggie.”
“I can probably meet you at the track, and Wednesdays are my scheduled days at Play It Forward. The only reason I’m here today is to show you around and make introductions. Can I get back to you about dinner? Since Teague leaves on Thursdays like you do, our father prefers to have us over for a family dinner on Wednesday nights.”
Ryder winks. “I’ll see you Wednesday, Blake. Oh! And bring your A-game. There’s no way Teague is going to go easy on you, and neither will I.”
I laugh as I bid them farewell and enter Louise’s office.
“You wanted to see me about the event?” I ask her. The Annual Tour is organized by the corporate offices, and each location invites the community for a fun day for athletes to team up with the kids and compete in various games. I participated in a few while I lived in Maine, but this is my first in Texas. I helped organize last year’s event up North, which is probably why Louise is seeking my input.
“Yes, but first, I want to discuss the conversation I just overheard in the hallway. While we strive to pair athletes and youth with similar interests, that isn’t always feasible. When you questioned whether Ryder is a good fit for Trevor, it broke my heart, Blake. Our purpose is to inspire and teach skills that will benefit a child, regardless of whether they ever become an athlete. Some of these children simply need someone to believe in them. In the long run, does it matter if that person doesn’t play the same sport?”
I feel like a child sitting in the principal’s office, getting scolded for starting a playground fight. Louise is right, and I was totally out of line. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. It’s just that he’s so infuriating. He says both the wrong and the right things. Half the time, I was tempted to kiss the smirk on his face, and the other half of the time, I wanted to wipe it off!”
Louise blushes at my outburst. “I do hope you’ll be professional while on these grounds. No kissing or fighting. You need to lead by example, Blake.” She fiddles with the stack of papers that Ryder had signed and circles back to my earlier faux pas. “How well do you know Ryder?”
“That’s just it! Today is the first time I’ve met him! I shouldn’t be having feelings for him already.”
“Well, I wasn’t referring to your mixed-up emotions, Blake. I was referring to hisdossier.”
My cheeks flush from embarrassment, and I let out a small cough. “Mostly what the articles have said, but only what has been confirmed as truth by my father or brother,” I admit. “I try not to put stock in gossip.”
“Did either one of them tell you how Ryder was able to afford to go to college?”
I nod. “He received an academic scholarship, several grants, and a loan. He also had a job as my brother’s racing partner.”
“So, you didn’t know that Ryder was also offered a sports scholarship? If he had accepted it, he wouldn’t have needed to take out a loan at all. He turned it down because it would have taken away time training on the racetrack with your brother.”
Shaking my head, unable to comprehend what Louise is telling me, I say to her, “My brother offered him that job the moment he learned about Ryder’s past, and after classes had started. Why would he have turned down the scholarship beforehand?”
“You’ll have to talk to him about that, Blake. It’s his story to tell. But do you want to know what sport he received a scholarship for?”
I nod, but in the depths of my heart, I already know the answer.
