Page 45 of XOXO, Valentina

Shane had a good start and cleared the first hurdle with minimal effort. I smiled, remembering the way Gabriella had hurdled those bushes on the first day we’d run together. He’d obviously inherited his talent from his incredible mother.

I glanced away from the race for a split second to watch Gabriella. Her hands were clasped under her chin and her gaze was glued to Shane. My heart squeezed when her brother threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side.

I turned my attention back to the race where the runners in the outside lanes were slowly losing their leads. From lane one, it was hard for Shane to see where he was in relation to the others until the end of the second curve, but according to the timing of his touch down, he was right where he needed to be.

My muscles twitched with memory while I watched Shane’s flawless execution. The kid was something special, and I had the feeling I was watching history in the making. I checked the clock and realized Shane was on pace for a school record. Even if he didn’t win, he could possibly go down in the books tonight.

Gabriella’s family shouted from the bleachers as the race tightened. Shane moved up to third place after clearing his sixth hurdle. The stands went wild, and both teams crowded the edges of the field, shouting at the tops of their lungs.

Lanes one, four, and six battled it out to the final hurdle. The favorite from Windy Rush touched down first, then lane six, followed by Shane in lane one. The runner from Windy Rush was closing in to win, but two steps before the finish line, he stumbled. The crowd let out a collective “ooh” as his feet tangled up and he hit the ground hard.

The kid in lane six crossed first with a time of 39.6 seconds. I clocked Shane at 39.9. I whooped and pumped my fist in the air. If my time was accurate, he’d beaten the school record from twelve years ago and qualified for the state meet.

The sidelines were celebrating, but on the track, the mood was somber as Shane and the other competitors crowded around the Windy Rush athlete who’d fallen over the last hurdle. Together, they helped him to his feet and wrapped him in a group hug.

Cheers from the crowd reached an all-time high as the athletes led the fallen runner off the track.

I tore my gaze from the incredible display of sportsmanship and found Gabriella in the crowd. She was smiling from ear to ear and swiping at her cheeks. Her father threw his arm around her shoulder, and she grinned up at him through her tears. My ribs squeezed tightly, and I wished it were my arm around Gabriella’s shoulders.

Her head lifted, and she caught my gaze from across the field. Our eyes locked, and over the roar of the crowd, I felt connected to her on a level more intimate than sex. My stomach felt queasy, and my heart raced as if I’d been the one sprinting to the finish. Her mouth curved in a bright smile, and my world tilted. I didn’t just want to kiss the smile off her lips. I wanted to be the one responsible for it.

The gun went off for the eight-hundred-meter race, shattering the spell between us. I snapped my attention back to my team and hurried to the officials to confirm Shane’s time. He’d smashed the former record by 0.3 seconds, and he was going to the state meet.

The rest of the meet passed in a blur as I focused on coaching and securing a win against our biggest rival. Back at the bus, the other coaches and I split it into thirds. Madison took the front, Tommy had the middle, and I settled into the second-to-last row. Although it was a happy occasion and the bus shook with cheers and laughter, but my mood was somber.

I stared out the window, letting most of the conversation drift around me. Memories of my racing days flashed through my mind. I remembered what it was like to shoot off the blocks and sail over the hurdles, my heart pumping full blast. My days had in college had been lonely as hell. My teammates had become my substitute family, but it hadn’t been the same as being home.

Spring break couldn’t come soon enough. I was going home for ten days. I would get my fill of suffocating hugs from my mother, late nights drinking Imperials and watching football with my dad and brother, and catching up on the local gossip with my sisters.

“Dude, your mom’s a MILF.”

“You’re sick, bro,” Shane said. “She’s my mom.”

My head snapped up, and I focused my attention on Shane and the pimply faced kid sitting two rows ahead of me.

“I’m just saying… She’s hot. She doesn’t look too old. I bet she likes—”

Shane cut him off. “If you don’t shut up about my mom, I’m gonna kick your ass.”

“She’s got a great ass for an old lady,” the kid said. “I wouldn’t say no if she threw it at me.”

Shane started to get out of his seat, but I was up first. I shot down the aisle quicker than the racers had gotten off the blocks and loomed over the little asshole.

“Watch your mouth,” I said. “You think you’re a big man talking about a woman like that?” I itched to grab him by his skinny neck and yank him out of his seat, but he wasn’t worth the trouble. I lowered my voice to a growl. “She’s Shane’s mom. She’s a person with feelings, not just some object for you to fantasize over.” I refrained from smacking him on the back of his head like I wanted to and glared at him. “You understand me?”

A sneer twisted his lips, but he nodded. “I was just messing around, Coach.”

“Have some respect,” I said.

“Yes, Coach. Sorry.”

The noisy celebration on the bus continued as I made my way back to my seat. Anger coiled in my belly. I cracked my knuckles and flexed my fists.

“Thanks for having my back.”

I glanced up and saw Shane leaning into the aisle. I relaxed my fists and spread my hands out over my knees. “No problem,” I said. “But I kinda wish you would have kicked his butt.”

Shane grimaced. “I still might.”

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