Page 36 of Double Trouble

“If you get in,” he mocks. “Like you won’t.”

I give him a playful slug to the upper arm that turns into another kiss. He stumbles a bit since he’s still walking backward, and I’ve taken away his ability to concentrate.

After a few laps around, we finally find someone to ask if we can use the course. The guy says sure, then lets us in through the prep area. Several boarders we saw compete are still there, shooting the shit. Some bragging, some are beating themselves up for a rough run, but most have smiles on their faces and sweat in their hair. Thebest.

We go through a curtain and step onto the skater’s playground. I immediately drop my Millennium Falcon to the ground and hop on.

“Come on, boyfriend!” I call back to Tanner, but he’s too busy pulling his camera out to board with me.

A few judges are still in their seats, turned toward each other and mulling over the boarders they saw. Today was just day one of two, so I assume they’re deciding who will be competing tomorrow. They changed the rules a few years ago for amateurs, making it so there was one boy and one girl selected for sponsorships. They’ve yet to do it for the league I’m in. I aged out of amateur the year before the change. Lucky me.

I gear up for a grind, doing a simple one that I land but just barely, my toe catching the board enough to balance the wobbly landing. All the sitting today has made my limbs a bit numb.

“Feeling the drive?” Tanner guesses correctly. I give him a kinda wave, then push into a soft slide. Maybe I need to do a few of these before any fancy work. I won’t do anything on the pipe today… not without my helmet.

The time flies once I get in the zone—too quickly for my taste. Before I know it, Tanner’s waving me over and tucking his camera away. Sweat pours from my hairline and down the back of my ears, soaking into the collar of my red t-shirt. He smirks at the state I’m in and offers me the sleeve of his shirt to wipe off.

“That’s sweet, but I got it,” I say, using my already sweaty shirt to clean up. No sense in making him damp, too. “Is Aislynn here?”

He nods. “Just outside. You wanna go or do a couple more runs?”

“She drove three hours. Let’s not make her wait.”

“Too bad.” He gestures to just over my shoulder. “You had a captivated audience.”

I follow his gaze, my brows rising at all the judges watching me and whispering to each other. I shrug it off. It wasn’t my best run, and I’m in need of a lot more practice. Besides, these judges can’t do a thing for me. I’m too old.

“Come on,” I say, grabbing him by the camera strap and tugging him back through the prep area and following the long hallway outside. He eventually snags my hand, and we interlock fingers as we step out into the setting sun.

“You owe me big!” Aislynn calls out from a red F150, her pink hair practically shining in the orange sunlight. “Do you know how much gas this thing takes?”

I feel Tanner chuckle next to me, and he reaches for my board, tossing it with his into the bed. He rolls the bed cover down, keeping our rides safe.

A guy I’ve seen before but don’t really know sits in the front next to Aislynn, his beach blond hair poking out from the sides of his fedora. He lifts his sunglasses, his piercing blue eyes connecting with me.

“We would’ve been here sooner, but Miss Small Bladder had to stop four times on the way here.Four. And she kept drinking!”

He lifts up a thirty-two ounce bottle of water that Aislynn snags from his grasp. “It’s important to stay hydrated, Tristan.”

He takes it back before she gets too much of a sip. “You are cut off until we hit Muncie.”

She exaggerates a pout, and Tristan sets the drink into the cup holder on his side of the truck. Tanner opens the back door for me and offers a hand, which I need, because the truck is a beast.

As soon as he slides in behind me, and we buckle, I snuggle into his side, setting my hand on his leg. He plucks it up and plays with my fingers.

Aislynn’s eyes light up as she watches the exchange. “Gosh, you guys are cute.” She faces the windshield and puts the truck in gear. “One day I’ll find love.”

Tanner stiffens underneath me, and his panicked eyes jut out his window. I press my lips together. I’m sure Aislynn didn’t mean that we were in love. She’s just saying things, like she always does.

I settle my head on his shoulder and let out a deep sigh. “Thanks for this, Aislynn,” I say. “I don’t know what’s up with my car.”

“Hopefully it’s not dead,” she says, pulling out onto the main road.

“Amen.” I don’t want to think about what I’ll do if it is. Adding a car payment on top of my bills is terrifying. Ihaveto get this sponsorship.

“I’m Tristan, by the way,” the guy says, spinning in his seat. He sticks his hand out for me to shake. “I think we’ve met before, but only briefly. At Candace’s New Year’s party.”

“That’s where it was! It was driving me crazy.”

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