Page 13 of Head Over Wheels

28 September 06:28

zpeed.com/chatserver/channels/@LoonieDunes/22683644572

LoonieDunes: Are you logging on soon, @Folklore99?

Folklore99: Now you decide to message me.

LoonieDunes: Sorry, I was away for a few days with my mum.

Folklore99: Your mum?

LoonieDunes: My dad isn’t in the picture and Maman doesn’t go on holiday much because of all the animals.

Folklore99: Okay, you’re excused – for the sake of those goats.

06.43

Folklore99: I was being a dickhead, sorry. It’s nice that you go on holiday with your mum. I just…

06.46

LoonieDunes: Just?

Folklore: I can’t concentrate on this stupid indoor bike when you’re not there.Mymum has noticed and I really don’t want her opinion right now. I’m not her favourite daughter and she only has one. Out on the road I’m fine because that’s my hyperfocus happy place, but here on my own…

LoonieDunes: It doesn’t work. Okay, I get it. I’ll tell you next time I’m going away so you can find someone else to train with. God protect us if you’re left to your own devices.

Folklore99: Oh, shut up.

LoonieDunes: Wanna watch a film and train?

Folklore99: Do I ever. I’ll get my headset so we can chat.

Chapter 5

Seb

I made my mind up then and there: I was quitting cycling.

Sure, I’d made that decision a few times before, but this time I meant it. No one should have to discuss their performance on a bike with the father of the woman they’d just kissed.

Holy shit, I’d kissed Lori Gallagher. I’d had my tongue in her mouth and my hands on her butt and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to recover from that. She’d let me lose it with her and it might have been the best kiss of my life.

It was hard to listen to Tony Gallagher when half of my brain was stuck on the feel of Lori’s skin under my fingertips. I wanted to kiss her ear, near the little studs leading to small hoops in her lobes. I wanted to scrape my teeth on her neck. It felt as though all those online conversations had snowballed into that moment, that touching her was the final piece of a puzzle.

Thank God I wasn’t wearing bib shorts. I needed to adjust my boxers, but now really wasn’t the time, so I tried toignore the way the cotton pinched. I still couldn’t breathe properly. I might never breathe again, after Lori’s tongue had swiped over my lip.

It didn’t help that she was a bare few metres away, behind the bathroom door, occasionally failing to stifle a snicker.

‘I realise we haven’t got a good indication of your form yet,’ Tony continued. ‘I’m not going to be a hard arse about the rides we’ve done so far.’

‘Not a… eh, thanks.’

‘In fact,’ the general manager continued, clapping me on the shoulder, ‘you’ve proven you can take a joke, which is a key skill on this team.’

‘I noticed.’

‘But we need to develop a strategy for you as well as a plan for the events our leaders are starting this year. At this point I want you fit and ready to support Colin for the entire Tour. But what about the Spring Classics? Do you want to give some of them a burl?’

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