Page 77 of Head Over Wheels

‘Three weeks at altitude with Colin and without you. And you really think I should do this all again next year?’

‘It’s better than a fucking B&B – without me.’

‘I almost agree with you,’ I murmured in dismay. ‘But even if I stayed next year, we wouldn’t have an excuse to hang out.’

‘Just be private fuck buddies,’ she mumbled. ‘I won’t tellmy parents if you won’t.’ She pulled back with a frown. ‘I don’t know where the hand-holding fits into that.’

‘I don’t either,’ I whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead and leaving my cheek there. She felt… heady.

‘What about whenIquit,’ she slurred. ‘What if I stay really shit and my own dad drops me from the team. We could fuck then.’

I scowled, drawing back to frame her face and stare intently into her clouded eyes. ‘Don’t even think about that. You are strong and focused – a winner.’

‘I could be strong and focusedandwe could fuck?’

The back of my neck tingled. ‘That hasn’t worked so far.’

‘My mum says there’s a winner and a loser in every relationship. She’s bitter, but I’m scared she’s right.’

I thought of Maman and Denise – even Mamie. ‘Perhaps your mum is on to something.’

‘Or maybe she’s wrong and thinking of life in terms of winning and losing isn’t helpful. Maybe then she’d see something more in me.’

Words stuck in my throat, wanting to comfort her, but afraid of what might come out of my mouth if I did. She solved my dilemma by leaning heavily on my shoulder and making a sleepy snuffle that suggested she wouldn’t hear anything I said right now anyway.

Juggling Lori, I managed to extract my room key from my wallet and shove the door open, stumbling through. At first, I was relieved that the light was on and Colin hadn’t already gone to bed, but then I saw the other figure in theroom, standing by the desk and flipping through a sheaf of papers, and blushed as red as the rooster on the flag of Wallonia.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but I couldn’t decide where to start. At the bones of the saint? Or the waffles? Or right back to the first time we chatted on Zpeed? Perhaps my contract extension would be in the bin anyway.

‘Molly!’ Tony Gallagher exclaimed. A deep sigh escaped his chest. ‘What have you done now, my girl?’

By the time I’d recovered from my surprise, Lori had pushed away from me. ‘One evening, Dad,’ she said, holding up a finger and only slurring a little. ‘Two beers. That’s all I’ve done now.’

‘Besides, she was only doing what you asked her to do,’ I added with a dark frown.

Tony turned to me, eyebrows raised. With a bark of laughter, he clapped me on the shoulder. ‘She was, was she? I knew if anyone could get you to sign, it would be Molly.’

Mystified about why he kept calling her Molly, I glanced at Colin in confusion, but my roommate only gave me a shrug.

‘I haven’t agreed to sign,’ I said evenly. ‘I just said I wouldn’t refuse to sign until after the Tour.’

‘Good man, good man,’ Tony muttered. ‘Do what you have to do. Wait for other offers. That’s fair. But just know we’d be lucky to have you back next year – happy to have you back. Lori says you’re just friends.’

I could almost feel Colin’s raised eyebrows at that statement.After Tony shepherded his daughter out of the room, Lori recovering quickly enough to bicker, I found my roommate watching me speculatively.

‘I probably won’t sign,’ I told him before he asked. ‘I’d planned to retire.’

‘You’re the age for it, I suppose,’ he said with a shrug. ‘You’ve lasted longer in the competition than a lot of guys. But what if Lori wants you to stay?’

‘She does, but I don’t see the point in putting myself through this when my fitness will only—’

‘No, I mean what if she wants you tostay– with her.’

‘I’m not—’

Colin’s expression hardened. ‘She might be messing with you, but you’re messing with her too, you know. She’s distracted.’

‘I didn’t mean to—’

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