Page 57 of Dream Chaser
I grin. “Guys … I know what I’m doing with BVP.” And then I tell them everything.
I’m not needy. I don’t need people to stroke my ego, or a pat on the back, but Mags is not as enthusiastic as I expected. Her arms are crossed over her puffy jacket, Knights flag still tied around her neck, but now also wrapped around it like she’d beenusing it as a scarf, and her smile is there, but there’s something under it.
“Iz, that’s incredible. Really. But … what about the farm plans? I’m leaving after graduation, and I can’t?—”
I exhale and lean against the window frame. “Oh, you’re going with zero worries, and you’re going to win,” I say. “Every seed will be in the ground. You know me—I’ll have that schedule dialed in to the hour. And once we’ve got the Knights merch production happening here in Blue Valley? I won’t have to spend every damn spare minute in the merch closet, cleaning up everyone else’s screwups.”
Lexi snorts. “You say that like it wasn’t your favorite rage hobby.”
“It was never a hobby. It was damage control.”
Mags nudges my shoulder, that familiar teasing light back in her eyes. “You better make sure you’re not missing one minute of the show. I will be able to tell. I’ll feel it in my soul.”
“I wouldn’t miss a second,” I assure her.
“And neither will I,” Lexi adds.
I look around. “I just want to do something good with Aunt Isobel’s legacy.”
I glance up as Mom and Dad walk in; Mom misty-eyed, Dad beaming with pride.
“She’d love this, Iz,” Mom says as we walk to each other and hug.
Dad wraps his arms around both of us. “You excited?”
Mags wraps hers around all of us. “We are.”
Then Lexi, she doesn’t join in like Mags. Nope. Our girl Lexi squeezes in the center of our little love huddle.
After laughing, Mags asks, “Question: Uncle Jake and Aunt Sarah?”
“Yes, Maggie, there’s a room for you, too.”
“Hell yes!” she shouts.
“Me?” Lexi asks.
“Your old man gonna let you stay here?” Dad chuckles.
“Uncle Jake,” she sighs out, “I do what I want to do now.”
“You sure about that?” He chuckles.
We check out the third floor, the one that used to be full of old books and newspapers, which are now organized and confined to one of the rooms and the rest up at the house. The floor has three large bedrooms and one massive bathroom.
I think I’m going to love it here.
Dad and I walk through the main floor; he with a tape measure, me making notes in my app, Mags spinning Lexi in an old office chair, and Mom standing in the middle of the space, looking around with a soft smile, as if she’s remembering her youth.
I lean my head on her shoulder. “It has good energy.”
She kisses the side of my head. “It does.”
The sound of sirens in the distance alerts us that the team must be rolling in.
The five of us bundle up and step outside as police cars, followed by firetrucks, turn onto Main Street, and then they kill the sirens, but there is the approaching rumble of diesel followed by the cheers of hometown pride.
The team bus turns onto Main Street, slow and steady, followed by a trail of pickups honking in behind them. The crowd lining the sidewalks erupts in cheers, air horns blaring, cowbells clanking.
