Page 122 of One Small Spark
I let Wren into the garage. Instead of the delighted gasp I was anticipating, she laughs.
“How many bikes do you own?” She stares at the vertical bike rack on one wall.
“Four.” Plus some junkers I tinker with, but those don’t count.
She tries to cover up a snort but can’t manage it. “Why?”
“Different purposes for different bikes.” I gently take her by the shoulders and direct her to the main attraction.NowI’m rewarded with her delighted gasp.
“I can’t believe you did this.” She moves to where I left her bike in the center of the workshop and lightly runs her handsover the frame and seat. She pulls her fingers through the black-and-pink streamers I added and tests the new handlebar grips. “It’s like brand-new.”
“With a few extras.” I point at the black device I attached to the handlebar.
“Is this…” She hovers a finger over the button next to one of the grips. “Is this the loudest bike horn in the world?”
“Seemed appropriate.”
Her devious grin makes my stomach flip. “Can I?”
“Knock yourself out.”
She presses the button, and a sound like a high-pitched car horn fills the workshop. Wren cackles and pushes it again. “You’re going to regret your generosity.”
“Never.”
Before I can blink, she’s got her arms around me, rising up on tiptoes to kiss me. “Thank you. This is the coolest thing. But don’t expect me to ride it all the time.”
“I have very low expectations.” She’s always enough, whatever she does.
I grab my mountain bike off the rack, and we walk them outside. She sits on her bike, bouncing a couple of times on the new seat as if she’s gearing up for our short ride.
“You’re going to do fine,” I tell her.
“It’s been ten years.” She looks at the dirt path ahead of us like there’s a root canal waiting for her at the end of it.
“I’ll make you a deal. If this doesn’t work out, I’ll get one of those baby trailers to pull you around in.”
Her mouth drops open, and an indignant sound croaks out of her. “Eat my dust, Callahan.”
I am madly, deeply in love with this woman.
She starts pedaling, and her worries must evaporate with every turn of the wheels. Not a wobble in sight. I trail behind, enjoying the view of Wren on a bike, streamersflowing in the breeze. When I pull up alongside her, the grin on her face makes my heart kick.
“Shut up,” she says, rolling her eyes. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It is to me, goddess.”
We pass my parents’ house and the smaller cabins where Charlie and Leo live.
“Okay, those cabins are really cute,” she says. “You guys all lived so close together.”
“You can see why I needed more space.”
“Relatable. I told my family about the apartment today. Among other things.”
“What other things?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
