Page 48 of Tailwind

I took a deep breath. It was an innocent question, that’s all.

Quinn nodded. ‘I saw.’

I blinked. He had?

‘Shame. You were good.’ That’s when he turned to leave, heading towards the exit that I now realized was a very open changing room.

The second he was out of view I slapped Theo’s arm in triumph.

‘Hear that? I was good.’ I’d missed gloating so much. I could happily have ridden that high for weeks. It flushed out the previous panic, leaving only smug satisfaction behind.

‘Didn’t you used to have a crush on him?’ Theo crossed his arms, tucking his hands under his biceps.

The glare I gave him only egged him on.

‘What was it … the word you used?’ He pursed his lips, struggling to rein in his grin.

‘Shut up.’ I climbed on to the training machine and looped my limbs through the straps.

‘It was something like …’ He watched me get grumpier by the second. Then snapped his fingers. ‘Dreamy.’

‘I hate you.’ I handed him the other end of the elastic training bands. ‘Let’s get this done.’

‘Oh, you’re embarrassed over your girlhood crush?’ He braced a forearm on the seat, getting close enough to whisper. ‘Another secret I need to keep?’

I clamped a hand over his mouth and reduced the distance between our faces to nothing but an inch.

‘You don’t joke about that. Not out loud and not in public.’ I may have been whispering but my voice dripped with violence.

His eyes crinkled at the corners, I could feel him trying to smile under my hand. He gently peeled it away and kept hold of it.

‘Relax. We made a deal. Plus, as soon as anyone finds out, I lose the ability to tease you about it. Then I wouldn’t get to see this look on your face again.’ He had the audacity to wink at me. If he did it one more time I was going to punch him.

‘Your word means nothing to me, Vaspre.’ That wiped his face clean.

‘Um, excuse me guys …’

I whipped my hand out of Theo’s. He straightened up lazily.

It was Omar. Again. He stood awkwardly and gestured towards my feet.

‘I forgot my drink.’

On the floor was a purple metal flask with a rubber stopper. Omar’s name was written on the side in bright blue. I’d been too preoccupied arguing to notice it.

I untangled myself and handed him the bottle. ‘Here you go.’

‘This is Paldon, Omar. She’s my …’ He left a dramatic pause that made my gut churn. ‘Friend.’

My expression must have been dire, because his smile doubled in size. It made everything look even worse.

‘Nice to meet you.’ I offered a hand to Omar. ‘I’m a keeper with Kiestral, but used to be Vaspre’s teammate in junior racing. I can sympathize with the pain and suffering he’s likely causing you now.’

To Omar’s credit, he laughed the whole thing off with a genuine and infectious smile. He took my hand and shook it.

‘Nice to meet you. If you have any tips on how to get him to be quiet, let me know, I’m still trying to figure that out.’ He backed away with a polite wave. ‘Oh, and can you remind Thorne about the next Rider Union meeting? I swear he’s been dodging me for weeks.’

I watched his back as he left, waiting for the moment the frosted glass slid shut behind him.