Page 34 of The Mechanics of Broomstick Racing

Hardly qualified to give advice, Zephyr said, “Apologize, and if that doesn’t work, a trophy always smoothed things over with my parents. It’s a great subject changer.”

None of that sounded like a perfect, or even a good, answer, but Levina eagerly latched onto it. She ran forward, hugging Zephyr so hard her back cracked. “Oof,” Zephyr gasped.

“Thank you for everything.” Levina snatched her broom and ran toward her mother’s car that was parked at the edge of the practice track. “I won’t let you down! I swear!”

Zephyr tried to tell Levina that she couldn’t let her down, but her shout was lost to the wind.

JAXON’S NUMBER HAD ONLY been unblocked for ten minutes before Zephyr received a text from him. She glared down at her phone, and though she had expected to hear from him, she already regretted letting him back into her life even an inch.

His message read, Can you meet me somewhere? We should talk.

She texted back, I’ll talk about racing. Nothing else.

Fine. I’ll be at your house in ten.

Uh, no, he would not. She punched at her phone furiously. Not there. In public. At the post office.

Weird. But fine.

Zephyr hopped up from the Post’s break room table and headed to the front counter to tap Karah on the shoulder. Karah turned away from the register with a start, and she asked, “Hey, Zephyr, you look a little nervous, which isn’t like you.”

Zephyr stared at the front entrance as she chewed her lip. “Can you take your break now? I’ll watch the counter.”

“You hate watching the counter. You can’t stand still. Also, you’re not great with the customers. What’s going on?”

Zephyr hated being so readable. In that moment, she envied Karah’s ability to maintain a sunny disposition, even with her life turned upside down. She revealed, “I have to talk with my ex.” There was no use hiding it. “I’d rather avoid an audience. Especially not…”

“Especially not the sister of the guy you took home the other night?”

Did all of Pumpkin Hollow know about that so soon? Zephyr blushed. “Did Neil tell you about us?” If Karah had been the one to find Zephyr’s lost underwear, she was switching careers today.

Karah laughed. “Gods, of course not. But it’s pretty obvious.”

Zephyr decided to not ask what made it so obvious. “So, can I have the counter for, like, twenty minutes?”

“Sure.” Karah, ever agreeable, shrugged and left for the breakroom. Zephyr thought she saw Karah’s smile waver, just for a second, but perhaps she had imagined it.

Resting her elbows on the counter and placing her chin in her hands, Zephyr waited. Jaxon was uncharacteristically on time, which meant he really wanted her to accept Blackened Salt’s offer. But why? What did he gain? Because Jaxon always made sure he gained something.

“I’ll help you pack,” he offered as he entered, though she knew from experience that really meant he’d call a moving company and leave her to do the rest. “We can be out of this one-horseshit town before the day is over.”

“I’m not leaving,” she snapped, standing up straight. “Tell Blackened Salt that I appreciate the offer, but I have to decline. This offer and any future ones.”

“You’re kidding.” His voice was flat, dead. “You’re not going to get another chance like this. Ever. You’re damn lucky that—”

“Lucky?” she snapped. “I’m broken. I couldn’t fly even if I wanted to. But why do you even care? After my crash, I didn’t see you. I called you over and over and got a lousy text back. Why are you making all this effort now?”

He ground his teeth. “To make up for it. Obviously. No one thought you’d stay away this long. I heard you’re the mailman? And I saw who you’re fucking now.”

“None of that is your business.”

“Nothing here in Smallville is worth staying for. If you’re craving blue-collar dick, find someone on your new pit crew.”

He made her want to scream, but then he’d win. She needed Neil’s calm. Zephyr took a long breath in and out. “I’ve seen your stats, Jaxon. It’s not looking good. I called Darcy. She says the only sponsor you have left is dropping you.” She cocked her head. “Did Blackened Salt offer to take you on if you convinced me to come back? That’s the only way that makes sense.”

“You always thought so little of me,” he snarled. “Looked down on me.”

“No, Jaxon. I used to think the world of you. I used to be you.” She shuddered. “I’m not going back. That’s my choice.”