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Goodnight girl
Shelby curls up in her comforter. I know we should be sleeping, but I’m wide-awake now and I just have to gush or I might explode. “Shelby?” I whisper. “Are you still awake?”
“Yeah, why?” she whispers back, yawning.
“I was wondering if we could boy-talk for a minute,” I say, eager to tell her about my kiss from Ryan. She stretches and sits up on her elbows. A mischievous smile spreads across her face.
“Oh my gosh, yes. I know,” she says, fully awake now.
“What do you know?”
I hadn’t mentioned the kiss but maybe she could sense something great happened because it’s probably written all over my face. She’s still smiling at me. “Well? What is it?” I ask, my heart speeding up. Maybe Ryan told her? Maybe she knows more than she’s letting on? She shakes her head, as if me making her say it is stupid since it’s just SO obvious.
“I know Ash likes you.”
Chapter 8
I hardly sleep at all, thanks to Shelby dropping the “it’s no big deal, but my twin brother totally likes you” bomb. She tried to lessen the blow by saying he never told her he likes me and that she can just tell with her crazy twin-powers. Since every inch of my mind had been swooning over Ryan for two weeks, it doesn’t seem possible to have room in there for another guy. But the foggy images of dreadlocks and deep blue eyes in my dreams last night tell me otherwise.
Today’s race is a regional qualifier and so mega-important it has Dad in a frenzy. I’m anxious to see Ryan again, and hoping work won’t interfere too much with my blossoming new social life.
I inhale a breakfast burrito while Molly and Shelby muse about Ash’s journey to turn pro this year. Shelby beams when Molly says Ash deserves it more than any other local racer. I want to mention Ryan, but know enough to keep my fat mouth shut.
Shelby follows me to the garage where Dad waits for me. I throw open the door and hurry inside, still swallowing the last bits of my burrito. Only Dad isn’t the only person waiting for me. I stop so quickly, Shelby slams into me. I saw him only an hour ago in my dream and now he is in my garage talking to my dad.
Ash pushes on the brake pedal of Teig’s bike and black liquid drizzles out. They focus on an array of engine parts laid on the floor, so they didn’t see our clumsy entrance. I take advantage of the moment by slowing down and walking with grace. Shelby does too.
“Good morning girls,” Dad says to Shelby. Then he turns to me. “You’re late.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, you’re always late.” He nudges Ash with his elbow. “I just can’t hire good help these days. Ash, are you in the market for a job?”
“Da-ad,” I groan, unable to look directly at Ash. Dad chuckles and asks if anyone wants a breakfast burrito. Ash and Teig accept while I say no, like a lady, and choose to omit the fact that I’d already eaten one in the short trip from my room to the garage. Shelby doesn’t betray me.
When Dad heads back inside, Ash puts away the parts he’s working on. “I was just telling Teig about the horrible night’s sleep I got in the back of my truck last night.” The words are barely out of his mouth when he looks up and notices the new clothing and face of makeup on his twin sister. He gives her a look over, then his eyes shoot to me. I curtsey, accepting the credit of her makeover. He turns to Shelby again. An evil grin appears on his face. “Is it my birthday?”
“Shut up,” Shelby says, throwing a stray glove at him. He catches it in the air a second before it smacks him in the face.
“Teig dude, is it your birthday?” My brother takes it literally and shakes his head. Ash smirks. “I mean, it’s not every day a man gets to be in the company of two beautiful women.” He runs a hand through his hair. “But one’s my sister so that’s kind of gross.”
“Shut up, okay?” Shelby says again. She points at me. “Hana did it!”
Teig shifts on his feet. He doesn’t take his eyes off Shelby, and it makes me uneasy to think of my brother liking girls. I’ve only been living with him for two weeks, but I think he’s was growing up too fast.
Ash pushes dreads behind his ears and leans forward, resting his elbows on the seat of Teig’s dirt bike. He is attractive, but he isn’t Ryan. They both have killer bodies, but so does every motocross racer in the Pro class. Ryan is clean-cut and sexy. Ash is grunge and dread-locked… but still sexy.
“Wait a minute.” Ash’s tone is serious now as he lifts an eyebrow toward Shelby. “You aren’t getting all dressed up to impress a guy again?”
“No, but even if
I were, I can do what I want.” She stands her ground. He walks around the bike and throws his arm around her.
“Sorry Shell, I just don’t want you changing anything about yourself to win the attention of a guy. Especially a motocross guy.” He puts his forehead to hers for a moment. “You’re way too good for that, okay?”
She stares at the handlebars on Teig’s bike and nods. I’m sure he means well, but I’m furious at her for agreeing with him.
“What’s so wrong about getting a guy to like you?” I cross my arms and tap my foot on the concrete. Dressing up is how you win a guy’s attention. It’s simple facts. It’s not like I turned Shelby into a whore by decorating her eyes with a shimmery glow.
