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He pulled up at the curb in front of my house and turned to face me. His gaze flicked down to the locket I wore around my neck, causing his own lips to lift up into a smile. “I promised, remember?” I did remember. I remembered each and every one of his promises. “Is it okay if I call you later?”
Butterflies took flight in my stomach as I nodded. “I’d like that.”
* * *
ARIA
“I wish we could be there,” Mom said, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me as tight as she could. “You’re gonna do so well, I just know it.” She pulled back and turned to face Cade. “I want a recording of every time she runs, go
t it?”
Cade saluted her and grinned. “Got it.”
It was Friday lunchtime, and we were leaving early because it would take us four hours to get to the center where the meet was being held. Reagan’s dad was driving her there because they had family near the track, so it was just Cade and me in a car for four hours—alone. I wasn’t sure if I was nervous or excited, most probably a combination of both.
“You go get ’em, Ri, you hear?” Sal grunted and wrapped his arms around me too. He didn’t do this often, but when he did, it made me realize just how much he cared. It was hard to get that feeling from Sal, but lately, he’d been showing me more and more.
I’d started to take my medication, and although Dr. Bay told me it would take some time to get them into my system, I already felt better. I was actually seeking treatment and not doing it alone like I’d always done.
Sal let go of me and stepped back, a huge grin on his face as he wrapped his arm around Mom’s shoulder. Maybe it was time to tell them what had been going on, but their smiling faces made me doubt it. It was only two weeks until their wedding, and then they’d be off on their honeymoon.
I pushed my shoulders back and told myself I’d wait until they got back. At least that way I wouldn’t spoil their wedding with all my fucked-up-ness. “I’ll message when we get there,” I told them both, watching Cade close his trunk which held our suitcases. We’d only be gone for two nights, but it was enough to fill the carry-on suitcase I’d borrowed from Lola.
Cade opened up the passenger door for me, but I didn’t look at him, afraid I’d give too much away in front of Mom and Sal. I waved at them as we exited the lot, and once we were on the highway, I relaxed a little.
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Why?” Cade asked, his attention focused on the highway. “Your times have been getting better and better, and you’re dedicated.” He paused and flicked his gaze to me briefly. “You’re built for running track, Aria. It’s just natural for you.”
I bit down on my bottom lip and stared at the tattoos dancing on his arm with each of his movements. “You think?”
“Nope.” I could spot his grin from his side profile. “I know.”
I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “You’re gonna make my head huge.” I leaned my head back on the headrest but didn’t take my gaze off him. Things had become more comfortable between us over the last week.
“Nah.” His right hand moved off the steering wheel and reached for mine. This wasn’t the kind of thing friends did, I knew that, but I couldn’t help lacing my fingers with his and loving the way my hand got lost in the size of his. “That’s impossible. You already have a big head.”
I slapped his shoulder and laughed. “Shut up.” I yawned, feeling everything from the last week catching up with me. So much had happened in such a small space of time, and my brain was still trying to process it all.
His hand squeezed mine. “You should get some sleep. We have a busy weekend.”
“Maybe just for a little while,” I said, turning toward him and bringing our linked hands to my chest.
I closed my eyes, and before I knew it, Cade’s voice was waking me. “We’re here, baby.”
Groaning, I let go of his hand and stretched my arms above my head, smacking my knuckles off the roof of his car. “Ow.” Opening my eyes, I tried to take stock of where we were, and when the name of the athletic building came into view, I sat upright. “Oh my god, we’re here!”
“That’s what I just said.” Cade chuckled and pushed out of his car at the same time I did. My sleepiness left me in an instant as I followed him into the building.
He kept his distance from me, his hand not reaching for mine, but I was okay with that. I tried not to overthink it, not when I had to focus on the race tomorrow.
The building inside was huge, and we found the locker rooms pretty quickly, then headed out onto the main track and field. There were so many different things happening on the field. People practicing long jump and javelin throwing as well as shot put. I was fascinated, but it was the track that drew most of my attention.
I crouched down and pressed my fingers to it, in awe at how rough but smooth it was. “Wow. It’s so much better than the one at school.”
“Yep.” Cade tilted his head toward a board attached near the entrance of the track. “Let’s go check when our practice time is.”
“We get a practice time?”
