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Sloane stands in front of me, hands over his head as he stretches out his obliques, bending from right to left. He's wearing basketball shorts, that are going to start chafing about a mile in, and an honest-to-God fanny pack. "Any tips for me, coach?"
"Don't slip," I say.
My family is a wild and competitive bunch, but only a handful of them are dumb enough to think they should run a trail race with no training. Two of them are regular runners and have even run a trail race or two in their time. Sloane Sullivan is not an athlete, he's just one of those people who's good at everything, seemingly without trying.
I'm looking forward to seeing him lose hard. I've only seen it once before and the tantrum was epic. I've got a bet going with great aunt Annette about how big the tantrum will be this time.
"Just give it everything you've got," Aunt Annette says. She's standing next to me in the parking lot where the race will begin. "Don't worry about none of that pacing or heart rate stuff Deacon's been talking about."
Sloane salutes her. "Mission accepted, Dear Aunt." He slaps the number pinned to his chest and grins. "I think I see more of these races in my future. This number badge makes me feel like a winner already."
I roll my eyes. "Maybe run the race before you decide to make a career of it."
"Don't get snarky," Sloane says. "We're doing this for you."
I don't tell him I've already given the gym to Asher. I haven't told anyone. It's better if they think he won it fair and square because I couldn't race.
Our cousin, Sam Oakley, walks over and slings an arm over Sloane's shoulders. "Ready to get your ass handed to you, cousin?"
Sloane wraps an arm around Sam's waist and knocks his feet out from under him with one leg. Sam's prepared for it and clings to Sloane's shoulders to keep from falling on his ass.
I turn away from them as they full-on wrestle and find Daisy standing in front of me. "For someone with a gym on the line, you don't seem nervous," she says.
"I've already lost. Russ wants the best trainer for the gym and that's obviously not the woman who over-trained and hurt herself."
Daisy narrows her eyes like she doesn't believe me. "And you aren't going to fight that decision? That's not like you."
I shrug. "I'm a changed woman. Did you get a chance to finish the obstacle course this morning?"
The cousins who aren't racing are going to want a chance to prove themselves, so we've got several games set up back at the house, including a gnarly obstacle course.
She nods. "Keating helped. And he had the idea of a wheelchair race so you can participate in the games."
"Where will we find enough wheelchairs?" I ask. "Or a place to race them?"
"Keating has a friend who's going to hook us up with all-terrain wheelchairs."
I love my family. "That's so sweet of him."
Daisy looks over my shoulder and her eyes widen. "The enemy is here."
My heart skips and I twist to sneak a peek, only to find Asher standing directly behind me. And he's got a number on his chest.
Even weirder. He's smiling.
I face him, my mouth suddenly dry. "Did, um, did Russ talk to you?"
Asher's smile widens. "He did."
"You don't have to race."
"Sure I do. I have to prove we're good trainers."
I blink like that can clear my brain. "You mean you're a good trainer."
"You trained me to run this thing," he says. "So I'm running for both of us."
Before I can fully take that in, an announcement rings out for everyone to take their places.
