“I think she knows,” he hesitated. “I hope she does. She could be one of the best,” he admitted. “And I don’t just mean for a girl. She could hang with Reid if she’d get her mind right. She’s just…I don’t know, man. It’s like she’s trying to outrun something, but hell if I know what.”

“We’ll work on her,” I promised. “Maybe she needs some perspective from the best,” I added with a smirk.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he said crossing his arms over his chest. “Nick called me last night and told me that on top of trying to wrangle Chayse, I’m now responsible for getting your crippled ass ready for an exhibition next month. Throttled is looking to partner with another company.”

“Next month?” I asked, shocked that Pilsner had scheduled something so fast. “Okay. Better show me where my bike is then.” I’d had it shipped from Halstead after Dr. Forlani released me to ride. I knew that if it was near me, I’d be tempted to ride it. The last thing I needed to do was hurt myself riding across the ground that was freezing there.

“Right this way,” Hoyt laughed, extending his arm to point at one of the sheds across the property. “We saved a handicapped parking space just for you.”

“I’ll show you handicapped,” I said, jumping against his back as I ran past him. “I’ll have you know, I’m in the best shape of my life,” I continued as we pulled open the shed doors.

“Is that what Georgia’s been filling your head with?” he teased.

“She knows I’m in good shape.” I flexed my arms.

“I’ll take your word for it.” He rolled his eyes. “Things good between you two?”

“Fan-fucking-tastic.” I was glad he asked about her. I liked talking about her.

“I still can’t believe that you’ve got a girlfriend.”

“Me either,” I agreed. “But I fucking love it. I should have got one a long time ago.” I paused. “Actually, no. The one I’ve got now is perfect.”

“Aww, Sally. You’re so stinking cute when you’re in love.” He tossed me my gear bag and went over to check the fuel tank on my bike. “For real, dude, I’m happy that you’re happy. Georgia’s great.”

“Thanks,” I said. “And don’t worry. You won’t be single forever. We’ll find you someone willing to put up with your lame ass.” I waited for him to dish the shit I was giving him back to me, but he didn’t answer. I looked up to find him staring out the door at the woman walking toward us.

Her dark hair was as wild as the look in her eyes when she stomped toward us. Hoyt couldn’t take his eyes off of her. His throat seemed tight as he swallowed.

Well, well, well... maybe he’s already found a girl.

This should be some interesting shit right here.

I watched as she entered the shed and walked straight up to Hoyt. Whatever had this girl up so early, also had her pissed off.

“I cannot believe you told Pilsner I needed to be drug tested,” she said, poking him in the chest with her finger.

“Yeah, well, lucky for you it won’t start until next week,” Hoyt fired back. “You’ll have plenty of time to get your system clean.”

“You’re a real son of a bitch, you know that?” The fire in that girl’s eye was something to witness. Even though I kind of felt like I was witnessing a moment that I wasn’t supposed to. “You have no right—”

“I have every right,” he told her. “It’s my job on the line here, too, you know.”

“Uh…so I’m gonna go ride,” I said, breaking the stare off between them. Both of their heads snapped in my direction. As soon as I fired up my bike, the two of them went back to yelling at one another.

Poor Hoyt really did have his hands full. All I could think in that moment was how lucky I was to have a girl whose only vice was soda.

Brett: How was class?

A week had passed. Seven days that I’d spent the majority of filling my free time with anything I could to keep from missing him. The life we’d started in Halstead had now went digital. Calls, texts, Snapchatting, FaceTime. We were using every viable option to stay connected.

Me: Long. I’m exhausted. How was your day?

My phone rang and I knew it was him. He was silly to think that texting was going to be enough that night.

“Hey there,” I cooed into the phone. I could hear the weariness in my voice and I was sure he could too.

“Hi,” he replied. “My day was long. I rode too much.” It was nights like these that I wished he was here so I could massage away the tension I knew he felt in his neck and shoulders. I wished I could help him ice his knee and hear about his day in person.

“How’s it going? Still able to knack-knack and can-can?” I asked.

“Somebody’s been watching motocross videos,” he said, I could hear the amusement in his tone.

“You know it sounds like you’re a dancer,” I replied. “Couldn’t they come up with more macho names for the tricks?” He was right about me watching videos. It was nice to be able to type in his name on the Internet and see him there. Perks of dating a celebrity I guess. I tried to stay away from the articles about his personal life and stick to his professional accomplishments. Didn’t always work, but for the most part everything I saw was positive.

“What else did you learn?”

“Well, I know that there are plenty of videos of you on YouTube, and that there is no shortage of female fans on Twitter. Did you know there is actually a petition for you to be the next Bachelor?”

“No way.”

“Yes way,” I told him. “I mean there are only like a hundred signatures on it, but still. It exists.”

“Too bad I’m not a bachelor anymore,” he joked. “Isn’t that the show with the hot tubs and girls that make bad decisions?”

“Sure is,” I told him. “If you want, I could make bad decisions in a hot tub with you.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.” He paused. “Don’t think I won’t.”

“I know you will,” I assured him. My cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling at our conversation. “I miss you.”

“I know. I miss you too. Three more weeks,” he reminded me.

“Three more weeks.”

“Want to FaceTime tomorrow?” he asked. “I need some time with your face.”

“Sure.” I started to laugh at his word play, but felt a yawn coming on. I tried to fight it back. My day of classes had drained me, and I had to be at the hospital bright and early the next day.

“You better get some sleep,” he told me. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow... say nine o’clock?”

“It’s a date.” Another yawn threatened. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

They were words I’d never get tired of hearing.

* * *

Nine o’clock couldn’t get there fast enough. It sucked having your new boyfriend a thousand miles away, especially when I’d gotten so used to seeing him every day. Granted it had only been a few days, but my mind was starting to play tricks on me. I kept thinking I heard my phone ring and vibrate in my pocket with a message from him. And I was doing double takes at every blond guy I saw, hoping that it was him. I wanted to say I hated it, but I loved the feeling of being in love so I just laughed it off.

“Georgia Yvonne Bennett,” my mother’s voice echoed down the hospital hallway. I stood up and stuck my head over the nurses’ station counter. There she was, Becky Bennett, walking toward me, holding onto her purse strap like she was on a mission for Jesus himself. Her blond coif freshly styled and her makeup perfect as usual. She might have been a small town girl, but she had a way about her that was all business. A business that focused mainly on keeping tabs on her daughters.

“Hey Mom,” I said, looking at my watch. She’d asked me if she could join me for lunch, but it wasn’t even noon yet. Her early arrival said she wanted to talk about more than just the weather.