by Leigh Hutton
‘C’mon!’ Ryder’s eyes didn’t leave hers, not for a second, as he spoke. ‘Get back on and I’ll give ya a push.’
Clover opened her mouth to answer, but just a squeak came out. ‘Clover! Are you all right? You’re gonna hour out!’
Her eyes went wide, and then the shock of where she was, what was happening, settled back over her. ‘Crap Sorry!’ She registered his Australian team jersey, and a jolt shot to her heart. ‘You can’t help me, you’re racing!’
He shook his head. ‘No, doll, we finished hours ago! Now, come on! Get back on and we’ll get you out of this.’ He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her onto the seat.
‘I can’t get help! I have to do it on my own!’
This made Ryder laugh. ‘I had a feeling you were a fiery one! But there’s no need to worry, it’s acceptable in this situation. Now, just start it up for me.’ He swiped the mud from her handlebars, unearthing the starter button. But the bike just spluttered back. Ryder ducked around to the right-hand side, pushed her thigh back and took control of the throttle and clutch. In three firm kicks of the kick-starter he had it going. The sound was joyous, the bike vibrating happily ready to be set free, to finish its task.
Ryder was behind her now, ready to push. ‘That’s it, now, GO!’
He gave the bike a firm shove, as Clover dumped the clutch and yanked at the throttle. The bike wailed, she threw herself forward, pushing against the bars, and screamed with joy, as she felt the back end of the bike rise.
Free!
Bits of roost from the back tyre hit her on the back as she crawled the last few feet, paddling with her legs to keep her bike on course, and crept up over the lip of the hill.
She screamed with delight. Excited cheers erupted from all around her, as spectators rushed forward. Ernie appeared, waving frantically, covered in mud, ‘Clover! You have to go, you’re about to hour out!’ He pointed to two red quick shades at the far side of the field, next to the ski lodge. ‘One minute until you’re disqualified!’
Clover told herself to twist the throttle, but her hand didn’t respond. Ryder Black was on her mind. She turned to look, to thank the man who had torn her from the grasp of defeat.
A figure, coated in mud, was crawling over the top of the hill.
‘Oh my God!’ she yelled at him. ‘I’m so sorry!’
‘No, worries,’ he shouted between panting breaths. ‘You, have to GO!’ Ryder, too, pointed at the finish line.
Clover was shocked to see that he was still smiling, despite the fact she’d thoroughly coated him in brown slop. His teeth were still white though, gleaming from his muddy face.
Clover grabbed the mouthguard of her helmet and pulled it down, to yell out, ‘Thank you, Ryder!’
Clover gave Ryder one last smile, looked past the rows of cheering fans setting her eyes on the finish line quick shades eased on the throttle, careful not to re-coat Ryder with roost, and took off towards the chequered flag.
THIRTY-SEVEN
From the foot of the winners’ podium, Clover looked down at the crazy crowd. She was pleased to see the Australians had joined the Canadians, now fighting the French for the spot closest to the front. Many of the Aussie riders already looked drunk and swung from the shoulders of their crew, gold medals around their necks, swilling beers and throwing their hats into the air, as they blew kisses to the top three women in the world.
The towering Aussie, Joanna Elwood, was awarded her bronze medal first. Joanna’s test times had been consistently first or second, but she’d lost time due to engine problems. She, too, had made it up the Day 5 ski hill with the help of a spectator and through the rest of the trail sections, without ‘houring out’.
The Aussie fans clapped and cheered and Joanna smiled and waved like a mad thing.
When it was time for Clover to receive her silver medal, the Canadian fans and many of the Aussies really went nuts cheering, clapping, and calling her name. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and tears of pride welled in her eyes, as the President of the IEC lifted the silver medal over her head. Clover stood up straight, doing her best to blink back the tears, as he took her hand and shook it firmly. Clover strained to see past the bright lights, to smile briefly at the throng of people, but was much too embarrassed to let her eye linger long. She turned to the ultra-glamorous Naidene Roux, who had won after passing dozens of riders on the hill from hell.
Clover gave her a thumbs-up as the officials moved down the line to award her the gold medal.
Madame Roux smiled down at her warmly, then flicked her hair over one shoulder and gave a feminine, beauty pageant wave out to the crowd. Every bum in the bleachers rose from the wooden bench, cheering and whistling. When the French flag was raised into the black night, the French supporters, many shirtless despite the cold some wearing their flag draped around their shoulders went berserk. Two men managed to climb the steel stage structure and lifted Madame Roux onto their shoulders, yelling in French, pumping their fists in the air.
Three Czech policemen, armed with machine guns, set the gold medal winner back onto her step before dragging the men away.
Clover was enjoying this amusing scene until Madame Roux looked straight into her eyes. She felt like a beggar girl at the foot of a great queen, and had to force herself not to look away. Then she heard the Canadian anthem, and Madame Roux nodded towards the centre of the arena, where the Canadian flag was being raised.
Clover noticed that the Canadian supporters and riders had mostly turned to watch their flag, but two of them were looking directly at her. Ernie and Leslie, standing near the front. Clover watched pride light up her parents’ faces. She had to fight the urge to sob, as happiness caused her heart to fill every hollow space there’d ever been in her chest.
Kerry appeared next to her parents, in her American colours, beaming at Clover. She slung an arm around Leslie who was wiping at her eyes with a tissue and gave Clover a thumbs-up.
But there was one face in the crowd that truly shone out from the rest. A face that drew Clover’s attention from those of her family and friends, towards the partying Australians behind.
Ryder.
He stood in the middle of a group of Aussie team members, flanked by the guys Clover had seen in the bar the night she had arrived. Clover suspected, judging by the beers in all their hands, that the alcohol in their systems was protecting them against the cold. This group was obviously amped for a legendary final night celebration one Ernie and Leslie were allowing Clover to attend. She’d even brought her first ever heels for the occasion, pink sparkly ones, that Sydney had helped her pick out.
Ryder’s eyes met hers, and Clover’s hands trembled. A hot air balloon soared up within her.
She couldn’t help but smile and bite her bottom lip. Every other person in the crowd faded away into the clear, cold night, leaving just him. His wide, never-failing grin. His eyes.
Ryder raised his beer to her as Sexy Surfer grabbed him by the arm. Then Ryder raised his chin at her, in a cool kind of nod, and was gone.
A warm hand touched her wrist and she looked up. Madame Roux smiled, nodding with recognition.
‘Congratulations,’ she whispered.
Clover opened her mouth to say ‘thank you’, but the words wouldn’t come. She could hardly believe that she’d been able to finish, let alone beat the Americans, the fast Swedes and the other French girl, to come second best in the world, and to such a superstar rider as Madame Roux. The thought was too amazing, too ridiculous, for her to comprehend.
Madame Roux smiled. ‘I’m glad you’re number two.’
‘Thank, you.’ Clover was finally able to say. ‘You did great, too.’ She followed Madame Roux’s eyes to the middle of the field, where the flags of the winning nations had been raised.
The Canadian maple leaf stood out triumphantly among the trio of flags, its middle peak and red border, bold against its white surrounds. Before, Clover hadn’t thought of the leaf as a symbol of strength, but at that moment, s
he couldn’t imagine it representing anything else. Except maybe home. And it was she who was responsible for this representation of her country being given such a place of honour in this far-away land. She had triumphed, beaten her arch-rival, Lasha, and fought for her homeland to the best of her ability. No longer a loser. No longer partying and out of control. Clover Kassedy. An international racing star.
Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to thank my father, Gordon, for those four or so years ago suggesting I write a novel.
‘Huh?’ was my reply. ‘As if, Dad! I couldn’t write a novel. I wouldn’t even know where to start!’
‘You’ve always been a writer, Leigh. Just write a book.’
‘Okay.’ I laughed. ‘Right-o, Dad.’ I rolled my eyes, and changed the subject.
But then I thought about it. I didn’t let Dad know that I was thinking about it, but I did. I had written a few scenes before this conversation, based upon my experiences in high school, and the name REV had been flitting about my brain ever since I’d finished reading Jilly Cooper’s epic novels, that I’d discovered and was obsessed with oops, sorry, I didn’t discover Jilly, my sister, Rosie, thrust her upon me, but we’ll get back to my superstar sister in a minute.
So Dad told me to write a book and one day, in between motos at a race when our first-born was napping and I was staring at my laptop, longing to connect and find a way to re-engage my former-journalist-come-mommy-mind I started to write. A novel, and, word-by-word, REV GIRL was born.
Thank you, Dad. ? xx
Now back to my superstar sibling, Rosie, and my incredible mom, Donna. Gordon may have given me the faith needed to leap from the cliff that is undertaking a career as a novelist, but these are the two main people who have kept me from landing in a heap, to help REV GIRL to take flight.
I’m incredibly lucky to have been born to a mother and gifted with a sister who are so compatible with myself that we get along like best friends, but are bonded by unconditional love. You’re both my heroes. Thank you for playing such huge roles in bringing REV GIRL to life.
Thank you also to my darling husband, Kirk, and our three little kiddies. My hubby is a man who has the ability to always make me laugh and who should really write a book himself one day; such is his skill for story telling. Not that he would ever believe that he could write a book! Us reluctant readers are capable of developing a burning passion for reading and, even, writing books of our own.
I feel blessed to have found such a wonderful group of kind, generous people who support my career and would like to thank all of my writer and author friends. Kim Wilkins, who was my writing teacher for the Queensland Writer’s Centre Year of the Novel Program, and Allison Rushby, whom I met through my writing group buddy, Tiffany Waters. Thank you to the infinitely talented Edwina Shaw for all of her support and her brilliant blurb. Thanks to J.C. Burke, Christie Thompson, Carolyn Martinez, Sally Browne and Jane Griffin, who have all helped so much. Thank you to my Grade One teacher, Mrs. Green, who similarly believed that I could write.
Thank you to my REV GIRL Ambassadors, for being so kick-ass and inspirational; Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson, Kristie McKinnon, Jess Shepherd, Lexi Pechout, Rachel Gutish and Mandi Mastin. Thank you to Mark Hinchliffe for giving me my first internship for a major newspaper and for his continuing support of my career. Thanks to all my girl and guy friends from high school and to the lovely Lauren Patterson for her nursing know-how. Thank you to Lyn Braico and her family for taking me in when I first moved to Australia. Thank you to Nadine from St Johns Ambulance, and to Matt Amado for his ice hockey expertise.
And thanks to YOU, my readers. I’m thrilled that you have chosen REV GIRL, and sincerely hope you enjoyed the ride.
Book two of The Go Girl Chronicles coming soon …
JUMP GIRL
Imagine being dumped by your mother as a newborn and shifted between foster homes your entire childhood.
Imagine being taken in and offered hope for your future by a kind, loving show jumping socialite.
Imagine falling in love with some of the most gorgeous horses in the world, and making a life in the thrilling and glamorous sport of international show jumping.
Now imagine it all being taken away.
Ebony Scott Harris is painfully close to making her dreams a reality when the only mother she has ever known, Cecile, mysteriously dies. She’s kicked out of her first-ever home, to live with Cecile’s gold-digging sister, Annika, who only takes Ebony in to ride the prized show jumpers she claims are now hers.
Annika finally agrees to move Ebony and the horses to the top trainer in the area, where Ebony discovers Monster, a forgotten horse nearly starved to death. With the help of a new friend, she nurses the once great jumper back to health.
At her first show on Monster, Ebony meets a handsome stranger whom she must learn to trust if she wants to discover the truth about Cecile’s death and reclaim her home. But with Annika selling her best and beloved horse, an ex-coach out for revenge and more savage competitors than she can count, Ebony has a lot more at stake than proving the truth, saving her horses and going for gold at the World Equestrian Games …
About the Author
Leigh Hutton grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She was lucky enough to travel extensively with her parents and younger sister, for horse show jumping – they spent a lot of time in Denver, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona – as well as holiday trips across America to the Baja Peninsula, and later on for her chosen sport of dirt bike racing. Her favourite race was Honey Lake, California, in 2002 – the same year she attended her first International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in the Czech Republic. Here she met a lovely family from Sydney, as well as the Australian team. Leigh moved to Australia a few months later, to race motorcycles. She fell in love with a fellow racer and Brisbane boy, found journalism, which she studied at the Queensland University of Technology, and shifted into media and public relations, to promote Enduro and motocross and its competitors. Leigh has become especially passionate about promoting the growing number of girls and women in all action sports. She is thrilled to have drawn on her experiences to bring you REV GIRL, book one of The Go Girls Chronicles …