Cycling Downhill: A Sweet Young Adult Romance (Love is a Triathlon Book 3)

by Chrissy Q Martin

  “Maybe,” Lark says, but she doesn’t look so sure. “Why are you doing this? Setting him up? Can’t he get a date on his own?”

  “It’s kinda stupid now that I think about it,” I say. “We were hanging out and we agreed to set each other up on blind dates.”

  Lark looks at me. It’s the same look Sabrina and Nora give me, like I’m not who they thought I was. “You and Dylan are really friends?”

  “Yeah,” I say.

  “Huh.” Lark looks thoughtful, like she’s trying to figure out a complicated problem and it’s on the tip of her tongue, but she just can’t quite get the solution. “And you and Paul?”

  I bite my lip. “We’re friends, too.” I think. Not quite friends like Dylan and I are, but maybe over time we’ll get there. “And Dylan’s setting me up on a blind date too.”

  “You trust Dylan to find you a date?” Again, Lark looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

  “Yes,” I reply. “I do.”

  I trust him to find someone I probably won’t like.

  THIRTY-FIVE

  The waiting is hard and I’m impatient. I want to hear how the double date is going. I keep checking my phone, making sure I don’t miss a message from Nora. I want to text her to check up on things, but I promised I would let Nora contact me first after the date.

  It’s after ten at night when she texts me.

  Nora: Call me whenever

  In less than three seconds I dial her.

  “Tell me everything,” I say after she answers.

  “We went out for dinner and played laser tag.”

  “Laser tag?” I ask. “That sounds fun.”

  “It was,” Nora says. “The guys were insanely competitive with it.”

  “I got him more times,” I hear Nick say in the background. “That last shot he got in doesn’t count.”

  I grin. It’s not uncommon for Nick and Dylan to battle with each other in a friendly way. “And?” I ask, needing more information.

  “We went out for ice cream and then parted ways at Dylan’s house.”

  “Parted ways how?” I ask. I need more details, but I’m afraid to seem needy. “Were they into each other? Is there going to be another date? What happened?”

  Nora groans on the other end. “Why does it matter to you?”

  “What happened?” I ask again.

  “Nick and I hung off to the side. They talked for a bit, hugged, and then she left in her car.”

  “That’s it?” I’m slightly shocked. “Just a hug?”

  “It looked friendly,” Nora says, trying to sound encouraging. I’m not looking for friendly. I’m looking for a little more spark, and it sounds like the battery barely turned over. “Why don’t you ask him about it?” Nora continues. “Aren’t you two friends?”

  “Fine,” I say. “I’ll text him. I assume he’s home and I’m not interrupting anything?”

  “Not unless she backtracked after Nick and I left, no,” Nora says.

  We talk a little more and then I hang up with Nora. I finger my phone. Do I text or call Dylan?

  Me: How was the date?

  Usually Dylan responds right away, but not tonight. Maybe he’s in the shower or something. Or maybe he doesn’t know what to say. Or maybe Tori is over. It’s twenty minutes later when I get a response.

  Dylan: Fine. You’re next

  Me: Did you like her?

  Dylan: She was nice, great girl. Just didn’t click. Your turn

  Okay, fine. He’s being reserved, but at least Dylan went on a date and can see there’s more girls out there who want to date him.

  Me: Laser tag?

  Dylan: Maybe we should play sometime

  I roll my eyes. I should have expected him to bounce that one back to me.

  Me: Night

  Dylan: Better get some sleep. We have training tomorrow and then it’s your date

  I meet Dylan at the pool Saturday morning, and we finish a warm-up set when I remember what Paul said last week. I lift the goggles off my eyes and place them on my cap.

  “You never told me you could do the triathlon as a team.” I splash water at Dylan.

  “I figured getting you to do it was enough.” Dylan smiles, his dimple deepening. “I didn’t want to subject you to being on a team with me.”

  I lean forward on my tiptoes, close enough my lips are next to Dylan’s ear. His curls hang near my face. “Let’s do it,” I whisper.

  Dylan remains still, his entire body and face rigid with no expression of emotion. I too remain motionless, my lips still near his face, only a breath away. Finally, Dylan chuckles and his shoulders drop. I settle back on my feet and look at the laugh lines wrinkling next to his sea colored eyes.

  “You realize we’ll be better than everyone else,” he says.

  “Will we be?” I ask, the corners of my lips turning up. I used to never flirt, but now I enjoy play flirting with Dylan. It’s safe with him, and I don’t worry he’ll take it the wrong way. I can’t be so sure with other guys.

  “I know I’m good,” Dylan says with a sly grin. “I’ve done it before. This is your first time.”

  I can’t contain my smile. “Guess that means you’re going to have to show me what to do.”

  Dylan grins back. “Do you think you can keep up?”

  “I’m a fast learner,” I say. “But maybe you’re too fast for your own good.”

  Dylan chuckles and mimics my movement earlier by leaning into me. His mouth is next to my ear and his warm breath tickles my skin. “I guess you’ll have to find out.” He settles back, a satisfied smile on his face.

  I return his look and accompany it with a swift swat to his thick arm. “I’ll wait to find out,” I say.

  It’s comforting to have a friend I can say anything to without being afraid. I like how we can tease each other. I feel most people judge what comes out of my mouth, and it’s a reason I hold back from talking. With Dylan, anything flies out of my mouth, and I know he doesn’t judge me. He knows me.

  “You wanna do it?” Dylan asks. He does his smoldering look, which always makes me laugh. “You want to be on a team with me?”

  “Let’s do it,” I say and grab a kickboard off the deck.

  “Are you going to do this with your date tonight?”

  I flutter my eyelashes at Dylan as I hand him a kickboard. “Do what?”

  “Be a huge flirt.”

  I grip the kickboard and push off the wall to start kicking. I already know I’m going to be too shy to flirt with a guy I don’t know. My blind date will be lucky if I speak five sentences tonight. “You’ll just have to wait and hear about it,” I tell Dylan when he catches up to me.

  Dylan grins. “I can’t wait.”

  THIRTY-SIX

  “What’re you doing again?” Mom leans against the open bathroom door frame.

  “Going out on a blind date. Nick and Nora are coming with us.” I rub some curl cream into my frizzy hair. I picked it up at the store the other day because I like the scent. It smells like coconuts and it’ll be a bonus if it can tame my mess of waves.

  “Who’s the blind date?” Mom looks at me through the mirror I’m looking into.

  “I don’t know.” I shrug. “Someone Dylan picked.”

  Mom’s face breaks into a smile and she giggles. It’s a girlish giggle, like she knows a secret I don’t.

  “What?” I say, a little miffed Mom is laughing at me and I have no clue why.

  Wait. Me going out on a blind date is laughable.

  Mom shakes her head. “Nothing. Do I get to meet your date?” She busts out in another giggle.

  “If you keep doing that,” I say. “No.”

  “Okay,” Mom says.

  Huh. I expected more of a fight from her.

  “You’re not at all worri
ed I’m going out with someone I’ve never met.”

  “Nope,” Mom says, a small smile coating her lips. “And it could be someone you’ve met.”

  The doorbell rings, echoing into the bathroom from the hallway.

  “That’s probably Nora,” I say. “Nick will be here soon with the other guy to get us.”

  “Okay.” Mom turns away from me and soon I hear her open the door for Nora. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but I know they’re talking. Nora drops a bag in my room because she’s staying the night after our double date. I examine myself in the mirror when Nora walks in the bathroom.

  I turn to her. “How do I look?”

  “Nice,” Nora says. “I like your hair down.” I look about the same as always. I’m wearing jeans and a turquoise fitted t-shirt, which reminds me of Dylan’s eyes. I’ll wear my denim jacket and a pair of Converse shoes. I’ve put on a touch of makeup and even left my usual ponytailed hair down for the night.

  I grab a hair tie and shove it in my pocket, just in case. “You look nice, too,” I say to Nora. She always looks great. She wears skinny jeans paired with a belted light blue sweater. Her curly red hair looks even more vibrant next to the light color of her top.

  Nora looks at her phone while I swipe on some clear lip gloss. “About the blind date,” she starts. “Nick’s on his way, but your date…”

  “Backed out, right?” I push past Nora and head into my room across the hall from the bathroom. Nora follows me and stands in the doorway while I grab my phone off the dresser.

  “Not exactly. Have you heard from Dylan?” Nora twists her bottom lip.

  I narrow my eyes at her nervous look. What isn’t she telling me? I glance at my phone and notice I missed a text from Dylan.

  Dylan: Don’t be mad at me about your date

  I groan and plop down on my bed. If my date isn’t having second thoughts about going out, then Dylan has paired me with someone I’m not going to like.

  Nora watches me with wary eyes. “Everything okay?”

  I look up from my phone. “Who’s my date?”

  Nora’s head bobbles. “Eh, don’t be mad. Okay?”

  “What is everyone not telling me?”

  Nora walks over and rummages through one of my drawers.

  “What are you doing?” I stand and peer around her.

  Nora closes the drawer and waves something in her hand at me. “It’s a blind date, so you’re going to be blindfolded.”

  I take a step back. “You’re kidding me?”

  Nora purses her lips and shakes her head. “Nope.”

  “Why?” I ask. “You don’t want me to run when I see my date?”

  “Well…” Nora’s shoulders twitch. “You could put it that way or maybe it’s to make it more interesting.”

  I point one finger at Nora. “Just a minute.” I grab my phone off the bed and type out an urgent text.

  Me: Blindfolded? Is this your idea?

  I have a response fast.

  Dylan: Surprise!

  “I’m gonna get him for this,” I mutter under my breath. I pocket the phone and look at Nora. “When does the blindfold come off?”

  “He’ll let you know,” Nora replies.

  “Who?” I ask. “Dylan or my date?”

  Nora dangles the scarf in her hands. “Come on. Let me blindfold you.”

  Against my better judgement, I sit on the bed and let Nora tie the scarf around my face, completely covering my eyes. I’m reminded of when Dylan blindfolded me for a surprise date.

  “Why does everyone think I’m going to be mad?” I touch the cloth covering my eyes. “How bad is this date going to be?”

  “Can you see?” Nora asks. Air brushes past my face.

  “I can’t see a thing,” I say. “But I can tell you’re waving your hands in front of my face.”

  Nora leads me out of my room and down the hallway toward the front door. My steps are clumsier than normal as Nora guides me. She’s already picked out a pair of my shoes and helps me put them on.

  “I like the scarf, Ash.” I hear Mom’s voice and there’s a tone of laughter behind it.

  I try to turn in the direction I hear her and point at the blindfold. “Are you okay with this? Shouldn’t you be disagreeing to this as my mother?”

  Mom laughs again. “Nope. I think this is going to be fun.”

  “They’re here,” Nora says.

  I jump when someone puts an arm around me.

  “Have fun,” Mom says. I smell her shampoo and relax into her hug. “I can’t wait to hear about it.”

  “You’re not going to meet him?” I ask Mom. “Do you know who it is?”

  I feel Mom’s head shake with laughter, and she pushes me away. “Goodbye, Ash.”

  Nora grips my arms and guides me through the door. My heart races while she helps me into Nick’s SUV. I think it’s his vehicle because he says hello from the driver’s seat in front of me. Nora climbs in on the other side of the vehicle opposite me and helps when I fumble with locating where my seatbelt goes.

  “Okay,” Nora says once she clicks the belt in place. “We’re ready.”

  I sit with my heart pounding and my hands in my lap. I’ve only heard Nick and Nora’s voices. For all I know, there is no date for me.

  “Um…” I feel so stupid asking this. “Is my date here?”

  Everyone is quiet. It’s not hard to miss the noise of someone in the front passenger seat turning around, but whoever it is says nothing. I don’t know what to do and turn my face to Nora. Everything is black.

  “What’s going on?” I ask. There’s more silence until I speak again. “Please, tell me why I’m blindfolded.”

  Nora clears her throat. “You’re blindfolded so you can’t see, and he can’t speak.”

  “Like for real?” I ask in all seriousness. It’s fine if he can’t talk, but then why am I blindfolded?

  A half laugh escapes Nick. “No. He can talk. He’s just been forbidden to.”

  “I hope this is a joke!” I exclaim. “Why?”

  “Dylan’s rules,” Nick says.

  I groan. “I’m gonna get him for this later. He knows that, right? That’s why he said to not be mad?”

  There’s a snort. I can’t tell if it’s Nick or the person in the front seat. “I’m sorry,” I say to whoever is my date. “That you have to go along with this crazy plan.”

  “He doesn’t mind,” Nick says. “Or he wouldn’t be here.”

  I blindly reach my hand out to the front passenger seat, hoping to touch the head or shoulder of whoever is in front of me. “He can see me and hear me, but I’ve got nothing here. Why?”

  Nora pulls my hands away. “No touching, Ash. That isn’t polite.” I swat at Nora, which is hard when I can’t see her. “Why don’t you introduce yourself?”

  I glare at Nora through my blindfold, but then I face forward and put a smile on my face while adding a little wave. “Hi, I’m Ash,” I say to my blind date and hold my hand out in front of me.

  A large warm hand engulfs mine briefly. It’s barely enough time to get a sense of whoever is connected to it. I only know his hands are larger than mine.

  “He says hi,” Nick says. “Shall we go?”

  “Where are we going?” I ask and hear the vehicle start.

  “You’ll see,” Nick replies.

  “No, I won’t,” I say. Nora laughs, but I don’t feel like laughing yet. “I’m sorry.” I apologize again to my mystery date. “I’m sorry this is truly a blind date and I can’t see anything. Or that you can’t talk. It’s too bad Dylan didn’t blindfold you and tell me not to talk.”

  “I think that was part of his reasoning,” Nora pipes up next to me. “You’re less inhibited being blindfolded. You’ve already talked more than you normally would if you weren’t blind
folded. I bet you’d be sitting here wondering what to say.”

  My arms cross over my chest. I hate they’re right about me. Without the blindfold I’d be super shy and self-conscious. “Okay, fine.” I reluctantly agree. “But why can’t he talk?”

  “He needs to do the listening,” Nick says.

  “And obviously the seeing,” I say. “Lucky him. Maybe we can trade places?”

  “He’s shaking his head no,” Nora says.

  “You’re our interpreter?” I turn my head in Nora’s direction. “Can you tell me his name?”

  “Nope,” Nora says. “He can’t talk, so no name.”

  “He needs a name,” I say. “We need to call him something. I can’t keep referring to him as well, him.”

  “Okay,” Nora agrees. “Give him a name.”

  I wish I could see the facial expressions of my mystery date. Poor guy. Oh.

  “The poor guy has to endure this,” I reply. “I’ll just call him Guy.”

  “Guy it is,” Nora says and pats my leg.

  Poor Guy.

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  “I hope you’re all enjoying this,” I say and tighten my arms over my chest while we ride somewhere unknown to me. “And we’d better not be seeing a movie unless one of you is going to give me the play by play of what’s happening on the screen, and I know it won’t be Guy doing that.”

  Nick and Nora laugh. My date may be laughing, but it’s silent laughter.

  “This is going to be fun,” Nick says in his deep voice.

  I give Guy a rundown of my life as Nick drives us somewhere. I’m talking more than I normally would, and frankly, if I scare Guy away, it’s fine by me. I’m a little irritated at Dylan for doing this, but also quite impressed. I wish I would have thought of something similar for his date.

  “I hate mushrooms,” I say. “What about you, Guy?” There’s silence. He can’t speak. He’s stuck listening to me. “Great.” I smack my thigh. “I’m so glad you don’t like mushrooms either.” I hit the headrest in front of me. “Nick?”

  “Hmm?” He responds with an amused tone.