He even suggested I moved my office to his, or the other way round.
“I’m fine, I’d tell him every time. “Stop worrying.”
“Can’t help it, he’d say. “You’re carrying my babies.”
The dynamic between Kiara and Derek hadn’t improved much, they still bickered constantly in the group chat and apparently in person too according to
Sarah who’d witnessed one of their planning meetings.
“They’re like an old married couple,” Sarah said one day when we were discussing. “Constantly arguing but someho still getting things done.”
“Should I be worried?‘ I’d asked.
‘No, Sarah had said. “They’ll figure it out eventually, or they’ll keep arguing, either way the wedding planning is moving forward.”
And it was, somehow despite Derek and Kiara’s constant bickering, everything was coming together, the venue was booked, the flowers were ordered, the catering was arranged, every week we checked something else off the list.
“We’re actually going to pull this off,” I said to Tristan one night as we lay in bed going over the latest updates.
“Of course we are,” he said. “Did you doubt it?”
“Maybe a little,” I admitted. “Two weddings in four months while pregnant with twins seemed impossible.”
“Nothing’s impossible,” he said. “Not when you have help.”
He was right, without Sarah and Kiara and even Leah helping with the planning, without Orion and Derek handling the logistics, without Tristan making sure I didn’t overdo it, this would have been overwhelming.
But with everyone working together, it was actually manageable.
The only thing that hadn’t happened yet was the race, Derek’s last race that Tristan had promised we’d was excited and nervous at the same time.
go watch,
was scheduled for this Saturday and I
“You’re sure you still want to go?” Tristan asked on Friday night.
“Positive,” I said. “Can’t miss it for anything.” He didn’t say anything, just pulled me closer to himself.
Saturday evening came and we all piled into Orion’s truck again, Sarah and Orion in front with me, Tristan in the back, they’d gotten Leah to watch the kids for the night so we could all go.
We got there just in time before the race started.
People kept coming up to Tristan, old racing friends who wanted to say hi, people who’d heard he’d gotten engaged and wanted to congratulate him, it was clear he’d been well liked in this world.
“You should race,” one guy said to Tristan. “One last time, for old times‘ sake.”
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1:24 pm P
Chapter 321
I’m retired, Tristan said firmly.
“Come on man,” the guy pressed. “Everyone wants to see you race again.”
“Not happening,” Tristan said.
But I could see him looking at the bikes, could see the way his eyes lit up when, could see that part of him missed this.
“You should do it,” I said quietly.
He turned to look at me. “What?”
“You should race,” I said. “One last time.”
“Athena,” he started.
“I know you miss it,” I said. “I can see it in your face, race one more time and then you can say goodbye to it properly.”
“I don’t know,” he said, but I could see him wavering. “I didn’t bring my bike”
“Derek could give you his. Please?” I said. “I want to see you race. The babies wants to see you race.”
I know using our babies as an excuse was bad, but I couldn’t help it.
That did it, he looked at me for a long moment and then sighed. “Fine,” he said. “One race.”
The crowd went crazy when word spread that Tristan was going to race, Derek found him a bike to use and Tristan spent the next twenty minutes getting
familiar with it.
“You didn’t have to convince him to race,” Orion said to me while Tristan was preparing.
‘I know,” I said. “But he wanted to, he just needed permission to want it.”
‘I’m glad you guys are happy,” Orion said, putting his arm around me. “You know that?”
‘I know you are. I’m glad too.” I said.
I adjusted on my sit, preparing to watch Tristan do what he’d always loved doing.
Because I didn’t want him to lose anything, I wanted him to have it all.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
