Chapter 41
Chapter forty-one
May, After Season, The Ranch
Tate thought his joy might burst out of his chest. Surrounded by his friends and family, he lay back on a float in the pool and soaked in their love along with the sun’s rays.
He wore a new pair of swim trunks by Onia with a cool black and white palm print and Aviator sun glasses.
He gave Bryce his old Michael Kors trunks, while Pilot had on some plain blue no name brand, but they fit him, so Tate didn’t complain.
Green Day blasted out of the speakers and at the other end of the pool people splashed around and laughed and squealed.
So many people, the whole crew really, hung around enjoying the day.
“Hey! Where’s Bryce?” Pilot asked, swimming up to him and leaning over his float to get a quick kiss.
Tate smiled. “Where do you think? He’s with Tyler in the garage farting around with that old Harley.
” Of course that had been after spending an hour on the phone with his parents.
They weren’t suffocating him anymore, but they still had to be in Bryce’s life.
There was a lot of love there, and Tate had to make sure Bryce kept that.
He knew, all too well, what it was like without loving parents.
He wanted Bryce happy, to have everything.
Tate was relieved that they’d made up. He never wanted to be what they’d fought about in the first place, though he knew that was really an oversimplification of things.
Davey did a cannonball, splashing them all before swimming over and pulling himself up on another float. “Any chance Ty has to get his hands greasy with that thing, he does.”
“Yeah, Bryce is the same way.” Tate couldn’t help smiling at that. Every break they’d had, long enough to go home, Bryce would be in the garage.
“So, Tate. What’re you going to do when your career is over?” Davey had thrown this colossal party to celebrate his retirement, as well as the end of the season. Next season, things would be different for him and the Apex team.
Davey went out on top, though. He’d taken first in points and had two red plates to prove he was the best. Everyone had expected that.
The season only had one surprise, and that was Tate finishing third in points.
Although he wasn’t happy with it, everyone else was thrilled that he’d finished so well.
Chad Regal was predictably in second and Cole Lindt came in fourth, right behind Tate.
Third and fourth had been a very tight race that Tate really had to fight for, but he’d done it, surprising his entire team.
“Over?” He wasn’t looking that far ahead. “I don’t think I’m ever going to stop riding.”
“No, but you’ll stop racing. Trust me.”
“I’ve got a few seasons left in me though.” He splashed Davey, hoping to end that line of discussion, but Davey just splashed him back.
“Seriously. Bryce is already thinking about it and he’s just started.”
“Uh...we’re supposed to be having fun right. Let’s talk about it later, already.” He looked at Pilot who had been standing there the whole time, not saying a word. “Right?”
“Davey has a point, Tate.”
Tate rolled his eyes, though no one could see them behind his shades.
Davey picked the conversation back up as if Tate hadn’t tried to stop it. “Well, I’ll tell you a few things. I’ve seen what you’ve done with Bryce.”
“What?”
“Shut up. I know you’ve been coaching him. And...uh, we want him on our team next year. We’re working out contracts with his team already.”
“That’s great. I’d rather have him on your team anyway. Right, Pilot?”
Davey laughed. “Yeah, and guess who’s getting a bodyguard? Pilot will be Bryce’s bodyguard. Feel better now?”
“I’m so good with all of that. I think I need another beer.”
Pilot took his empty bottle. “I’ll get you one.” Tate didn’t miss the look he exchanged with Davey as he walked away.
“Tate? I want you on our team, too.”
“I have a contract with MSR and they’re so fucking happy with me, they are not going to break it.”
“Yeah. I asked Oz about it already, but it ends next year and I don’t want you to renew it. I’m betting you’re going to finish first next year and if you don’t it’ll be the following year. Only a matter of time really.”
“I get it. You want the winners. You want a monopoly.”
He waved his hand around. “More than that. I want you to keep coaching Bryce and I want you to do it officially and I want you to, uh...be my partner in this. All of this.”
Tate startled and slid off his float, falling under the water. When he came up, he flung his hair back. It was getting too long, but it splashed Davey, who splashed him back with a few curses. “You can’t really mean that.”
“Of course I do.” He grabbed Tate’s sunglasses out of the water and handed them back to him.
Tate slid the dark lenses back over his eyes. He didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t even thought of coaching or any career past Supercross and it astonished and touched him for Davey to be just handing him this. “I’m flattered. I don’t know, though. I don’t know if I’ll be any good.”
“Oh, you’re good. Bryce is proof of that. You’re probably better than me, as far as coaching. Tyler is the only one I’ve coached and more often than not, he curses me out instead of taking my advice.”
Tate had to laugh at that; he could totally picture it. “Well, I’ll think about it. I mean the coaching part and the partner part. But, as far as joining your team after my contract with MSR is up, that’s a no brainer! I’m totally in.”
“Awesome! I’ll work it out with Oz.” He splashed Tate again.
Not long after that, Tyler and Bryce came back to the party.
Food was served and cold beer passed around.
Then they had dog fights with Tyler’s best friend, Janie, on her boyfriend’s shoulders, Bryce on Pilot’s shoulders, Johnny was on Uncle Gary’s shoulders, and Tony had his girlfriend on his shoulders.
Angel tugged on Stewart’s arm, trying to get him to play, too.
Tate remembered last year’s party. While the others played around in the pool, he had his ear plastered to the phone with Donny, arguing.
How much his life had changed in a year just amazed him.
“Get her Bryce!” Tate shouted and Janie flipped him the bird. He loved her. She didn’t hold back, much like Tyler. He totally got why they were best friends.
Oz sat down beside Tate on the edge of the pool to watch the fun. “Crazy fools.” He laughed at their antics.
Tate nudged his shoulder. “Davey told me he’s going to talk to you about joining Apex.”
“He wants you on their team pretty desperately.”
“I’m all for it. Just so you know.”
“I figured that.”
“Oz?”
“Hm?”
Tate kicked his feet back and forth in the water. “Uh...I want to tell you something.”
“Sure. What?”
Tate put his arm around Oz’s shoulder. “Thank you. You’ve been like a dad to me. Thank you. I love you, man.”
“I love you, too, Tate.” They hugged, but then everyone pulled Tate into the water and a major splash fight began.
Tate ducked under the water. When he came up, he retrieved his sunglasses again, and put them on the side of the pool. “It’s on now!” He turned to face the others and splashed them with a swipe of his arm.
Pilot dove under the water and wrapped his arms around Tate’s waist, picking him up out of the water. With maniacal laughter, he plunged backwards, taking Tate with him. When they came up, Bryce jumped between them.
“Damn, I love you guys.” Tate said.
“Me, too.” Bryce kissed him quick on the mouth before diving back in the water, but Pilot pulled Tate closer.
“I love you, too. If I could marry you both, I would. You know?”
“I know, bunny.” He kissed Pilot, hot and heavy with his tongue plunging into his mouth. Cat calls from their friends broke them up. Bryce hooted the loudest, splashing them, and Tate knew he now had a home in these two men, and his life would happily never be the same again.
The End.