Chapter Ten
Grayson
GRAYSON: Hey, Knox. This is Grayson Lawson. Paisley told me you want to ride dirt bikes. Let me know when you’re free to come over.
KNOX: Hi! This is totally awesome!
KNOX: I’ll have to thank Paisley. Wait a moment.
KNOX: Done.
KNOX: You have no idea how excited I am for this.
GRAYSON: I think I have a bit of an idea.
KNOX: hahaha.
KNOX: But seriously, thank you so much.
KNOX: How is this Saturday?
GRAYSON: Works for me. Come around 12?
KNOX: I don’t have a car. I’m only 15.
GRAYSON: I’ll pick you up at 12.
KNOX: You da best.
GRAYSON: *thumbs up emoji*
Do you have that one thing in your life that you love more than other people?
For Macie, it’s cows, for some strange reason I don’t quite understand. Laynie, it’s baking, which I can grasp a little more. Holden, being grumpy. Cole, racing.
But for me, it’s been dirt bikes since I was little.
The first one Reid gave to me after he decided it wasn’t for him. A secondhand bike. But hey, I took it, because he prefers horses, which is absolutely wild to me. To like horses over bikes? Yeah, no thank you. But also, the feeling alone of flying through the paddock on a motorbike is thrilling.
Dad even built jumps for me in the bottom paddock when Mum deemed I was old enough to try some skills.
It’s where I broke my arm the first time; although, Reid covered up the fact that I’d fallen off my bike so that our parents wouldn’t take it away from me.
So, I guess he’s not entirely insufferable.
Then my collection grew.
The spare shed in the barn has three bikes I’ve purchased myself.
The original didn’t survive the crash on the dirt jumps.
Reid tried repairing it for me, but it was too far gone.
Luckily, Mum and Dad found one that a local farmer was selling for cheap, and that’s the one I plan to start Knox on this afternoon.
I’m not aware of how much he knows about dirt bikes already, but I get the sense that it’s hardly anything.
He sounds like a good kid, though, and I want to help him out.
Shutting off the ute, I climb out and grab my keys when the door to their house bangs open. It’s a small double-storey house, with weatherboard and slider windows, painted an off-white and lilac. The flowers in the garden match with varying shades of purple that are starting to wilt for winter.
Out runs a girl who looks strikingly similar to Paisley but shorter, with long onyx hair, chocolate eyes framed in mascara, and she’s dressed as…
a clown? She must notice me staring at her because she gives me a small smirk before pulling something out of her messenger bag.
I laugh as soon as the red nose snaps against her face, and she gives a giggle.
“You must be Grayson. Knox’s knight in shining armour, or so he says.”
Her outward confidence is polar opposite to Paisley. I’m taken aback a bit but quickly recover with an easy grin. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“I’m Hallie.” She sticks out her hand.
I shake it firmly. “Nice to meet you. I’ve seen you around town many times, but I don’t think we’ve ever spoken.”
“Would it be a bit weird for a grown man to approach me in the street?”
My mouth hovers open, and Hallie barks a laugh, her head tipping back a little to accommodate for the movement. “Sorry, but your face when I said that…” She chuckles some more.
I shake my head, a bemused smirk forming. “In Ashwood, I doubt it.”
“Yeah, me too. Plus, you’re from the most loved family in the entire town.”
“Nah,” I drawl, rubbing the back of my neck.
“It’s just a small town.” My gaze sweeps over her costume.
White puffy suit with large colourful dots, big scarlet shoes that appear to be fifty times too big for her, and, of course, a rainbow wing half hanging out the top of her bag.
I clear my throat. “May I ask why you’re dressed like that? ”
Hallie’s dark eyes roll, like I should know the answer already. “Timber Town Tiny Tots,” is all she says.
I blink at her, utterly confused.
She giggles again. “It’s a kids recreational space in Rafter’s Falls. I work there most weekends, and this week I’m covering for the boy who usually has the clown role for parties, but he’s away with his family.”
“Ahh…” I breathe out, finally caught up. “Well, I think it suits you.”
Hallie sighs. “You and nobody else thinks that.”
I grin. “It’s the nose I think.”
“Maybe I should have been called Rudolph then?”
The door opens again, and Knox comes out. Backpack slung over one shoulder, he walks down the few steps to where Hallie and I are, a beaming smile etched into his cheeks. “Stop wasting my time with Grayson.” He pushes his sister towards the road.
She tsks loudly. “I’m hardly stealing time. You were still getting ready. I was merely entertaining him while he had to wait for your slow ass.” Her finger jabs into Knox’s chest.
“I wasn’t slow. Daniel was hogging the shower.”
“Sounds about right. He has a date tonight, and you know he takes ages to fiddle with his hair,” Hallie says, flicking her eyes back onto me.
Glancing between the two siblings, I can’t help but smile, reminiscing on how my brothers used to tease each other. Used to? I mean, we still do… I’m not sure it’s something you ever grow out of.
“All right.” I clasp Knox’s shoulder, gaining his attention. “Should we go?”
“Absolutely!”
Hallie shakes her head, beaming still, before grabbing her bike from the front yard and shoving her bag in the basket. “Well, have fun, little brother. Don’t break anything or Mum will have your head.”
Knox pulls a face as she jumps on her rusted red bike and takes off down the street.
“Is she going to bike all the way to Rafter’s Falls?” I ask curiously. “Because that’ll take her at least an hour.”
“Nah, Paisley is in town. She’ll take her from there before her shift tonight.”
Humming quietly, I flick my head towards my ute, fiddling with the keys in my hand. “Come on, then.”
He jumps in so fast I think he might have burnt a hole in my passenger seat.
“When you turn the handle, the motor will rev loudly, so you only want to turn it a little bit.” Showing Knox what I mean, I twist the acceleration and the engine purrs over my shoulder.
Knox watches, completely mesmerised, and I don’t think the smile on his face has disappeared since we started driving to the ranch.
“Now your turn.” I slide off the smaller bike. “Just like I showed you.”
Knox gets on, resting his hands on the handlebars and getting a feel for the bike. It’s a beginner bike. 125cc, green and purple with fresh tyres. He turns his wrist a fraction, and the motor rages behind him.
“Woah!” he shouts over the noise.
I chuckle, remembering how excited I was the first time I got to sit on a bike.
“Yeah, you did it perfectly, and now,” I reach over, flicking off the engine, and the bike falls silent, “you need to learn the kickstart. This is an old school engine. Some are electric now, but they’re not as fun.”
Getting back on the bike, I show him how to start it correctly without the engine back firing. Knox tries it three times before nailing it, and high fives me.
I like hanging out with him. He’s quite fun.
“Should we go for a ride?”
The way his dark eyes widen is enough to make me laugh. Grabbing two helmets from the racks hanging in the barn, I hand him one and put mine on. Wheeling my own bike out, a bit bigger and painted vibrant orange and black, I kickstart the engine and tilt my head for Knox to follow.
Leading him slowly down the drive, Knox keeps on my tail, not pushing the engine, but also keeping up with me.
Riding through the pasture, we come to the gate at the boundary of our property.
Opening the wired gate, Knox breezes through, and once it’s closed, I trail behind him.
He’s keeping a perfect pace and balance, riding as if he’s been doing this for years.
I can’t wipe the grin from my face as we head towards the mountains. The creek runs to our left, sun shimmering off the water in bright ripples, bugs flying around and sticking to the reeds. It smells fresh, the slightly chilled air cooling my arms as we ride together.
Riding beside him, something in the corner of my eye catches my attention.
Peering to the right, I see Reid and Macie on their horses riding in our direction.
Ugh, annoying, unpredictable things. Turning back, I yank hard on the brake but not fast enough.
My bike hits a tree root and the tyre abruptly stops.
The bike rolls, and I go with it, landing a metre away.
My shoulder hits the dirt first, followed by my back and legs.
The impact knocks the wind out of my lungs, and I cough loudly, yanking my helmet off.
The sound of a bike closes in, and Knox is in my face a moment later. I can hardly breathe, and this kid won’t stop questioning me as if I’m suddenly being interviewed for a crime.
“Help me up,” I grumble.
Knox takes my arm, sitting me up, and I groan. I definitely bruised something.
Kneeling beside me, Knox removes his helmet, sitting it on the ground. “You okay? That was some fall.”
“I didn’t see the roots.”
His mouth flatlines. Something out the corner of my eyes catches my attention.
I peer up at Macie’s wild green eyes. “Gray.” Her voice is raspy. “Are you injured?”
“Only my pride.”
Her head shakes, gaze sweeping over me, checking for blood. I hear a deep chuckle behind me. My shoulders stiffen in response, and I ignore the way Knox is staring at me.
“You have too much anyways. It’ll do you good,” comments Reid.
I bristle at his words. Macie’s hand grips my shoulder tighter. Of course he had to see me fall, again.
Running a hand down my face, my friend murmurs into my ear, “Ignore him. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, M.” I bite out, then wince at the bitterness. Glancing up at her straight smile, I sigh and let her help me to my feet. When I used to fall off as a teenager, I bounced right back. Now as a twenty-five-year-old; my body doesn’t take it as well.
Avoiding all their gazes, I pluck our helmets off the ground and hand Knox his one. “We’ll meet you back at the house,” is all I say, low and wounded like my ego.
“All right,” Reid murmurs, clapping me on the back, right where I landed. A huff of pain escapes my lips. Macie eyes me for a moment longer, not believing that I’m fine, before following her boyfriend back over to their grazing horses.
Waiting for them to be far enough away, I shove my helmet back on and lift the visor to mutter out, “That was a lesson for you. Always be aware of your surroundings.”
I don’t miss the way the corner of Knox’s mouth lifts, and I can tell he’s fighting a laugh. Honestly, I will laugh about this later, but not right now. Not when I feel as though multiple bones have rattled out of place.
“Thank you for teaching me that important lesson,” Knox snickers. “But next time an example won’t be necessary.”
My tongue runs along my teeth as I clip his helmet, listening to him chuckle his way back to his bike.