Chaos Theory (Nerds of Paradise #2)(71)
Melody exchanged a look with Will before both of them glanced over to the finish line. Ed had just snapped through the red ribbon. He had his hands in the air and was shouting in victory. Everyone else, on the other hand, was waving wildly and yelling something in angry voices. They all pointed back to Katrina, Will, and Melody.
“He can’t win without me, you idiots. The teams have to cross the finish line together,” Katrina barked. “So get away from me and go win the race.”
“But….” Melody’s question faded before she could ask it.
“Ed is a total asshole who doesn’t deserve to win,” Katrina growled. “He’s going to have to carry me over that line if he wants to claim victory, because believe me, I’m done helping that loser.”
“But if you’re hurt,” Melody began.
“Come on.” Will stood, reaching for her hand with his good one and tugging her to her feet. “Katrina wants us to win, and I agree with her about Ed being an asshole.”
That was all Melody needed to hear. She nodded her thanks to Katrina, then turned toward the finish line, breaking into a jog. Will held back until he was by her side, then the two of them picked up speed together.
They passed Ed as he ran back out to Katrina. He shouted something obscene at them as he went by, but Melody barely heard it. Ahead of them, Howie and his son had stretched out the finish line ribbon again, although the space they would have to run through to claim victory was much smaller this time. It didn’t matter. When they were within a few yards, Will slowed down and took Melody’s hand. With the rest of the competitors stretched out and cheering for them, they crossed the line, winning the competition.
Their friends and Will’s coworkers descended around them, whooping and cheering. Melody thought her lungs were going to burn right out of her chest, but she was elated. They’d done it. She’d never been so happy to be slapped on the back and tugged this way and that, finding herself in hugs with people whose names she couldn’t quite remember. Will was forced to let go of her hand, but he stayed within feet of her.
Melody had finally pulled herself out of her dozenth hug and turned to find Will and kiss him senseless when she heard the harsh tenor voice say, “I’m proud of you son.” Her smile dropped as a man who looked like an older version of Will clapped him on the back, his large hand closing like a vise on Will’s shoulder. “Now let’s get out of here and go somewhere we can talk.”
Chapter Nineteen
Two seconds. That’s all Will wanted. Two seconds to feel good about his and Melody’s victory, to celebrate with her in the knowledge that they’d overcome so much to get where they were. But two seconds was too much to ask.
“What are you doing with those glasses?” his dad demanded, his satisfied smile dropping to a frown. “I told you to have LASIK surgery years ago.”
Two seconds, and the pounding disapproval over everything Will did had started.
“How’s Mom?” he asked, trying to delay the inevitable.
“Never mind your mother,” his dad snapped. “We have things to talk about.”
Will only had time to adjust his glasses with his good hand, bitterness filling his gut, before Scott Martin wedged his way into the crowd to thump him on the back.
“Way to go, Will,” Scott congratulated him. “I always knew you would beat out that jackass, Ed.”
“Yeah, congratulations.” Scott’s fiancé, Casey hugged him.
His dad continued to stand there frowning. Will fought hard to ignore him. “What are you guys doing up here?”
“We heard the race was probably going to end this morning, so we drove up last night,” Scott said.
“We stayed at the lodge,” Casey added. “It’s really nice. I can’t believe I’ve never come up here before.”
“I can’t wait to explore it.” Melody stepped up to his side, hooking her arm carefully through the arm of his burned hand. “But maybe we should explore the first aid station first.” She turned his palm up, studying the burn.
Will forgot how much it hurt until that moment. The pain flared to life, and he had to clench his teeth not to groan.
“What’s this?” His dad stepped closer, attempting to wedge Melody away from his side. Melody refused to budge, so his dad grabbed his burnt hand and yanked it closer to have a look. Will couldn’t stifle a grunt of pain in time. “How did you burn your hand?” The implied question was “How could you be so stupid as to burn your hand?”
“It was my fault,” Melody said, glaring at his dad. “I put the kettle in the fire this morning and forgot to tell him it was hot.”
“Any fool can tell that a kettle in a fire is hot.” His dad narrowed his eyes at Melody. “Who are you?”
“Melody Clutterbuck.” Melody stood straighter, chest thrust out with pride. “I’m Will’s girlfriend.”
Will didn’t have time to react before his dad said, “Will doesn’t have a girlfriend. He’s too focused on his career.” Without skipping a beat, he dismissed Melody and said, “Come along, son. We have some important things to discuss.” He took a step away through the dispersing crowd, assuming Will would follow him.