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My eyes are locked on Charly’s blonde hair flapping in the wind as she bounces. Her tongue is between her teeth, and her eyebrows are pinched together in determination. She isn’t last, but she isn’t close to the front of the group.
As everyone rounds the barrel at the farthest point, the racers make their way back to where they started. The crowd’s cheers grow louder, and Nana claps, screeching as Charly passes us. Charly’s eyes dart to mine, and she shoots me a wink.
Then she takes off, pulling ahead of one person, then another, and another, until she’s powering toward the front of the whole damn line.
The man at the front—the owner of the local pizzeria—does a double-take when he catches Charly in his peripheral. She blows past him, taking the lead, and hops all the way to the finish line.
Nana and I roar above everyone else’s cheering, while Edward barks like he knows he should be joining us in our celebration.
I bend down and pat his backside as his tail thrashes from side to side. “Your mama won, Edward. She did it.”
Everyone in the race surrounds Charly to congratulate her, and I snap more pictures when the announcer hands her the trophy.
Nana grips my wrist. “My boy, it makes me so happy to see you smiling like that.”
I keep my eyes on Charly. “It’s impossible not to when she’s around.”
“Have you given any thought to what you want to do after she’s not around?”
My smile fades. “It doesn’t matter what I want.”
Nana’s head jerks back. “Of course it matters. Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s not up to me.”
She purses her lips. “She’s just as crazy about you as you are about her.”
“None of that matters, Nana. Maybe at first, but in the long run?” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “This isn’t a life she wants.”
Nana’s eyebrows dip down. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Charly starts making her way back to us, and I shake my head. “Nothing. Forget it.”
“Look at me.” Nana grips my chin, forcing my eyes to hers. “Don’t self-sabotage, Bryce Holden. Do you hear me?”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“You forget that I know you, my boy. Better than I think you know yourself sometimes.”
I press my lips into a firm line, and shake myself out of her grasp.
Charly tilts her head as she approaches, her green eyes bouncing between me and Nana. “Hey. Everything okay?”
I nod. “First place. Only you would win the race on your first time here.”
“You’re not the only one who can bring home a trophy. And mine is way cooler.” She holds up her gold-plated, potato-shaped prize. “Don’t be jealous. I know you want this bad boy.”
Nana takes Edward’s leash from my grasp, and walks ahead of us.
Charly lowers her voice. “What happened?”
“We were just having a disagreement. Nothing to worry about. Let’s go check out that tent. We need to get you some Bar Harbor souvenirs.”
Charly nods, rolling her lips between her teeth, and she doesn’t press me for more. We head to the next vendor where she picks out a few things for Jenny and Santiago, and then continue down the street.
“Oh, look! It’s Freddie from dance class.” Charly lifts her hand to wave. “Hey, Freddie.”
Freddie’s wrinkled face beams when he turns to look over his shoulder. “Hiya, kid. Fancy meeting you here.”
