Page 205 of Bend

“You want his start?”

I swallow. “The open start. I don’t want his number, and I don’t want anyone thinking I’m trying to take his place.”

Her expression softens immediately.

“Oh, sweetheart, no one could.”

She steps closer, her eyes already shining.

“Wolfe loved you.”

My throat closes.

She looks past me toward the rest of the team, and when she speaks again, there’s grief in her voice, but there’s pride too.

“He loved all of you. He talked about this team like it was home. Talon, Sayshen, Reign, Revel, Draygon, Thorne… all of you. You were his family out here, and he knew it.”

Nobody says anything.

Wolfe’s mother looks back at me.

“He loved you very much, Echo. You could hear it every time he talked about you, regardless of how fast it happened.”

My eyes burn so fast I have to blink hard.

She reaches for my hand.

“If someone is going to take the start he can’t, I can’t think of anyone he would rather see there.”

Wolfe’s father nods beside her. “Neither can I.”

That does something to the whole group.

I never needed Wolfe’s parents permission, but hearing his parents give me their blessing, makes this feel less like stepping into a hole he left behind and more like carrying one piece of him forward with the people he loved.

My father looks at Andre. “Can she do it?”

Andre doesn’t hesitate.

“Yes. She knows the course, she knows the bike, and she has the skill. She just has to ride her own race.”

Dad looks back at me, fear still written all over his face.

Then he gives one slow nod.

“If this is what you want, then go for it. You have my support.”

Talon exhales hard and looks away clearly annoyed everyone is okay with this, but Sayshen steps closer and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“She’s ready.”

Thorne gives me one long, miserable look before finally nodding. “Stay inside your limits. Don’t chase anyone, and if anything feels wrong, you bring it back.”

“I will.”

Talon is the last one still holding onto the fear.

I step closer to him.