The Race

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I had just zipped up the back of my dark blue dress that hugs my body to the middle of my thighs and slid my feet into my black heels when I heard Isla shouting from the front room. 

“Lennox, get in here!  You have to see this!”

I opened my door and sprinted to the room where she sat on the edge of the couch, staring openmouthed at the television where an entertainment show was on. 

On the screen was a video of me and Kier walking into the hotel, arms wrapped around each other under the umbrella to get out of the rain.  The caption under the video read, Race of Love?

“Turn it up,” I said, sitting beside her.

She reached for the remote just as the video started to replay.

“It looks like there’s something else going on in the Race this year,” the reporter said.    “Lennox Gordon, seven time winner of the Race and only female to compete, looks like she’s got something else she’s winning:  the heart of Kier Portner, the newest contestant. 

“They were filmed getting out of their SUV and walking into the hotel where all of the contestants are staying, wrapped very tightly around each other.  Sources say that things got very hot and heavy once they were alone together on their floor.”

“What?” I screeched, while Isla started laughing. 

The video continued to where Kier and I had walked inside the hotel.  It was a clear shot of him reaching up to push the strand of hair away from my face, the thing he’d done that I said was going to be all over the news channels tonight and newsstands the next morning. 

My eyes were wide as the reporter continued.

“There’s no doubt that there’s something going on between these two and we’re going to get to see everything unfold as this Race gets going.  I wonder how they’ll take the strain on their relationship.”

Isla was still laughing beside me as the reporter started talking about other news. 

“So, how will your relationship do under the strain of the Race?” she asked, still giggling.

“Hush, Isla,” I said, standing up.  I started to pace, my heels clicking on the hardwood floor when I stepped off the carpet.  “God, why do reporters think that something’s going on?  Nothing is!”

Isla sighed and crossed her legs.  She already was dressed in a dark red dress that fell to her knees and had on strappy black heels.  “You look great, by the way,” she said.  “I never knew you could walk in heels or in a dress that tight.”

“I’ve spent more time in heels than you think I have,” I said.  “Now can you please tell me something that makes me calm down?”

“Um, that’s what I was trying to do with those last statements.”

I groaned and sat down beside her.  “Well, it didn’t help,” I said.

“Come on, Lennox,” she said.  “You can’t blame everyone for suspecting something’s going on between you and Kier.”

“Um, yeah, I can,” I said.  “And that’s what I’m going to do.”

She sighed, frustrated.  “Seriously, you two are adorable together.  And apparently the entire country thinks so also,” she said.

She pulled her laptop onto her lap and started typing.  I glanced over just as she pulled up an article about me and Kier.  The picture was of us getting out of the SUV.