"Kody," a voice boomed causing me to wake up. I looked over to Rylan, but he was still fast asleep. "Kody," the voice called again and I finally recognized it, it was my father.
"Rylan," I whispered furiously, pushing on him.
"Hmmm?" he asked, rolling over to recapture me.
"Get up," I said pushing him off of me again and jumping out of the bed, "my father is home," I said trying to pull on a shirt.
"What?" he said sitting up sleepily.
"My father is home," I said looking at him when he realized what I was saying.
"Your father?" he half yelled, jumping out of my bed and trying to pull on his pants.
"Yes," I said coming over to start pushing him out of the door, "get out!" I opened the door and before he ran out he kissed me softly. "He's gonna kill you," I smiled, but kissed him back.
"I'd die happy," he smiled.
"But you would still be dead," I kissed his cheek and pushed him again, "out!"
"Kody," my father's voice sounded much closer this time. "Honey, I'm home!"
"I'm up here daddy," I called out the door.
"Hey honey," he said stepping into my room.
"Hi daddy," I said happily before hugging him. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too," he chuckled. "I brought you something," he said putting me back on the floor.
"You always do," I smiled and he took my hand.
"Come on," he said over his shoulder, "it's in the shop."
"What is it?" I giggled as he pulled me through the door.
He let me go to stand next to a tarp, "I present to you the first exclusive look at the Kody," he ripped the tarp away to reveal a purple bike. It was beautiful.
"Oh my god daddy," I said running my hands over the paint. "It's beautiful."
"I'm glad you think so," he smiled at me and immediately launched into an explanation of the new motor and fuel intake system. "It's the first in a brand new line of bikes, the Kody."
"You named it after me?" I asked my eyes lighting up.
"Of course," he smiled back. "You wanna take it out for a test drive?"
"Really?" I asked so surprised.
"Yea, why not," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Hey Mr. Dillon," Rylan said stepping into the shop only to stop and stare as I mounted the bike. "What is that?" he asked.
"The Kody," my father replied.
"Wow," Rylan said stepping closer, "it's magnificent," I rolled my eyes as I put on the helmet. "Wait," he said turning back to my father, "you're letting her ride it?" I was already pulling out of the garage when my father answered.
"You know don't you?" I asked Mr. Dillon as we watched Kody disappear.
"I've known since that first day I let her ride," he said smiling over at me.
"Why don't you just tell her?"
"I want her to tell me when she is ready," he said looking away from me. "I don't know exactly why she lies to me, but I let her do it all the time." He looked back at me. "Who do you think got her uncle to come back so he could train her?" he smiled. "I didn't want my baby getting hurt, so I called in the second best person I knew to train her."
"Why hasn't Daylon told her?" I asked, this family was apparently all about lying.
"I don't want her to know," he gave me a hard look, "I want her to tell me when she ready," he repeated.
"Yes sir," I said nodding.
"You wanana know something?" he chuckled sitting down on a bumper.
"What?"
"I've never missed a race," he looked up at me. "I've missed volleyball games, football games, even tennis games, but I have never once missed seeing her ride." I nodded. "I watched when she fell at the start of the summer and almost gave myself away right then," he said tensing his muscles. "I watched my baby girl said through the air and land with the loudest thud I had ever heard," he looked past me. "I sat with her in the hospital until she woke up, luckily I wasn't in the room when that happened," he smiled wistfully.
"When she came home that weekend I thought for sure she was going to tell me," he looked back over at me, "I mean how did she think she was going to explain 2 broke ribs, but she said she fell while doing a pyramid with the cheerleaders," he laughed then.
"She lies to you because she thinks you wouldn't let her ride," his eyes snapped to mine.
"Of course I would let her," he said seriously, "I can still remember the look on her face the first time I let her ride, it was my own damn fault she fell in love with the sport."
"She says that too," I smiled at him.
"Before you even ask," he said standing and coming towards me, "I know about the two of you as well," I gulped.
"The two of us?"
"Yea," he smiled wickedly then. "I know that you love her, I saw the way you got onto her after her jump," I relaxed a bit. "Just so you know, it's gonna be hard to get her to love you back," he smiled.
"You have no idea," I mumbled and he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Oh I have an idea," he laughed at my squirming, "I wanted her knock your lights out that first night, but I'm just trying to give you a heads up. You already have two strikes against you."
"Two strikes sir?" I frowned.
"You are a motocross rider," he ticked that off with his finger, "and you are now her teacher," another finger went up. "Kody is a good girl, she doesn't deal with any of those motocross boys, I think you are the first one she has ever even really spoken to and your career is going to come before her feelings."
"I know sir," I said honestly. "I think we've gotten past that first one, but she's holding strong to that second one," I shook my head.
"Well I just wanted to say you have my support," I snapped back up to him, "she seems more like herself now that you are here, I just want my little girl to be happy," he smiled and I returned the gesture. "Even if that means having to watch her slid under cars for the rest of her life covered in grease, wear dresses and cardigans or sailing over dirt mounds.
"I just want the same thing sir," I answered honestly.
"Good," he clapped a hand on my shoulder, "now for the serious part." His eyes got hard as he stared me down, "You hurt her and I'm gonna have to kill you," he said and I nodded like a chicken. Mr. Dillon was a big man, he could easily kill someone without breaking a sweat, not to mention he had connections every where because of his fame.
"Yes sir," I croaked and he smiled again.
"Alright," he rubbed his hands together, "now that that is out of the way let's have breakfast."
I stood watching him walk back into the house as I Kody pulled back into the garage.
"That was amazing!" she yelled breathless, her eyes were shinning.
"You really have to take her out for a spin," she said jumping off the bike and handing me the helmet.
"I have every intention to," I said huskily and she turned to smile at me.
"Sorry buster," she crooked her finger over her shoulder, "the big man is home now. No time for you," I laughed at her.
"Is this where I am supposed to beg for your affection?"
"Yes," she smiled stepping closer to me, "but I'm still not gonna give it to you."
She turned on her heel and marched into the house leaving me to smile in her wake. I turned back to the bike, might as well do the next best thing, I thought to myself as I swung my leg over the bike.
