Page 70 of As The Shifter World Turns

70

SOMETIMES THE FINISH LINE ISN’T THE ONE YOU WERE RACING TOWARDS

Ryder

“I don’t know if I’m prepared for this.” I let out a long sigh as I stared at myself in the mirror. “But… I’m going to do it. I’m going to finish without walking. I’m going to get through this without being one of the last to arrive when most people think it’s over. I’m going to finish this like a boss.”

I wasn’t sure how true that was. I’d been having a lot of ‘rest days’ lately, far more than I should this close to a half marathon. I didn’t regret a single one of them, enjoying each and every one of those extra moments I got to spend with Ivor instead of training.

But, I had a feeling today I would think back and wish I’d trained harder and not because I came in last, but because my legs would be jelly in the morning—painful jelly.

“Did you call me?” Ivor asked through the bathroom door.

“No.” I opened the door. “I was giving myself a pep talk.”

He stood there, a smile on his face, his hands on his very rounded belly. If I didn’t need 500% of my strength to make it through the race today, I’d have had my hands all over his bump—and the rest of him. I never thought it possible for him to be sexier than he was that first time he smiled at me, you know that smile that says you’re mine , but damn… each day as he grew, his body accommodating our child, I found him hotter and hotter.

“You need to stop looking at me.” He stuck out his tongue and shook his head in amusement. “We need to meet everyone and if you keep looking at me like that we’ll both be naked when they send someone to make sure we aren’t dead.” He wasn’t wrong .

“If you don’t want me to ogle you, maybe quit being so hot,” I countered.

He just rolled his eyes. “Daire called to see if we wanted to drive together and I said yes, so move along.” He leaned in, kissed my cheek, his belly bumping mine. Gods, I loved that.

“How’s our little one? Still practicing her gymnastics?”

It was both cool and freaky watching my mate’s belly move when our baby decided to get active and stretch her limbs. Now? Now I watched for it. There was comfort in being able to see she was doing well. Ivor got to sense it, felt even the subtle moves, but for me the visual was everything.

“Naw. She’s pretty chill today. Probably tired out from last night.” Ivor had a glass of orange juice and the baby was active after that. “Daire is…” He took out his phone and looked at the time. “Crap, he’s already at the car. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing, omega mine. I’m ready. I mean, I wouldn’t turn down you holding my hand.” I extended my arm and he giggled. “What?”

“Wait until we’re outside. I’m huge and walking side by side in the hallway… not gonna happen.”

“You’re only…” I stopped. No good could come of saying he was only huge front to back and not side to side. None. “Okay, but once we’re on the porch, I am not letting go.”

Daire had the van, not the sports car, and I was glad for that. Ivor wouldn’t manage getting into that very low car.

Unlike my sorry ass, Daire had been training hard core. He was ready for this. If he didn’t place, I’d be surprised. Probably not in the entire race, but in his class at least.

“I’m glad we pre-registered.” He clicked his fob to unlock the van. “I couldn’t get my act together this morning.”

“Too focused on your running mindset?” Ivor asked. “That’s a thing, right?”

“Yeah, that’s a thing and no. I just stayed up too late last night.”

I helped Ivor into the van.

“I made this one,” Ivor pointed to me from over his seat, “go to bed early for the race.”

“This one?” Daire asked, obviously amused. “Are you that one?” he said to me.

“Nope.” I popped the P. “He is my only one.” I grabbed Ivor’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Speaking about only ones, is that why you were up late? Did you have company?”

I knew he had worked things out sort-of-ish with Nate, but not really sure to what extent. And I never really got the whole story of why they were on a break. I tried to stay out of it unless he asked me specifically because goodness help me I was not the one to ask for relationship advice. I got lucky with Ivor and he forgave me for far more than I deserved. But yeah, my track record before Ivor sucked and not in a good way.

“No company.” He started the van .

“But something,” I teased back, not really wanting to know the details if it was naughty, but also being nosey as fuck and willing to discuss anything except my impending doom at the race.

“We talked on the phone, and before you even start...” He beeped the horn. Some jerk almost ran into us. We jerked forward and my hand grabbed Ivor’s shoulder because he was sitting in front of me.

I was freaked out, seeing the near collision and what it could’ve done to my mate and our child that he was carrying. My heart was still pounding as the other car drove off.

“Ivor, I need to know you’re fine.”

“I am.” He didn’t sound fine, but logically I understood nothing could’ve physically hurt him. “It just scared me a wee bit, is all.”

“Same.” Daire let out a long breath. “Okay for me to keep going?”

“Ready.” Ivor and I said in unison.

It was challenging for us to get to the check-in point, the roads already blocked off for the race. We ended up having to walk half a mile, me holding Ivor’s hand and a folding chair for him to sit on during the race. I didn’t mind. It was like a pre-warm up, as it were. But poor Ivor. He waddled like a champ. I was going to need to figure out a better solution for him on the way out.

We checked in, got our numbers, filled out the waiver—again, and were told where to wait.

“You’ve got this.” Ivor kissed me. “And when you come home, you’ll get something else.”

The poor guy had no idea how out of shape I was. The only thing I was going to get was through the doorway, where I would immediately crash.

“Please tell me you mean some sleep.” I kissed him back.

“If you say so.”

“We’ll stay at the finish line.” Neil said as he arrived with Martin and Toby. It was Toby’s first time at any event like this and he was super excited, even wearing a shirt with our names on it that he’d made with permanent markers. A-freaking-dorable.

Archer and Micah were also coming, but they hadn’t arrived yet. When I took an apartment at Sunshine Manor, never in a million years did I think I was going to find my family and not just Ivor and our baby. It was more than that. Everyone who lived there was a family of sorts. I gave all credit for that to Daire. His rooftop events sealed us together in a way no other rental would’ve fostered.

And now I was suddenly sappy. Maybe Ivor’s hormones were contagious and I was getting the pregnancy emotions. Too bad I couldn’t have taken his pregnancy puke from him. I still felt bad about that. His body went through so much. He’d say it was worth it and it was, but also…

“Go. Win this thing.”

I didn’t win, not even close, but I held my own and at no point in the race had I wished for death, which I called a victory in and of itself. As the finish line came into view, I attempted to speed up and finish strong. My body was having no part of that, continuing its pace. That was until Ivor came into view. He was clapping and cheering me on like it was his job. I wish it was. He’d been working too hard.

That helped me rally and my speed increased, my finish was going to be strong… until it wasn’t. With my eyes glued to my mate, I tripped over my own feet and lay sprawled on the ground.

“Ryder, are you okay?” Ivor shouted as Neil grabbed his arm. Our friends were standing, their mouths open wide, as instead of running, I crawled the last few feet over the finish line.