Chapter Thirteen

The afternoon after the barbecue, CJ, James, and I drive half an hour north of Dell's Hollow, winding along narrow mountain roads until we're deep in the Appalachians. James parks his secondhand Subaru wagon (a beast of a car passed down to him after being owned by his two older brothers, which means it's covered in stickers and smells weirdly like fast food and sports gear) in a tiny lot beside a metal trestle bridge that crosses the Greenway River. We all pile out and gaze at the river. Sunlight glints off the water, a wide, moss-colored liquid ribbon that runs out of the Appalachian Mountains and curves around Dell's Hollow. There are no major rapids on our local stretch, and today the water moves sluggishly. Cicadas hum, and though a breeze ruffles the dense foliage along the river's bank, the humidity is like a wall.

"I cannot wait to get in the water," CJ says, as they slather sunscreen on their face for the second time in half an hour.

"Don't wait," James says, grabbing CJ's hand. "Race you to the river!"

The sunscreen tube falls to the ground as the two of them dash toward the water, splashing through the shallows and then diving under. Picking up the sunscreen, I stay near CJ's car, looking down the road for El, who should be here by now. A bead of sweat rolls along my collarbone. Today, I'm river-ready in a racerback bikini top and jean shorts, slathered with sunscreen as CJ insisted, and wearing old Tevas that I borrowed from Grandma Jolene's closet. When I'd asked El the night before if she knew any good local things I could do with CJ and James, who were staying the entire weekend after the BBQ, she'd insisted we go floating with her and Zaynah.

"Floating, like down the river?" I'd asked, skeptical. "You mean in like rubber donut tubes?"

"It's amazing, trust me," El had said. "Max and I used to do it all the time, and it's really fun and chill."

Hard to argue with that reasoning, and besides, if it meant more of my friends hanging out with El and her best friend, I was in. The plan was to have El and Zaynah drive separately and leave Zaynah's car a few miles down the river, so we had a way back to the bridge after the float, where James's car and El's car would be. El and Zaynah were bringing all the inner tubes, and they were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.

What am I going to do with CJ and James if El doesn't show up? Of course, why wouldn't El show up? We'd snuck in a goodbye kiss last night after the BBQ, but what if—

Just as CJ tries to dunk James under the water, El pulls up in the Oatmobile. She and Zaynah have the windows down and are blasting music. My heart does a little flip as El waves at me.

"Sorry we're late!" she says breathlessly as she parks the van beside James's car. "We had to get more tubes because one of ours had a hole in it, so we stopped at a friend's house on the way. But we found five!" She opens the side door of the van and several inner tubes tumble out.

My hand darts out to catch one as it rolls toward me. "Thanks for bringing these."

"Of course," El says. "It's going to be great. C'mon."

They're both in their suits, El in a bikini top and board shorts, and Zaynah in a burkini with a hood, carrying a drybag apiece with drinks and snacks inside, as planned.

I want to linger, maybe sneak a kiss in beside the van with El as Zaynah moves toward the river, but El's already turned away, backpack on her shoulders, and gathering tubes. Looping my arm through an inner tube, I follow her toward the riverbank.

After several failed attempts at everyone getting into their tubes, and CJ and James screeching as they flipped on the first tiny set of rapids, we finally manage to get our tubes floating down the river. A lazy, hazy sort of peace settles over me as I trail my fingers through the warm water. Frogs croak from the banks, crows screech from the treetops above us, and CJ, James, and Zaynah belt out show tunes. It's peaceful, and I close my eyes, letting sunlight wash over my face.

A soft bump on my right side startles me. My eyes fly open, but it's just El, holding out a Coke can. "It's pretty, isn't it," she says, nodding at the river and the general landscape.

It really, really is, and seeing it via inner tube, at this pace, makes me appreciate Dell's Hollow and this area that much more. El grabs my tube with one hand, and we float side by side in companionable silence for several minutes as the river bends and gets even broader. My eyes drift over the tree line, watching a hawk soar overhead. On our right, a tree-covered stone bluff rises along one side of the river. It's covered in thick tangles of branches that jut over the water. A rope swing dangles from one of the branches, and a narrow, well-worn path snakes up from the riverbank, disappearing into the trees. There's a pile of beer cans and a picnic table along the bank as well.

"What's that?" I say, pointing at the rope swing.

El glances upward. "There's a super-deep pool—at least ten feet—in the water over there. Max was famous for once doing a double backflip from that rope."

"Is it safe?"

El shrugs. "I've never done it, but no one's ever gotten hurt on it, at least not that I know of."

I track the way the swing moves in the breeze, as our tubes float near the bank. With the bluff and the trees, it's at least as high as a two-story house up there, but it looks fun. Dangerous, yes, but also exhilarating. The thought of jumping off it sends a spike of adrenaline laced with fear through me.

There's a certain feeling that I'm always chasing.

If my goal is to be a race car driver again—which it is, at least according to the F1 Academy form in my bag back in James's car—then I have to face my fears. Confront them head-on. Keep moving fast enough so they can't catch up. Which, in this moment, means jumping off the damn rope swing.

"I'm gonna do it," I say as I gently unhook El's fingers from my tube. I start paddling with my hands toward the shore.

"Jo! Wait!" El calls.

But I'm already slipping out of my tube to haul it onto the riverbank. My sandals sink into the muddy bank. "Come with me?"

El swims out of her own tube and sloshes after me. She hollers to CJ, James, and Zaynah, who are farther down the water. They head toward the bank and walk back upriver to join us beside the picnic table.

"I reserve the right not to jump," El says as we pile our tubes on the picnic table and start up the path to the swing.

I shoot El a look and thread her fingers through mine, giving them an encouraging squeeze. Of course, it's fine if she doesn't want to jump. This is about my fears, not El's. And having some fun. And maybe, perhaps just a little bit showing off for El.

"I also reserve the right to not jump," Zaynah says, while CJ and James race each other up the twisting, root-laden path to the top of the bluff. She casts a quick glance at El's and my hands and then starts up the path.

Several minutes later, I'm standing above the river, rope swing in hand. I tug on it, making sure it's attached securely to the tree branch. No problem there. It's fraying below the knot, but it feels sturdy. Besides, it's not like I'm going to be holding on to it long. Below me, the river is dark green, and beyond the deep pool below the bluff, little eddies form around rocks, looking like the lace doilies on Grandma Jolene's living room end tables.

I let out a long, shaky breath as my adrenaline ratchets up. This is nothing like a race, but that same heady anticipation fills me.

"Want to go first or want me to go?" James asks. He's got one hand on the tree trunk and is looking eagerly down at the water.

I glance over at El, who stands between Zaynah and CJ. She offers me a shaky thumbs-up.

I can't help it; I want to impress her. "I'll go," I say.

"Be careful!" El calls out, her hands now fists at her sides, her brow creased with worry.

I shoot her a half smile and then step back, focused only on the five feet of earth between me and the edge of the cliff. I step back, gripping the rope in both hands.

Be fearless. Run fast.

You can do this.

With one quick exhale, I surge forward, holding the rope. There's a brief, breathless moment when my feet leave the ground and I swing out, hurtling into the air above the river. The rope chafes my hands, and then I release it, plummeting toward the water. Air rushes past my face and adrenaline lights my veins. A whoop of pure joy whips out of my chest because that's right. I love this feeling. This is what racing feels like and why it's worth being brave.

Before I can have any other great revelations, I hit the water with an enormous splash. I plunge deep, sinking into the cool, murky depths of the pool. My sandals hit the pebble-strewn bottom of the river, and I kick off, surging upward. A few seconds later, I break the surface, laughing and spitting out water.

Far above me, James and CJ cheer and whistle appreciatively. Zaynah is also clapping. And El beams down at me, holding the rope swing in her hands.

"C'mon!" I yell out. "It's so much fun!" I swim toward shore, looking upward.

El's eyes meet mine for a moment, and then she pulls the rope back. My mouth falls open as El Blum runs toward the edge of the cliff, letting out a tremendous scream as she flies out and releases the rope.

Fearless.

This girl is so brave and I like her so much.

Like I did, El plunges into the water and then breaks the surface a few seconds later, grinning. Her wet hair clings to her forehead and her eyes shine.

"That was amazing!" she cries out, voice laced with laughter.

I swim back to the pool, so I can kiss her right then and there, in front of all our friends.

After many more cliff jumps, we float the rest of the way downriver to Zaynah's car. We wrap up in towels while she makes the drive back to the metal bridge—how had it taken us so many hours to float down the river when it's just a fifteen-minute drive back to where we started?—and we change into clean clothes. As we're packing all the tubes back in the Oatmobile, my stomach gives an almighty growl. I glance at my phone. It's after five already, and I can't face going back to my house, with Grandma Jolene gone and Dad on his computer.

"Want to grab some dinner at Bless My Grits?" I suggest. "My treat?"

Everyone agrees enthusiastically, and we caravan back to Dell's Hollow, passing through the tiny downtown with its two antique stores, florist, nail salon, library, and the Founder's Fountain and park, which is filled with people listening to an outdoor fiddle concert. We find parking spots near Bless My Grits, a small chrome-and-vinyl-decorated diner, which is run by a friend of Grandma Jolene's, and make our way inside. As we slide into a booth, El squeezing in between me and Zaynah, my shoulders twinge with sunburn. But it's been a wonderful day overall, and I'm feeling very loved by all my friends. I feel almost like the me I was in Charleston.

As our cheeseburgers and fries and Zaynah's veggie wrap arrive, El leans in, showing me her phone and a message from Riley.

Race happening tomorrow night, Benton Creek Airfield. Be there by sunset.

Excitement surges through me. "This is our chance! Where's the Benton Creek Airfield?"

El bites her bottom lip as she types the name into Google. "About twenty minutes south of here. It's an abandoned local airfield… ."

"Perfect! The Hornet is ready to race!"

"Are you sure? I mean, we can always—"

"What are you two whispering about over there?" CJ demands. They flick a french fry at me.

Zaynah eyes us shrewdly. "We'd all love to know."

"It's nothing," El says, glancing at her best friend and then looking away quickly. She seems nervous.

"We're just strategizing," I say. "About how to get Max's jacket back."

Now El looks at me, eyebrows shooting up in alarm. Maybe I wasn't supposed to say anything?

"Who's Max?" James asks, in between bites of his burger.

"My sister," El mumbles.

"What about Max? What jacket?" Zaynah prods, her voice tense.

"We … Remember, Z, she sent that postcard from Boston a few weeks back?" El starts twisting her paper napkin into little snakes. "She asked for her jacket back, and JoJo and I are, uh, figuring out how to get it. Her friend said we could have it, if we, um—"

"We're racing for it." I put El out of her misery. And why not? We're among friends. Family, even. Though I notice she didn't mention Max's address as a second potential prize.

CJ flicks another fry at me. "You shouldn't be doing any racing unless it's for the F1 training program."

El snaps her gaze over to me. "What F1 training program?"

"CJ means the F1 Academy," I say carefully. I've still not told El about it. "It's not a big deal. Just something I'm thinking about doing."

Ever the planner and my number one fan, CJ jumps in enthusiastically. "It's a huge deal! Like it means Jo will get to travel all over the world, going to all the F1 races and driving in some of them. It could really make her career. She's been carrying around an application for weeks and it's due by August, but she won't ask her dad to sign the form." CJ turns their smile on me.

I scowl back as I pop a fry into my mouth. Maybe if I'm eating, I won't have to answer more questions?

"Will you leave Dell's Hollow if you get into the program?" El asks, a frown between her eyebrows.

I shrug and wash down the fry with some strawberry milkshake. "Maybe? Yes, but the academy doesn't start until the fall. And there's no guarantee I'll get in."

"You'll get in," James says. "CJ has shown me all your races that are on the internet. I've never seen anyone drive like you."

Pride fills me, but it's quickly squashed by the look on El's face. "I've not even applied yet," I remind her. "Besides, the only race I care about right now is the one to get Max's jacket back." The words rush out of me, my tongue loosened by my desire to erase the crushed look from El's face.

"And what race is that, exactly?" Zaynah asks, still fishing for details.

Shit.

I let out a long breath and look over at El. She nods slightly, and so I fill Zaynah, CJ, and James in about our trip to Riley's place, his demand that we race for Max's jacket (I don't mention the address, since El's apparently keeping that part to herself), and the race that's happening tomorrow night.

"Okay, so even if you did do this illegal race," CJ says, leaning in close, as if the pair of elderly women in the booth behind us is actually listening to our conversation and not arguing about a recent Love Island episode. "How would you do it?"

"You can't do it!" Zaynah chimes in. "Even if this weren't the worst idea, what are you going to race in, the Oatmobile?" She turns to CJ and James. "That's what we call El's mom's minivan, which is her current mode of transportation."

El rolls her eyes. "No. Of course we're not going to race in the minivan."

I lean in, lowering my voice despite the fact that we're at a loud party and Grandma Jolene is nowhere around. "We're going to take my mom's car."

"Fuck off," CJ says. "The Hornet? No way. I thought it hadn't run in years."

I nod. "I got it working. Now, I just need to get the keys out of Grandma Jolene's safe. She locked them up before she left for Italy."

"Which we're never going to get open," El adds. "Unless you know a safecracker."

"I mean, I do totally have a heist crew I can call." I pull out my phone, scrolling my contacts quickly. "Let's see, to do a heist, who do we need? Hacker, a money person, some muscle—"

"Don't forget an acrobat, for getting into small spaces," James says, with a laugh.

"And a getaway driver …" Zaynah adds. "I mean, if you're going to break into Jolene's garage and steal the keys, you'll need someone to help you escape."

"Are you volunteering?" El says, her eyebrows flying upward.

"Begrudgingly. If I can't talk you out of it, I guess I have to help. What's your role in this heist anyway?" Zaynah shoots back. "The muscle?"

"Wild card, of course!" El picks up a handful of fries and pops them into her mouth. "You never know what I'll do!" she manages to say through the fries.

At this, CJ bursts out laughing. "Well, I'm going to be lookout, because I have zero heist skills. And James, you're with me because, well, you're with me."

"And that way we can hide between cars at the garage and make out." James pulls CJ in for a kiss, which makes all of us groan.

Beside me, El scoots even closer, so she's practically sitting in my lap, and I plant an oh-so-quick feather-soft kiss on her shoulder. She leans into the kiss, and a warm, tender feeling along with a heat low in my belly fills me.

This girl.

Good grief.

"What does that make you, JoJo?" CJ says when they pull out of their kiss with James, distracting me. "Who are you in the heist crew?"

"The Inside Woman, of course," I say.

All my friends groan and laugh at that, teasing me and saying it's not a heist if you can easily unlock the safe. Which I totally disagree with because you've still got to break into the garage and get the keys and get out and not get caught. Which causes another round of spirited arguments. And, as we eat our dinner, our plan for breaking into Grandma Jolene's garage to get the keys to the Hornet quickly goes from a ridiculous notion to an actual plan.

And somehow, as we leave the diner, Motorcycle Girl? El Blum's hand is in mine, and we're totally doing a heist so we can then do an illegal street race, and holy shit my life is officially a Fast Furious movie, but as El and I sneak a kiss when no one else is looking, that seems just fine to me.