Page 43 of With This Ring

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone gaining on him. He peeked over at the young man who looked to be at least five years his junior. Hudson quickened his pace, speeding through the curves to the straightaway, where he and his opponent crossed the finish line together for the first lap.

Hudson pumped his arms and legs, and his spirit soared along with his speed through their second lap. The young man gained an advantage on him, but Hudson wasn’t about to give up. He caught up with the young man, and they shot around the curves together.

When they reached the last straightaway, Hudson felt a burst of adrenaline that powered him forward. The roar of the crowd echoed in his mind when the finish line came into view. He pushed himself, moving faster and faster, until he flew across the line.

The clapping and whistling continued while Hudson slowed and spun. He swiped the back of his hand over the sweat beading on his forehead.

“Who won?” he asked Brice, still gasping for air.

Brice grinned. “You did.”

Hudson skated over to the other young contender and shook his hand. “Great race.”

“Yeah.” The kid laughed. “I can’t believe you beat me.”

“Hudson Garrity is our winner,” Brice called. “Great job to all of you who competed. Now, we have our final showdown between Dakota and Hudson.”

Kayleigh tapped her husband’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear, causing him to grin wider.

“We’re going to handle this last relay a little differently,” he said into the mic. “Instead of Dakota and Hudson skating two straightforward laps, they’ll skate forward for the first lap and backward for the final lap.”

Hudson held up his hands. “No, no, no.” He made a sweeping gesture toward Dakota, whose pretty face seemed full of surprise. “You’re the winner, Dakota. Enjoy your trophy.” He started toward the other side of the rink.

“Are you too chicken to race me, Hudson Garrity?” Dakota’s voice rang out over the speakers.

A chorus of “Ooh!” sounded, along with some laughs and playful jeers.

He sighed before turning to face her. She had taken the mic out of Brice’s hand and was staring at him, her dark eyes glittering. Leave it to Dakota to call him out in front of a crowd.

“No,” he responded, raising his voice over the rowdy folks around him. “I just know you’ll win.”

“I remember when you were competitive and loved to race. Did New York City change you?” Her expression seemed to challenge him.

Hudson shook his head. “No, I’m still that way.”

She handed the mic back to Brice and glided over to Hudson. “Then what’s the problem?”

“I’m rusty.”

She scoffed. “You didn’t look rusty to me.” She rested her hands on her hips. “What’s the real issue, Hud?”

“There’s no issue.”

“Then why won’t you race me?”

He rubbed the scruff on his neck. Why was she making such a big deal about this? “Dakota...”

“What is it, Hud?” Her brow pinched. “Am I not good enough to race?”

“Fine,” he said. “I don’t want to beat you in front of everyone.”

“Oh, so you think you’ll be beat me then?”

“Yeah, I do.”

They studied each other.

“Then prove it,” she snapped.