“And that’s why I wanted to see you compete today,” Vi went on. “I’ve seen couples go at each other and separate over what color to paint their kitchen cabinets. If a relationship isn’t strong enough, it’ll break.”
“Hayden and I will be fine. Win or lose.”
“That’s what I’m here to see.” Vi faced Eve, expression determined. “I want to make sure my sister and niece are going to be well cared for and happy. With any luck, by the end of the race, I’ll be welcoming Hayden to the family.”
Eve moved her sister’s blond hair off her shoulders. “If you wanted to see how we worked together in a stressful situation, you could have run along the sidelines.”
“You wouldn’t have done the obstacle course if Steven wasn’t.” Vi was right, of course.
“I appreciate that you care about us, Vi.” Eve stopped Katie as she ran past, whispering a simple request, “Give your Auntie Vi a hug, bug.”
Katie sweetly obliged, earning a teary smile from Vi.
“If you’re going to run this race, Vi,” Eve said in a quiet voice. “You might want to switch shoes with Mom. Those heels are going to sink in the grass.”
Vi grinned. “You’d be surprised at what a woman can do in heels.”
“When it comes to you, Vi…never.”
*
“What’s your game here, Steven?” Hayden asked as they walked back after registering for the obstacle course. “You lost Evie once. Then again when I married her. You should give up while you’re ahead.”
“You don’t give up on love.” Steven’s tone was snobby lawyer all the way. “You’ll screw up your marriage. I give it six months before Eve leaves you.”
Hayden walked faster, trying to outpace the truth Steven was laying down.
Steven ran-walked to keep up. “All I have to do is stay available and make sure Eve knows I’m the one for her. She appreciates a winner.”
Annoyance had a foot race with jealousy in Hayden’s veins.
Evie came into view, catching Hayden’s eye with a warm smile.
And that’s all it took to slow Hayden’s racing heart, slow his steps, and slow the urge to pound the snot out of Steven in this obstacle course. There was one thing to be learned from Steven’s egotistical rant—Evie is what matters.
Hayden laid a heavy hand on Steven’s shoulder. “I hate to throw a wrench in your plans. But I’ve never let go of anything I—” Love “—want to keep.”
Steven’s eyes narrowed. And then he brushed Hayden’s hand away, laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Hayden widened his stance, prepared for a fight.
“You didn’t say love.” Steven backed away, rolling his fists as if punching a feedbag. “I’ve got your number. Six months, my man!”
*
Eve was nervous.
The obstacle course sprawled from one end of Central Park to the other. The course was run in heats by age. Cones marked crooked lanes designed to avoid picnic tables and playground equipment. It had been set up in four segments. There was a table at the starting line with cartons of eggs and stacks of spoons. Burlap bags were stacked on a table at the second station. Rusty red wagons were hitched to rustier pedal cars at the third station. And inflated inner tubes lay in unruly piles before the last leg.
They’d already eaten lunch and watched younger competitors run the course. Nothing Hayden said or did so far had won Vi over. There was more than Hayden’s pride riding on this obstacle course. And no way was Eve telling him that.
“Mama, are you and Hay-Hay going to win?” Katie held a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a pink kitty cat cake pop in the other, her bribe for getting ready today. “Daddy says he and Auntie Vi are going to win.”
“It’s about fun, not winning,” Eve said with false cheer when their heat was finally announced. She wasn’t happy as a contestant. A denim dress and ballet flats weren’t the best uniform to compete in. At least she wasn’t wearing kitten heels like Vi. “We’re going to laugh all the way to the end.”
“But we’ll win,” Hayden told Katie, setting his black cowboy hat on her golden curls. He took hold of her cake pop and bit off an ear. “Chomp. Chomp.”
Katie giggled.