your problem?â he asked, folding his arms across his chest. He leaned back in his chair and stared at her.
Mac sighed and looked down at her feet. âIs it okay if I sleep at Frankieâs this weekend?â When her father muttered his approval, Mackenzie headed toward the door and said over her shoulder, âIâll leave the forms by the front door on your briefcase.â
She had almost made her escape when Mac barely heard her father issue his warning. âSay another word to your sister about that dance, and youâre going to be a very unhappy girl.â
Chapter Four
Mackenzie slammed the door shut and bounded up to the front of the classroom. She heaved a bulging backpack off her shoulder and dumped it on a front row desk. Three textbooks and the two full liter bottles of water that Mac always carried, but never drank, slid out. Banging on the desk with her fist, she announced, âI move that the Bike Geek meeting come to order.â
Charlie leapt up from his seat and picked up the bottles, one in each hand. âWhatâs the deal, Skater?â he asked Mackenzie as he curled them like weights. âArenât you buff enough?â
She turned to face him, eye to eye. They were the same height, but with opposite coloring; Macâs straight white blond hair hit her chin at the same spot Charlieâs blue-black curls met his. His dark, almost black eyes twinkled, laughing at her, while her cornflower blues gave nothing away. She wouldnât let him get to her. He folded his arms in an effort to make his shoulders appear broader than hers, but carrying around two liters of water every day does work its wonders, and she inhaled and matched him.
Mac took the bottles and shoved them back in her pack. She blew her bangs off her forehead and, ignoring Charlieâs question, sat on the desk and counted everyone who was there. âDante, donât start the minutes of the meeting until Otis gets here, okay? Heâs on his way. We need to go over my application to get certified, and he forgot the papers.â
âWhy would anyone ever go to some bike mechanic boot camp to learn something you already know how to do?â Charlie said. âItâs a waste of time.â
âHey, youâre the one who wants to work at the shop,â Mac answered. âGet serious about getting your license and maybe Otis will get serious about hiring you. Besides, with my license, Iâll be able to earn big cake doing race mechanics.â
âI canât even apply to get into the workshop if I donât have the hours at a shop, and if he wonât let me work there how can I get the hoursâ¦â Charlie waved her off with his hand. âI might as well forget it. Itâs a vicious cycle.â
The girl slouching in a back row seat guffawed.
âWhat, Frankie?â Charlie looked back at her. She twirled a long dreadlock around her neck, covering both the dashes tattooed there as well as the words âcut on the dotted lineâ inked beneath them.
She said, âDude, why donât you open your own shop? You can call it The Vicious Cycle.â
He squinted at her for a split second before turning to face the front to loudly ignore her. âCan we just start the meeting? Itâs already 3:45, and I want time to ride to Hudson and back before dinner.â Charlie was doing his best imitation of politeness. Frankie snorted.
Charlie turned to her and frowned. âWhat now, Frankie? You donât think I can?â
âDepends how late you eat dinner,â she said.
âHow are you going to get to Vermont and back wearing those baggies, Charlie?â Dante teased, âIsnât it like riding with a parachute brake?â Dante had no problem wearing spandex.
âJust âcause I donât wear that road rider crap doesnât mean Iâm not for real.â Charlie blew a kiss to Dante. âHowever, for you, the spandex is