Racing to Love: Eli's Honor by Amy Gregory Page A

shrugging to herself.
    In the end, Eli had not only convinced Honor to let Dallas attend the academy—for a month, but he made her promise she’d come with him. She had tried to be strong and selfless about the whole situation, and it was probably more than obvious that it was a rough decision for her. She knew Eli had invited her out of charity. It was sweet of him, and she had instantly turned him down, even as her stomach twisted and burned. It was the answer to her problem—Dallas could go and she wouldn’t have to miss him.
    However, Eli’s competitive personality must have sensed a challenge. He pestered her the rest of the night when he was at the house. Any time Dallas would step out of the room, he would turn to her and start in again. Using his arsenal of weapons, like his stupid gorgeous smile, or maddening boyish charm. She would have been all right, could have fended him off, until Eli was getting ready to go. Dallas said his goodbyes and excitedly ran off to start organizing his belongings to pack, presumptuously having all the faith in the world that Eli would sway his mother.
    Eli stood in her doorway, half in the living room, half standing on her small wooden porch. He grabbed her hand, tilted his chin, and flashed those damn eyes at her. His simple please was the last straw.
    He had booked his room at a hotel near the airport, and she knew it was about an hour away from her house. When the phone rang an hour and fifteen minutes later that night, she couldn’t help the confused laughter that escaped when it was Eli on the other end. Honor rolled her eyes and grinned foolishly as he informed her he already had not one, but two plane tickets booked for the following week.
    She tried to argue for argument’s sake, but got nowhere with the hazel-eyed devil. His teasing and laughter on the other end of the line let her know he was quite pleased with himself. He was a total brat, but such a sweet one. One that a girl like her had no defenses against.
    Dallas grabbed the stack of shorts out of her hand. Realizing she spaced off, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Who would have thought packing for a month would be so damned difficult? Good thing they didn’t have all that many clothes. Just take the whole closet and call it good.
    “So, are you excited, buddy?”
    Honor could see the eagerness in his eyes, but the droop of his shoulders gave his uncertainty away. They had talked about it all week, gone back and forth, and around again through all the emotions. Anticipation, nerves, happiness, fears—between the two of them, they covered the whole gamut of emotions.
    Dallas started off being scared to death she couldn’t work it out with his school. After a couple of rounds of after school meetings, she’d won out. The look on his face when she told him it was under control was priceless. Now, Honor saw he’d circled back to feeling less than confident.
    “You’re going to do great. You know that. You’re the best rider I’ve ever known.”
    Dallas rolled his eyes. “I’m the only rider you’ve ever known, Mom.”
    She nudged him with the last pile in her hands. “That’s not true. I know Alex, Tucker, Mikey, Boyd, and um, let’s see, oh, that one kid…you know the one that…crap, what’s his name? Number 548, rides KTM…Nate.”
    “Yeah, you know a lot of riders there, Mom. You can’t even remember their names.”
    “I don’t watch other riders at the tracks. I’m there to see you.”
    “See. That’s what I mean.”
    Honor squeezed his shoulders in support. “You’re going to do great, honey. I promise. Look at how fast you adjusted to the changes Eli made that night. You two really hit it off. They really want you, Dallas. Eli said they all see such great potential in you.”
    “Mom?”
    Turning, she shut the drawers of his dresser, straightening up the mess they’d made. “Yeah, honey.”
    “Do you like Eli?”
    “Sure.”
    “No, Mom. Like… like him, like