Awakening Veronica(Divine Creek Ranch 17)(106)
Hank elbowed Travis. “Wearin’ boots to a relay race. We can take them easy.”
Charity Connors and her husband, Justin showed up, and Travis got worried they had stiff competition until Charity told Veronica that they weren’t participating in the race. They had friends riding into town and there was a special surprise planned for them that she wanted to be available for.
Charity smirked and added, “That, and I knew there was no way I could talk the guys into a miniskirt. I was thinking Team Tina Turner, but no.” Travis and Hank laughed when Justin shook his head in a clear “Hell, no.” Travis could respect that. Plus, if they’d found a second runner, they would’ve given Team Flashdance a run for their money.
Cody Welsh and Heath Lindsey arrived with Maizy, proudly representing Team Runaway Bride. Hank and Travis went over to size them up and Cody and Heath flexed their pecs over their décolletage and showed off their biceps.
Hank took a turn around them and asked, “Where’d you find dresses to fit yourselves?”
Cody waved to the gathering crowd as he said, “The Goodwill store. Maizy stapled us into them this morning. “He turned so Travis could see that the backs were wide open, with white material stapled into the edges to hold them in place, because there was no way any of those dresses would’ve fit otherwise.
Heath pouted and said, “I’d have been content running in a long dress but Maizy-girl said we needed to go sexy, so she got after us with the scissors once we were dressed. Can you believe that?” he asked, displaying his legs, bared to the lower thigh and encased in sheer white tights. Maizy greeted him and Hank as she helped them get their billowy white veils on their heads.
Travis glanced at Hank, and Hank gave him a thumbs-up. Those veils might slow them down a little bit if they were lucky. Travis made a mental note to not get behind them in case the veils flew off during the race. Of course, Maizy was a real stunner in her Goodwill store gown, and she’d also gone to town on her hemline as well.
Hank burst into laughter and said, “Maizy, what do you have on your feet?”
Maizy struck a pose in her sky-high white and silver glitter hooker heels and said, “It was half-price day at the Goodwill store! Heath insisted I get them.”
Heath growled and tried to nibble Maizy, and Travis laughed, “Get a room, you two!”
Several more teams arrived and the crowd grew dense around the square as the runners warmed up and postured for the competition and their audience.
As the third in Maizy’s triad, Spencer Ketchum, had dodged the costumed humiliation bullet and would be standing on the sidelines watching over the Cowardly Lions while they napped.
The Drag Race runners and their brave passengers lined up in their wheelchairs and girded their girlie loins for the race to begin. On the first leg of the race, Travis would run forward with Veronica, and Hank would run in the other direction around the block to get to his starting spot at the halfway point.
As he grabbed hold of the wheelchair handles, Travis said, “This is going to be total chaos.”
Veronica snickered, “But it’s for a good cause. We can do it, Team Flashdance!”
Hank patted Veronica’s bewigged head and said, “Nika, you hold on tight, okay?”
“Yes, Hank!”
“Runners, get ready!”
The blanks fired and the teams were off, amidst wild cheering and hollering from the onlookers and supporters. Travis kept his eyes on the track and watched for the other ladies riding in wheelchairs. He wanted to win but he didn’t want anyone getting hurt. He hauled ass around the turn, in third place behind Ben Lawrence of Team Dorothy and Heath Lindsey of Team Runaway Bride. Maizy kicked up her heels and Heath’s satin dress billowed, creating wind drag, and Travis blasted past him and was right on Ben’s heels as he closed in on the turn where Hank waited, catching his breath and ready to take Veronica on the next leg of the relay.
“You’re doing great, Travis! Push it, baby!” Veronica shouted and he pushed it all right as he handed the wheelchair off to Hank and turned to haul ass back the way he’d come to catch Hank on the flipside.
Oh my God, I need to start jogging again! Haul ass, whiner!
He reached the handoff point in the nick of time and discovered that he and Nika were now in fourth place. We can’t be having none of that, now! He put on a burst of speed and smoked Ethan and laughed as pistol-packin’ Grandma Kate took aim with her six-shooter, laughing gaily as a young girl.
He squeezed by Emma and Gage when Gage lost his Edna glasses and tripped on them. Maizy’s veil kept blowing up into Cody’s face and he was looking a little winded as Travis breezed by him. Veronica gave the crowd a parade wave and squealed as Hank arrived in time to make the trade. He turned and laid rubber to make it back to the finish line because they didn’t win if he wasn’t back in his spot as well.