Seconds later, a pink helmet popped up out of the brush. The rest of the girl—probably no older than nine or ten—emerged, tugging her bike back toward the trail.

I stopped in front of her. “Are you okay?”

She yanked at her handle bars. “Stupid bike. I think the chain came loose.”

“Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”

“I don’t think so.” She looked at her hands, then brushed some leaves off her knees. “The ground was pretty soft where I hit.”

I dismounted and leaned my bike against a tree so I could help her get hers back on the trail. “You sure you’re okay?”

She nodded.

“Are you riding with your family?” Jamie asked.

“I raced out ahead,” she said with a sniff. “But they should be coming soon.”

“Probably that couple we passed awhile back,” Jamie said. “Does your dad have a kid seat on his bike?”

Another nod. “That’s my baby brother, Benjamin.”

“That was longer than a few minutes,” I said. “You must have really raced ahead.”

“Benjamin was making them go so slow,” she said, her final words full of dramatic emphasis. “And I am super fast. I couldn’t help it.”

“What do you say I help you get your chain back on?” I said. “My name’s Lane.”

“Ivy,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

I gestured toward the trail. “Hey,” I said to Jamie. “You go ahead. I’ll wait with her till her parents show up.”

“I’ll help with the chain first,” he said.

“I don’t need to wait for my parents,” Ivy said. “I can ride by myself.”

“You know what?” I handed her bike over to Jamie, who had it fixed in a matter of seconds. “I’m sure you can. But I’m guessing your parents are really worried about you. I think we better wait for them. Just so they know you’re safe.”

She sighed. “Fine.”

“Go on.” I urged Jamie again. “Dave and Katie are only a few minutes back. I’ll catch up as soon as Ivy is back with her parents.”

“You sure?”

“Seriously? You tell me this is leave-me-in-the-ditch-with-a-broken-arm level racing, but you’re worried about leaving me now? I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Go keep our lead.”

He grinned and climbed back onto his bike. “You’re my favorite.”

“Is he your boyfriend?” Ivy asked as we watched him pedal away.

“Yep. His name is Jamie.”

“My mom says I’m too young to have a boyfriend. There’s a boy at school who likes me, but he told me not to tell anybody so I don’t think he really counts.”

I chuckled. “Probably not.”

A few more minutes and Dave and Katie breezed by, followed closely by Jamie’s parents and Cooper. That left only Simon still behind me. Fantastic. Cooper waved from the trail, slowing down long enough to shout a hurried, “You okay?”