Painted Lines by Brei Betzold Read Free Book Online

stated.  I
rolled my eyes and looked over at Simon.
    “Ready?”
I asked, all three heads nodded and I pulled out the sketchpad I had brought
with me.
    “Ideas?”
    “Just
do it, Scout,” Simon growled.
    “Why
don’t you?”
    “Because
we all know you’re better at this, now do it.” He snarked.
    “Now
do it,” I mimicked, “like you’re my husband.”  I went to work designing a bike,
asking for input now and then.  I had the draft done quickly then went to work
on a full color concept sketch, including a kick ass paint job.
    When
I finished, I looked up at the clock and saw that we still had ten minutes
left, I showed them the draft of all the machined parts, engine, and technical
measurements, and then I showed them the sketch.
    “Everyone
happy?”  I asked.
    They
all three just stared at the sketch; I was beginning to get worried.
    “How
is it you think I am better at this than you?”  Simon asked quietly.
    I
shrugged, “’Cause you are.”
    “No
Scout, I cannot do what you do.” He said still staring at the sketch.
    I
looked around and found every other team still hard at work.  “So everyone
happy?” I asked again.
    “Yes,”
they all three said.
    “Good,
now I am going to take a nap, wake me when the judging starts.”  With that, I
laid back closed my eyes and took a catnap.

 
     
    Chapter
7
    I
felt something nudge my foot and I opened my eyes to find Eddie Zant staring
down at me.  I couldn’t tell if he was angry or amused, and really couldn’t
care.
    “Comfortable?”
He asked.
    I
shrugged as best I could lying on the floor.  “Could use a pillow,” I said
looking up at him.
    He
shook his head at me and held out a hand, “Get off the floor, Scout.”  I shook
off his hand and rolled to my feet.
    “Need
something, Eddie?”
    “Just
wondering what you were doing, you only have five minutes left.”
    I
shrugged and looked around.  “We’re finished” I noticed all the other teams
were still hard at work.
    “You’re
finished?” He asked looking at me like I was crazy, I wanted to tell him that I
hadn’t been crazy yet today.
    “Yep.”
    “Mind
if I look?”
    “Are
you allowed to before the judging begins?” Cocking my head looking at him.
    He
chuckled, “Yes, I am allowed to.”
    I
nodded over at Simon who had the sketches, “Ask him, he had them last time I
saw.”  Then I sunk back down to the ground and closed my eyes.
    “Is
she okay?”  I heard Eddie ask.
    “She’s
fine,” snapped Kale, “just tired.”
    “Huh.”
Eddie grunted and I heard paper move then footsteps walking away.  I smirked,
Yeah, doubt me, do you?
    I
heard someone yell time up but I ignored them and laid there not wanting to get
up.  It wasn’t the most comfortable place I had ever slept, but it also wasn’t
the worst.  Although, I would be bringing a pillow and blanket with me tomorrow
to keep around for catnaps.
    “She
can’t sleep here.” I heard someone say.
    “Why? 
She’s not hurting anyone,” responded Liam.
    “Because
she could get hurt.”
    “No,
she won’t, nothing hurts our Scout,” growled Kale.  I sighed—he was in
protective mode.
    “Can
I talk to you?”  Simon asked and I looked up and saw he was walking away with
one of the staff, I already knew what that conversation would be like.  Simon
explaining that my meds made me tired, and that it was better to let me have my
catnaps than it was to deal with a tired, pissy Scout.  Heard it before, tired
of it, but not tired enough of it to stop the meds, that would be a very bad
idea.
    A
few minutes later, we were all called to attention, and staged once again.  I
avoided all hands that reached for me, earning me dirty looks but I really did
not care.  I did not want to have another panic attack; two in two days was
enough for me, thank you very much.
    When
they had us the way they wanted us, the judges came around checking out our
sketches, we were the next to last team in the lineup so by the time