Page 115 of Just Let Go

“Wow,” Jaden said. “Does he ever call or anything?”

Grady shook his head. “Not for years.”

The kid’s shoulders dipped. “Yeah, mine neither.”

“I’m sorry, Jaden,” Grady said.

Jaden waved him off. “I’m over it.”

But Grady recognized the nonchalance of a protective lie.

“Anyway,” Jaden said, “howdoyou get the girls to notice you?”

Grady laughed. A much better topic, for sure. “What’s her name?”

“Mariah.” Jaden sighed. “Mariah Kramer.”

Grady glanced over. “Man, you’ve got it bad.”

“She’s perfect. Dark hair. Beautiful. And she skis.” He dropped his head back on the seat.

“So what are you going to do about it?” The GPS interrupted their conversation with instructions to take the next exit.

“I told you—she doesn’t know I’m alive.”

“Win the competition, and maybe that’ll all change.”

Jaden’s grin cut through the darkness in the car. “You think?”

“Why not? You’ve just got to go for it. Push yourself.” When had he become a font of wisdom? He wasn’t even sure it was good advice.

“You think I’ve got what it takes to be as good as you?” Jaden wasn’t looking at him now. The question likely made him feel vulnerable, something Grady had a hard time relating to. He rarely let anyone see his own insecurities.

And yet, he’d shown that side to Quinn, hadn’t he? Almost immediately. Granted, he was intoxicated at the time, but still. Some part of him must’ve known from the start that he could trust her.

Maybe his instincts weren’t all bad after all.

“No way, buddy,” Grady said.

Jaden gave him a sideways glance.

“You’ve got what it takes to be better.”

Even in the darkness, Grady could see the hope on Jaden’s face, and it struck him how strange it was that he actually meant what he said. He wasn’t blowing smoke or stroking the kid’s ego. HewantedJaden to be better than he’d been. Maybe because he deserved it more.

And one way or another, Grady wanted to help make it happen.

CHAPTER

28

GRADY STOOD AT THE TOP OF SUNSHINE MOUNTAIN,adrenaline coursing through his veins. Had it really only been a couple of weeks since his last real run? He fixed his goggles onto his face and drew in a deep breath.

Memories spun through his mind—past races, mistakes made, advice from coaches he’d mostly ignored. He latched on to all of it now, determined to extract the wisdom he’d discarded so many times before.

“You praying?” Jaden had come up beside him, but Grady hadn’t noticed.

“No. Just getting focused.”

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