Page 153 of Just Let Go

“Stupid leg,” Jaden said. “Once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I’m stuck on the couch.”

“Sorry, kid,” Quinn said, hoping her voice sounded lighter than she felt.

“You haven’t talked to him, have you?” Jaden asked.

“Um, no.” Quinn smoothed her skirt, then let her hands rest on her knees. “Wait, how do you know that?”

“He called last night. Asked about you.” Jaden’s eyes darted to hers. “Why don’t you just talk to the guy?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Try me.”

No. She was absolutely not going to get into any of this with her fifteen-year-old nephew.

“Never mind. I overheard Mom and Grandpa talking. I know everything.”

She shot him a look.

“They thought I was asleep,” Jaden said. “You’re being too hard on him.”

“There’s a lot more to it than that, Jaden, and leaving things the way we did wasn’t my decision.” Quinn inched back in the chair.

“He told me that too,” Jaden said.

“Good grief, is there anything he didn’t tell you?” Grady’s relationship with her nephew had only grown since the accident. Jaden looked up to him, like he was a big brother. That would’ve bothered her a few weeks ago, but now it only made her miss him more.

Jaden inched up on his elbows. “Aunt Quinn, he’s crazy about you. He screwed up and he knows it. Give him another chance.”

The words needled at her heart, trying to worm their way in, but she shut them out. No. She wouldn’t allow this crazy cocktailof emotions to intoxicate her again. She’d made up her mind. She was better off on her own.

“Oh, look, there he is.” Jaden pointed the remote at the television and turned up the volume. “They’ve really been talking him up. Saying he might win the whole thing.”

Really? What was he feeling right now? He must be elated. “Quite the turnaround from what they were saying before.”

“Yeah. He’s out there proving them all wrong.”

Grady shot down the mountain and came to a slick stop as two men approached him. He took off his goggles, and there was that smile. Those eyes. He looked genuinely happy. See? They were both better off alone.

Except she wasn’t sitting here smiling. She was suffering, at least on the inside. She wanted to hear how his training was going. She wanted to know how it felt to prove to everyone that he was still as good as ever—maybe even better. She wanted to be in on the details of his life.

But she couldn’t. Her time was spent working on her Floral Expo display and trying to forget the way she’d felt when she was with him.

The screen filled up with the image of Grady’s face. He looked tan, eyes bright. He looked good.Reallygood.

Grady leaned in as he listened to the reporter, a pretty woman wearing a magenta ski cap. “There is a lot of talk surrounding this year’s games, and most of the chatter is about you. How does that make you feel?”

Grady flashed that charming smile of his. “You know, Kat, I feel great. I’m glad people are talking about my skiing and not my stupid mistakes anymore.”

Kat laughed. “There has been a lot of discussion about the new and improved Grady Benson, and I have to say, you do seem like a different skier out there. Do you feel different?”

He looked up, then back at the woman interviewing him. “I do. I feel strong and focused.”

“And Brian Murphy, head coach of the US ski team, has taken note. He told us yesterday that of everyone competing, he’s most excited about you. He said he’s seen great changes in your attitude and work ethic ever since you returned from your not-so-self-imposed sabbatical.” She stuck the microphone back in Grady’sface.

The back door opened and Carly called out, “I’m home!”

“We’re in here, Ma,” Jaden hollered.

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