Page 83 of Just One Kiss

“You come here to pray?”

She shrugged. “Don’t do as much of that as I should.”

He followed her out onto the brick pavers.

“Jaden, though, he prays a lot,” she said. “At least he did. I don’t know how all of this is affecting his faith.”

Josh had wondered that too. “He’s pretty solid.”

She stopped and looked at him. “But he’s never faced anything like this. What if . . . ?” Her voice trailed off, the unasked question lingering.

He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be okay. Wanted to be the source of strength she needed right now, but something stopped him.

“What if what?”

She turned away. “What if Dr. Roby is right? What if he can’t ski after this?”

“I thought we were waiting until we hear back from the swimmer. I’m not giving up on this, Carly.”

“You might not be, but everyone else is.”

“What are you talking about?”

She took her phone out, clicked it open and scrolled. “This.” She handed him the phone. Josh read the headline of an article in theHarbor Pointe Gazette.

He skimmed the article, a few keywords jumping out at him.Career-endingheart condition. Injured players can’t compete. Don’t want to risk further injury. Won’t be a part of the team this year.

“They interviewed Dr. Roby,” Carly said. “Of course he said nothing specifically about Jaden, but he had plenty to say about Long QT.”

His blood curdled. “They’re already counting him out?”

Carly looked away. “No coach is going to go against the doctor’s advice.”

“Don’t these reporters do any of their own research? One Google search and I knew there were conflicting ideas about this.”

Carly took the phone back and stuck it in her pocket. “His coach is new this year. Doesn’t even know Jaden yet. But he’s got his mind made up.”

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Josh said. “He’s not sitting out next year. Not if it’s safe anyway.”

A tight line of worry stretched across Carly’s forehead.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said, thankful for something to focus on—something that gave him a hint of purpose.

He turned back toward the elevators, leaving her standing there at the center of a prayer garden, but before he hit the button he turned back to find her eyes intent on him.

In another time, he might’ve walked straight back to her, folded her into his arms and kissed her senseless. Instead, he gave her a resolute nod, pushed the button and got into the open elevator without another word.

* * *

Josh hadn’t been in Harbor Pointe High School for years, but if there was ever a reason to go back, this was it.

The new coach of Jaden’s high school ski team didn’t have all the facts, but that hadn’t stopped him from making a decision that would severely affect Jaden’s recovery.

Josh strolled into the main office and found a heavyset woman with dark hair cut severely at her chin sitting behind the desk. She glanced up and her eyes widened at the sight of him. “Good morning, handsome.” She smiled. “Can I help you?”

“Here to see the ski coach. A guy named—”

“Ted Myers,” she interrupted. “It’s summer around here. Most of the teachers and coaches aren’t keeping regular office hours. But I can give him a message.”

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