Page 140 of Cross the Line
“And way too many bitches shitting on it to avoid the crap mire.”
I take a sip. “Why do you need to take a break?”
“It’s taking me a lot longer to recover from my ACL surgery, and the longer that I’m off my normal training schedule, the harder it’s becoming to keep up with the competition. Physically and mentally.”
“You seem pretty fit to me. I saw you dashing around the ice yesterday.”
“This is me today—” She points at her black sweater: a skeleton in a Santa hat, tangled in lights and candy canes, holding a steaming cup. “—after an hour on the ice yesterday. If I push myself too hard, the Lupus pushes back harder, and I get terrible flare-ups that ruin me for days. It’s a perpetual cycle, and I need a break from it. To focus on something else.”
“Like school?”
“Yep, school… a different city… state. I want a different environment without being too far from my family. With JJ being there, LA is perfect, and—” She smirks. “—I know his schedule is crazy, so I won’t see him all the time. He’s also got you and Eli…”
“Jayden’s always got time for you, and besides, you’d see him at home every day.” Kailey gives me a coy look that says I’m wrong. “You wouldn’t live at his place?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve lived behind JJ’s shadow all my life. I want to do this for me. To be me, not Jayden Morrow’s baby sister.”
“And skiing? Won’t you miss it?” When Eli wasn’t playing or training, he was miserable. I could feel the churn under his skin. From the sorrow in Kailey’s eyes, she loves her sport just as fiercely.
My heart aches thinking how worried Jayden will be.
“For sure. I’ve spent the last six months debating my decision with myself.” A grimace twists her face as she sucks up the last of her cream. “I don’t want to let anyone down, but I know that if I keep going, eventually I’ll hurt myself beyond repair. So I need to step away and regroup, figure out what is best for me. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
I admire her clear-eyed logic. It makes the age gap with her coach less shocking. Like Jayden, she’s an old soul.
“Do you want to go home? Back to the cabin?” Kailey asks, setting her cup on the deck.
When I nod, she exhales. “Christmas is my favorite holiday, and being here is making me miserable.”
“Being away from Jayden and Elijah is making me feel worse about everything that’s happening,” I admit.
“Girl, same. I’m the opposite of relaxed right now. All I can think about is how last year I was making the most of the early slopes, and today I can’t fathom being on my skis with how sore my joints are from yesterday.” Taking my cup, she sets it by hers.
It’s only then that I notice the slow, jerky care she takes standing.Nothing about her physical shape hints that there’s anything wrong. Although Kailey’s slender, she’s visibly strong.
“The resort has a car service that will take us back to the cabin,” she says as we head inside to pack.
Isla left after treatments to meet their fathers at the town rink. It’s just us and their mothers here.
“Will your moms mind if we leave?” I pause.
“Nah, they’ll be grateful for the peace before the Christmas Eve mayhem tomorrow. They have to go pick up my Bibi from the airport.”
“Your Bibi is coming?”
“Yep, so brace yourself. She’s great, and so stuck in her ways that she can make things difficult. Dad calls her the BFD. Big Friendly Drago. Because even though she’s sweet, you have to tread carefully around her.” She grins for real. “Don’t worry, she really is harmless and sweet. You’ll love her, she’ll love you, and everything will be grand.
With a wink, she heads out to her moms’ room. Meanwhile, I take a moment to appreciate how good it feels to be going back to the cabin.
Returning to Eli and JJ really is going home.
CHAPTER 36
FINLEY
The cabin is silent. The lights are all off when we walk through the front door. There’s nothing but the warm flicker from the family-room fireplace and the soft crackle of fresh logs.
I breathe in the smoky pine-tinged air. Instantly, the weight I’ve been hauling loosens and finally rolls off my shoulders when I follow Kailey into the family room and find JJ and Eli sprawled by the fire.
