Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“If she doesn’t place, she’ll never have to know,” she argued, running me over. “And if she does? If she makes the finals or wins? Everyone will see her pictures.” She did the chin-tilt thing again. “And I’m going to enter her.”
Callie would be furious with Sutton if she did it against her wishes…but how happy would she be if her photo was chosen? If she had the validation of just how good she was? But I was the adult here. I couldn’t let Sutton take the blame.
If the choice was between Callie being pissed at Sutton for something she was obviously going to do with or without my permission, or pissed at me, then it was a no-brainer.
And Callie deserved her shot. She deserved to shine, even if she didn’t think she did. Maybe I couldn’t give her the words she wanted, the ones she’d given me last night, but I could give her this.
“I’ll do it.” I uploaded the signed release and the photo of Theo from the thumb drive.
World, meet the incredible Calliope Thorne.
17
Callie
* * *
“It’s not on the market yet, but I think we might be able to get in to see it before it even hits the MLS,” Shannon, my realtor, said through the phone.
“Really?” I glanced at Weston in the driver’s seat as we pulled into the venue at Steamboat. Crap, why was my first instinct when talking to my realtor about my potential house to look at Weston?
Because you love him.
Yeah, well, it had been a month since I’d dropped that bomb on him, and other than telling me not to love him that first night, I hadn’t even gotten a gun-shot level response. I hadn’t given him those words just to hear them back, but it would have been nice. It would have been perfect.
“So, what do you think?” Shannon asked.
“It’s two bedrooms? Two baths?” I repeated the details she’d given me.
Weston glanced my way, but his expression was unreadable as he found a parking spot.
“Yep. In that new development. I know it’s a condo, so it wouldn’t fit your exact wish list, but it’s in your price range.”
It was at the top of my price range, but a condo would still be mine. It would still be someplace Sutton and I could call our own. “Go ahead and see if we can get in tomorrow.”
“You’re set with the down payment, right?”
“Yep.” My stomach swirled. It would wipe out my savings, but wasn’t this what I’d been building it for?
“Good. I’ll text you with the details.” Shannon and I hung up as Weston put the truck into park.
“Good news?” he asked.
“Shannon found another place she wants me to look at.” It had been weeks since the last call. “It’s a condo that’s about to go on the market, and it’s within my price range.”
“That’s good…right?” Was that a flicker of panic in his eyes? Maybe I just wanted it to be. Maybe I wanted him to tell me we’d look for something together, that he saw a future for us outside employee housing.
Or maybe I was just being needy.
“Yeah, it’s great. Let’s get this show started.” I forced a smile, and we all piled out of the truck in various states of readiness. I helped Sutton into her snow pants in the cab and then wiggled my way into my own in the front seat. We were here. Against my better judgment, I’d agreed to let her compete. It was the last event of the season, and her coach promised me she was ready.
“I can’t believe this is real!” Sutton was a bundle of excitement as Weston grabbed her equipment from the back. She practically thrummed with nervous, joyful energy.
“Believe it, kid.” He ruffled the top of her hat. “Time to put your focus hat on, or your mother might get even more nervous and withdraw her consent.”
“Ha.” I rolled my eyes as we walked toward the registration table under the Welcome to the Steamboat IFSA Extreme Freeride Qualifier banner. “And what exactly are we qualifying for?”
“Some of the kids are trying to qualify for nationals,” Sutton answered. “I’m just hoping to place. Don’t worry, Mom, I’m just in the U12 division.”
“Right.” I gripped the release in my hands as the line moved forward and read it over again. The Undersigned understands that taking part in the Activity can be HAZARDOUS AND INVOLVES THE RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY AND/OR DEATH.
“She’ll be okay,” Weston assured me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“Because you’ve signed one of these before?” I lifted my brows at him.
“Actually, yeah. I took on guardianship for Crew and signed more than my fair share of those.” He kissed my temple. “But I totally understand that you’re nervous.”
Nervous didn’t begin to explain the riot of emotions galloping through my heart like a herd of unwanted horses.