Page 6 of Hero's Prize

He couldn’t imagine that sort of toll. “It’s an amazing idea.”

Bear shrugged. “They deserve a chance to just have fun and be kids, and I’m glad we can give it to them. I’ve got different people from around Oak Creek offering their unique expertise.”

“Like you with mechanical stuff?”

“Yep. Then Lincoln is doing some basic computer skills. Ella is teaching cooking. Dr. Annie is doing a brief CPR class. Some of the guys are doing wilderness training.”

He loved to hear the excitement in his friend’s voice. “Sounds like a solid group. You know I’ll help out any way I can.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine. But if you need a break, whether you help out with the camp or not, Oak Creek is always an option. It is home, after all.” Bear turned to him with a grin. “Plus, I know for a fact there are people who would be more than happy to show you how good life in the slower lane can be.”

“Dude, are you hitting on me?”

“I’d have to get in line.”

Colton’s eyebrows squished together. “What does that mean? Are you talking about someone specific?”

Bear tilted his head to the side. “You really don’t know?”

“Know what? I don’t even know what the fuck we’re talking about right now—I’m assuming it’s not your teen camp. Please enlighten me.”

His friend just grinned like the cat who’d eaten the canary. “Nah. You’ll eventually figure it out. You always were pretty stupid.”

“Don’t make me pound you into the ground so that your own brother has to fly you straight to the hospital when he comes back here to pick us up in a few minutes.”

Bear’s grin didn’t falter in the slightest. “All I’m saying is that you’ve got people who know you and love you in Oak Creek. Don’t discount it as a possibility if you’re looking for somewhere to lay low for a while.”

Colton decided to let it go. Despite his easygoing manner, if Bear didn’t want to share info, nobody could get it out of him.

“I would never discount Oak Creek. Like you said, it’s home. So,when I get ready to pack it up in a few years, I’m sure that’s where I’ll be heading.”

A few years. That sounded so goddamn long.

Further conversation was interrupted by the sound of the helicopter coming back in to pick them up. Without a word, Colton and Bear began making their way up to the flat horizontal ledge that would act as Derek’s landing point. Tony was heading that way quickly too.

Derek made holding the helo steady look easy as they got in—a testament to his skill as a pilot.

“Everything looking the way you expected?” Derek eased the helicopter back into the air and away from the mountain. The fog was dissipating, giving them an absolutely breathtaking view of the Tetons.

“Yep, we’re set. This stunt is going to be epic.”

“Hell yeah, it is,” Tony chimed in.

Colton was only halfway listening as his PR team leader launched into all the shots they’d plan to get. The live feed would be pretty basic, but Tony was also thinking about an edited version later that would draw in even more viewers.

And that summed it all up in a nutshell, didn’t it?

More.

Always more.

Alwaysfaster.Higher.Farther.

He could hear the thrill in Tony’s voice as he talked about it. Damn, Colton missed the excitement that used to permeate his mind at the thought of it all.

It seemed nowhere to be found anymore.

He glanced out the open door of the helicopter. In two days, he’d be speeding down this mountain in a way no one had ever managed to before.

---