Page 73 of Just Let Go

“You’ve been in Harbor Pointe your whole life,” Carly said, as if that were proof of something.

“So have you!” The words came out a little more heated thanshe meant, drawing the attention of a couple a few yards away. “So have you,” she hissed, much more quietly this time.

“But I’ve also traveled. I’ve been on an airplane. I’ve gone on job interviews in other states. You bought Mom’s flower shop. It’s like you’re still nine years old, sitting on the front steps, waiting for her to come home.” Carly reached over and put a hand on Quinn’s. She resisted the urge to yank it away. “What are you so afraid of?”

This was not how she’d planned to spend the day. This was not what she’d expected when she asked Carly to come along. Not when she had so much to do, so much to think about—when she was so close to confronting their mother once and for all. She was weeks away from proving that she didn’t need Jacie Collins anyway—why was Carly saying all of this now?

“I’m sorry, Quinn. I just don’t want you to spend your whole life watching everyone else from the second-story window. You deserve better than that.”

“So, what? You want me to risk my heart on the first guy who tells me I’m pretty? That didn’t work out so great for you.”

Too far, Quinn.

Throwing Josh back in Carly’s face was just about the worst thing she could’ve done. Carly had never openly wondered what her life would’ve been like if she hadn’t gotten pregnant so young, and suggesting it was a mistake was like saying Jaden shouldn’t be a part of their lives.

And that wasn’t something they would ever wish for.

“I’m sorry, Car—”

But her sister’s upheld hand silenced her. Her eyes were glassy. “I know you didn’t mean it. I know you get like this when you feel backed into a corner, which means something I said must’ve hit a nerve.” Carly stood. “I’m not trying to be mean. I just hate seeing you in this perpetual holding pattern. You never do anything that you don’t already know how to do.”

“Do you see where we are?”

“On a bench. At a ski lodge.”

“I’m going to try it,” Quinn said, hating that now she’d have to try it.

“Okay,” Carly said. “Then I’ll see you up there.” She pulled her goggles down over her eyes and started off toward the ski lift. Carly didn’t love skiing, but at least she knew how to do it. Quinn didn’t even have that going for her.

She sat, watching people mill about, hearing the occasional mention of Grady Benson, and wishing that she could deny what Carly had just said.

But sadly, she had the worst feeling all of it was true.

CHAPTER

17

THEY’D BEEN SKIING FOR AN HOURwhen Jaden finally stopped talking. The kid was excited—passionate about skiing in a way Grady wondered if he’d ever been. In some ways, he reminded Grady of himself—he was strong and agile and seemed to come by the sport naturally. What he wasn’t, though, was stubborn. Jaden was eager to learn, and very obviously eager to please his coach for the day.

Jaden listened intently to everything Grady said, made corrections, and improved right there in front of his eyes. Things that had taken Grady years of trial and error, Jaden learned simply by listening to someone who’d been there.

They were standing at the top of the hill when Carly skied over, noticeably alone.

“How’s it going?” she asked.

“It’s awesome, Mom. Grady is thebestteacher. You’ve gotta see how much faster I am now.”

Carly moved her goggles to the top of her head. “He’s not giving you any trouble, is he? He doesn’t always respond well to coaching.”

Grady frowned. “Really?”

Jaden looked away.

“Sometimes he thinks he knows more than the coaches he’s worked with,” Carly said. “I’ve tried to tell him he’s never going to get anywhere that way.”

“He’s been really receptive,” Grady said. “I was just thinking what a quick study he is.”

“So you think I’m ready to compete?” Jaden’s eyes brightened.

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