Page 39 of Burnout
Colter
Nah, not yet. He’s getting there though. I really appreciate you training with him.
“Not that I’m any help,” I grumble to myself.
Quinn screams out in victory, dropping the controller and reaching for the phone. So fast I’m not sure how it happens, she has Colter on FaceTime. She’s telling him how incredible she is and he’s backing her up and smiling big.
It’s loud in the room. A big group of guys from the golf team just arrived.
“I can’t hear you,” Quinn says.
“Go have fun, babe,” he tells her. “Text me when you get home.”
“Wait,” I say before she can hang up. I motion for her to hand me the phone.
“Avery wants to talk to you.” She hands the phone over and I move out of the living room and down the hall where it’s a little quieter.
“What’s up?” Colter looks concerned as he waits for me to talk.
“About Knox…” I start and blow out a breath. “I’m not sure I’m helping him at all.”
He cracks a smile. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
“I think it might be.”
“Okay. So, what do you need from me?”
“I don’t know. Ideas? What is he struggling with?”
“Landing tricks.”
“Specifically,” I push.
He runs a hand through his hair. “Knox is a beast on the bike. He can make it do anything he wants. But he questions himselfin the air when he’s not in full control. Freestyle is all about losing control without really ever losing control, you know?”
I nod. I do actually. Beam is sort of the same way. It’s about trust.
“You could always ask him,” Colter starts.
I make a face that has Colter chuckling. “Get to know the guy. He’s not so bad.”
Quinn bounces back to my side.
“I’m handing you back to your girlfriend now,” I say.
While Quinn says goodbye, I chew on my thumbnail and think about Colter’s words.
“Okay.” Quinn interrupts my thoughts as she slides her phone into the front pocket of her shorts. “I need another drink and then let’s walk over to the hockey party.”
While she’s filling her cup, my phone pings. When I pull it out, it’s a text from Colter. A short video of a rider racing up the ramp and sailing through the air doing some sort of trick where his body lifts from the bike. I can tell by the way the rider moves that it’s Knox.
I watch it five times, slowing it down, zooming in, examining every piece of it. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for exactly. Something that will help, I guess. On my sixth rewatch another text comes in from Colter. No words, just a number.
And I know just whose number it is.
FIFTEEN
Loving Brothers
