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“He said that we’re ranking in the top ten, bro. If we keep winning, we’ll be in! We’ve got to hit some of the bigger jackpots…as long as we don’t falter on a run.” Adam’s excitement drew Austin out of his remorse. “Where’d you go, anyway? I thought I saw you drooling over the vaulting event.”
“Drooling?” Austin asked, wavering about whether he should tell Adam who he had seen or not.
“Yeah, your eyes went all glassy, and your mouth kind of hung open,” Adam said, showing him an example.
Austin laughed and shoved his brother playfully. “You look like a doofus.”
“Exactly,” Adam said. “Must have been some gal to make you look like that.”
Austin stopped, knowing he wouldn’t be able to focus until he saw her…no, until he talked with her. He had to talk to her.
“What?” Adam’s expression went serious. “You okay, bro?”
“It’s Charlotte,” he said, her name on his lips making it even more real. Charlotte was here.
“The gal reminded you of her? I thought you had given that mopey stuff up.” Adam searched his eyes.
“No. That gal was her. Charlotte is here.” Austin gulped and looked back toward the staging area as if he could see her right then.
“No way…when did she start vaulting?”
“I have no idea. You know that.” Austin spun, taking off for the trailer like it was the refuge he needed. “It’s been eight years…” He shook his head.
“You gonna talk to her?” Adam asked, catching up.
“I have to…if I let her go again and don’t…” He shook his head again. “It’s not an option.”
“Well, we’ll find her then. After we talk with Pops, we’ll find her.” Adam grasped his shoulder, squeezing it tightly.
Austin looked at his younger brother by only two years, his best friend, and the person he spent the most time with. What would he do without him?
“Thanks, brother,” Austin said, his gratitude almost making him choke.
“What are brothers for?” Adam said, reaching to open the trailer door for him.
“To win the Nationals?” Austin asked.
“Yeah, well, I think we’ll do that, too,” Adam said, slapping his back as he followed him inside.
~~~
Adam stayed true to his word and helped Austin scour the rodeo for Charlotte. It was one of the bigger rodeos, and it was amazingly easy to stay hidden. The more Austin thought about it, the more he felt like that was exactly what she was doing. They had split up, Austin going to the food stands and Adam doing one more sweep of the stables.
The scent of food pulled at Austin, and he broke down and bought two buttery corn dogs, one of his weaknesses among the rodeo food stands. The guy had just handed him the dogs on wooden sticks when Adam caught up with him.
“I got a lead,” Adam said, then glanced at the dogs. “Is one of those for me?”
Austin handed him one dog and led him to the condiment stand, where he filled a small plastic cup with mustard. “How’d you get it?”
Adam squirted mustard directly on the dog and smiled up at him. “I talked to the vaulters,” he said, grinning. “They’re a different breed, all girly and yet strong.”
“So, your lead was to flirt with the vaulters?” Austin raised a sardonic brow before dipping his dog and taking a bite. There was nothing better than a corn dog at a rodeo. Nothing at home could ever come close.
“Nah, just par for the course,” Adam said with a laugh.
“More like a perk.” Austin elbowed him, and they wove through the crowd, Adam leading them back to the parking lot. “So?”
“So, she’s here alright.”
