Page 120 of Crew Girl

He was proud of himself, too. Both of them. Coach for putting Teagan back in cox and for giving him this moment, just the two of them. Small-town guys wanting a bit extra from life and getting it.

JOSH

“Incoming,” Josh said, nudging Ryder.

Viktor, Richard, and Karina Regis were on approach. Josh’s mom was traveling. She’d actually told Josh she needed to go “exploring” when he’d found her packing a couple of weeks back. Finding herself, maybe? A life scurrying to meet his father’s ever-changing demands couldn’t be all roses and sunshine. He hoped she found what she was looking for.

“Boys.”

Josh straightened under his grandfather’s scrutiny.

“It’s nice to see Easton put an end to their losing streak.” His upper lip twitched, a tell. “Silver. Not the worst.”

And not the best. In other words, a failure.

A month ago? A week ago, even, Josh would’ve launched into a self-promotion campaign. Laying out his plans to reach the top, how he’d crush the competition next time, ensuring the Regis name was never linked to anything so humiliating again.

Today? He was all about the grain of salt.

Ryder stepped into the role Josh had relinquished: Chief Ass Kisser. “I’ve already booked to train in Florida over the winter season. I’ll be ready for next year.”

He got a nod of acknowledgment from their grandfather. “And you, Josh?”

“Nothing on the calendar. This was my last race.” He braced for the fallout.

“I beg your pardon?” Viktor spluttered. Regises didn’t just… quit. They conquered.

His dad was speechless, too.

Here goes nothing. “I have a heart condition. It’s called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It’s serious.”

His dad wasn’t giving anything away. His grandfather was a wall of stone.

“I wanted to carry on our family tradition,” Josh told them. He really did. He loved rowing. Giving it up was painful. “But I can’t…” He would die if he did. “I won’t be rowing anymore.”

The wall of stone shifted his stance, readjusting to the new Regis family landscape. “I’m sorry to hear that,” said Viktor. “I wish you better health.”

Nice to hear, but it was a cheap greeting-card sentiment at best.

“Unfortunately,” his grandad continued, “having such a serious condition is a risk and will affect our company’s plans…”

Meaning: You’re out.

“I understand,” Josh said. He looked at his dad. Would their barely existent relationship get the chop, too? His dad’s jaw twitched. Anger? Disgust? Which was it? Richard Regis didn’t like weaklings.

His father turned to Viktor. “I don’t think we heard you right, Dad.”

Josh stared. Huh? What was going on?

“I think what you meant to say is: ‘We love you, Josh, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to get you the best medical care in the world.’”

“Excuse me?” Viktor looked as shocked as Josh felt, but for entirely different reasons.

Josh couldn’t believe his dad had his back. Was supporting him. Knowing his father favored results over mollycoddling.

“Josh isn’t your heir,” his dad said, standing up to his father with a strength Josh had never seen before. “He’s my son.”

Josh’s fear drained away. His dad, for the first time ever, was putting him first.