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She stared at the loose change. If she had a penny and a magic fountain, what would she wish for?
At one time, without hesitation, she would have wished for—well, exactly what she had now. A romantic boyfriend. A lavish lifestyle. A shot at the Olympics. But now...now her priorities had shifted.
A jet growled overhead, searing the sky. Addisyn squinted up against the blue, watching the white steam stretch behind in a perfect contrail.
So what was keeping her here? Here, in Chicago and with Brian?
She had some money in her purse. She had her purse with her. That afternoon she could be on a jet just like that, roaring through the skies, escaping from Brian for good. She could get on a public transit bus, drive to O’Hare, catch a flight to—
Her brainwave sputtered and died. Addisyn sighed. What nonsense. She couldn’t leave.
She couldn’t miss an opportunity like this, for one thing. Sure, Brian was overplaying it some, but it was still the moment she’d hoped for her whole career. A chance for the Olympics.
For another, who else was there who hadn’t written her off, tossed her aside? Nobody, besides Brian.
She forced herself to face her thoughts with gut honesty. If Darius loved her, she would be on a flight to Whistler within the next half hour. And if she had any hope, no matter how small, that Avery might ever forgive her, she’d get to New York as fast as she could, grovel at her sister’s knee if she had to. Plead for another chance.
In a fairytale, both of those would be possibilities. But reality was harsher than that. Darius had flung sharp words at her that still quivered in her soul like daggers. And if Addisyn was disgusted with herself, she could only imagine how much blacker her faults would appear to Avery—she who was so good and pure and served a God Who demanded holiness. She’d be repulsed by the very sight of her younger sister.
Vrrrt! Vrrrt!Addisyn’s phone vibrated urgently in her pocket. She pulled it out and sighed at the name. Brian. Of course. He’d probably combed the whole hotel for her and was now going ballistic.
She’d have to talk to him sooner or later. Addisyn stood and started walking toward the exit of the park. Might as well be able to tell him she was on her way back to the hotel. “Hello?”
“Addisyn, what in the world?” Brian sounded nothing short of frantic. “Where the heck are you?”
“I’m in Grant Park, taking a nice morning walk.” Addisyn knew her tone was unnecessarily loud, but Brian was seriously annoying her.
“What? You went that far by yourself?” Brian gave an exasperated groan. “Addisyn, this isn’t Hicksville, Canada, anymore. You’re in a big city where anything could—”
“—And I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” A sweet-looking lady walking a Jack Russell Terrier in a striped sweater passed Addisyn, entering the park. She rolled her eyes. Danger, indeed. “Look, Brian, I know you mean well, but I grew up in New York City. I’m used to—”
“You didn’t even tell me where you were going? How do you think that makes me feel, Addisyn? Don’t you have any consideration for my feelings? I start looking for you and can’t—”
“Brian, you don’t have to know where I’m at all the time.” Addisyn bit her lip to keep the frustration from spilling out. “I just went for a walk to relax and enjoy the park. Okay? I didn’t get captured by a drug ring or run over by a taxi, and the whole time I’ve been in the city, I haven’t seen one single psychopath.”Except maybe you.
Brian wasn’t going to lighten up any. “How did you get there?”
“I walked.” Addisyn was surprised at the victory in her voice.
“Walked?”
“It’s three tenths of a mile. There was a sign in the courtyard outside the hotel. Straight shot down Ida B. Wells Drive with a well-maintained sidewalk. See, very safe.” Hopefully her voice didn’t sound as smug as she felt.
Brian exhaled. “Okay. We’ll talk about that later. Right now—” his voice pitch rose again—“you’ve got to get back right away.”
“I’m walking back.” Addisyn intentionally slowed her pace by a fraction. Really, who did Brian think he was?
“It’s important, Addisyn! Look, Ed is here.”
Ed?Addisyn stopped. The skyscrapers seemed to tilt and warp around her. “What? He wasn’t supposed to be here until—”
“This evening. Right.” Brian sounded as unprepared as she felt. “That’s what I thought. Next thing I know I get a call that he’s just left O’Hare, got here early.” He paused. “He wants to see you skate at noon.”
“Noon? Like, skate for real? The trial skate?” Addisyn’s thoughts jumped about like grasshoppers.
“Yes.”
“He can’t do that!” Addisyn saw a couple staring at her as they walked past. She lowered her voice, but the panic remained. “Brian, you said I had till this evening to prepare, to get my mind where—”
