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“That’s what I thought, but he’s early.”
“Then he should still give me till this evening.”
“I don’t disagree. But—Addisyn, he’s with Team Unlimited. This is the way it works. They’re the big guys. They can call the shots. And right now, he wants to see you early. Something about having to be in Memphis, something came up or whatever.”
Addisyn took a deep breath. Suddenly the urge struck to turn and run back to Buckingham Fountain as fast as she could go. “Brian, I—”
“You’re ready. You’re so ready for this.” Brian was talking fast again, that used-car-salesman tone Addisyn hated. “Baby, you’ve worked hard. You’ve done great. This is your chance!”
“Brian—”
“Your last routine looked so good. Don’t think about him coming early. Just think about how ready you are.”
“Yes. Okay.”
“Great.” Brian sounded relieved. He’d probably worried she’d abandon the plan at the last minute. “Where are you?”
She started walking again. “Almost to the courtyard.”
“Perfect. Just meet me in the lobby as soon as you get here, okay? I’m calling a taxi to take us to the rink right now.”
“Okay.” Addisyn hung up.
So Ed was there. She could skate for him at noon. Today, she could cement her place on Team Unlimited. By the end of the day, she’d practically have her ticket punched for the next Olympics.
Addisyn squeezed her eyes shut. Suddenly she didn’t want to skate for Ed at all. She wanted to go back to Whistler.
But what else could she do?
She took a deep breath. Sure, she’d skate. She’d do her best, as always. She’d maybe even get selected, join Team Unlimited, go to the next Olympics. She might spend her life chained to Brian—right now she didn’t see any way to escape him.
But one thing she would never do was enjoy any of it.
And as she jogged up the marble steps of the hotel, already feeling her nerves tense, she suddenly realized what she would wish for if she had a magic fountain.
No Olympics. No fanfare. No opportunity to be the greatest.
Just a chance to rewind the tape, a way to be Addisyn Miles again, a girl without shame who could face Avery and Darius—and a chance to see the love and acceptance in their eyes.
IT WAS THEkind of atmosphere Avery hated. Everything about it brought back all the bad from her whole life—her life before the mountains.
She was perched gingerly on a metal chair in an airport terminal. A businessman ran by her, dragging a set of spinner luggage. He glanced frantically at his watch and cursed loudly, causing Avery’s ears to burn. The wail of a toddler made her jump, and when the airport transit bus pulled up outside and the diesel engine roared, she flinched.
Things felt skewed somehow, tilted on their sides. The inside of the terminal was spinning. Or was she spinning?
The floor seemed to roll and plunge. Millions of people, all open eyes and open mouths, all swirling around her.
Avery closed her eyes and clapped her hands to her ears—anything to block out the roar and hum of so much humanity. Images reeled through her consciousness—images of big, dirty New York. This was the same anxiety that had gnawed at her soul after she and Addisyn ran from their father.
Her chest felt too tight to take a deep breath. Her heart was fluttering wildly. This was too much. She couldn’t do it. The world was too strong for her.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.
The storm in Avery’s soul quieted for a moment. She tentatively opened her eyes.Is that You, Lord?
Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Peace be with you.
Peace.Avery found her muscles relaxing. She took a deep, shaky breath. The roar of civilization was still assaulting her senses, but she wouldn’t drown in its waves. Not when El Shaddai was with her.
