by Piper Rayne
“Yes, I do. Brandon is like my second son. Bob didn’t give any specifics, he just asked if one of us could go over to their place and take over until their guests leave. How bad is it, honey?”
I shake the jacket in front of Mia again, urging her to take it and she just stares blankly at me. I let go and it drops to the floor.
Stubborn girl.
“It’s bad, Mom.”
“Oh, I always worried about this happening. The two of you flying through the air and always riding that fine line between sanity and danger.”
“Let me call you back, Mom.” The guilt pressing down on me doubles in weight.
“Okay, like I said, we’ll be out in a few days. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Click.
I tuck the phone into my pocket and a bunch of our friends walk into the waiting room including Reese, the girl he’s dating, and Jagger. I guess no one gave them trouble on the way past reception since we’re the only people in here.
Accepting defeat, I grab Mia’s jacket and put it back on the other chair. Sitting down next to Mia, I place my hand on her entwined ones. She turns to me and I nod.
“It will be okay, Mia. I promise.”
Tears fill her eyes and she grips my hand between the two of hers.
Silence fills the crowded waiting room as people type away on their cell phones, alerting the world that Brandon Salter may very well be fighting for his life.
* * *
Chapter Four
* * *
Seven days later, the crowd at the hospital has thinned. Even Dax had to go back to training, but he’s been in constant communication with me. My parents, the Salters, Mia and myself are tucked into the room, waiting for Brandon to wake up, to show us all the doctor’s assumptions are wrong and there really are such a thing as miracles. That me and him will head to the Winter Classics and he’ll claim gold just like he was meant to, because in my heart of hearts I know he’ll always be better than me.
“I’m heading to the cafeteria,” I announce, stretching from sitting all day. “Anyone want anything?”
“I’m going with you.” Mia stands up and weaves between medical machines and our parents.
“I can’t do the coffee anymore, how about just a water?” Jan asks, her hand gripping mine and squeezing. She’s been extra affectionate lately and I assume it’s because her son is in a bed with ventilators keeping him alive.
“Sure thing.”
No one else says much, Mr. Salter in constant research mode about where Brandon should go for treatment, how other people who suffered traumatic brain injuries survived to return to a normal life.
I’d never admit it to anyone, but I’m always happy to leave that room. Seeing Brandon’s lifeless body covered in bruises from the fall is a constant reminder that I caused him to be there.
“Hey,” Mia hip checks me. “You want to play another round of Scrabble tonight?”
“Sure.”
“I’m not even sure you’re capable of beating me.” She giggles and it’s nice to hear because it only happens when we’re alone.
The first time she did it, she covered her mouth like it was a bad thing. Like she was disrespecting Brandon.
I put my arm around her. We’ve become even closer since the accident. We’ve talked about Brandon and what the first thing he’ll say is when he wakes up, cool tricks we want to try in the pipe and whether her mom will ever let either one of them snowboard again. We’ve played Scrabble, made chocolate chip cookies and watched more movies than I can count on two hands. Her parents are preoccupied, and my parents are trying to help her parents as much as they can which has effectively left us on our own.
“When do you have to report for qualifications?” she asks, right after we sit down to eat our crappy cafeteria food.
“In a week or so, but I’m thinking about skipping. I’ll go to the next Winter Classics.” I fork my wilted salad.
“You can’t do that. Brandon wouldn’t want that.” Her is voice rising, so she lowers it and leans forward. “You have to go qualify. I’ll keep you up to date on things.”
I push my salad aside and grab my soda, leaning back in my seat. “I don’t know. I have to think about it.”
“What about your sponsors? What do they say?” She spoons her pudding, but doesn’t bring any to her mouth.
“They understand the situation I’m in, but if I want to go the Games I need to head out soon.” I know that if I don’t qualify I may lose some of my sponsors. They understand about Brandon, but business is business and they want me back in the pipe.
Her head remains down and she continues stirring her pudding.
“What?”
She shrugs. “I have to go back to Vermont to graduate at some point. I just I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
I reach across and cover her hand with mine. We’ve blurred some lines lately, and I need to remember Brandon’s wishes where she’s concerned. We haven’t done anything physical, but we’re both leaning on one another for support and there’s an intimacy in that.
“We better head back up,” I say.
Her eyes meet mine and I want to reassure her. I want to tell her, it will all be okay. Brandon’s a fighter and he’ll win this battle. All the bullshit people spew when someone’s hurt. It’s only been seven days and it’s still just us, sitting and waiting for the fucking fairy godmother to twirl her magic fucking wand and warp us back to where we were seven days ago. Not going to happen. Brandon doesn’t have a fight on his hands, he’s got a damn war to fight.
We walk in silence, the route and routine now memorized—back to the elevators, into intensive care, sanitize our hands, and enter the room that’s become our second home. Mia buries her head in some book, I finger through another snowboarding magazine. Our parents shoot us reassuring smiles and we commence where we left off—waiting.
* * *
“What do you want to watch tonight?” Mia’s got the remote pointed to the television on DVR movies. We’ve watched every one of them.
I stare out the window to the newly fallen snow. We would have been out there right now. Brandon and I. Carving out a path on a fresh powder.
Without thinking too much of the consequences, I grab my jacket from the chair. “Come on.” I nod to the door.
“What?” she asks.
Our parents retired three hours ago, all exhausted from doing nothing all day.
“We’re going out.” I grab my snow pants, shove my feet in my boots and perform the ritual I haven’t attempted since Brandon’s accident.
“Boarding?” she asks, her eyes lighting up. They dim an instant later and look to the ceiling where her mom sleeps on the floor above. I’m sure there have been conversations I haven’t been present for about what Brandon’s accident means for her future in snowboarding.
The first genuine smile appears on her face and she runs to the door, grabbing all her stuff. I sneak out to the garage, grab our boards and we head out the front door.
It’s dark, the full moon glows high above as snow continues to fall, leaving a fresh layer.
“Follow me,” I say, clipping to my board and looking back one more time to make sure she’s with me.
I let myself go, zigzagging a path out for her, through trees and open spaces. We’re silent as we let the moon’s light show us the way. Neither one us has our ear buds and I’m glad. The night’s cold and calm, bringing a peace to my mind and body I haven’t felt since the accident.
A half hour later, I collapse in the snow, and Mia falls down right beside me.
“That felt so good,” she says, as the two of us stare up at the moon.
“It did. I’ve missed it more than I let myself admit.”
She rolls on her side, turning my way, and I do the same, our eyes speaking unspoken words they shouldn’t be.
“I was scared I wouldn’t be able or want to snowboard again. Thank you.”
I smile. “You’re we
lcome. Truthfully, I was kind of scared too.”
She turns onto her back to gaze up at the moon, but my eyes remain on her.
“I’m scared,” she admits. “I’m scared that he’s going to die or that the Brandon that wakes up won’t be the brother I recognize.”
“Me, too,” I whisper.
“You’re supposed to tell me it will be okay.” She lets a sad giggle escape, looking at me one more time.
“I can’t lie to you.”
Our eyes lock and my body begs me to break that small distance between us. No one would have to know if I kissed her.
“Grady…I—”
I stand up abruptly, unclipping my board, holding my hand out to her. “We better get back before they realize we’re missing.”
She doesn’t look away from me though. Her tender, sweet and trusting gaze remains fixed on me as she accepts my hand and I pull her up.
“I think I love you Grady Kale,” she whispers like it’s a secret. Maybe she thinks it is.
“No, Mia, you have a school girl crush on me.”
I release her hand and start walking up the hill.
“That’s not true,” she calls out from behind.
I turn back to see she hasn’t moved.
“You have feelings for me, I know you do.” She stomps across the few feet that separate us, her finger poking me in the chest.
“How could I have feelings for you, you’re seventeen?”
She shakes her head, tucking her board under her arm a little higher. “You can’t lie to me? You just did.”
She walks by me and my hand reaches out, gripping her upper arm and tugging her back until we’re chest to chest.
“You’re too young, Mia and even if I did, I shouldn’t have those thoughts about you.”
“Grady, you’re twenty-one, I’m seventeen, it’s only four years.”
“The fact you’re not eighteen negates all of that.”
“You’re nothing but a coward.” She thrusts her arm from my grasp and heads up the hill.
She might not realize it today, but she’ll thank me for walking away from her once she realizes who really caused her brother’s injury.
* * *
Two days later, Brandon woke up, not remembering anything about the accident. It was the same day the doctor told us he’d never snowboard again—that he had to learn to talk, eat, and walk again. His brain was so damaged that he had a long recovery ahead of him to get anywhere near ‘normal’ again.
A day later, I said my goodbyes and left to qualify for the Winter Classics. Mia smiled and waved, refusing to hug me goodbye.
Seven days later, I qualified to represent the United States in the Winter Classics.
Thirty-three days later, I won gold.
It wasn’t until one thousand, four-hundred and sixty-seven days later that I spoke to Mia Salter again and let’s just say it wasn’t a happy reunion.
The End
Don’t forget…Dax is next!!
ON THIN ICE
2.12.18
Cockamamie Unicorn Ramblings
For once in this duo, Rayne was the one who came up with the idea for Bedroom Games! Of course once she brought up the idea to do a series set and released around the Olympics, Piper hopped on board. Many scenarios went through our heads. Since Piper is from Canada, hockey was originally supposed to be the sport represented. It only makes sense, right? But Piper insisted Team Canada win hockey gold and Rayne wanted Team U.S.A. to win and when we couldn’t agree we scrapped that idea. Just kidding! We had it all sketched out, but as things often do with us, our creative brains took over an it all changed…
Rayne was doing research and came across a movie called, The Crash Reel, a documentary on Kevin Pearce, who was an up and coming snowboarder and Olympic hopeful for the 2000 Games. If you haven’t watched it, we certainly recommend it! Kevin fell while training on the half-pipe and suffered a traumatic brain injury and was never able to snowboard competitively again.
That sparked the idea for the enemies to lovers trope and then we added in the brother’s best friend angle because that’s always fun. What happens when two best friends grow up wanting the same thing and only one of them gets it? Born was the story of Grady, Mia and Brandon.
As with all of our books, without the following people, we wouldn’t be able to do what we love.
Letitia from RBA Designs for the amazing covers and for putting up with how nitpicky we can be.
Ellie from Love N Books for line editing. I think we might start calling you MacGyver because you always seem to get us out of the bind we put ourselves in, which is no easy task. Thank you!
Shawna from Behind the Writer for her eagle eye proofreading skills and saying its okay when we change the turnaround time with zero notice. (Who knew iBooks now requires your manuscript to be uploaded TWO WEEKS in advance and not ten days. LOL)
Social Butterfly PR for their organization of the cover reveal, tours, parties and everything they’re doing for us. You ladies are easy peasy to deal with and don’t mind harassing us for what you need. We like that.
All the bloggers who carved out time to promote us and/or read and review the book. Thank you for choosing to spend your time with our words when there are so many awesome options out there.
All our early ARC readers, first for wanting to read our stuff early, their enthusiasm and for posting their reviews.
And of course, all our unicorns. <3 We’d never be here without you. Thank you for loving (or hating) our characters as much as we do. And always letting us try to prove your assumptions wrong (aka Dane, Jagger, and dare we say…Dax!?).
Dax is up next and let’s just say he’s a love him and hate him kind of guy. Trust us, there’s a lot of good under that humorous façade! Sometimes men just need to be pointed in the right direction.
