Chapter Nineteen

Parker

Zoey’s face. God, the look on her face was going to be seared into his brain forever. Parker bit back a grin. He’d put on some sweats and flopped on his bed to think over what just happened. He had no idea what made him decide to show off like that, but she really liked it. Even with the distance between the houses—which wasn’t much—he watched her turn red, and her eyes were wide.

In that moment, right before he dropped the blinds, he could almost hear her thinking, “Has he been working out?”

Yes, Zoey. The answer is hell yes.

He smothered a laugh, unable to keep it in anymore. What was she thinking right now? Wondering where that towel went? He didn’t think she was going to give him a hard time about it later. No, she’d probably act like it didn’t happen. If she did, he’d play it cool, too.

But what if she said something? What if there was more to her pink cheeks than simple embarrassment? If this was the thing that tilted her attention his direction, he wasn’t above using it. He’d fight dirty.

Maybe he should’ve left the blinds open, let her see all the goods.

Parker threw his head back and laughed, feeling better than he had in weeks.

Luke appeared in his bedroom doorway. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing.” He hadn’t seen Luke since the blow up at Two Creeks, but his brother didn’t seem all that bothered and Parker decided to let it go—he was in too good a mood to ruin it. “What’s up?”

Luke crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. “About tomorrow…you talked me into the competition to show off for Zoey, didn’t you? Or, more like to show me up in front of her.”

Parker put a hand over his heart. “Who me? Never.”

“Uh huh.”

“Okay, maybe a little.”

“I thought so.” Luke shook his head, his smile looking forced. “Did you apologize to her, yet? For being a dick at the café earlier?”

Parker stood slowly, leveling a cool glance at his brother. “Yes. And I’m sorry I busted up your lunch, but you were the dick who caused the problem by ditching me.”

“I could say the same about you a few days ago.” Luke sighed. “But, bro, all’s fair in love and war.”

Parker’s fists clenched at his side. “I thought you said you weren’t going to fight dirty.”

Luke pushed off the doorjamb, wearing his cocky grin. “I said I wasn’t going to fight that dirty. We’ll leave at eight tomorrow. Set an alarm, sleepyhead.”

“Ditto.” Parker watched his brother retreat to his own room.

Tomorrow, Zoey wouldn’t even remember Luke’s name.

The next morning, as soon as they hit the kitchen for a quick bite before going to Snowmass, Dad clapped his hands together. “I have something for you two.”

He pulled two bags out of a kitchen chair. They were from Dad’s company store, and Parker caught his eagerly when Dad tossed it to him. “Thought you guys would like the latest for your show today.”

Inside the bag was a brand new jacket, black with a green splatter pattern, and the company name down one sleeve in white. They were next year’s design. “These haven’t even gone on sale yet!”

Luke was nodding in appreciation. His was white with a red splatter, and black logo—almost mirror-imaged. He weighed the jacket in his hand. “It’s light.”

“But warm. They’ll keep you comfortable all day. There are vents if you get hot.” Dad smiled. “A couple of hats in there, too. Knock ’em dead today.”

Parker had already stripped off his old coat and put the new one on. He always wore black pants, unlike most of the more colorful boarders at the terrain park, and the new coat fit like it had been made for him—and it probably had. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Luke said. “See you up there.”

“Don’t forget your helmets!” Mom called from the pantry.

Luke rolled his eyes. “Mom, half the guys up there won’t be wearing them.”

“And you’d risk brain damage like the rest of them?” She came out of the pantry and put her hands on her hips. “Go get a helmet.”

“Fine, fine.”

While Luke went in search of a helmet, Parker winked and held his up. Mom gave him a quick hug. “That’s my boy.”

Finally, they were allowed outside. “Where’s Zoey?” Luke asked as they loaded their gear in the Jeep.

“She’s coming up later with Mom and Dad.” Parker patted down his pockets to make sure he’d transferred everything from his other jacket. Contest nerves always made him obsessive about his gear. “No sense standing around in the cold for the next few hours.”

And it was cold. Nineteen degrees with a sharp wind out of the north. Mom had frowned up at the sky a few times during breakfast, making Parker wonder if they were in for weather. Mom had an uncanny knack for predicting a big snow. But, so far, the sky was mostly clear, a light, high blue that only showed up in the dead of winter.

They climbed into the Jeep and took off for Snowmass. Luke kept both hands on the wheel and didn’t bother with the radio. He always got nervous before a competition, and he had more reason this time.

“You know,” Parker said. “You don’t have to do this. I was being a jackass, talking you into entering.”

“Nah, I’ll do it.” He cleared his throat. “I ride jibs on occasion, and I’ve been known to jump. It’ll be fun.”

“Okay, but the next time you run a boardercross, I’ll enter so you can show me up.”

“No.” Luke’s voice was flat. “Boardercross is a bunch of knuckle-draggers looking to lay out somebody. Kid like you should do stuff with more finesse and leave the brawling to me.”

That was the closest Parker’s brother had come to a compliment for a while, and he stared. “Now you’re scaring me. You hit your head or something?”

Luke laughed. “No, but I might today.”

They turned into the resort, and Parker didn’t have time to ask any more questions. As soon as they hit the main concourse, Luke turned on the charm and the swagger, gathering girls to trail behind them like the Pied Piper.

A few tried to hang onto Parker, but he smiled and gave them a polite brush off, before plowing ahead to the registration table.

“Parker Madison?” The man working registration smiled. “I was hoping we’d see you today.”

Parker didn’t know him, but nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

The man handed him his competition jersey and number.

Now all he had to do was wait.