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Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. chapter one
  3. chapter two
  4. chapter three
  5. chapter four
  6. chapter five
  7. chapter six
  8. chapter seven
  9. chapter eight
  10. chapter nine
  11. chapter ten
  12. chapter eleven
  13. chapter twelve
  14. chapter thirteen
  15. chapter fourteen
  16. chapter fifteen
  17. chapter sixteen
  18. chapter seventeen
  19. chapter eighteen
  20. chapter nineteen
  21. chapter twenty
  22. chapter twenty-one
  23. chapter twenty-two
  24. chapter twenty-three
  25. chapter twenty-four
  26. chapter twenty-five
  27. chapter twenty-six
  28. chapter twenty-seven
  29. chapter twenty-eight
  30. chapter twenty-nine
  31. chapter thirty
  32. chapter thirty-one
  33. chapter thirty-two
  34. chapter thirty-three
  35. chapter thirty-four
  36. chapter thirty-five
  37. chapter thirty-six
  38. chapter thirty-seven
  39. chapter thirty-eight
  40. chapter thirty-nine
  41. chapter forty
  42. chapter forty-one
  43. chapter forty-two
  44. Epilogue
  45. Discussion Questions
  46. Acknowledgments
  47. About the Author
  48. Praise for Denise Hunter
  49. Also by Denise Hunter

“All right, fine. Let’s do it.”

chapter twenty

“I’m not going to win.” Aiden helped Sophie sink down to the carpeted floor. Ross had just FaceTimed him, and his nerves gnawed at his gut.

“Stop saying that. You have as good a chance as anyone.” Sophie settled back against the checkout counter, setting aside her crutches.

“You don’t know who I’m up against. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a stupid award.”

Sophie grabbed his phone as he settled beside her and turned it up all the way to check the progress. The screenshot showed a podium, center stage. The speaker’s acceptance speech was winding down.

“Ross said my category’s next.”

“How do you feel?”

“I kind of wish it were over.”

Aiden ran sweaty palms down the legs of his jeans. Man, he was glad he wasn’t there right now. The thought of losing was every bit as heinous as the idea of delivering an acceptance speech in front of all those people. He wasn’t sure which he’d be hoping for if he were there. But now, with Ross as his proxy, he definitely wanted to win. He tried to tamp down his hope.

Sophie turned down the volume and set her hand on his arm. “No matter what happens, Aiden . . . I’m really proud of you. You created a device no one else has ever thought of. That’s amazing.”

Pleasure swelled inside at her words, heating his face. He’d forgotten how easily words of affirmation rolled off her tongue. She’d always made him feel like he could do anything. Be anything. He let the admiration in her eyes wash over him like a cool wave on a hot summer day. And just like that, all the stress of this ceremony and award was worth it, win or lose.

He smiled at her. “That means a lot to me, Soph.”

She jerked her attention back to the phone, jacking up the volume. “Your category’s up.”

He homed in on the screen where the MC was waiting for the applause to die down. Aiden was glad Sophie was holding the phone because his hands were shaking. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“And now, for the category of Innovations in Extreme Sports . . . Lonnie Griffin for the Grappler.” An image showed on the screen, but it was washed with white. “Kendra Francis for the Sure Climb Shoe. And Aiden Maddox for the SpringChute. And the winner is . . .”

Aiden swallowed, his eyes trained on the phone. His heart skipped a beat.

“Aiden Maddox, for the SpringChute.”

He blinked. His breath tumbled out. A chill ran through him.

“You won!” Sophie grabbed his arm. “Aiden, you won!”