Page 63 of Colliding with Ten

That part was true, but I knew it would matter to her.

Forge and Flight agreed, and the contracts moved quickly. By the end of the week, my flight to New York for the photoshoot was booked. I had no idea how this would work, but I knew I was looking forward to seeing her again.

15

THE SPOTLIGHT FLARE

AYLA

After Denver, AJ was in one of his moods. He reorganized the kitchen twice since breakfast, only to put everything back. I swear he had a sixth sense for when I needed something. I watched his kitchen theatrics from the couch, waiting. Timing things with my brother was an art.

He dropped onto the couch beside me and put on SportsCenter. For about four minutes, I let him pretend he wasn’t thinking about whatever was occupying his mind.

“So, I have some things I want to tell you, and I need you not to be weird about it.”

He pulled a face, squinting his eyes at me. “When am I ever weird?”

I tilted my head and pointed at him. “That’s one example of you being weird.”

This was us, AJ and me, annoying each other for sport. He fixed his face.

“Okay,” I said. “I’m going to tell you something, and you’re going to interrupt me approximately seven times.”

“Minimum.”

“And at the end of it, you’re going to pretend like you hate the idea.”

He nodded. “I will hate the idea.”

“And then you’re going to help me anyway.”

He muted the TV. AJ didn’t mute SportsCenter for just anyone. I pulled my good knee to my chest and told him everything about Denver. Except Lennox; he didn’t need to know about Lennox. But I told him everything else about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to follow in Doctor Ronan’s footsteps.

“And the cheerleading?” he asked.

“I love it. I’m not quitting until the end of the year. But it’s not my future, AJ, you know this. I don’t even make enough to live on my own. This injury has made me realize ballet may not work out.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“That’s it?”

“What did you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. A question that starts with ‘have you considered’ and ends with ‘a real career’.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Dad’s not here. Plus, he can’t say anything now. Being a doctor is a real career.”

“Not the one he wanted for me.”

He shook his head as if dismissing the idea. “Who cares? You’re going to be a doctor.”

He grinned, and I threw my head back and giggled. I resisted the urge to dance because I wasn’t done.

“Don’t get too excited yet. There’s one more thing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “There always is with you.”

I rolled my eyes, but continued. “If I get experience in the field, it will bolster my ability to get into this program at USC. So, I want to shadow one of the Hawks’ trainers. Learn the ropes. I need to be around injuries that aren’t mine.”