Page 72 of When the Stars Rise

I can barely speak past the lump in my throat, so I clear it and smile, pulling her close. “Take as many family photos as you want.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Noah

“Noah!”two girls scream as I run past them. “We love you!”

I wave my hand over my shoulder to acknowledge that I’ve heard them but don’t break my stride.

“We love you too!” Levi shouts, spinning around and running backward to catch a view of the girls.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Jude mutters. “They’re acting like you’re a rock star.”

Last night, when we watched Hayley’s show from the VIP box, Jude was fangirling pretty hard himself. He even knew all the words to her songs, and when I shot him a look, he said that he only learned them because Gracie listens to Hayley’s music non-stop, so he can’tnotknow the words. Sure. Likely story.

“In the world of extreme sports, Iama rock star.”

He snorts. “Check your ego at the door.”

Jude makes me laugh. No one would ever accusehimof being humble.

I give him the side-eye and speed up when it looks like he might pass me. “Come on, old man. Try to keep up.”

That does it. Jude puts on a burst of speed and breezes past, not the least bit winded as he throws his words over his shoulder. “I’ll see you two back at the hotel.”

Guess I should have known better than to goad him. Jude’s been running marathons for years, mainly to raise money for charity, but he has the stamina and endurance of a man half his age, a.k.a. me.

“It’s not a race,” I tell Levi as I pick up my pace.

“Bullshit.” He takes off, leaving me with no other choice. Now, I have to do my damnedest to beat them to the finish line. If it wasn’t a race before, it sure as hell is now.

When we return to the hotel, we’re dripping with sweat and arguing over who the winner was. The race was too close to call, but one thing is certain—Levi wasn’t the winner.

“My ankle injury’s been acting up again,” Levi says, making a dramatic display of limping across the marble lobby.

“Guess he forgot that he sprained his left ankle,” Jude comments as we follow Levi to the elevator, laughing.

My brother can never admit defeat, but the limp miraculously vanishes when he steps off the elevator on their floor and walks away without even a slight hitch in his step.

Jude laughs. “Looks like our QB1 will be fighting fit to play next season.”

“He might want to work on his running skills.”

“Not sure you have room to talk,loser,” he tacks on as the doors close.

“Real mature, Jude. Pretty sure I was the winner,” I mutter as my phone buzzes with a message.

Hayley: Your mom and Gracie are with me in our suite. See you soon!

Me: Do you need to be rescued?

Hayley: Are you kidding? I love your mom and sister.

My phone rings when I enter our suite—a vast space on two floors with a bedroom and bathroom downstairs and a living and dining area on the top floor.

I check the screen. Briggs.

We met through BASE jumping, a bigger adrenaline rush than any other extreme sport I’ve ever done.