AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The sport used every major muscle group and burned a ton of calories. That meant Jana could eat what she wanted, which was cool. Yet sometimes she couldn’t eat enough, especially when preparing for competition. She trusted her breakfast of pancakes would keep her going.
Once on the trail, Coley said, “I wish Michael would get home. His mother is feeling better, but he feels he should be with her another day.” In recent texts, she’d mentioned missing her husband.
“She’s out of the hospital?”
“Yes, and recovering well from the heart surgery. But she has other relatives in the New York area, so she’ll be fine.”
“Michael can’t be away from work for too long, can he?”
Coley shook her head. “Not really. Although with a tech company, there’s usually someone who can cover. But I don’t want him to use up his vacation time.”
Jana shared news about Tomasson Ski Equipment, which had become exciting of late. “Since I took over my grandfather’s ski shop, I’ve wanted to grow the business.”
“Sure, I get that,” Coley said. “But you’re already doing well, aren’t you?”
“It’s true that my grandparents had been successful. But they stuck to what they knew. New technology was often beyond their grasp.” Jana increased her momentum to get up a hill.
“That’s no problem for you. And what about that thing you’ve been working on?”
“That thing, as you call it, is going to make us a fortune,” Jana said. “And I’m so close now.”
“I’m excited for you.” Coley breathed harder. “You’ll have to show it to me. But right now, I need to use all my energy to get up this mountain.”
“I’ll show you again. I’ve made more changes,” Jana said. “And you’re going to help me test it.”
Coley made it to the crest and glided down the other side. Jana followed, lost in thought. The mention of her product stirred excitement. It was a tool to train biathlon competitors, one she wished she’d had. A memory of the Olympic trials came to mind.
It hadn’t been so long that she’d forgotten. She’d come so close to getting on the team and might have made the cut. But she hadn’t. The tool she’d developed could have made the difference. It was too late for her, but not for other young women.
Her grandfather hadn’t understood her decision to study engineering, since her life had centered around snow sports. But she liked creating things and had wanted to get a degree—even though she’d worked for her family’s ski equipment business after graduation.
Yet there had been a spark inside her, a desire she would someday follow through on. She’d wanted to create a design, an invention of her own, that would boost the success of biathlon competitors. And it seemed she might have done so. It all depended on the outcome of the trials and initial testing.
Jana breathed the brisk air and took in the beauty of the snow-dusted pines. The blue sky above was dotted with white clouds, and the sun shone over the cold landscape below.
Skiing was her life, her joy, and her passion. As Jana glided behind Coley, her heart pumped hard and oxygen filled her veins, giving her a surge of energy. She whipped past her friend with the air blowing against her face, her eyes protected by goggles.
The exhilaration flooded her body with endorphins, so she sped up a little more. Her leg muscles burned and her core strained, the stress of the sport so familiar.
Others skied up ahead, and Jana had passed a few stragglers earlier. She didn’t take note of how many skiers were around and hadn’t seen anyone she knew. Lost in her own momentum and the feel of the snow under her skis, Jana fell into a rhythm.
The snap of a rifle shot cracked through the still air. Jana dropped to the ground, breathing hard. She recognized the sound of a .22 caliber and panicked. With skis on, it was difficult to crawl toward cover behind the trees.
Coley wasn’t far behind, and the look on her face revealed that she’d heard the shot, too. She raced forward then squatted beside her friend. “What the hell was that?”
Jana scanned the area. A couple of other skiers had stopped up the mountain and were looking around in confusion. But there was no sign of the shooter.
Royal Gorge wasn’t a biathlon club, so guns weren’t allowed. Even air guns. The sound had been the real thing, anyway. Jana leaned back against a tree within reach, to catch her breath and get reoriented. Then she noticed the slice of bark that had been shaved off the pine.
Coley’s eyes widened.
“Somebody shot at me,” Jana said, disbelieving her own words.
“Dammit, that sucks,” Coley said. “Are you hurt? I don’t see any blood.” She scrutinized Jana.
Jana ran her hands over her knit cap and examined her body. “The bullet missed.”
“That is if the shooter was aiming at you.”
