Free Shine: The Knowing Ones by Amy Freeman Page A

anything?”
    “I’ll have a glass of water.”
    Trin grinned, amusement in his eyes. He nodded in concession and a young woman about their age came to the counter. “What can I get you?”
    He looked back to the menu board. “I’ll have a pound of your chicken curry, two of your club sandwiches, a side of your steamed vegetables, some potato salad, and one of those brownies.”
    The girl began scribbling the large order down. Trin glanced at Sam, who was gaping in disbelief having watched him order half the restaurant. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said in feigned reproach. He looked to the server. “Can I get a glass of water?” He grinned down at Sam, who was now glaring. She gave him a shove. “Do your fans know you’re a smart ass?”
    “Do your friends know you’re abusive?”
    “Yep.”
    “Just checking.”
    Sam felt her breath slipping away as Trin’s seductive eyes plunged into her. The semi-confused server left to fill the order as Sam fought a smile. The camaraderie between them was almost too natural. Trin guided her through the café.
    “That’s quite an appetite,” she said.
    “You try racing three events back to back and see how hungry
you
get.”
    “I can guarantee I will never be that hungry in my entire life.”
    “Well, I suppose not, if you’re used to a
water
diet.”
    “Shut up,” she laughed. “You’re horrible.”
    “And hungry, if that’s all right with you.”
    “Yes, fine with me. Don’t let me stop you.”
    They came to a secluded corner table in back and Trin moved aside for her to sit first. He slid into the booth bench across from her and removed his team jacket. His muscled shoulders hunched as he placed his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. Sam dropped her head to one side. “And on that note, do they always have you swimming in that many events?”
    “Not always,” he replied. “But I usually do more than one.”
    Sam shook her head. “That just looks exhausting. I mean, you barely had any breaks, and then all that swimming in between.”
    “We have to swim in between,” he explained. “Racing jacks you up.”
    Sam took a deep breath. “Hmm. I don’t think I could do what you do.”
    “Sure you could,” he said. “I’m sure you work just as hard as I do, just in different ways.”
    “That’s true, I guess,” she replied, looking down at the table. She glanced up at him. “You are amazing to watch,” she said. She thought of the luminous energy she had witnessed along with his immaculateperformance, and all of her questions from the night before came rushing back.
    “You mentioned telepathy last night. I didn’t know you could actually speak to me that way.”
    Trin glanced sideways, smiling. “That’s what telepathy is.”
    “Well yeah,” she said, “but we were discussing how you got me to come to you. I thought you were referring to that.”
    Trin shrugged. “Sounds like an assumption.” His eyes gleamed.
    She wanted to slug him. “You said you would tell me
everything
.”
    “I will, but it’s not going to happen all in one sitting.”
    “How much do you know?”
    “It’s not just me, Sam,” he said. “I acknowledge and use what’s already there.”
    She stared for a moment, then shook her head. “Whatever. How do you do what you did today?”
    “I sent a message. You heard me.”
    “Nobody can just do that.”
    “Have you tried?”
    Sam paused, wanting to argue, but she couldn’t...because she hadn’t.
    “No,” she said. “But I know it’s not that simple. People would be doing it all the time if it were.”
    “Would they?” Trin leaned forward, inclining his head. “How many people do you think have ever even considered trying that?”
    Sam pondered that a moment. “Probably not many.”
    He sat back. “It does take more than just the idea of it, but it’s not magic or super powers, its understanding. Flying, for example, or electricity; they seem like magic until you understand how they work. Knowledge