Those plans didn’t seem to involve Troy, but, regardless, I was thankful the Lord had brought him into my life. He was a bright moment, not quite gone yet, but once he disappeared, I just hoped I had the courage to look for love again.
And that was what I was learning through all of this. I wanted to love again. I believed there was someone else out there for me besides Daniel. My heart ached as longing washed over me like a rush of rain during a heavy storm. Why couldn’t it be Troy?
I touched the empty place on my left ring finger where my wedding band had been. When I’d taken it off, I’d thought for sure I’d feel the need to put it back on, but that hadn’t happened. By God’s grace, I was moving on little-by-little.
I shook my head to clear it. Time to concentrate on self-defense. That was where my focus needed to be, especially considering the circumstances I was in. I would have to fend for myself from here on out, and that was scary.
“You’re quiet,” Troy said as he pulled into the parking lot and found a spot to park. He unbuckled his seatbelt and glanced at me. “What are you thinking about?”
You don’t return my feelings. Yeah, like I was going to tell him that. “Just thinking I need to practice these moves so I feel more confident.”
He nodded. “Whenever you want to do this again, let me know and I’ll be there. We can meet every week if that works for you.”
My eyebrows flew up because I hadn’t expected him to say that. At all. “Really?” I must have sounded surprised because he gave me a strange look.
“Of course. Why so confused?” He chuckled and lifted his eyebrows.
“You won’t have time. They’ll assign you to someone else and then—”
“You’re my last client. From this point on, I’ll be in the office interviewing and getting the new division running. You’re looking at the new manager.”
“That’s right. I forgot you mentioned that when we did paperwork in the beginning. Congratulations. It’s a promotion, isn’t it?”
“Yep.” He grinned, seeming pleased with himself. “A long-awaited promotion.”
“I hope that business with Robert doesn’t get in the way.”
“Nah. Will knows me and so does Ansel.” But he didn’t look convinced, and I was a little worried Robert may have messed with his career in some way.
“If you need me to speak to Ansel, I will.”
“I’m sure it won’t be necessary.” He got out of the car, and I followed.
We walked to the entrance and entered the gym. The moment we stepped through the doorway, I wrinkled my nose because it smelled like sweat and damp air. It was definitely not a high-end gym, but I was thankful Troy’s friend gave him access.
Troy snickered and shrugged when he saw my expression. “Hey, we get to use the room for free.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Not complaining.” I would go just about anywhere if it meant spending more time with him.
“Good.” He put his arm around my shoulders and led me to the backroom, the firmness of his body pressed against mine. Warmth flooded through me at the contact, and a giddy feeling fluttered in my stomach like feathers falling from the sky. I could live off of these feelings. I could get high off of them. Endorphins pulsed through me, giving me an extra bounce to my step.
It was the first time Troy had ever touched me like this, aside from the moment he had to defend me at the police station when they were trying to handcuff that criminal. He must have felt it was safe now that I was no longer his client.
Or he was actually starting to have feelings for me. He had just suggested getting together every week to work on self-defense moves, hadn’t he?
Hope swelled in my chest, and I wanted so badly to believe there was something there. The emotion was so strong, it almost overwhelmed me. The yearning. The ache. It was so bad. And yet so good.
Oh, my goodness. I was writing a country song in my mind. Pretty soon I’d start humming a tune and doing a little dance. The thought cracked me up, and I laughed out loud. I had a serious crush on Troy Littman. I turned to find him looking at me like I was a weirdo.
“What’s so funny?” He let go of me and stepped away, and I sighed from the loss of his warmth.
“Nothing.”
His brows lowered, but one side of his mouth inched up in a dry smile. “I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t laugh for no reason at all. People don’t do that unless they’re not right in the head.” His smirk let me know he was teasing, and I shouldn’t take him too seriously.
I fluttered my eyelashes and smiled sweetly. “You wish you knew, but some things a lady has to keep to herself.”
He laughed, and his smile twisted my insides into knots. “Fair enough. Can’t say I’m not curious though.”
“Oh, I’m sure you are, but if you could read my mind right now, you’d probably blush.” The flirtation came out of my mouth without a moment’s pause, and I inwardly wanted to die the second I realized how bad that sounded. Why couldn’t I stop to think before I spoke? What was wrong with me? I’d never thrown myself at a man before, and here I was, making a fool of myself like I was sixteen all over again. Troy seemed to have that effect on me quite
