The second I step through that door, I curse, because this place looks like an utter disaster. There are bats everywhere, same with the baseballs. I see no one emptied the trash cans or refilled the vending machines, which is something we do every night.
“Shit, I didn’t know it was this bad,” Henry mutters as I turn to see the anger rise across his features. “I had no idea she left it like this. She told me she had to close early since she had a family emergency and since it was a Friday night, I didn’t think it would be an issue.”
I can’t help how hard my eyes roll into the back of my head because I would bet a million dollars that the “emergency” had nothing to do with family and everything to do with the fact that I made her work a Friday night.
“She’s been pulling this shit for weeks now, it’s really getting on my nerves,” I admit. “I know she wants to become a personal trainer, but at a certain point we have to think about this gym’s well-being.”
Henry’s eyes take one last pass over the gym before we head back toward his office.
“Sometimes I think she likes the idea of working here more than actually working.” I take a deep breath before I let the anger that’s rising inside get the better of me.
“I know,” Henry says through gritted teeth, placing a hand on my arm. “I’ll have a talk with her, explain that she needs to pull her weight, or she’ll have to find another place to work.”
“As much as I would love to get rid of her, we can’t afford to lose her right now. Not after Tommy.”
Henry sighs, knowing I’m right.
“I’m still going to talk to her, and in the meantime, we’ll try and find someone to replace her.” He turns and takes a quick look at the front door.
“Expecting someone?” I tease, loving the goofy smile I get in return.
“Yes, actually.”
My eyebrows raise, wondering if it’s a woman, but he responds with a bored look, like I’m reading way too much into this.
“It’s a professional meeting, so get that hopeful look off your face.”
I start laughing as he swats my arm.
“Can you blame me? You’ve been single for my entire life.”
“That’s what you think…”
I do a gagging motion as Henry starts to walk back to his office.
“I would love to help you with all of this” —he motions to the mess— “but I have a meeting with someone in a few minutes.” He winks, heading into his office, leaving his door open.
“That’s fine, old man. I can do it all myself. Maybe I’ll be done before noon so I can get to all the paperwork you love to stack on my desk…”
He chuckles to himself and then I see that sympathetic look on his face, and I know exactly what he’s thinking, and I stop it in its tracks.
“Don’t you dare call her in here. I will just get more and more angry the longer I have to talk to her, and it won’t end well. I’d rather do it all myself and that way I know it’s done right.”
The look in Henry’s eyes is sad when he gets up out of his chair and wraps his arms around me once more. “You know, sometimes when I look at you all I see is your dad.” My chin hits his chest as our eyes meet. “He would be so proud of you, you know?”
The tears start to form behind my eyes as I smile, loving that even though I miss my father, I have someone like Henry in my life.
Fuck. I’m exhausted.
I’ve done more physical labor today than I think I’ve done in the last week, which is also making me realize just how out of shape I am. Being out of breath from carrying bats from one side of the room to the other is just plain sad. Being this out of shape when you own a gym? That might be even worse.
I peer across the room, finally happy with how it looks yet when I turn and my gaze lands on the vending machines and see how empty they look, I decide to restock them before I sit down and lose all my energy. As I head back toward my office to grab the storage key, I notice that Henry’s door is still closed and has been for over an hour. Must be one hell of a meeting.
Just as I’m about to head to the storage room, the front door of the gym opens and when I peer over my shoulder to see who it is, I groan. As Cole walks over, confidence oozes from every pore as his eyes bore into mine. When he gets close enough, he tries to lean down and give me a kiss and as I dodge his lips, he growls. “Don’t be like that.” He leans in one more time, like his warning would be enough to get me to cave. Fat fucking chance. I dodge him again.
“I don’t know why you’re here, but you can leave the way you came in.” I turn, starting to walk away but he grabs my arm, holding me in place.
“Baby, please. It was just a misunderstanding. We can talk this out, can’t we?” The look in his eyes is innocent enough, almost as if he forgot exactly why I’m pissed. Yet every once in a while, I see that anger peek through, and I know it’s all just an act. He knows exactly what he’s done and is manipulating me into forgiving him.
Yeah, not happening.
“Talk about what, Cole? The fact that we dated for two fucking years and you decide to spend our anniversary between the legs of your secretary
