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I was still smiling when I let myself into his office a couple of hours later. The piece of paper was easy to find, and my eyes widened when I saw the name of his new client. The gym already boasted a number of former athlete clients, simply because of my connection to the Wolves and Amy’s reputation.
Current elite athletes—including the one I’d watched play US Women’s soccer for the past few years—was new.
The connection clearly came from Aiden, and it sent my wheels spinning about what his plans might be for the gym. The day went by in a blink. As did the next.
It wasn’t easier without him there because I felt a strange urgency to see if I could act normal around him now. Or as normal as I was capable of after our sexually charged sparring match.
On day three, I came in to work with another drink holder in my hands. One for me, one for Emily, and another black coffee for Aiden.
When his typical arrival time came and went without a sign of him, I set the coffee on the corner of my desk as I got to work. Emily popped her head through the door.
“Call for you,” she said. “And the delivery guy is here with a huge delivery. Where should they go?”
“How many boxes?”
“Probably twelve or so.”
I glanced at my office. “Stick them right outside my door. I don’t want to crowd the front. I’ll see what they are.”
She left with a nod, and I tapped the button on my desk phone to pick up the call.
“This is Isabel.”
“Ward.”
My eyes closed briefly at the sound of his voice. So maybe I wasn’t doing so hot keeping that reaction in check. “Hey, boss. How’s Anya?”
He sighed. “A bit better, still not back to normal. though. Her fever’s gone but …”
Leaning back in my chair, I tucked the phone between my ear and shoulder. “We can hold down the fort here if you’re worried about that.”
“I’m not. I trust you.” He paused. “The new merchandise should arrive today or tomorrow.”
“So that’s what’s getting stacked outside my door right now,” I said.
“It came?”
“Just now.”
“Good.” But he sounded disappointed. I probably would’ve been too, if I’d bought the gym and was putting my name on everything.
“Want me to leave them for you to open?” I asked carefully. “It’s a big deal.”
He was quiet. “Would you mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Thank you, Ward.” Aiden sighed. “I wish I could sneak out and do it today, but I can’t leave.”
My eyebrows lowered. “She’s still that sick?”
He hesitated before answering. “Anya hasn’t really been sick like this since … since Beth. She doesn’t really want anyone but me right now.”
There was a strange fist closing around my heart at how carefully he said it. Like he didn’t want to divulge too much. Like it gave something away.
I licked my lips. “My brother used to buy us these special sticker books when we got sick. He’d put them on a tray with a big glass of 7 Up with a fancy straw and a little bowl of saltine crackers.” My skin felt hot sharing the story, and I rubbed absently at the side of my neck. “I didn’t even like stickers that much, but we never got them because my twin sisters once put hundreds of them all over his bed frame, and he couldn’t get them off.”
Aiden made a sound that could’ve been a laugh, but I wasn’t quite sure. “How old were you?”
