Page 53 of Addiction

“I’ll never be done with this douche.”

“Asshole,” Asher utters.

“What can I get you, Mark?”

“A straight jacket and some tape should do it.” Asher’s words earn him a playful smack to the back of his head. Meanwhile, Grayson and I are laughing at the pair of them.

“Beer please, Gray.”

“I’ll have another, too,” I say, finishing the one I’ve been nursing for an hour.

I never realized just how heavy the weight on my shoulders has been until Asher asked me to work at Resilience. But now, I finally feel like I’m about to turn a corner. My mindset hasn’t been where it should have been, and now that’s all going to change.

As Grayson places down our beers, Mark looks between me and Asher. “So, why the urgency of getting me down here? And make it quick. Charlie thinks I’m at the grocery store.”

I chuckle. “Asher has something he wants to tell you?”

Mark looks at him and a slow sexy grin spreads across Asher’s face. “Meet our new Physical Therapist for the gym.”

“About damn time.” Mark grins, looking back at me and shaking my hand. “Welcome aboard, man.”

“Thanks.”

“It will be good to have you about the place. Anything you need to make it more welcoming just say the word.”

“Unicorn stickers should do it,” Asher says, grinning like an idiot as he leaves his seat and heads to the restroom.

“Thanks, Mark. I’ll let you know if I think of anything. But just being there will be everything I need. I’m thrilled to be part of the team.”

“Me too. I knew Asher would come around to the idea eventually.”

“You sound like he wasn’t keen.”

“He was pissed when he knew I asked you about it.”

I frown. He didn’t look pissed in my treatment room. Nervous but certainly not pissed. “He was? Why?”

“Because of Pete. I guess he’s still got some weight on his shoulders over it.”

I don’t respond. I can’t because I’m confused to hell right now. I thought we’d got past that. I thought our talk on the beach had settled everything he was feeling when it came to his dad and me. I was wrong and have now somehow potentially made him uncomfortable in the process.

“What did I miss?” Asher asks on his return.

“Not much,” I say. “We were just talking about the gym.”

“That place is going to have an excellent team when it comes to you two. You’re the perfect duo,” Grayson says.

I glance at Asher. “Let’s hope so.”

“This causes for a toast,” Mark suggests, taking his beer and raising it. “To new beginnings. Friendship and so much more. To Resilience.”

“To Resilience,” we all say in unison before tapping our bottles with one another. With Mark’s words still on my mind, I hold Asher’s gaze. The soft smile on his face indicates he’s happy, yet the storm in his eyes tells me something completely different.

It’s not anger.

It’s apprehension.

And I think I know why.