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“How did she take it?” Emma asks.
“She agreed with me.”
Emma narrows her eyes. “Did she?”
“Yeah, she said so.”
“Hmm.”
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing,” Emma says and stands. “We’re doing legs today, so you’re lucky you didn’t just write yourself off with that stupid fall. And I’m punishing you for having beer for breakfast.”
“I’m an adult, Em,” I say and stand. “I can make my own choices.”
“Yeah?” Emma asks, and I don’t fall for the bait because she’s right. Maybe I don’t always manage making my own choices as well as I wish I would.
I get on one of Emma’s machines and start squatting, beginning with a lower weight to get into it.
“One of my directors wants me to bring a date to the retreat,” I say. “You know, to show them I can be human, when they all have nagging wives.”
Emma snorts. “Your directors are sad.”
I shrug. “Will you come with me?”
“When is it?”
“End of the month,” I say.
Emma shakes her head. “That’s my busiest weekend, usually. I’m not going to be able to make it. But you knew that already.”
“I figured it was worth a shot,” I say with a grin before I lower myself down after doing fifteen squat reps.
“Take Rachel.”
I glare at Emma.
“Come on, don’t be a pussy about it. You want a date; she’s available. Clearly.”
“I can’t take her. She’ll think I’m serious about her.”
“Aren’t you?”
I groan again and start doing another set. “That’s not the point.”
“You know, in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you have an outburst like you keep telling me you do.” I told Emma how blackout angry I can get, and that that’s the part I’m worried about if I have someone in my life. “From where I’m standing, you have a hell of a lot of self-control.”
“That’s because I behave around you,” I say with a grin. “And because I work out all my frustrations here, so I can handle shit better.”
“So, what makes you think you can’t do that with someone in your life?”
“Because someone in my life will be here twenty-four seven, and I can’t keep it up that long. I’m not taking Rachel.”
“Your choice, Blake,” Emma says, holding her hands up in defense. “I was just thinking if you enjoy her company and she enjoys yours, and she’s doing the wardrobe for this thing—”
“How did you know?”
“I’m not stupid, Blake,” Emma says and rolls her eyes. “You’ll think of anything to have her stick around and you’re inviting me to something where you’ll have to show face.”
