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Sean came out a few minutes later, squinting against the sunlight. “That was great,” he said, stretching his arms. He bent over and almost touched his toes. “I haven’t gotten that close to my feet in years.” He stood up with a grin. “You know who needs a lot more of this?” He pointed to the massage room. “Rhett.”
Constance offered a rueful smile. “I know. But he found out about your deal with my sister and he’s not happy with me right now.”
Sean pulled out his wallet and handed over some cash. “Go easy on him, Red.” For some reason, Hobbs’s nickname had taken off at the gym. It was simpler, and Hobbs was more vocal than Rhett. Constance didn’t really mind. She liked both nicknames, for different reasons, and if she was honest with herself, she liked it even more that only Rhett called her Stanzi.
“I’ll try,” she said. “But he makes it hard.”
Sean laughed. “Ain’t that the truth. But please don’t give up on him. His strategy is to push people away so that they never get the chance. You just have to keep coming at him. You know. Like a pit bull.”
Constance bit back a smile.
“I’ll see you at the gym.”
“Yep,” Constance agreed. “Not today, though. You’ll be resting and letting those muscles heal and get the full benefit of my massage for the rest of the day, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He stuffed his wallet in his jeans pocket. “I worked out this morning. It’s a good one. Enjoy it if you go tonight. There’s running.”
“Running,” Constance said. “Running used to be my jam. But I haven’t run in a long time.”
“Well, then.” Sean got a big grin on his face. “Today’s the day.”
Constance wasn’t so sure about that.
Stanzi flailed the rope around her feet and hung there, swinging. Hobbs put his hands on her hips to steady her and she dropped to the ground. She pushed her lip out and muttered something, then made a few gestures with her hands.
“You gotta grab it with your feet,” Hobbs was saying. “You don’t have the upper body strength yet to get up there any other way.”
Stanzi glared at the rope. “I know what I’m supposed to do, I’m just not doing it.”
So, Stanzi was continuing her quest to climb to the top of the rope. With Hobbs. Rhett felt an odd twisting in his gut, even though it made sense. She’d obviously just done Hobbs’s class and had stayed after to work a skill. Rhett knew he should feel proud of her for not giving up—instead of whatever it was he was feeling. He shoved it aside and headed for the office, but at the last second, Stanzi caught his eye. To his surprise, she waved.
Rhett walked over and stopped near the rope. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Getting in some skill work after class?”
“Before class,” she corrected. “I’m doing the three o’clock.”
“My class?” Rhett didn’t try to contain his surprise. She’d avoided him for weeks, and he’d done the same.
“Yep.” She pushed her chin up and crossed her arms over her chest.
Rhett bit back a smile. He tilted his head toward the top of the rope. “So get up there.”
Stanzi’s bravado faltered. Her arms loosened and her lips parted. “We’ve been trying.” She glanced at Hobbs.
“Get your feet hooked,” Hobbs said. “I’m going to go eat. I’m starving.” He shot Rhett a look that said,Fine, then. She’s all yours.
Stanzi turned back to Rhett, looking helpless.
“Well, go on.” Rhett nodded at the rope again. “You come in here to climb a rope, or what?” He looked down at her chest. “Did you wear that shirt just to talk shit?” As the weather had warmed, and her fitness had improved, Stanzi’s joggers had slimmed first to leggings, then to running shorts, and now to a pair of tight but tasteful bike shorts. Her shirts were still loose, but today the sleeves were gone, and she wore a loose-fitting tank top that read Don’t Give Up! Don’t Ever Give Up! with Jimmy Valvano’s signature in the center.
Stanzi’s hand covered her chest, as if remembering what she wore.
“Well? What’s it going to be? If you’re wearing a Jimmy V shirt, you better get your ass on that rope.”
She glared at him, but grabbed the rope, drew in a deep breath and let it out with a gush.
“Wait.” Rhett pulled the rope away from her. “Try jumping into it.”
“What?”
