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“Darn it! I always mix those two up. It’s not fair... Wait.” Tabitha’s frustration ceded to confusion. “What?”
“I said, ten burpees.” Hobbs pointed at the floor again. “Let’s go.”
Tabitha went to protest, but then maybe remembered that she’d sort of brought this on herself. She dropped down and flattened herself to the floor, then jumped her feet together, rose and extended her arms overhead as she hopped. Hobbs stood over her and counted. Tabitha moved at a moderate pace. She never went full out, but she didn’t drag, either. By midway, Hobbs snapped his fingers. “C’mon. Pick it up a little. Show me some aggression.”
Tabitha shot him a glare. “I thought you weren’t going to act like Rhett and make me do burpees?”
“That was last night. This is now. Go.”
Tabitha’s glare deepened but she stepped up her pace. When she was done, Hobbs was ready with the next question. The picture had changed to an arm bone, and the question wasName this part of the humerus: A) Medial Epicondyle; B) Lateral Epicondyle; C) Coronoid Fossa; D) Radial Fossa.He read the question and showed Tabitha the picture. Panting, Tabitha scanned the phone. She reread the choices, mumbling them under her breath. She cast Hobbs a worried glance, then looked back to the phone. “I know this,” she muttered.
“Prove it. Ten seconds.”
After she guessed coronoid fossa, and was wrong, Hobbs ordered ten kettlebell swings. Tabitha looked like she wanted to slit his throat in his sleep, but she grabbed the kettlebell and started swinging.
This went on for another eighteen questions. Tabitha got a total of five of them right, and by the time she was a wasted puddle on the floor, she’d done fifty burpees, fifty kettlebell swings and fifty box jumps. She draped her forearm over her eyes and lay there, huffing, her knees knocking together and her skin glistening with sweat. Hobbs loomed over her and she peeked out from under her arm. “I don’t see how this was helpful at all,” she said. “I couldn’t think. And now I’m wrecked.”
“Exactly. So now the next time we do this, you’ll be better prepared. You’ll know better than to come in here not knowing your bones. Commit them to memory and you won’t have to think. Upside—you got a great workout.”
Tabitha moved her arm away and leaned up on her elbows. “Stop being so impressed with yourself. I hate you.”
Hobbs laughed. This was where Rhett would say something like, “Good. Mission accomplished.” But Hobbs stuck out his hand and hauled Tabitha to her feet. She was so light he overshot and she nearly flew to standing. She stumbled a little and Hobbs steadied her as she leaned into his shoulder. She looked up at him with those eyes, sweet as Grandma’s cookies. Last night came back, the kiss he’d practically stolen at the edge of the forest. What a dumb, selfish thing to do. Hobbs lingered for a second, enjoying the scent of her body’s natural perfume awakened beneath her sweat, then drew away.
Tabitha cleared her throat and patted her hair down. A few flyaways had escaped her ponytail and were curling against her forehead. “I don’t know what you mean about next time,” she muttered. “I’m never doing this again.”
“Hey, I’ve been wondering.” Hobbs’s mind was still on last night. “What’d you wish for?”
Her gaze narrowed into thoughtful slits. “You want to know my wish?”
“Yeah. Last night you said you made a big birthday wish. What was it?”
Tabitha’s teeth scraped the bottom of her lip. Then she shrugged. “I wished that I was as badass as all my girlfriends. And my dog.” She glanced at Trinity.
Hobbs gave a brief laugh as he watched the pittie study a smear of chalk on the floor like she was judging the person who’d left it there. “You need a list, then,” Hobbs suggested. He’d already considered and rejected sayingYou’re already a badass. That wasn’t what Tabitha wanted or needed to hear. She wanted solutions.
“A list?” Her eyebrows rose.
“A Badass List.”
Tabitha mulled this over silently. Then she nodded. “A list,” she said. “A list of ways I can make this wish a reality.” Her eyes held a determined glint. “I’ll do it.”
“Good. I’m going to be gone for a bit,” Hobbs said, surprised to hear the words, as he hadn’t realized he’d made a decision about going home with Victor until that moment. If Tabitha could be strong, so could he. “But when I get back, you better have that list ready. I’m going to hold you accountable.”
“Where you going?” Tabitha’s sudden cheer seemed dampened.
“I have to go home.” That was all he’d be saying, to anyone. When he texted Rhett, that would be the extent of the information he’d provide, as well. But Rhett wouldn’t pry. Hobbs mentally sorted how many shifts he’d need covered and how many personal training clients he’d have to reschedule.
“Where’s home?”
“Omaha.”
“Oh. Well. We’ll miss you. The gym, I mean. Not that I can speak for the gym, but...me and Trinity, anyway.” She shrugged, clasped her fingers together, then quickly strode to the corner and lifted her bag. “Thanks again for the help today.”
“Anytime.” Hobbs smiled to himself and watched her flustered movements as she packed up, even though the thought of actually going home, now that it had been spoken aloud, made him want to do anything but smile. As she headed for the door, Hobbs called after her. “Don’t forget about that list!”
Tabitha peeked back over her shoulder and smiled. “I’m on it, Coach.”
