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Of all her friends from home, Lily had been the closest, though Juliet did keep in touch on social media. Lily asked how Snow was faring during the show. She happily tapped out a reply:
You need to sign a non-disclosure agreement before I can tell you anything,Snow texted.
Send it! I’ll sign,Lily replied.
Lily caught her up on how palace and married life was going. She wished she could give more details about the crazy turn her date with Preston had taken and about how much she loved being the center of these men’s attention—or the potential center of it, once she went on more dates with them—but she couldn’t. So, too soon, the conversation ended.
Snow was too riled up to rest. She hadn’t gotten her daily run in yet…maybe it was time to find the gym before winding down for bed.
Per HMW’s rules for the show, Snow was to remain at the Elir resort as much as possible through the duration of the show, for her safety, yes, but also for privacy reasons. She’d agreed to as much, signing all of the waivers, contracts, and non-disclosure agreements before being carted out here to California.
And she didn’t mind, really, she didn’t. She did miss her runs, though.
Adrenaline gave her oxygen just as much as her bloodstream did, and running was like a recharge of that energy. She needed it. She thrived on it. A treadmill wasn’t the same as fresh Florida air, but she’d take what she could get.
After changing into her favorite workout clothes—neon pink tank top and matching shorts—she alerted Luis, the new cameraman who had settled himself in the hallway. Snow meandered down the elevator, past the lobby, and to the gym near the back of the San Diego Elir resort. Ear buds in place, she scanned her card for entrance into the gym and stopped short halfway to the treadmill.
Two of the other contestants were in here. Clayton displayed impressive biceps in a fitted tank top and workout shorts as he busied himself at the line of weights near the wall. In contrast, Eric—not quite as obviously muscular but still looking fit in a t-shirt and running shorts—jogged on one of the two treadmills facing a large-screen TV.
While extending the weight to his torso, and showcasing a superhuman brawn in his bicep, Clayton paused and smiled.
“Hey there,” he said, lowering the weight.
Arms pumping at his sides as he ran, Eric peered in their direction and lost his footing on the treadmill, all but ejecting himself from its track. He caught himself just before he hit the wall behind him.
“Are you okay?” Snow asked, hurrying to his side. And in all honesty, she laughed. She couldn’t help it.
“That wasn’t embarrassing at all,” Eric said, cheeks flushed red.
Snow giggled and placed her hand on the treadmill’s side rail. “It was a gallant fall,” she said, taking the liberty to tap the speed on his treadmill and slow the machine to a stop.
He steadied himself on his feet and rubbed a hand behind his neck. “Not exactly what I was going for.”
“I don’t mind if you fall in front of me.”
“I’d rather stun you with my incredible stability or my agile prowess,” Eric said. His voice was still tinged with traces of embarrassment.
“What are you waiting for?” Clayton said. “Get back on that thing and show her.”
Snow laughed again, and Clayton came to where she and Eric stood. Then she noticed the trail of blood seeping from Eric’s arm. Had he cut himself during his tumble?
“Here,” Snow said, thinking fast and reaching for one of the towels on the stand beneath the TV. She hurried toward Eric and pressed it to his arm.
“Thanks—I—” An abrupt sneeze escaped. Another followed, and a third decided to join the first two as well.
Snow retracted her hand. “Bless you,” she said.
“Sorry, it’s—” Eric sneezed a fourth time. His eyes began to water. He attempted to keep her gaze, but turned away. “I think it’s your perfume.”
“My—perfume?” Snow hadn’t spritzed any on since this morning. She couldn’t even smell it herself. How could he?
“It smells amazing, but unfortunately—” Another sneeze. “I don’t do well with certain fragrances, and this happened at the worst time.”
“I—I’m so sorry.” She hadn’t thought to check and see if her perfume was hypoallergenic. That was probably something she should ensure in the future. “I’ll make sure not to wear it anymore.”
Another sneeze. “I have to go,” he said. “Maybe I’ll see you another time.”
“Yes,” she said, but he was already halfway through the door.
