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My legs feel like Jell-O as I stagger toward the row of weights. I’m setting them down when a familiar face grabs my attention in the mirror.
I pale, glancing over my shoulder and quickly staring at the ground, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.
It’s the stranger. The stranger from the restaurant. The one who escorted me to the hospital and demanded to stay with me since I refused to call my parents. I still can’t decide if he’s an asshole or a gentleman for being so damn pushy about it.
Regardless, the entire ordeal was a real joy, and I’d prefer to never face him again after giving him front-row seats to the whole thing and all my epileptic glory. Yeah, talking to him again? Even a thousand years would be too soon.
I puff out my cheeks, avoiding the reflection in the mirror like it’s a death sentence while praying I go unnoticed.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to blend into the walls and disappear at this moment.
“Blake?” the familiar deep voice calls. I recognize it instantly, though I refuse to acknowledge why or how well my dreams like to replay it every time I go to sleep.
Nope.
No, thank you.
Blake turns around and squeals when she sees my white knight from Hell striding toward us. “Mack!”
Ah, so the stranger has a name.
I refused to learn it, which was made easier by the pounding headache basically blocking out any and all conversation around me, creating a haze over the whole experience. Well, everything excepthim.
In the mirror’s reflection, I watch Blake throw her arms around Mack’s shoulders and pull him into a full-bodied hug, causing a sharp twinge in my chest. I refuse to acknowledge what it is.
Annoyance, I decide.
Yeah. That’s it.
Instead, I stare at the ground, fighting between eavesdropping and booking it to the locker room like my yoga pants are on fire.
“Hey! How are you?” Blake asks.
I peek up at them again, unable to fight my curiosity, as the stranger returns Blake’s hug, wrapping his arms around her slender waist before letting her go. “I’m good. How are you?”
“Great! Working out with my friend.” She hesitates, and I stare back at the ground, pretending if I’m quiet enough, I’ll be able to fly under the radar or maybe disappear entirely.
If only God loved me that much.
“You remember Kate,” she adds.
So much for disappearing.
I clear my throat, lift my head, meet Blake’s gaze, then turn my attention to Mack. The bossy bastard’s as attractive as I remember. Same chiseled jaw. Same warm smile. Same knowing gaze.
Son of a bitch.
Pasting on a fake smile, I grit my teeth and offer, “Uh. Hi.”
“Hey.” He stretches his hand out for me to shake like I wasn’t an absolute brat to him the last time we were together. “I didn’t have a chance to introduce myself last time.”
Liar. He had a chance. I simply refused to let him.
“I’m Macklin,” he continues. “Mack.”
I take his hand and shake it awkwardly. It’s worn and tan and calloused and warm and––
I clear my throat again, forcing myself to hold his gaze.
