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They stood for a moment, facing one another, tension radiating off them both. Who was this guy? Were they former lovers? And why were they looking at one another like that?
Odds were they were going to kiss or claw each other’s eyes out. Either way, I was invested. I couldn’t look away.
Adele was tall and gorgeous, with the kind of body seen on female Olympians. Lean and strong and muscular. And she certainly wasn’t afraid to show it. She was rocking tight leggings and a crop top today.
Mr. Viking McManBun took a long look at her ass as he walked away. Not that I could blame him. That woman clearly did a lot of squats.
I needed to befriend her. Not only for the workout tips, but also because I wanted to know what the hell was going on there.
Shit. Was I already becoming a small-town gossip? Had Lovewell converted me already?
When Viking Man headed to the treadmills, Adele’s posture relaxed. Given that she was technically my employer and possessed a ton of vital information—not to mention the serious girl crush I was nursing—I decided to buddy up to her the best way I knew how. Compliments and weights.
After I’d wiped down my mat and returned it to the bin, I deserted my useless meatheads and headed over, walking slowly and casually so as not to seem too eager. In case she was anything like her brother, I decided to ease into things slowly. If she was skittish, laying it on too thick would only make things harder.
“Good to see you. Do you think you could spot me?” I asked, gesturing to the bench I had loaded with weight.
She nodded and headed over.
“I’m impressed,” she said, helping me hoist up the bar so it was parallel with my chest. “But I suppose you were a cop. Gotta stay in shape, huh?”
I finished my set, racked the weight, and shook out my hands as I sat up. “Yes. I started for that reason. As a woman in law enforcement, you can never be too strong. But now it’s more about my mental health. Feeling good and powerful.”
“Amen, sister.” She gave me a genuine smile. “I come here every morning. A good lift—especially a good deadlift—makes the rest of the day that much better.”
Looked like we’d already established common ground. “Good for you. You probably need the serotonin boost having to deal with your brothers all day.”
She laughed, adjusting her ponytail. “Yes. They drive me insane. Thankfully, Henri knows that it’s best to leave me alone.”
“And Paz?”
“Has not learned that lesson. Too much of a control freak.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“Tell me he at least got you some furniture. The empty house is eerie.”
I felt protective of my fake boyfriend and roommate. Yes, the place was sparse, but he made sure I had everything I needed. “Yes. He’s been a wonderful host, actually.”
“Good. Anything you need, let me know. We’re really grateful to have your help.” Her eyes swam with a thick mix of pain and fear and guilt. It was another reminder of how high the stakes were.
“I could really use your help,” I explained. “I need to understand how the brakes work, see them, maybe talk to the manufacturer.”
She nodded. “No problem. I’ll block off a full day to go over it all.”
“Thank you. I know it’s difficult.”
She held up a hand. “It’s not. I’ll do anything to help. I’ll take apart an entire brake system and rebuild it for you if it helps. No doubt you’ll be easier to teach than my numbskull brothers.”
I gave her a nod. Paz was right. Adele was carrying the weight of far too much responsibility and grief. I had to solve this.
We ran through our workouts near one another, chatting between sets. Adele was a hugeSchitt’s Creekfan, and we spent more of our rest time dropping our favorite lines than doing anything else. She also gave me the scoop on a local nail salon and how to get Bernice to supply milk for my coffee. At first sight, she had a hard edge, but it hadn’t taken long to work my way through it.
“Do you know those guys?” I asked, jutting my chin in the direction of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in the corner.
She shook her head. “Not sure. For the most part, this place attracts people who want to keep to themselves. But they could be from Heartsborough. It’s a few miles down the road.”
“I overheard them mention a place called Ape Hanger?”
