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Chapter 6
Alec
“No better time than the present!” Oakley says, walking to the counter and snatching up two sizes of towels.
“We’re starting now?”
“I think we should. I have very little time to win this bet and get your good reference.” She knocks her head back and takes a swig of her water bottle like she’s prepping to enter war.
“I never agreed to agoodreference, Oakley,” I tease. She rewards me with a withering glance.
The smell of the gym is like a gnat buzzing around my ear. It’s a scent I used to like, but it’s become a Pavlovian dog situation. The scent of steel, the grease between the gears, the rubber of the padded flooring all scream at my body to start to freak out.
Don’t you remember the agony of this before?
It was one thing to be casually working out here, on my own. It’s entirely another to be in a trainer/trainee situation again.
I know I need this. But I don’t want it. Which is why I came up with the bet scenario. Call it my rebellious colors showing through. I might as well try to get something out of it, right?
Part of me is looking forward to our dinner before she leaves to go back to San Antonio—because I will win this bet. Except, I’m frustrated I invited her to The Summit. It’s the most high-end restaurant that Marshall County has ever had. A romantic dinner wasn’t my first choice. But I don’t have a drivers’ license right now, a fact I’d rather not have to tell her. So my options of where to go are limited.
Oakley sets the towels aside and adjusts the strap of her tank top as she stares at my knee. “We’re going to begin slow and easy, okay?”
We start one of the therapeutic exercises where she has me balance on one foot, and Oakley clicks her tongue. “Where’s your gnarly brace I’m sure the hospital gave you?”
“At home,” I counter, with more defensiveness than I’d wanted. I haven’t seen it in months, but it’s there somewhere.
“I think you should wear it every day, especially since there’s some new swelling now.” She goes down on her knees and gently manipulates the joint. Her fingers are cool on my skin. “See? Definitely new swelling.”
I wince and she frowns again. “Sorry. But your range of motion is really low.”
I hate how clear it is that I haven’t been doing the stretches and exercises that the PTs for the Wolves told me to do. And I hate the reminders of all the work I did to heal before I got the news that I’d never get clearance to play again, that my career was over.
But part of me loves watching her work. She knows her stuff. And I have to admit that even though her stretches are gentle on account of my dumb injury yesterday, it feels good that I’m actually taking care of myself.
That doesn’t stop me from griping and complaining at the pain she’s putting me through.
After a half hour, a couple comes in and Oakley stands and moves away, like she’s just now remembering where we are. That we’re not in some training room for an NFL team. That I’m just a broke down, former player.
“You can be done for today,” she tells me, her eyes locked on mine. “There’s still some swelling from yesterday’s strain, so go home, ice it. Use your brace. And meet me here tomorrow morning at nine?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I tell her. I don’t want to be here. But I’m a red-blooded male, and I’ll enjoy being around this beautiful woman as she bosses me around.
She tells me she’s going to do some stretching, so I’m leaving the room as Sebastian comes in. He’s in a dark suit and with his height and his eyes, he’s intimidating. I sense Oakley tightening up. My oldest brother is a magnet for the ladies, he always has been. Which is good because if she’s interested in him, I won’t have to worry about losing my head around her.
His gaze flicks to the couple and to Oakley before he brandishes his phone at me. “You told me those burns on your arms were nothing.” He lowers his voice. “You should have told me you went flying off that treadmill like a bat out of Hell.” Sebastian’s brows menace over the rest of his face.
I watch the scene unfold on his phone like it’s a car accident and I’m a rubbernecking fool. He’s backed it up to when Oakley and I were at a dead run. At the risk of death, we weren’t going to stop. It’s not like I was trying to beat her. I don’t know exactly what I was trying to do. I did cheat death, and my stomach turns as I watch on the video my hand accidentally grabbing the emergency stop cord. So that’s what happened. I watch as the belt slams to a stop and my body zips back so quickly I fall, scraping my forearms against the moving belt. Oakley immediately jumps off her treadmill and rushes to my aid.
“You could have killed yourself.” Sebastian’s speech is clipped.
“I’m fine,” I lie. I’m not fine. But maybe Oakley can help with that.
“Just…be more careful next time,” he says. His eyes flick to an approaching Oakley.
“I’m Oakley Edwards.” She reaches to shake his hand.
He shoots me a glare before responding.
