AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Boxing,” Aith said.
“Boxing?” Drew repeated.
Aithan dropped his gym bag on the landing. “Yeah. I’ve been thinking about how to motivate you.”
Drew wasn’t excited about working out. He did it, but it was boring. And tiring. And painful. All things he preferred to avoid, especially on a daily basis. Oh, he liked running enough ’cause he could think while he ran, but the rest of the fitness world he could take or leave. Mostly leave.
Aithan continued, “You hate working out because you’re not motivated by weight loss or health goals.Butyou do like to learn.” He tapped Drew’s forehead. “You need a mental challenge more than a physical one. So I figure we’ll try boxing.”
Drew eyed him. “Does that mean you beating me to a pulp? Because I’m very motivated to avoid that.”
Aithan laughed. “No. It means you do the hitting while I hold pads and take the hits.”
“Ah.” Drew grinned. “I can do that.” Actually, sparring sounded interesting. “Knowing how toreallyfight, not street fight like a rabid possum, will come in handy for writing.”
“True. You’re built like a fighter. I think you’ll enjoy it and be pretty skilled. Or, at least, dogged in the ring.”
Drew bared his teeth. “I’m a pit bull, brother. You’re more like a boerbull.”
“A what?” Aithan’s brow furrowed.
Drew pulled up a picture on his phone. “It’s a massive South African dog bred to fight off big predators, like lions. They’re really calm unless you piss ’em off. Jules and Emerson have one.” He showed Aithan. “Atticus.”
Aithan considered the muscular dog and snorted. “Actually, that’s pretty fitting.”
“Right?”
Aith dropped into the wing chair opposite Drew, stretched out his legs, and crossed his ankles. The dude was a fucking giant with the kind of face Hollywood and magazine editors loved. But he was too self-effacing to succeed in the acting or modeling worlds; he had too many regrets riding his back. Besides, he enjoyed helping people, which was probably why he hadn’t given up on Drew. The guy was determined to engage him in some kind of physical activity that didn’t include Zel wearing nothing.
“There’s something else I’ve been meaning to discuss with you,” Aithan said, pulling Drew’s thoughts away from their decidedly pleasurable detour.
He grunted and closed his laptop. Aithan wasn’t a Chatty Cathy, so when he started a conversation, especially that way, Drew listened. “Okay. What’s up, little brother?”
“Marriage.”
“Is this a proposal?” Drew rested his hand over his heart. “Wow, it’s so unexpected. I had no idea you felt that way about me.”
Aithan’s gaze slid over to him. A wry smile twisted his lips. “Sorry to disappoint you, Sweetie, but I mean you and Zel.”
Drew shook his head. “I thought we covered this? I’m not gonna ask her to choose.”
“Neither am I.” He sat up straighter, feet planted on the floor, hands on the chair arms. “All that mess with her sister and Tristan has her tied up in knots. You heard her Saturday. She’s judging herself unfairly, again, because she didn’t figure it out a year ago. Forget that she couldn’t have without all the facts. She’s decided she failed, and I’m worried that she’s making herself sick over it.”
Drew frowned. He’d had similar thoughts that morning when they all went running and Zelda pushed herself to go an extra mile. She was also spending long hours recording and editing, sometimes up to nine hours without a break. She was driving herself too hard. Sure, he worked crazy hours and went without sleep to avoid his own memories, but he didn’t have an underlying health condition to worry about.
Aithan was teaching her yoga and helping her build strength, which Drew hoped would ease some of her agitation. But he worried it was too little too late. “That whole marriage thing is a long-term solution,” he said. “Let’s tackle the short-term problem today.”
“Which is what?” Zel asked as she came up from the first floor.
Fuck.She was getting to be as sneaky as him. Drew couldn’t read her expression. Which was unusual. Normally, Zel was an open book. Had she overheard their whole conversation? He exchanged glances with Aithan, who stood and drew her into the living room.
“We’re worried about you, beautiful.”
“Why?” The edge in her voice could eviscerate a man’s ego.
“Because you’re getting manic,” Drew replied. He never fucked around with the truth and Zel.
But, oh my, her expression wasfrigid. “I’m just wrapping things up before the holiday break. A few extra hours in the office doesn’t equal ‘Zel’s going nuts’.”
