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Her whiskey eyes were all he was seeing in his dreams lately and he’d love to see them glow with warmth when she looked at him. He really wanted her to look at him with desire and delight but at this stage, he’d settle for warmth.
He parked up at The Bucket and headed straight inside. Although it was early in the morning there were already a coupleof locals warming the worn barstools. Taylor and Beau were chatting to each other, their faces so full of love it was kinda sickening.
“Oh my Lord!” Taylor gasped as she saw him, her hand shooting out to grab Beau as she fell into a very dramatic swoon. “Warn a girl before you walk around looking like that!”
Will glanced down seeing that he’d forgotten to put his shirt back on after working at the shelter this morning, a sheen of sweat still coating his chest. The temperature was in the low eighties and he was happy with the unseasonable warmth, anything to stave off the cool temperatures that pre-empted Christmas. He didn’t want a reminder of the approaching holiday season.
“You know I’m the reason he looks that good, right?” Beau grumbled, folding his arms over his wide chest and pouting. Taylor patted his arm in consolation.
Will laughed. “Speaking of, why are you never at work?”
“Heading there now, asshole. You gonna come and see what real work looks like?” Beau goaded.
Will laughed. “Yeah, sure. My morning just freed up and I’ve got a lot of energy to expend. I’ll grab my gym gear and I’ll meet you there.”
Beau’s Bodieswas located on the edge of town. Beau had built the gym from the ground up to help the local residents. Will loved the place, not just because he was proud of his best friend and former business partner but because there were so many different types of people coming here, looking for his help. Teenagers, yoga moms, older men and women using the pool and sauna for rehabilitation. No one was dicking around trying to impress anyone. No duck pouting photoshoots. No dude bros making women feel uncomfortable. It was just…nice.
Beau tossed some boxing gloves at him when he entered, and Will’s smile widened.
“My favorite, how did you guess?” Will didn’t know how people could jump on a treadmill for an hour, he got bored with that in seconds. Boxing was his jam. Physical, aggressive, hard work. He strapped his hands in and followed Beau over to the large punching bag.
“We’ll do a quick warmup before we go onto the bag,” Beau said, then proceeded to reel off combos for Will to try. Left hook, right uppercut, jab, jab, squat down, uppercut. They repeated these a few times, Will getting into the zone with the rhythmic slap of gloves on pads, leather on leather, before they progressed to the bag.
An hour later, dripping with sweat, Beau called time out. He grabbed two drinks from the mini fridge at the back of the gym. Will wiped his face and chest on a towel before taking one of the bottles from Beau.
“Uh-uh, this will make me gassy and bloated. I need still, not sparkling,” Will said.
Beau rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded likepreciousunder his breath but switched the bottles over. They sipped their drinks in silence, catching their breath before Will’s enthusiasm for the gym couldn’t be contained.
“This place is amazing, I’m so proud of you, man!”
“Thanks, that means a lot coming from you. I’m on the lookout for another physical therapist if you know any looking for a new, exciting location?”
Will mulled it over. His stepbrother’s fiancée, Ava used to do that, but Will had a feeling she had quit. Will didn’t spend a lot of time with his new stepfather and brother, he wasn’t a massive fan, but he liked Ava who seemed sweet.
“I’m not sure, let me think on it and see if I know anyone,” he replied.
“Cool. So what’s the plan, what are you doing here?”
Will didn’t really know how to answer that. “I’m just extending my vacation, that’s all.”
“Well, I’m glad. You never make time for yourself but how’s the show taken it?”
“As long as everybody’s getting paid, I think they take it quite well,” Will joked, but Beau wouldn’t be distracted.
“Anything you’re trying to run away from?”
My entire career and life?“Nope, just wanted a longer break.”
Beau frowned at him, he could always call Will on his shit, but this time he didn’t. “I like having you here, I’m not trying to chase you away. I’d love it if you stayed, but I just want to make sure you’re good. You can always talk to me, you know.”
Will’s phone rang and he looked at the caller ID. “Shit, I gotta take this. Thanks for the session. Drinks tomorrow night?”
“Sure thing.”
With a wave, Will was running out of the gym and getting into his car. “And how’s my favorite reporter today?” he asked when he answered the call.
“Wondering what the hell you’re doing!” Adrienne snapped.
