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Her big concern was what would happen if they tried, and things didn’t work out. She wondered how Gareth and Aria had gotten past that. Though she’d had some doubts about the job initially, she was absolutely all in now. The idea of doing something to upset the atmosphere at the clinic to the point where she’d feel like she needed to leave was the worst possible thought.
So she would just enjoy being Jay’s friend. Unless he indicated he wanted something more.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Over the next week, Jay met up with Misha at the gym two more times. He’d actually been a little surprised—pleasantly so—that Misha had shown up after that first time.
He’d started her off easy, though apparently it had still been a bit of a challenge for her. The second time they’d met, he’d kept things the same as the first workout. The third time, he’d increased her time on the treadmill, and thankfully, she hadn’t died.
They were set to meet again that evening, and Jay was looking forward to it. She might have whined a bit, but she hadn’t appeared to be too serious with her complaints.
He was so glad that Misha’s arrival had not only filled a hole in the clinic, but also brought an air of calmness with her. She didn’t leave tension in her wake the way Nora had. In fact, it seemed people sought Misha out rather than try to avoid her like they had Nora.
“How’s it going, Jay?” one of the people already in the gym greeted him.
“Going good,” he replied. “How about with you?”
As they chatted, Jay kept an eye on the front door, waiting for Misha to show up. The workout he did when he was there with her wasn’t as intense as what he usually did, so he was still getting up early to work out before going to the clinic.
When Misha appeared a few minutes later, she waved as she went straight to the changing room. Jay ended his conversation and walked over to wait for her.
“Ready to get to work?” Jay asked when she exited the changing room a couple of minutes later.
“As much as I’ll ever be.” Misha smiled up at him. “Do you work out on the weekends?”
“Yep. I work out every day.”
“I admire you for sticking to a schedule like that,” Misha said. “But I also think maybe you’re a little crazy.”
Jay laughed. “Well, you’re not the only one.”
“But then I must be half-crazy since I’m working out like every other day.”
“I choose to look at it as being super smart.”
They continued to joke as they stretched on the mats. These workouts were definitely more lighthearted than any other ones he did. And he wasn’t mad about it. They were a nice break from the focused, intense sessions he started his day with or that he shared with the teens during basketball season.
“So, how long am I doing on this thing today?” Misha asked as they approached the treadmills.
“Let’s go for thirty-five minutes, and I’ll up the incline a notch.”
“Is that going to make me feel like I’m climbing a mountain?” Misha asked.
“Not a mountain,” Jay said. “More like a gentle hill.”
“Gentle hill…” Misha scoffed as she got onto the treadmill. “Somehow I doubt that.”
“You can do it. I have faith in you.”
“We shall see.”
Jay gradually increased the speed and incline until she was at where he wanted her, then he got on the treadmill next to hers. He started out at a steady, fast walk, then upped his speed to asteady jog. That pace was slower than he usually went, but he was just there to keep Misha company.
She was doing better at being able to continue to talk as she walked, even though he had increased the pace. Jay didn’t know if she was aware of the improvements she was already showing in her fitness.
About twenty minutes in, her conversation dwindled as her breathing increased. They finished their time on the treadmill, then wiped down the machines before going to finish the session off with stretching.
“I must be getting better,” Misha said as she sat on the mats once they were done.
