by Elicia Hyder
“Crap.”
The torture began with sidestep jumping jacks and a hateful exercise called gate swings. Medusa rattled on about the importance of groin stretching and thigh strengthening until I wanted to throw my water bottle at her head. Then we did a series of yoga moves infused with cardio, body resistance, and self-loathing.
And that was just the warm-up.
Then we had to run—not just laps around the track or even the room. Oh no. We had to run laps that included the stairs on both the front and the back of the room. Up the stairs, across the bleachers, down the stairs, across the room, up the bleachers, and so on until hot, angry beads of sweat (and possibly blood) drizzled into my eyeballs obscuring the stairs beneath my tired feet. I tripped three times.
We finished the hour with burpees, wall sits, and a planking contest where the winner could sit out the rest of practice. Medusa won, of course, and “lucky for us” the workout continued!
When she blew the final whistle, I collapsed where I stood in a puddle of my own perspiration on the floor. I was so tired, I couldn’t even whine. Poor Zoey was hacking up a lung, hunched over the trashcan, Olivia was spread eagle beside me, and I didn’t even care where Grace and Monica had ended up.
“I see lights,” Olivia said, panting. “I think it’s death and the tunnel to the other side.”
“I won’t”—hehn-hehn—“argue”—hehn—“if you”—hehn—“want to go,” I struggled to say.
Her hand flopped over onto mine. “You’ve been a good friend, Lucy. Don’t ever forget me.”
It was a solid three minutes before I had the ability to sit up. It would be another ten before I could walk to get my bag. Styx came over to talk to Olivia. Even she was red faced and sweaty.
“Is this what it’s going to be like around here from now on?” I asked, pulling my shirt off over my head because the air conditioning on the wet fabric was giving me goose bumps.
Styx nodded. “Probably for a while.” She reached over and slapped my leg. “This is good for you though. You were worried about passing your endurance test. Now you’re sure to kill it at tryouts.”
I jammed my finger into my chest. “If it doesn’t kill me first.” I looked at Olivia. “You ready to go home?”
They exchanged a quick glance. “I’ve got some errands to run after practice. I’ll meet you at home,” she said.
I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have a car here.”
“I can give you a ride,” Styx offered. “I have some errands to run myself.”
My face broke into a knowing smile, but Olivia snapped her finger over her lips. “Not one word,” she whispered.
I zipped my lips closed and pushed myself up. “Well, I’ll see you later then.”
When I got back to my apartment, I didn’t bother to lug my bag inside. I grabbed my damp shirt and dirty pair of socks out of it and trudged up the stairs. A pair of legs were sticking out from my door. I smiled. “I told you to call first,” I said as I approached.
When I rounded the alcove, I stumbled back. It wasn’t Ethan. It was West—and his Minion. “Kevin missed you and Stuart,” he said, waving its arm at me. “I told him we’d come visit.”
I smiled, and his eyes fell to my bare stomach. I was still in my sports bra and Under Armor capris. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting company when I got here,” I said.
“It sounded like you were expecting someone. Do you come home to find men at your door often?” he asked, standing up and brushing off his backside.
I laughed. “Yes. I thought you were my brother.”
He took a step toward me, dangling the Minion by the hand at his side. “I’m definitely not your brother.”
I looked up into his handsome face and noticed tan lines where his sunglasses usually rested. “No, you’re certainly not.” He bent to kiss me, but I stopped him with my hand on his firm chest. “West, I just came from the hardest workout of my life. I’m nasty.”
His arms went around me anyway. “I don’t care.” And then we were kissing again in the breezeway.
I finally pulled back to catch my breath. “Let’s go inside. All I can think about is what I must smell like. I need to take a shower.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is that an invitation?”
“No,” I said firmly. “Come on.”
We went into my apartment, and I put my keys on the hook by the door. “You can hang out in the living room or my room. I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“Your room?” he asked with a playful grin.
“Sure. But don’t get any ideas,” I said as he followed me into my bedroom. “You’re no longer allowed to start stuff with me that you’re too gentlemanly to finish.”
He jabbed both thumbs at his chest. “I should win an award for the restraint I showed last night. You think it was hard for you? Ha!”
When I went into the bathroom, he was looking at the photos on my dresser. I peeked back through the door. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“I’m going to snoop through your stuff. Cool?” he asked, holding up a framed picture.
“Whatever floats your boat, West Adler.”
Before getting in the shower I sent a quick text to Olivia. Don’t bring Styx back here. I have company. ;-)
She responded while I waited for the water to warm. Don’t worry. Styx is helping me with the new specials for the restaurant this month. What do you think about a parmesan chicken couscous dish called Becouscous I Said So???
I laughed. I think you’re an idiot.
Olivia: Then I’ll consider that a win.
Despite my tired and aching muscles, I exhibited superhuman speed in the shower, washing and deep conditioning my hair as well as shaving my legs in record time. I dressed quickly in my walk-in closet and dabbed on a tiny bit of makeup while I blow dried my hair.
When I walked back into my bedroom, West was lying on my bed with Kevin and Stuart propped against the pillows next to him. He looked at his watch. “That was impressive. Eleven minutes.”
“You were timing me?” I asked.
He sat up on the edge of the bed. “Yep. You can tell a lot about a girl by how much time she spends in the bathroom.”
“I’m sure that’s true.” I walked over and stopped at his knees. “What do you want to do?”
He rested his forehead against my stomach. “Such an unfair question.”
I raked my nails through his hair. “OK, what else do you want to do?”
His eyes sparkled as he looked up at me. “I was hoping we could grab something to eat and maybe catch a movie. Have you ever been to Franklin?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“You’d remember it if you had. I think you’ll like it.”
I looked down at my outfit. “Is this OK to wear?”
He smiled. “You look amazing.”
I leaned down and kissed him.
He stopped just as his fingers tangled in my still-damp hair and drew in a labored breath. “I’m a strong and determined man, but this is pushing it.”
I offered my hand. “Come on. Let’s vacate the danger zone.”
Downtown Franklin was a vibrant blend of the past and the present, small-town Americana meets modern affluence. Modern shops and restaurants with old soul vibes converged with historic buildings and war monuments. The idyllic heart of the city could have been ripped straight from a Dickens novel or a Norman Rockwell painting. As I stepped out of the truck, a horse-drawn carriage rolled by, and I briefly wished it was snowing.
West took my hand. “You hungry?”
“Starving.”
“I know the perfect place.”
We crossed the street and walked to a building marked “Gray’s” with a massive, vintage neon sign. “It used to be a pharmacy,” West said. “But they’ve rehabbed it into one of the best bars and restaurants in town.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Did you rehab it?”
He laughed and put his hand on the small of my back as he steer
ed me through the door. “I didn’t build everything in the state of Tennessee.”
“Just checking,” I said, flashing a smile over my shoulder.
It was too bad he hadn’t been the one to renovate the building. It would have gained him a few more cool points, not that he needed any. The dining room was informal and rustic, with antique mirrors of all shapes and sizes hanging on the unfinished walls. We were seated at a booth near the bar. “This place is really cool,” I said, still looking around with wonder.
“There are two floors above this one.” He pointed to the ornately tiled ceiling with his menu. “It’s got a pretty cool bar with a stage for live music up top.”
I smiled at him. “You were right. I like it here.”
“Wait till you try the shrimp and grits.”
West was right—the shrimp and grits was amazing—but I only knew because I tasted his. I had to order the Sweet Tea Chicken and Waffles as soon as I read the description. Whipped honey butter and bourbon maple syrup? Yes, please.
When I finally put my fork down, after licking every drop of buttery goodness from the tines, I pointed at my plate. “That may be the best meal I’ve ever had in my life.”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, then dropped it in his bowl. “Yeah?”
I reclined back in my chair to accommodate the food baby I’d grown since sitting down. “Absolutely. It was so good, I feel I have no other choice than to let you accompany me to Jake’s party.”
“Is that an official invitation?” he asked, leaning on his elbows.
“Yes. West Adler, will you be my date next weekend?”
He sucked a sharp breath through clenched teeth. “I don’t know. I’ll have to check my social calendar. It is pretty booked—”
I kicked the side of his boot under the table.
“Of course, I’ll go.” He rolled his eyes and tossed his hands up dramatically. “Gah! It took you long enough to ask me!”
I sat forward on the edge of my seat. “Then I guess that makes us even.”
He clapped his hands slowly. “Well played.”
The waiter brought our check, which he quickly snapped up.
“On that note. Do you still want to see a movie?” he asked, pulled a few crisp bills out of his wallet.
“Sure. I wonder if the new Ghostbusters is still playing. I love Melissa McCarthy.”
“Me too, but it’s not that kind of theater.” He stood and offered me his hand.
I was confused. “How many kinds of movie theaters are there?”
West waved to the bartender as we walked out the door. “You’ll see.”
We walked a few blocks to the Franklin Theatre. I looked up at the marquee. “The Sandlot? We’re seeing the little kids’ baseball movie?”
Planting his feet on the sidewalk, he turned to me. “Lucy, it’s the greatest movie of our generation.”
I blinked. “Maybe your generation, but certainly not mine.”
He gripped his chest as he stumbled to the back of the ticket line. “You’re killing me, Smalls! How old are you, for real?”
I sighed. “I’m twenty-eight. Why? How old are you?”
He groaned. “Thirty-two.”
My eyes narrowed. “No, you’re not. You’re thirty-three.”
His mouth dropped open. “No. I’m thirty-two. But you cyberstalked me!”
Shit.
“The Music City Herald misprinted my age in their article.” He threw his head back and laughed. Hard. “You’re so busted.”
“Of course I looked you up online. Some of us grew up in the Information Age, you know? You probably grew up on encyclopedias and phone books.”
He leaned toward my face. “Hey, I had an AOL account.”
I covered my mouth and snickered.
We moved forward a few feet in line. “So what’s the greatest movie of your generation, youngling?” Then he pointed at me. “And if you dare say The Notebook, I may have to end this relationship right here.”
I bit my lower lip as I considered it. “The first one that comes to mind is The Dark Knight, because…Heath Ledger.”
He nodded and rubbed his chin. “Yep. Yep. Good choice.”
“But I think I’d have to go with The Departed.”
His hands fell to his sides. “Oh man. I think I just fell in love with you.”
I laced my fingers together and hugged them to my chest. “That scene where Leonardo DiCaprio kisses Vera Farmiga for the first time in her kitchen up on the counter…” I let out a singsong sigh.
West’s head fell quizzically to the side and he squinted. “Not exactly the reason I was thinking, but still a good movie.”
It was our turn at the ticket window. “Are we really doing this?”
“Have you even seen The Sandlot?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Oh yes. We’re doing this.” West smiled at the clerk. “Two, please.”
*
On Sunday, I posted Jake’s first video clip announcing Saturday’s party to his Facebook page. Within an hour, it had over five thousand views. By the time I reached the office Monday, the number had jumped to fifty thousand. When Audrey came into my office just after twelve, I was reading through the endless comments.
Immediately, “Bleeding Heart” by Sugar Creek played in my head, triggering an uncontrollable grin. I would never be able to look at my hardass boss the same way again.
“Good morning, Audrey.”
“Did you see the video traffic?” She sat across from me and crossed her legs. “What can we do to get it to a hundred thousand?”
“Wait,” I suggested. “I’m sure it will get there on its own. Or I can set up an ad campaign to get more traffic if you want to spend money.”
“Yes, do that. When is the next video going live?”
“Thursday.”
“Excellent. Push some campaign funds toward that one as well.” She stood and knocked her knuckles against my desk. “I want to set some records with the video on Saturday.”
“Yes, ma’am. There’s also a scheduled reminder that will go out Saturday morning to everyone on his email list, and the social-media team has posts and tweets scheduled throughout the day as well.”
“Very good,” she said.
She turned to leave, but my hand shot forward. “Audrey?”
Her brow lifted.
“Jake had mentioned wanting to play a song for the live video on Saturday. I’ve been testing out the sound quality for an acoustic versus electric performance, and if he can play the song acoustically, it will sound a lot better on the live feed.”
Her lips pressed together as she thought it over. “But there isn’t an acoustic version of the title song.”
I picked up his new CD that was laying on my desk. “No, but track number four is acoustic. I thought maybe he could play it instead.”
She tapped a finger against her mouth. “But ‘Never Be Mine’ is a love song, not a party song.”
I smiled. “It’s a great love song. Something to think about.”
She nodded. “I will. I’ll talk to the label about it. Thank you, Lily.”
Sigh.
When she was gone, my office phone beeped. Claire’s voice came over the speaker. “Lucy, can you come to the front office, please?”
Odd. “Sure. Be there in just a second.”
On my way to the front, I passed Peter’s door and heard hushed voices through the crack. Suddenly someone shouted. “Lucy!” It was Ava.
I looked in Peter’s office. “Hey, guys.”
Ava quietly clapped her hands. “Good job on the video. Jake called a few minutes ago. Even he’s impressed.”
“We all are,” Peter added.
My body felt like it might float off the floor. “Thank you.”
When I reached the front office, a familiar scent greeted my nose, but I couldn’t place it. “Hey, Claire. What’s up?”
She pushed a white plastic bag toward me. “Get this out of my office befor
e I gain five pounds just from the smell.”
“What?” I pulled the bag open and peered inside. It was a food container from Gray’s on Main in Franklin. I popped the lid open. Sweet Tea Chicken and Waffles. There was a card tucked in the corner of the bag.
I’ll be thinking of you licking your fork. Have a great day, Lucy. –West
*
I feel like celebrating, I texted West on Friday morning.
Between Jake’s two promo videos that week, he’d gotten a half a million views. Audrey was practically dancing through the hallways, and I was the glorious heroine. She still didn’t know my name, but she was singing Lily’s praises nonetheless.
I’m guessing the video yesterday went well? West texted back.
Me: Very well. My hard work last night paid off. 341K views. 12K reactions. 1,712 comments. 2,113 shares. Move over, Jake Barrett. I’m the superstar at the office today.
West: I’m proud of you, babe. Celebrations are already in order. I’ve made plans for us tonight if you’re free.
Me: I’m all yours.
West. :) I love it when you say that.
We hadn’t seen each other except for a quick lunch on Tuesday. I’d worked late every night that I didn’t have practice, and the night before, I hadn’t gotten home until after ten. I was exhausted, but god, I missed him.
Me: What did you have in mind?
West: 6PM tonight. 321 Honey Oak Trail, Brentwood.
My teeth sank into my lower lip. That street had the ring of a residential address. Is this a fancy place? Should I dress up?
West: Definitely not fancy, but bring Stuart. Kevin’s lonely.
I squealed and stamped my feet with excitement under my desk.
“Mr. Adler strikes again, I see.” Ava walked into my office with a knowing smile.
I put my phone down. “Do you have some sort of radar that detects when I’m about to make a total idiot out of myself in my office so you can come watch?”
She laughed and sat down across from me. “I wish. If I had that kind of technology, I’d use it to avoid my sister. What’s he done to put that smile on your face this time? More Bogart?”
“I’m going to his house for the first time ever tonight.”