Page 93 of A Better Place

CHAPTER NINETEEN

James

I’ve been at the gym for about a half hour and came in the hopes that I would get a chance to catch up with Tate. As soon as I left Carly’s, even though it was close to midnight, I called him. Shockingly, though maybe not so much, it sounded like he expected my call. He answered with “Yo, man. What’s the plan?”

I know he’s a good guy now. After that split moment of stupidity resulting in my initial dislike of the man simply because he was around Carly, that is.

So, we got Will on a three-way call and formulated a plan. One I hoped we would never have to put into place but feared we would, all the same. One that I relayed to Carly, and we’ll discuss with Jack.

Problem with coming in today? It’s Tate’s day off. And because I don’t really keep tabs on him, I had no idea until I got here.

Rather than leave, I stay and decide to get my workout in. In all honesty, it’s a lot more fun when Jack is here with me, but I’m a grown-ass man and can do shit alone.

Just as I’m about to tape up my hands to start on the bags, the phone in my gym shorts sounds. The ringtone for “You’re Beautiful” pulls a smile to my face, knowing who’s on the other end.

“Hey, beautiful,” I answer when I have the phone to my ear.

“Hey there.” I love that she still has a bit of shyness around me. Because when she finally gives herself over? When those walls she’s built around herself so securely do finally crumble to the ground? It’s going to be marvelous. Ground-shaking. Earth-shattering.

“Hey there? That’s all you got?” I tease her because I absolutely can’t help myself. I can picture her pulling her bottom lip between her teeth and a slight blush creeping up her neck. Gorgeous.

“What do you prefer I call you?”

“I seem to remember Hotty McHot…”

She groans. “Don’t finish that statement, mister. I’m never living that one down, am I?”

“Never.” I promise her, and I mean it. Because I’ll never let her go. “I have a few other ideas, you know. Even though that one is pretty accurate.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Captain is always a winner. Like Captain, my Captain,” I continue, and she groans again. “Stud, Sexy, Dashing, Dreamy… Want me to keep going?”

“Uh, no. You’ve given me plenty of options to think about.”

“Glad I could be of help.” My smile is so wide that my cheeks actually start hurting. I look toward the door as it swings open, bringing in a gust of cold wind with it. A guy walks in I’ve never seen before, looking like he’s on a mission. I nod my chin up at him, but he just sets hard eyes on me as he looks around the gym with a scowl on his face. I bunch my eyebrows together, wondering what his problem is. People don’t usually enter the gym looking pissed, but this guy doesn’t seem capable of any other facial expression.

I watch as he goes into the locker room, and I refocus my attention back onto my girl.

“James?”

“Huh?”

“Where’d you go?”

“Oh. Sorry, baby. I just… I don’t know. I’m at Tate’s. Some guy came in looking pissed off.”

“I’m sorry,” she replies oddly.

“Why you sorry, beautiful?”

I can just picture her shrugging her shoulders when she doesn’t respond.

“Anyway, to what do I owe the pleasure of hearing your sweet voice?”

She giggles.

So damn cute.

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