Page 35 of Fall Apart

“I didn’t know that,” I say in a whisper. “I thought with your knees and not being able to ski, you’d be a little less flexible than this.” A half-hearted nervous laugh leaves my mouth as I gesture at him on the mat.

“I can still ski.” His voice is ice, clearly not amused.

The abruptness of his comment almost startles me.

“Oh, well then when did you stop skiing?”

He shifts uncomfortably and runs his hand back and forth over the smaller scar on his left knee. “After this one.” He stands and walks over to the window, looking out at the mountains in the distance. “Can we talk about literally anything else?”

He turns back to me, still sporting a scowl.

“Seriously, Clay. You should scowl less. You’re going to get wrinkles,” I joke, trying to change the topic and lighten the mood.

He continues to stand there like a statue, seemingly unamused. With the morning light coming in, his imposing silhouette is quite a sight.

“Actually, on second thought, you’re already too pretty. Maybe you can keep scowling.” I pinch my fingers together in front of my face. “Just a little.”

His lip twitches flashing a dimple on his cheek that’s quickly turning red.

“Clay Chapman,” I say with a playful tone.

“What?” He looks concerned, like I’ve caught him doing something he’s not supposed to.

“You’re trying not to laugh, aren’t you?”

He groans and strides back across the floor, settling down on the ground in front of me. “You’re something else, Lizzy.”

Again, there’s something about that phrase,something else, that sticks with me and hits me in my heart.

Not too much.

Not tone it down.

I’m so used to hearing that I’mnot enoughortoo much, that I should be anything other than my authentic self. So hearing justsomething elsefeels good, like he sees me for who I am.

“So… are we friends now or what?”

He shakes his head before reaching a hand out across the mat to me. “Friends.”

I reach out and grab his hand, shaking it once. The feeling of his skin against mine sends a snap of electricity and heat through me, remembering the feeling of his touch at Roxy’s. My voice trembles. “Yeah, friends.” I quickly pull my hand away with a sheepish laugh.

“So, yoga then?” I ask, patting the mat between us.

He cocks his head. “I started doing it after my first ACL tear.” He pats his right knee. “I also tore my meniscus and MCL and it was such a mess. Yoga became part of my rehab and stretching routine. I kept up with it. I do a little before my morning runs and a little afterwards or before bed.”

I find myself thinking that the world is missing out on the sight of Clay Chapman doing morning yoga after a hot and sweaty run.

Lucky me.

No, Lizzy. No.

He’s your best friend’s soon-to-be-brother-in-law.

He’s your temporary roommate and the one fixing your family’s condo.

He’syourfriend.

Albeit, an insanely hot one with a dangerously irresistible dark and brooding side. But still a genuine friend, which I can never have enough of.

---