Page 8 of Until We're More
“Nope. Even without you high-key threatening guys who talk to me, I still haven’t managed to find a boyfriend.” George jumped up onto my lap, and I shoved his face away from my food and distracted him with a chin scratch. “Except George, of course. But I’m working on it,” I added, and couldn’t help doing some fishing of my own. “What about you?”
“No girl, and not working on it. I don’t have time.”
“That’s just sad.”
“That’s my life. For a long time, the gym was circling the bankruptcy drain, and while we’re back in the black again, it’s going to take a while to stabilize and get it back to its former glory. We need a few more big wins, like Finn’s next fight, as well as mine…” His eyes clouded over and he muttered, “That’d be really good for the gym, and winning a title might prevent Dad giving himself an ulcer over how to keep his legacy going and the money flowing, as if the tumor scare wasn’t bad enough.”
Before I could add that I was glad it’d only been a scare and that the surgery to remove it had been successful, Liam was back in the present and saying, “Add in my training, and all the other people I’m in charge of training, and thelastthing I have time for is a relationship.”
Well, on the bright side, he didn’t have a girlfriend I’d need to feel bad about automatically disliking. And on the extra-bright side, that should help me think of him only as my BFF who happened to be smoking hot.
Downside, when he clicked on the TV and wrapped his hand around my ankle, it sent a live-wire reaction through me, the zap waking up every cell in my body and making it impossible to think only platonic thoughts.
Yep, crashing with him while I was here was my best worst idea ever.
Chapter Four
Liam
Since Chelsea and I had two whole days before she’d have to start work at her temporary new office, something I could tell she was nervous about, I decided now would be a good time to attempt taking a couple days off from the gym. I went for an early run on the beach so I could fit in my cardio, and by the time I returned to the apartment, Chelsea was lounging on the couch, her cat sprawled across her torso. She cooed compliments at him, and he ate up every second. So far he’d given me a wide berth, and I returned the favor. I was more of a dog person, or I thought I’d be if I had time for pets. As it was, I didn’t think it was fair to bring home an animal I couldn’t take care of.
“Just remember, this is for your own good.” Chelsea curled her hand around the back of the cat’s neck and stuck something in its mouth. He fought for a second, whipping his head back and forth before a resigned expression crossed his whiskered face.
Chelsea glanced at me, and mywhat the fuck is she doing?thoughts must’ve shown because she said, “George has gingivitis, so I have to brush his teeth. He hated it at first, but now he deals with it. Mostly because I spring for the tuna toothpaste he likes.”
She jerked her chin toward the tube on the coffee table, which looked pretty damn close to the kind I bought at the grocery store.
Note to self: read the toothpaste labels carefully from now on.
I grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and sat in the gaming chair I used when I miraculously had time to play. “I made a few calls this morning and got things covered at the gym, so we’ve got the whole weekend.” The idea made me twitchy, my pessimistic side insisting the place would fall apart without my barking orders, but Finn assured me he could take care of everything. Better yet, Brooklyn promised to spend a few extra hours there keeping everyone in line. I’d be behind when I went in again, but what else was new? “What do you want to do?”
Chelsea released her grip on George, and he darted away, choosing the entertainment center for coverage. “Ooh, remember that awesome used bookstore downtown? I’ve missed that place.” She tapped a finger to her lips. “No, you won’t want to do that. I can go another time.”
Considering the amount of books she’d pulled out of her suitcase, she wasn’t in danger of running out of stories while she was here, but I was a sucker when it came to keeping Chelsea happy. “I’ll go with you. It’s been a long time since I was dragged to a bookstore.”
“The last time I dragged you, I assume?”
“Yep.”
She grinned, seemingly proud of how easily she could get her way with me. Like I said, total sucker. Not to mention I felt likesomeoneshould care about her happiness, and unlike her family, I did. “Then afterward we can grab food and go to a movie. Non–book related. Shoot ’em up, blow ’em up, whatever.” She leaned toward me conspiratorially and lowered her voice. “Don’t tell anyone, but I sorta missed action movies.”
“You could watch them without me, you know.”
Her jaw dropped. “You hush your mouth. Then who would I annoy by pointing out plot holes? Who would I rant to about the helpless girls who never wear bras or clothes conducive to all the running they inevitably end up doing?”
“You just described the perfect movie.”
She tilted her head, doing her best to shoot me a dirty look, but she could never hold them, something I often teased her about. Sure enough, her smile broke through.
I hated to do anything that would dampen the mood, but in order to find a way to keep her from being stressed about her job during our day together, I needed to know why she acted so anxious anytime it was mentioned. “But maybe before we get to that, you can tell me what’s got you so nervous about your job.”
Damn it, there went the smile. If I thought leaving it alone would help her, I wouldn’t have brought it up. But if there was a chance I could fix it, I had to try. “Come on, Chels. I can read you, so I know there’s more going on than you’re letting on.”
“Guess this is the downside to staying with someone who actually pays attention to me.”
That stung on two levels, even as I told myself I would be the guy who pushed her if I needed to be. At least pushing people beyond what they thought were their limits was something I was qualified for.
“I…” She sat up and picked at a nonexistent thread on the arm of the couch. “At my last employee review, when I asked what I needed to do to start advancing, they told me I have to learn how to be more assertive. I thought I’d grown so much in that department, but it’s not enough. I practically had to beg them to let me be on the team to open this branch, and I need to prove I can be a boss so they don’t settle me into a permanent minion position.”
