Page 78 of Almost Ours
Nina snorted. “Please. You’re just scared I’ll beat you. Again.”
He cocked his head. “Is this like that time at the lake when you swore you could hold your breath longer than me and nearly passed out trying to prove it?”
“You mean the time Ididhold it longer, and you faked a cramp because your ego couldn’t handle losing to a girl?”
“It’s on.”
“Oh, it issoon."
And somehow, just like that, I was looped in too.
“Alright, Harp,” Nina said, turning to me like I’d volunteered. “Let’s show these boys what we can do.”
“I–what?” I blinked. “I thought we were done!”
Ryan was already chuckling beside me. “C’mon, I’ll be your partner. We’ll suffer together.”
Before I could protest, Shane clapped his hands like a personal trainer straight from hell. “Alright, team: circuit time. Three rounds. No whining, no mercy.”
“Define mercy,” I muttered.
“Not relevant,” Shane said, already tossing medicine balls around like he was running boot camp.
The next thirty minutes was a blur of push-ups, burpees, weighted squats, and what Shane called “light cardio,” which was basically sprinting up and down the gym hallway while he barked encouragement like a drill sergeant.
By round two, I was pretty sure my soul had left my body. Nina was red-faced but still trash-talking. Ryan, the traitor, looked mildly out of breath and entirely too amused. And me?
I was dying.
Like actually dying.
I collapsed on the mat after our final plank hold, arms shaking, sweat dripping down my temples. “If I don’t make it,”I panted, “tell Connor I love him. And to never trust anyone named Shane.”
Shane leaned over, offering me a smug smile and a hand. “You did great, Harper. Real proud.”
I swatted at him weakly. “I hope you step on a LEGO.”
He just laughed, helping me up. “Can’t handle a little challenge?”
“Can’t handleyou,” I groaned.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he shot back.
Ryan handed me a water bottle, eyes sparkling. “To be fair, I think you crushed it.”
I squinted at him. “You’re a liar. But thank you.”
He grinned. “Anytime.”
And despite the jelly legs and oxygen-deprived brain, I found myself smiling too. Because somehow–despite the pain, despite Shane’s sadism–it had actually been kind of fun.
The plan wasto meet at the brunch cafe down the street after everyone had showered and changed, but apparently, Nina and Shane were running late.
Which left me alone with Ryan. Again.
He was already seated at a high-top table when I arrived, freshly showered, damp hair curling slightly at the ends, wearing a dark grey henley that diddangerousthings to my self-control. The sleeves hugged his biceps just enough to be distracting, and the way he leaned back casually in his seat, one arm draped over the backrest like he owned the place. Yeah. I was in trouble.
He looked up from his drink and grinned. “If it isn’t the woman who nearly dropped a dumbbell on her foot.”
