Page 35 of Say I'm Yours, Firecracker

I thought again about her reaction to me buying the house next door to Aaron and Bellamy. The hurt and anger in her voice when Aaron and I came to surprise her. It stung more than it should have.

“What does a pregnant girl wear to couples yoga anyway?” Ronnie all but screamed into her ceiling.

I laughed into my hand, because I sure as hell didn’t want her to sit and refuse to come. “Just wear something comfortable.”

“I’m pregnant, Finn. Nothing is comfortable.”

“I’ll massage your feet again if you just throw something on.” I wasn’t above the bribe, plus I loved touching her. Any excuse to do it, and I was there.

She poked her head around the screen she used for privacy and said, “Really?”

I chuckled, “Really, now get your ass in gear!”

Playful Ronnie was my favorite version. Her spunky attitude and verbal sparring were everything I didn’t know I needed. She wore black leggings that went over her bump and a bright orange top that hung off her shoulder slightly.

“What shoes do I wear?” She asked, her eyes roaming over her collection.

“Something you can take off easily.”

She bent down, shuffled through more shoes than one person needed and pulled out a pair of flip flops. Throwing them down on the floor she slid them over her feet and declared that she was ready to go.

The drive to the gym was quiet, except for Ronnie moving constantly in the passenger seat.

“Nervous?” I asked, slightly amused.

Her eyes slid my way, but she didn’t respond. I let it go, unwilling to push her too far. I parked the truck in my usual spot. They weren’t assigned, I just always tended to park in the same place.

We hopped out of the truck, and I led her through the front doors of my safe haven, Wadey Weights. It immediately felt like bricks being lifted off my shoulders. Plus having Ronnie here, it felt like coming home.

“Hi Finn!” Jenny said as I scanned my card in. “Gotta friend today?”

Jenny was the owner's daughter, so I’d known her for a while. Since she was a gangly thirteen year old who thought all her problems could be solved with boys. She was around twenty something now, with long dark hair that’s always in a ponytail.

“Yeah, this is Ronnie.” I said, gesturing to the woman of my dreams next to me.

“Oh! You’reher!” Jenny squealed and darted out from behind the counter. “I’ve been waiting forever to meet you!”

She got so close to Ronnie that I had to remind her of personal space. She mumbled something about big men and their women, but stepped back.

Ronnie, to her credit, just smiled at Jenny and said, “It’s nice to meet you Jenny.”

“You are so pretty, my God, Finn. I remember you telling me how pretty she was, but damn.” Jenny threw a hand over her shoulder and waved at her father, who was barreling toward us.

“Jenny, personal space!” Kip said.

“Ugh!” Jenny threw her hands up, and Ronnie laughed. “Finn’s already warned me, dad.”

“We don’t want to scare Finn’s girl off the second she walks in the door, bug.” He threw an arm over Jenny’s shoulders and pulled her back a few steps.

“Ronnie, this is Kip. The owner, and my personal trainer, although he won’t call himself that.”

She took his hand and said, “Nice to meet you.”

“Don’t let us keep you, Cal is already in the back room messing with the stereo.”

We said goodbye and promised Jenny we’d see her before we left for a shake. I took Ronnie’s hand as we walked to where the classes took place. Kip had remodeled a few years ago to add more class rooms, and now the gym boasted four rooms each complete with walled mirrors, and hardwood floors.

Cal was setting out mats in near perfect rows, her long silver hair braided in a single rope down her back, flowing with her movements.

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