West leaned against the weight rack. “You need to take a profiling class or something.”
“My profiling senses are already telling me that could be the guy. I don’t need to speak to him to get a better idea.”
To my horror—but not to my surprise—West ignored me and called out, “Hey man, nice set.”
Two benches over, Paul put his bar back on the rack, his entire body beet red from the effort.
“Thanks,” he grunted.
“Stop,” I whispered. What was it with people and being so eager to confront suspects? First Hazel and her old boss, and now this? I mean, I knew it was technically my fault we were running into Paul in the first place, but I at least had the instinct to lay low. Sometimes I wished my online friends were here in real life, because I could guarantee both of them would be a hell of a lot subtler.
West continued to ignore me and smiled at Paul. “What was that, like three hundred?”
“Three fifteen,” Paul said, still barely acknowledging us before putting his headphones back in.
“Friendly guy,” West whispered before taking my spot on the bench.
“Was that necessary?” I asked, shooting daggers at my friend.
West laid down and gripped the bar. “I think you can take him.”
“His biceps are the size of my head,” I said, unenthused.
West smiled up at me. “You’ve got at least half a foot on him. And you’re no slouch. We just need to work on your confrontation skills.”
“Everyone around me is confrontational enough,” I muttered, spotting him as he lifted the bar off the bench.
My eyes kept wandering back to Paul. Another guy had joined him. Shorter, slightly less meaty. Caleb, maybe? I recognized him from an old, blurry picture with Hazel and Paul. Man, I could not picture her hanging out with these guys. What had Hazel seen in him? She’d really dated him for years? Lived with him? I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. Hazel was all warmth and chaos, bubbly, eccentric, impossible to ignore. And this guy? He gave off the vibe of a damp dishrag. Okay, maybe that was harsh. But come on. There was no way this guy could hold an actual conversation, right?
The more I thought about them together, the worse that small knot of jealousy in my chest became. My knuckles went white around the bar as I stepped in to help West rack the weight, letting the strain ground me.
As much as I didn’t want West to be right, he was. Therewasn’tnothing between Hazel and me. In fact, there was most definitely something. At least on my end. Was that inappropriate? I was letting her stay in my house to avoid some creep, and here I was developing a crush on her. But I couldn’t lie to myself. She had been taking up a lot of space in my mind lately, and it wasn’t because of the cat case. It was because of her. She was unlike anyone I’d ever met. On paper, I shouldn’t be able to stand her. She represented everything I thought I didn’t like. Messy, unorganized, flighty, unpredictable, financially irresponsible.
And yet…
There she was.
The girl who was stronger than she appeared.
The girl I’d stayed up with multiple nights in a row, quoting cheesy movies.
The girl I wanted to protect and shelter, to rescue from the shitty position she was currently in.
The girl I was excited to get back home to.
FIFTEEN
Hazel
“You sure youdon’t want to crash at my place?” Jackson asked.
I had to tear my gaze away from the picture Reid had texted me. The fact that he was at the gym with my exright nowmade my skin physically crawl. Would he say something to Paul? Would Paul say something to him? I mean, either scenario seemed highly unlikely. Paul had no idea who Reid was, and Reid wasn’t the type to engage in small talk with a suspect. Still. I didn’t like it.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m okay.” I bit my thumbnail, waiting for Reid to text me back.
My last client of the day hadn’t arrived yet. The Greek salad I had picked up from the diner next door sat forgotten on my lap.
“But it sounds fun,” Jackson pouted, organizing his heat styling tools. “I’ve always wanted a roommate.”
