Bring it.
He grabs a starter tire, then explains the safety and fitness protocols while making sure that the ones who can’t or shouldn’t flip still have some fun with the assisted pull-ups, which Nick manages. The interested ones take turns settling into a wide crouch, using proper holds, lifting with their legs, and flipping theshitout of the tires. It is amazing the hoots and hollers that go up after each mom flips a tire for the first time, and the energy in the gym hits a high buzz.
Finally, one of the more athletic moms, a very good-looking, very butch lesbian, goes up to one of the bigger tires. Thane walks her through the motions, and while she strains a bit at the edges, darn if she doesn’t get that thing flipped. The look in her eyes is both incredulous and super proud, and she lets out a warrior yell that everyone in the gym echoes. It’s amazing and emotional, and I have to take a quick second to wipe a tear from my cheek. Nick is overseeing the other exercises, arms still wrapped across his chest, but he’s got that half-smile going and seems to be enjoying himself. At the end of the class, he comes over to me and pats me on the shoulder.
“Okay, I have to admit. That was more successful than I’d anticipated. Definitely instating Moms’ Night Out as a regular thing,” he says, turning to Thane. “That is, if you’re interested in helping out.”
“Works for me,” Thane says, a smile forming across his mouth.
An unfamiliar sense of pride fills my chest, and my lips tip up in a huge grin. Biting my inner lip, I look up and find Nick looking at me. He up-chins me and smiles back.Goddamn, that man is dangerous to my heart.
Chapter Fourteen
Nick
I was able to get Elijah’s promotion to assistant manager approved and funded by Scout and Jean-Pierre fairly quickly, and was kind of looking forward to giving him the good news. Moms’ Night Out was a certified hit. And actually, it was kind of fun to be the hot cardio instructor and let Thane be the hot strength trainer. It was also fun to see moms come in with their children, often a little beat down by the day and all of their responsibilities. Then, about ten to fifteen minutes into the workout, I could see the stress leave their body. Afterward, when they got busy flipping tires and dragging around large heavy chains, encouraging each other and clapping for each other, their entire demeanor changed. It’s honestly the most fun I’ve had at the gym this whole time. To think that every single one of those women have served or are serving, and I think about the numbers, and how many of those women likely had been harmed by somebody in the military, it makes me proud to hopefully help them undo some of the damage.
I also just realized that if Elijah had heard me say the word “fun” so many times about something business related, he’d never let me live it down. I’m guessing he’d be pretty proud of himself for having that kind of influence on me. It occurs to me that he’s made me a better business owner, a fact that hits me right in the chest.
Evie typed up the official letter promoting Elijah to assistant manager, then put it on pretty paper and folded it into a fancy envelope, demanding that I “make a thing of it” when I tell him that he’s been promoted.
“Hey, Roly! Where is Elijah?” I hold up the envelope, and he nods, knowing exactly what’s in there.
“Pretty sure he’s in the locker room, getting ready to leave. You should be able to catch him.”
I jog across the space to the locker rooms, going in the men’s door, looking for my new favorite employee. And yes, I’m happy to give him the promotion because he’s absolutely earned it, but I really want to see the joy on his face. I know he’s been struggling financially, and this should get him in a good place. I round the corner to the locker area, and he’s facing away from me, but I can tell by the way he’s holding his body and the fact that his head is in his hands that something’s not right.
“Elijah?” I approach him slowly and try to use a softer voice. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
It is such astupidthing to ask. He’s clearly not okay, and I wish I knew how to help him. He seems to wipe off his face, as though he’s wiping away tears, and doesn’t turn around to face me.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I mean, I will be.” His voice is ragged, hesitant, and it’s obvious he’s been crying for a while now. He’s such a positive person that it’s hard to hear him reckon with sadness.
I walk quietly over to him, the envelope in one hand. I reach out to him and grab his shoulder, and a shudder goes through his body. Elijah sniffs loudly and then slumps even further, his shoulders now shaking.
Damn.
I sit down next to him and put an arm around him. He turns slightly toward me and starts crying even harder.
I can’t stand it.
Without any concern for how it looks, I pull him to me, hugging him. His sobs absolutely devastate me, and I desperately want to pull him onto my lap and comfort him, but the thought of hugging his body to mine stokes my arousal. I’ve never wanted both things at the same time before, and I don’t know why my body is being such a horndog asshole.Fuck.
Eventually, his sobs calm down into gently hiccupping sighs, and he leans farther into my embrace.He’s your employee, he’s in pain, keep it professional.
“Thank you,” he says quietly, wiping his tears away.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m sure you don’t want to hear my stupid sob story.”
“Well, I heard your sobs, might as well hear the story.” I’m trying to reach that balance between encouraging him to talk, because I know it’ll make him feel better, and being a nudge.
He kind of laughs to himself quietly and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Gathering himself, he circles back around to my initial question. “Today is the first anniversary of my aunt’s death. She took me in when I was fourteen, so she was like the mother I always needed. I just miss her so much, and this has been such a shitty year. This job is literally the only bright spot I’ve had all year long.”
Ouch. That hurts my heart, thinking of him crying for his dead aunt. I squeeze him in a little tighter to my side and kiss the top of his head. If he thinks it’s weird, he doesn’t say.
We sit there for a few moments, and I’m trying to figure out the best way to transition to something more positive. I’m a little sheepish when I broach the subject. “So, I was actually trying to find you so that I could give you some good news.”
