I thrust my hands toward him, indicating I wanted him to remove the bandages, all the while glowering at him because he never gave me a heads-up that he was bringing in another sports therapist. Or maybe he did, and I tuned him out. None of the people he’d hired were a good fit, which was why they’d all left. Was it mostly because of my attitude toward them? I wouldn’t say no.
“Call her and tell her you changed your mind.”
“I’m not going to do that. We need her.Youneed her.”
“I don’t need her, and I don’t approve.”
“Jac—”
“If you don’t fire her, I will, and I won’t be nice about it.”
The sound of my own breathing filled my ears, loud and ragged. The weight of my words hung between us, the threat of consequences adding to the charged atmosphere.
“Are you ever?”
“I don’t get a good vibe from her.”
“You never get a good vibe from any of the therapists I’ve brought in. You always find something wrong with them.”
Instead of debating, I simply said, “She’s not going to be working on me, Lance. It’s a no.” Once he unraveled the last piece of bandage, the material floated to the ground at my feet. I removed my shorts and flipped on the shower, adjusting the temperature before stepping in.
“Why do you always have to be so damn difficult?” he asked.
“It’s who I am,” I answered. “You know I’m not going to change.”
“Every once in a while, it’d be nice if you’d compromise on some things.”
“Never gonna happen.” I dipped my head under the spray of the shower, stealing a few precious seconds of muffled silence. I willed my mind to go blank, but images of a certain woman popped in. Was it because we were arguing about her, or had she infiltrated for another reason?
I never chased women, having no need for them other than sex. And fortunately for me, there were plenty who willingly lined up for a one-and-done deal with me. But for some reason, the way Sophie had looked at me the other day both intrigued and unsettled me, and it had nothing to do with our little misunderstanding.
When I reemerged, Lance was in full tirade about my stubbornness. Same old song and dance. He wanted me to do something, and I refused… and he gave me shit about it.
“You’re only hurting yourself in the end,” he spouted, glaring at me when I looked in his direction.
“You’re being dramatic.” I spat out a mouthful of water. “Trevor will continue to stretch me and work out the knots in my muscles.”
“He’s not qualified to keep doing this. You need a professional.”
“Then he’ll get certified. I’ll pay for it.” Perhaps the snarky smile I threw his way wasn’t the best move. When he told me, “Go fuck yourself,” and stormed out of the locker room, I couldn’t stop the satisfied grin from spreading across my face.
5
Leaving the four boxes I’d brought with me in the trunk of my car, I exited my vehicle and strode toward the main entrance to the gym. The faint smell of freshly cut grass wafted through the air as I approached. I believed a side stairwell would lead me to the apartments upstairs, but first, I needed to find Lance so he could show me around.
The conversation with my dad and sister had gone better than expected. They were happy for me to gain a bit of my independence back, but they were also sad to see me go. I reassured them I was only going to be a short fifteen-minute ride away and that they could stop by whenever they wanted. My only requirement was that they give me a heads-up because I had no idea what my schedule was going to look like, at least in the beginning. Lance mentioned that Jackson stuck to a strict routine most of the time, but things could change, and I had to be willing to adapt if they did.
“Sophie. I wasn’t expecting you until six.” Lance walked toward me, the smile on his face genuine but seemingly a bit forced.
“I can come back if it isn’t a good time.” I glanced at the clock on the far wall, not realizing I’d arrived over an hour early.
“Don’t be silly,” he said, his smile wavering ever so slightly as he motioned for me to follow. The sounds of clanking weights and muffled conversations filled the space as we treaded across the room. He handed me a key. “This is for the apartment you’ll be staying in. I’m not sure if I mentioned it the other day, but it comes furnished with a queen-sized bed, a small kitchen table with two chairs, and a sofa as well, which has some mileage on it but is still in good shape. The bed is made up, but you might want to consider either washing the sheets and blanket or replacing them with your own.”
“I brought some stuff with me, so I’m fine.”
He led me through the room where I’d encountered a naked Jackson only two days prior and out a back door to the side of the building where a steep wooden staircase was located. Climbing the steps, I trailed my fingers along the weathered wood of the railing, careful not to get a splinter. At the top was a narrow landing with two doors positioned side by side, separated only by a few feet. When he initially told me Jackson occupied the other apartment, I didn’t realize he’d be so close.
Stepping over the threshold, I brushed past him to take in what would be my new home for the foreseeable future. I was greeted by a cozy and inviting space. The warm hues on the walls and the soft lighting created a soothing atmosphere, easing some of my growing anxiety.
