He had no interest in holding my hand, and at the slowest pace, I could catch him if he fell back.
I guessed I’d found the distraction he needed. He was easily amused, legit laughing at a moving rubber band.
No need for a paternity test, even though he was a carbon copy of Ryan.
I glanced over at Natalie as she gathered her things.
“I, um…I’m gonna go home,” she said, back to avoiding eye contact.
Fuck. I’d crossed a line.
Goddammit. When was I gonna get it through my skull that she wasn’t interested?
“See you on Monday?”
I nodded. “Have a good weekend. I’ll text you.”
“Okay, cool.” She mustered a small smile before she took off.
I blew out a breath and felt like a dumbass.
“Faster!” Ryder demanded.
I frowned at my phone.
We were finally going to try boxing together today, and she was canceling because she was sick? Which happened. But I’d just seen a photo of her on Gray’s stepsister’s Instagram. She and Isla had been out shopping until a couple of hours ago.
Fuck it.
I was done with the tiptoeing. We’d had some strange tension between us for weeks now, and it had become worse since I’d put my foot in my mouth the day Ryder had been here.
I wanted to address it plainly. I had to talk to her. If she didn’t show up at the gym in the next couple of days, I was going to reach out for more than a quick how’s-it-going as her PT.
Someone knocked on the door to my office, and I told whoever to enter while I responded to Natalie.
It was Laurie and Shyla.
“Hey, boss.” Laurie smiled. “You up for happy hour later? We’re heading over to The Corner when we get off.”
I tore my attention from the phone. Happy hour, The Corner, right, and today was Friday. Uh. “Nah, I’m good. You kids have fun.” I dropped my gaze again and finished my text to Natalie, and the door clicked shut.
I fired off a text to Lias as well. We had plans tomorrow, and it was best to give him a few reminders before I showed up on his rotting doorstep.
With that out of the way, I got back to work. I spent the next hour doing paperwork since Natalie wasn’t gonna be here, and then I had private online sessions and two classes.
By the time six o’clock rolled around, my stomach with tightening with hunger, and I was ready for a lonely night on the couch with comfort food and my split personality.
Changes were fucking rough on the mind.
I changed out of my gym clothes and into what had become my comeback style. Granted, I didn’t always go with flannel. I liked fitted pullovers and regular button-downs too, but I was so over the prim and proper fashion.
“Looking good, Kenny,” I said on my way out.
He was another fighter. He’d lost everything in a divorce, mainly himself, and now he was building himself up again.
“Thanks, man.” He smiled, sweaty, and went over to the elliptical. “Have a good weekend.”
“You too.” I smiled back.
