At some point during the night, Kelsey decided she missed Elliott and drunk dialed him, begging him to join us. Only, Elliott wasn’t totally into the whole mojitos and girl talk thing, so Kelsey had just ended up bailing. I didn’t last much longer.
“Are you joining me at the gym this morning?” Ren asked, sipping his coffee with an air of innocence.
“You would have had better luck waiting until eleven to ask me that question,” I replied, giving him a stony look over my mug.
“I’ve got to visit Nan before I head home,” Renly said.
I winced, feeling bad for momentarily forgetting the real reason for my best friend’s visit. “All right,” I sighed, pausing to drain half my mug. “Let me get ready.”
* * *
I couldn’t afforda gym membership, which was fine by me. I had no use for one, as I only really went when Renly dragged me. I preferred marathon reading to running, and the sprinting I was into involved my laptop and a glass of wine.
In high school, Ren had been just as rigorous with his fitness goals. He’d been a little chubby throughout middle school, and he later made it his mission to get fit. He’d maintained his fitness-loving lifestyle in college and beyond, while I’d let my membership expire and was content to not haul ass to the gym every morning. Today, though, I’d make an exception, because that was what friends did.
We ended up driving to Cobourg to go to the gym chain Renly had a membership at. He signed me in as a guest, and we split up to use the locker rooms before meeting at the treadmills.
“You’ve got an evil soul, Ren,” I sighed, pressing buttons on the treadmill to get it moving. I planned on going my own pace—blessedly slow. There was no way I’d be able to keep up with him—he spent an hour every single morning working out—but at least I was supportive.
I watched him increase the speed and incline on his treadmill, and I waited patiently for him to warm up. All it took for me to spill my guts was good pizza and a few mojitos, but Ren was more likely to talk while he worked out. It was as if he had to keep his body busy to discuss the inner workings of his mind.
His quirk always struck me as a little peculiar, but everyone was different. Kelsey was tight-lipped about her deeper feelings and emotions, but she’d sing like a canary when she was behind the wheel.
While I waited, I speed-walked, taking frequent sips of water to combat my dehydration. Hitting the gym this early on a regular day felt like torture to me but hitting the gym this early after a night of mojito drinking wasbrutal.
Ren didn’t seem bothered in the slightest; he was full-on jogging and hadn’t broken a sweat. Meanwhile, I’d started sweating the moment I walked up to the treadmill.
Nevertheless, I would endure, because judging by the heaviness in Ren’s gaze, something was eating my friend.
“You know, you think you know someone, and they do something so out in left field that you’re wondering what the fuck?” Ren randomly blurted, the corner of his lips pulled down in a frown.
“Care to fill me in?” I huffed, already out of breath from my limited efforts. Maybe I should consider reinstating my membership—I was completely out of shape, and I didn’t think I could blame last night’s mojitos for it. Perhaps the eight months of shitty food and minimal activity were the cause.
Renly sighed heavily. “Just drama with Brian,” he replied, increasing the speed on his treadmill again. Not to be outdone, I turned mine up by two notches.
“What did he do?”
Brian was Renly’s boyfriend, and the reason he stayed in Oakville, landing his fantastic job.
“He keeps dropping theMbomb.” Ren turned his head to look at me, his brown eyes wide and a little fearful.
“So? What’s wrong with marriage?”
“Everything’s wrong with it,” he retorted, shaking his head. “The whole institution is flawed. Not to mention, I don’t want things to change. When we got together, Brian was on the same page as me—marriage and kids weren’t even a thought in his pretty little head. Now, he can’t stop talking about weddingsandbabies.”
He shivered as if Brian longed for a murder spree not a domesticated life with him.
“Oh, gee, how terrible. You’ve got someone who wants to spend the rest of their life with you and raise children. How horrendous,” I responded dryly, arching my brow to show him I was only teasing.
“I don’t want kids.” Ren frowned. “And I don’t need a piece of paper to prove I’m in love with someone.”
“But if Brian does?” I pointed out gently, sending him a beseeching gaze. “And if you reallyareunmovable on both those things, you should talk to him. He deserves to know.”
“Ugh, I know. You’re totally right. I just…I don’t know what to say to him.”
“The truth.” I shrugged. My thoughts unwillingly went to Erik. I’d planned our entire life together before I even realized he didn’t want any of the same things I did—or at least, he didn’t want them with me. That had been quite the punch to the heart and the pride.
In hindsight, I was beginning to realize he had done me a favour, but it didn’t make the prospect of starting over with someone new any less intimidating.
