She gave him a sad smile as he walked up. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I didn’t need to. He was apologizing for being a bad example to their kids earlier. He picked her up off her feet in a make up hug. There’d probably be waymore than a hug when they got home. Those two couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Yup. They were kissing now. He lifted her and her legs hooked around his waist, crossing behind him as he walked her through the gym, their mouths never breaking the kiss.
Good grief.
Lemon walked out and Silas was next. Goner than gone. When he got to her they gazed longingly into each other’s eyes. He kissed her and slid his hands down her butt, fingers fully spread and squeezed. She smiled against his mouth.
“Get a room!” I shouted.
Ford laughed next to me.
Silas winked at us as he walked her to the exit.
Peyton and Anna moseyed out next. Their eyes were bright as they laughed together.
Ford grunted. “That hot, sweaty woman in leggings?” He sucked his teeth. “Hell, yes.” Then he took off to badger Peyton some more. Peyton saw him coming, took one step for the exit, spotted the mass of paparazzi outside, did a one-eighty, and jogged for the Downward door. Ford jogged after her, growling. She shrieked and kicked into a sprint. She made it through the door just in time to slam it in his face. He jiggled the handle. Locked. Sucker. But then he reached up over the doorjamb, found the key, and unlocked the door. When he pushed it open, I heard Peyton shout a swear word that, had it been me, would’ve sent me back the way I’d come. Ford only cracked his neck from side to side, enjoying the challenge, and took off after her.
I shook my head and laughed. Poor woman.
Anna walked over wearing a sad smile similar to Christy’s but for very different reasons. It was the same smile she’d been giving me ever since The Tally Kiss. Dripping with pity. I hated it.
But I loved Anna. So I pulled her into a tight hug. “Saw that Blue rocked the forty this evening.”
“Yup.” She squeezed me back. “But I knew he would.”
I tipped my head toward the exit. “You ready to get out of here?” With Blue out of town at the NFL Scouting Combine, she and I were going to be buddies this week. We were lucky JRC and the vet school’s spring breaks had aligned.
But then one last woman came through the Downward door.
Tally.
I hadn’t known she was here.
My breath hitched at the sight of her. Her big brown eyes caught mine and she looked down, her cheeks pink.
Her person?
Maybe I had been once. Not anymore. She could barely look at me now.
“I hate that you’re not friends,” Anna said in a hush. “You should talk. Just…hash it out.”
“She doesn’t want to talk.”
“She does.” Her eyes turned down much like Tally’s. “Okay, she doesn’t—but I’m pretty sure it’s only because that kiss scared the crap out of her.”
Scared the crap out of her? That’s the reaction every guy is hoping for.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Or she was disgusted by it.”
“Nah.” She shook her head, a twinkle in her eye. “I don’t think so. And I know my friend.”
I grunted. If that was true, Tally wouldn’t be halfway across the room, pretending like she was suddenly interested in how the leg press machine worked.
Anna squeezed my arm. “Just talk to her.”
I kicked at a piece of lint on the floor, jamming myhands further into my hoodie pocket. “I’m not going to force her to talk to me, Anna.”
Anna’s head tilted, studying me. Then she pushed up on her toes and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “That’s why you’re going to get the girl in the end.” She jogged over to her friend.
Maybe I would getthegirlin the end. But I doubted it was Tally.
