I pin him with a ‘get real’look but press on. “Then, at the gym—both at St. Mary’s and your place—you made me feel strong, capable, and beautiful. You’ve given me confidence I didn’t realize I could have. I seriously don’t know what I did to deserve this—deserve you.”
Adam’s hand squeezes mine gently, reassuringly. “You didn’t have to do anything to deserve this, Carlie. It’s not about deserving. It’s about two people finding each other at the right time. It’s about connection, growth, and maybe a little bit of destiny thrown in.” He winks at me.
I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by his words, by the sincerity in his eyes. “There’s that destiny thing again, huh? I used to think that was just a convenient plot device in romance novels. Now, I’m not so sure. But if this were a book, we’d be at the climactic final chapters, where the heroine realizes her own strength.”
Adam chuckles, squeezing my hand gently. “And the hero realizes he’s head over heels for the heroine?”
“Obviously,” I say, rolling my eyes playfully.
Adam grins broadly, the sunlight reflecting in his eyes. “And what about the heroine? Is she smitten?”
“Oh, she’s totally head over heels, too,” I admit, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. “But there’s something else she needs to do before she can fully embrace this new chapter.”
Adam’s expression turns curious. “What’s that?”
I hesitate, gathering my thoughts. “She needs to confront her past. Face the demons that have haunted her, so she can truly move forward with the man of her dreams.”
He narrows his eyes as I pause, feeling a sudden seriousness settle over me.
The truth is, I’ve been feeling like a character in someone else’s story for too long. I’ve been pushed around and made to feelless-than.
No more.
Not from Michael. Not from Instagram.
And definitely not from Jillian.
Her narrative—the one where I’m the clumsy, hopeless sidekick ends now.
That’s not who I am.
Not anymore.
Hell, maybe I never have been.
I look at Adam, my resolve strengthening. “I need to confront Jillian myself. It’s like I’m standing at the edge of my own plot twist, and it’s time I take control of the storyline.”
Adam’s expression is a mix of admiration and concern. “Are you sure about this? It’s not going to be easy. She’s a master at twisting things.”
I nod, determination coursing through me. “I know. But it’s necessary or she’ll just keep trying to break us up. I’ve let her, and others like her, define me and dictate what I get to have. But not anymore. This is me, Carlie, author of her own life, about to rewrite a wrong. It’s kind of empowering, actually.”
Adam wraps an arm around me, pulling me close. “Then I’m with you. Plot twists and all.”
CHAPTER33
Adam
This seems to be a new trend.
Confronting Jillian.
Driving to St. Mary’s gym, I steal glances at Carlie sitting beside me. She’s quiet, her gaze fixed on the passing cars. I can almost hear the jumble of thoughts in her head as the past and present collide and we approach our destination.
I think about the stories she’s shared with me—the stark contrast between her sessions with me and those with Jillian. She once described Jillian as a ‘militaristic drill sergeant.’ That’s a far cry from the approach I’ve always tried to take with her.
Hell, with everyone.
A part of me still can’t even fathom what was going through Jillian’s head when she acted that way. Sure, she’d always been more focused on appearance, but truthfully, that made her a good trainer. She could spot the places on a client that could be improved.
