He coughed out one sob, and it was as if a switch had flipped to open the floodgates.As he cried, he was flooded with memories of being told he couldn’t compete anymore, awkward interactions with his kickboxing friends, Haley calling off the relationship, and the most miserable days at the insurance office.It was as if it had all been waiting to be acknowledged and wasn’t going to be ignored again now that it had gotten his attention.Soon, there wasn’t a tear left to shed, but his body still wracked with sobs.He buried his face in the pillow so his neighbors wouldn’t hear him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“You okay, man?”Barryasked as Spencer arrived the next day.“You look like hell.”
“Rough night.”When he put it that way, it sounded like he’d spent the night out drinking.That sounded so irresponsible, and yet he didn’t know how else to sugarcoat the fact that he’d cried his eyes dry and sobbed to the point of dry heaving over his toilet.He’d crawled into bed and slid into oblivion shortly after that, but woken up still exhausted and with a monster of a headache that a cup of coffee and a fistful of Advil had yet to make a dent in.If anything, ibuprofen on an empty stomach was only making things worse.
Barry held up an infrared thermometer before Spencer could voice an objection.“No fever, but you still don’t look so hot.If you start to feel worse, go home.That’s an order,” he added in an evident throwback from his days in the military.
“I’m not sick, just tired.”Which was true but ridiculous, considering he’d had an early night.“And I have a new client waiting, so I’d better get going.”
The session started with the usual measurements, questions about goals and diet, and likes and dislikes for him to take into account when making the plan.It struck Spencer how much this was like being on a date, and he sternly reminded himself of what Barry had said about boundaries in the meeting.Then it was time to take to the floor.
About halfway through the treadmill test, “2 Be Loved” came on over the sound system.Spencer’s heart clenched at the memory of Misty singing along to it in her Allegro Café t-shirt.“Who put this song on?”he demanded.
His client looked incredulous at his apparent distaste.“Seriously?Who doesn’t like this?”
“Keep going, I’ll be right back.”He found Barry at the front desk and repeated his question.
“It’s on Emily’s playlist, and she’s more than earned the right to pick the music.But in a few days’ time, it’ll be your turn.”
“What?”Not the most original response, but it was the most unexpected answer to the question he could have gotten.
“Did you forget that choosing the gym’s music is a privilege for platinum trainers?After everything you’ve accomplished with your clients, you more than qualify.You’ve done well for months, and your bobsledder pushed you over the edge.”The older man smiled.“I’ll get the website updated to reflect this and let HR know.Congratulations on your promotion.”
He extended a hand, and Spencer shook it in the daze of a clearing headache.He’d been working for this for ages, and now his moment had come.He should have been euphoric at achieving his goal, but instead, he felt completely numb.
Maybe it would sink in as the day went on.He rushed back to his client, who was winding down the test, and finished the rest of the evaluation.It kept at least part of his mind engaged, but he still wasn’t totally present.He hadn’t felt like this since the worst days at the insurance office, and it made no sense because he couldn’t have asked for a more opposite environment.
He thought back on Kurt’s pep talk, but it didn’t do much to pump him up.Not when the last part—all the girls they met—had only led to Kurt getting suspended and Spencer getting thrown back to the worst days of his life.
Still, he had to admit that Misty had at least left him a better parting gift than Haley, who’d tried to give back the ring.Because he hadn’t wanted the reminder of the breakup, he’d insisted she keep it even though it had drained some of his winnings.Barry had specifically cited “your bobsledder” as a factor in his promotion.Misty had done nothing but good for him, and he’d let issues that had nothing to do with her get in the way of things.It shouldn’t have been possible to feel worse, but somehow, that thought managed it.
He couldn’t take another minute at work and knocked on Barry’s slightly ajar door to let him know.His supervisor looked up.“Everything okay?”
“You were right.Maybe I shouldn’t have come in today.I’m happy about the promotion—”
