“Okay.”He drew in a breath.“First off, do you think this was based on proximity, or would you have wanted me if we’d met somewhere, anywhere else?My boss says it’s easy to think a deep connection’s being formed at times like these, but I noticed you before we officially signed.”
Misty felt a flutter in her chest.“I remember being glad that I got a good-looking trainer, but wasn’t sure I even liked you at first, what with the demands on my exercise and diet.Then, when I got to know you better, I developed a little crush on you that only grew with time.”
Spencer’s cheeks pinkened.“I kept telling myself I couldn’t act on any feelings while we were working together, and my boss confirmed it with a meeting about how we’re not supposed to fraternize with clients.But once our sessions were over and your video was in, I was freed up to do more with you and so happy to be.”
“Because you wanted to get to know me better, or because you wanted to get in my pants?”She felt a highly inconvenient stirring at that.
“Both.The more we hooked up, the more I wanted to do it again.But I also missed hanging out and talking with you.If we could do all those things...”
Misty’s heart thudded.“That sounds a lot like a relationship.”
“Call it what you like, but I want it with you if you’ll have me.If you give me another chance, I’ll never do anything like that again.I’ll talk to my therapist about how not to because I obviously don’t know how, and I want to do better.I want tobebetter for you.”
It was one of the loftiest promises she’d ever heard, and she felt a little skeptical.“Did you go into therapy for yourself or because you think it’ll get me back?”
“For myself,” he answered without hesitation.“It’s not easy to go into this stuff, but it drives home how awful it’s been to live with all this unprocessed shit.I need to work it out and learn how to do better with everyone going forward.If you decide you want me as a result, all the better.”
“Canwe even do this?You said you were worried about getting in trouble at work, and I don’t want that for you, not when you just got this promotion.”
“I’ve been through the employee handbook, but I haven’t found anything that applies to our situation, and we didn’t go over any of that in the meeting.Like I said, there’s a clearly spelled out anti-fraternization policy for clients and trainers—”
“Which we abided by,” she pointed out.
“...but it doesn’t say anything about trainers dating gym members they aren’t working one-on-one with.I’ll have to ask someone about this.”
“You’ll have to be careful.”She was sure they’d see right through any “asking for a friend” framing he put on it.
“Even if they give me shit about it...”He shrugged.“I was scared of losing that job at first, but now I realize there are a million other gyms and opportunities for trainers in New York, but only one of you.And you’re the one I want to hold onto the most.”
Misty was too touched to speak and didn’t even go with words at first.A noise between a laugh, sob, and shriek of aggravation erupted out of her.“You have the world’s worst timing.Two days ago, the team officials asked me if I had a boyfriend or anyone who would distract me too much if I made the team, and I said no.”
“And you still don’t have anyone who would hold you back.Whether you want to be on a historic bobsled team, get your MFA, have a gallery show, or whatever, I want to see you do it and cheer you on.What kind of selfish asshole would I be if I didn’t?”
All at once, a moment from movie night came back to her.“Someone at the combine said real love’s about supporting your partner, wanting the best for them, even if it’s not convenient for you.She was talking about her useless husband, but—”
The sight of Spencer’s raised hand brought Misty’s words to a halt as surely as if she’d pulled the bobsled brakes.“Then let that be my roundabout way of telling you I love you.”
“And I love you.”Misty’s heart overflowed with love given and received.“It’s things like that that’ll make me miss you for the rest of this combine and if I make the team.”
A wobble had snuck into her voice, but Spencer answered her firmly.“Whenyou make the team.”
“Didn’t you tell me that after dinner?”
“And look where you are now.”She couldn’t argue with that and hoped his faith in her would carry over to the team.
He was still talking.“I came so close to renting a car and driving up to beg your forgiveness in person, but I couldn’t risk sabotaging your chances.I want this for you as much as you want it.”
“And yet I almost wish you had.”She allowed herself a small fantasy of him showing up at her door, getting to hold his hand, smack his arm, or touch him however she wanted as they talked through everything, and then curling up around each other in the hotel bed.“How long would that have taken?”
“Google Maps says more than six hours because of upstate snow.But hey, maybe that would’ve given me time to work out exactly what to say.”
“I don’t know, you did pretty w—” A giant yawn cut off her response.
She was mortified, but Spencer laughed it off.“I shouldn’t keep you up much later.Get some rest, and we’ll talk again soon.”
“Maybe we should put our next call on the calendar to keep me straight.I’ve been such a flake about keeping in touch, and I’m sorry about that.”
“What I’ve seen your competitors post online looks more demanding than anything I’ve ever done, so I don’t blame you for being tired.Besides, we’re both going to be busy.You work on making the team, I’ll work on sorting my shit out, we’ll catch up when we can, and then we’ll see each other again.”
