Carl dances back on the balls of his feet, giving me some extra space to catch my breath.

This is the fifth time.

I drop my hands to my sides, frustrated beyond belief, and turn away from him, heading for my bag.

“Cate—”

“I’m done, Carl,” I call over my shoulder. “I’m done for today. Thanks for the session.”

“Don’t be pissed at me,” he says, stepping beside me and stripping off his own gloves and headgear.

“I’m not.”

“You are, but I don’t know why.”

My jaw clenched and painful, I zip my bag and throw the strap over my shoulder, ready to shove my way past him to leave. “I don’t need to be coddled, okay?”

Carl looks incredulous. “Coddled?”

“I saw what you were doing out there, and I don’t need it. I’m perfectly fine.”

“Are you serious? You were hospitalized for exhaustion, Cate. I don’t even think you should be working out.”

“What’s your problem?” I shout, locking my eyes on his. “If you don’t think I should be working out, cancel my sessions. Here. I’ll do it. We’re done, Carl.”

Carl puts both hands on his face and takes a deep breath before he speaks again. “Cate, I don’t know how to say this in a way that will get through to you, but I’m worried as hell about you. You have this look in your eyes that…it’s scary, Cate. I haven’t canceled our sessions because, to be totally honest, I’m afraid that if you work out by yourself you might take it too far, and…” He can’t finish. “It could be a bad situation.”

All the fight goes out of me, and it hits me what a royally bitchy person I’ve become.

This isn’t like me.

Before the last year of my life, I lived for kindness, for fun, for laughter. For friends.

Now I’m an overtired shrew who yells at everyone who tries to be nice to her.

My shoulders droop under my shame. I owe another person an apology. They’re starting to stack up.

“I’m really sorry, Carl.” My voice comes out not much louder than a whisper. “I’ve been—” There’s a lump in my throat, and I swallow hard so I can speak again. “Things haven’t been easy.”

“I can see that,” Carl says gently, patting me on the shoulder. “Listen, it’s okay. I’m telling you, friend to friend…” His eyes are serious, sincere. “Back off. Maybe not totally, but something has to give.”

His words echo my own thoughts, and when he says it out loud, it’s a lot harder for me to brush it off.

“I know.”

“Nobody’s going to think you don’t care about the job. Think about it, okay?”

“I will.”

Carl walks me to the car and closes the door behind me. I roll down the window before Mark pulls away. “You’ll think about it?”

I nod, my throat tight.

How many more people have to warn you?

With a couple of taps on the roof of the car, Carl sends me on the way to my apartment.

I drop my head into my hands.

I’m already exhausted.

It’s 6:30 a.m.

* * *

For the first time in months I take a lunch break. Basiqué has a great cafeteria, and I buy the adult equivalent of a bag lunch and take it outside to a bench in front of the building. I’m biting into an almond butter-and-jelly sandwich on artisan bread when my cell phone buzzes. It’s Bee. We haven’t talked in a few days, and she wants to video chat.

Why the hell not?

I put down the sandwich and hold the phone up in front of my face, then press connect.

Bee’s face comes into view. She’s wearing a big smile and laughing at something I can’t see—but then she sees my image and the smile fades. “Cate? Are you all right?”

If Bee thinks I look like shit, then it’s game over.

My witty excuse dies on my tongue. “No. Not really, Bee.”

“What’s wrong?”

I tell her everything. Meeting Jax, the incredible attraction between us…going to the hospital, staying at his place.

“You were in the hospital and you didn’t call?”

“I didn’t want you to worry. It wasn’t—it didn’t seem like that big of a deal.”

“It’s a big deal, Cate!”

“I know. I know.”

“Is there something else?”

“Jax and I got into a fight last night.”

“Over what?”

“He wants me to take time off work.”

Bee shakes her head. “He’s right.”

“How can you be on his side?”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m looking at you right now. You shouldn’t be at work. Have you seen your own face recently?”

“I do my makeup every day, don’t I?”

“Right. So how are you so blind to this?”

“I know it’s a problem, okay? I—I can’t stop, Bee. If I stop, everything comes crumbling down.”

“Are you hearing yourself? It’s not that extreme, Cate. It’s not. Listen to your boyfriend. He’s rich, not stupid.”

A burst of anger gets the better of me. “Every single person is on his side with this, and it’s making me furious.”

Bee bursts out laughing. “Cate! Take a minute and think about what you said. Everyone is on his side because he’s right.”

“I don’t want him to be right.” My voice is small, and I hate it.

“Them’s the breaks.” A little voice calls to Bee from offscreen. “I gotta go, Cate. Forgive me for being on his side? Even if it’s because I love you?”

“I forgive you.”

She blows me a kiss and disconnects the call, and someone sits down next to me on the bench.

It’s Jax.

“Your sister?” he says carefully.

“Yeah,” I say. “Bee.”

A long moment goes by.

I hate being in the wrong, but I hate not touching him more.

After a long moment, I slide over and rest my head on his shoulder.

“I haven’t been myself.”

“It’s all right. I have a suggestion.”

“What is it?”

“Let me show you a good time. Forget about all this for an evening. It’ll be a reset.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“If you’re free.”

“Can I come home with you afterward?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”