The next morning, I get up, shower and get dressed, then I head to Nathan’s gym. He never came home last night. I’m starting to worry.

When I pull into the parking lot and see his truck, I’m flooded with relief. I park next to him and go inside. The inside of his gym is far different than Mac’s. It’s much smaller, smells like sweaty bodies, and all the equipment is well-worn. There are several people working out despite the early hour. There’s a lot of weights and treadmills in use. Most of the people who go to his gym look like meatheads. They are the types who post food pictures of their Keto diet on Instagram even though it’s the most unappetizing thing to look at. They are CrossFit junkies, the ones who never shut up about their workouts and how much they hate leg day. It’s not my kind of scene, but Nathan loves it here and running this place earns him a comfortable living.

I slowly make my way to the front counter where Nathan is sitting behind a desk, looking at the screen of a computer. He’s wearing gym clothes. That’s not what he was wearing last night when he stormed off. When I approach the counter, he looks up from his computer screen and seems wary to see me.

“Can we talk?” I ask.

To my surprise he says, “Yeah, back here,” then turns to one of his employees and asks him to watch the counter while he’s gone.

He leads me toward the back and into a closet where I see a cot that’s been slept in and his clothes from yesterday folded up next to it. So this is where he slept last night.

I’m surprised he’s actually willing to talk to me right now. Normally after we fight, he makes things more difficult than this. It usually takes several days for him to calm down before he’s willing to talk. He’s such a stubborn ass sometimes, but he’s also an incredible human being. I wonder if he’s willing to talk to me because he can tell how broken up I am about our fight—that, or he wants to come back home without things being awkward between us.

He sits down on the cot. His appearance is disheveled, his hair sticking up in all directions, big purple bags under his eyes. It doesn’t look like he’s slept. I sit next to him on the cot and I can see why. This thing is terrible. I can’t imagine anyone being able to get a decent night’s rest on it.

“What do you want to talk about?” he asks.

I look down at my fingers that are braided together. What I have to say won’t be easy and I know he won’t approve.

“I want to let you know that I’m taking the job Mac offered to me. You’re wrong about him. He’s a good person trying to help others. I want to be a part of that—also, I need the money. The job pays well and in this town, that’s hard to come by. My choices are doing something I love or working at the Dairy Queen. Which would you choose?”

He stares at me. I face him and stare right back.

“You sure this is about the job?” he asks with suspicion. “Because I heard otherwise.”

My mouth falls open in shock. I knew our town was small and full of gossiping little trolls, but this has to be some kind of world record. I’ve barely been in town for forty-eight hours. How much could they be talking?

“What did you hear?”

“A friend of mine saw you getting friendly with Mac at the grocery store. Then I saw you and Mac at the docks and it seemed a strange place for him to be offering you a job.”

Shit.

Shit, shit shit.

I sit up straight, done with the lies. I’m done hiding.

“I care about Mac. I always have. He cares about me too. The only reason he didn’t try to date me in high school was because he was loyal to you, even though you were a dick to him.”

Nathan opens his mouth. He’s about to speak when I talk over the top of what I’m sure will be an objection.

“You’re not going to scare me away from him the way you did when we were teenagers. And if you want us to remain close, you’re just going to have to accept my feelings.”

I stand up. Nathan doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t try to stop me when I leave.

* * *

I go straight from Nathan’s gym to Mac’s, which is just a couple miles down the street. When I go inside, I find Mac sitting on the floor trying to put together a piece of equipment. He looks up and smiles at me.

“Hello beautiful. Have you come to help me with these directions? Because I sure as hell can’t seem to figure them out on my own.”

“I’m sure we can figure them out together.”

He stands up and walks over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. We stand there and kind of sway, like a lazy slow dance without the music. “I like that word … together,” he says.

“So do I.”

“What are you up to this morning?” he asks.

“I just came to tell you that I’m accepting your job offer.”

His face lights up and he lifts me off the ground in a bear hug. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all morning. What changed your mind?”

“I just came from Nathan’s gym. I was honest with him and told him how I feel about you and that he’s just going to have to accept it.”

“Really …” he says in a curious way. “And how exactly do you feel about me?”

“You already know.”

“I think I do, but I want to hear you say it.”

I swallow hard. It’s one thing to feel it and to think it, but it’s another thing to say it out loud. I’m not sure I have the courage for this after everything that has gone down with Nathan.

“I …”

Mac lifts his eyebrows, waiting. I continue, this time with more confidence. If I can be honest with Nathan, I can be honest with Mac—and myself.

“I think I love you,” I say.

“You think?” he says with a hint of humor in his voice.

“No. I don’t think. I know that I love you. I always have.”

He leans his forehead against mine and our eyes lock onto each other’s. “Good, because I love you too.”

He kisses me deeply and it feels so good to get that off my chest. If only Nathan would forgive me, my life would be perfect.

As if reading my mind, Nathan walks through the door. He catches us kissing, then freezes. He’s quick to look away, his gaze shifting to look around the place. His eyes are wide and he looks like he’s in awe. If he weren’t so proud, he might’ve whistled at the majesty of the huge room.

Mac and I are quick to part, but Mac keeps hold of my hand. We have nothing to be ashamed of.

“What are you doing here?” I ask Nathan, trying not to be accusatory. But it is suspicious.

He runs his hands through his hair in a way that I can only describe as self-conscious.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asks. He looks embarrassed, like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“It’s fine, Nathan, good to see you again,” Mac says. Always the polite one even though Nathan doesn’t deserve his hospitality after he judged him so harshly. I’m glad Mac is the way he is, though. It seems to put Nathan more at ease. Someone had to back down, and I know it would never be my brother. He’s far too stubborn for that.

“Nice place you have here,” Nathan says.

“Thank you. I’m hoping the patients will think so.”

“Patients?”

“Yes, we will have patients here, not clients.”

I narrow my eyes at Nathan. Did he think I was lying when I told him this gym was for physical therapy and rehabilitation?

Nathan’s gaze shifts between me and Mac and something in his face settles. “Look, man, I’m sorry. I judged you without all the facts. I honestly thought you were back in town to cause trouble. That was self-centered of me to assume. Also, I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s passing. She was a good woman.”

“Thank you,” Mac says.

Nathan nods and starts to walk toward the door.

“Nathan, wait,” Mac says.

Nathan turns around.

“I could really use your help getting this thing off the ground. You’ve been successful with your own gym. Maybe we could work together?”

Nathan smiles and takes a step toward Mac. He holds his hand out and Mac shakes it. “Sounds like a plan.” Nathan uses Mac’s hand to pull him closer. “Don’t you dare hurt her,” he says to Mac. His words are friendly enough, but there’s a hint of a warning in them.

Mac’s face grows very serious when he says, “I would never.”

“Great,” Nathan says. “How about you two join me for pizza tonight. My treat.”

“We’ll see you there,” Mac says.

My heart swells with happiness. I can’t believe Nathan is really going to accept my relationship with Mac. I love him so much for wanting to get to know him as well.

Nathan leaves and he’s barely out the door when Mac pulls me into his arms and kisses me hard.

“You’re amazing,” he says. “I never thought in a million years that Nathan would ever be okay with me dating his little sister.”

“I’m not amazing. I’m a mess. Look at my life.”

He laughs. “I don’t see a mess. I see a girl with a great job, a protective brother, and a boyfriend who is head over heels in love with her. What part of that sounds like a mess to you?”

I throw my arms around his neck. Tears settle into the corners of my eyes when I realize just how great my life really is.