CHAPTER TWENTY

Charlie and Travis were standing in front of the window, peering out, when Chris came down the stairs. He was running late, but the morning activities had been worth it. He frowned at the thought of Tori not being there tomorrow morning.

“What are you two staring at?” Chris asked, falling in beside them. His eyes found Tori shoving a large box in the trunk of her car.

He felt Travis watching him, but he focused on Tori. A lump formed in his throat. He’d known it was coming. Hell, he’d watched her pack the box last night, but it was something else entirely to watch her remove herself from his house.

“You’re really going to let her leave?”

“We weren’t living together, Travis. She was crashing while her apartment was being fixed.”

“Hmpf.”

Yeah, he wasn’t convinced either.

Chris turned away from the window and pulled a mug from the shelf. This day was going to require coffee. Lots of coffee.

“I need to run by all the jobsites today. You feel up to coming with me?”

“Actually, I thought you could come with me today.” Charlie tucked his hair behind one ear and looked from Travis to Chris.

Travis visibly relaxed at the second invitation. He nodded at Charlie and turned to Chris as if waiting for approval. He was going to have to give a little if he wanted Travis to stick around Sweetbriar long-term.

“Good, that’s settled.” Chris filled the mug with coffee and felt a little of the tension in his shoulders relax as the aroma of the French roast filled his nostrils. His eyes fell to the silver key lying on the counter, the key he had given Tori. Fuck, she is really leaving.

He plucked the key up in his palm and wrapped his fingers around the cool metal. “Heads up,” he called and tossed it at Travis.

“So, that’s everything then?” She beamed at her brother, barely able to contain her excitement. “I can’t believe you were able to get that many fights scheduled. This may be the first fundraiser in the history of this town that people actually want to come to.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair and tossed the papers down on the desk in front of him. “Thank Chris. I don’t how he did it, but he got Benny to help recruit.”

“Benny?”

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, nearly half the list is filled with fighters from his gym.”

“He didn’t mention it,” Tori admitted and looked down at her chipped fingernail polish.

“I heard the apartment is ready. You moving back in?”

She looked up quickly, surprised at the suggestion. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

Ryan cocked an eyebrow at her but didn’t respond.

Tori scooted to the front of her chair, ready to flee, but wanted to get Ryan’s opinion on one last thing she’d been mulling over. “Anyway, I spoke to Susan earlier this week. She’s so excited and said they’d be here. I was thinking, though… maybe there’s a way we can continue to raise funds for kids and adults in need of sensory therapy. I have most the equipment already. We just need the funds and a permanent space for it.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“A monthly fight-night held here at Fit Club. It doesn’t have to be as big of an event as this one is, just one or two fights each time. We charge admission, give the winners a small cut, and the rest goes into a scholarship fund.”

“I don’t know,” Ryan said, picking up the papers in front of him. “That sounds like a lot of work to plan one of these every month. Besides, even if we had more sensory clients, where would you train them?”

“The Group Exercise Room.” She stood and held up her hands before he could protest. “Hear me out. We have three exercise rooms. Why can’t one of them be dedicated to therapy? Or at least the primary function. We could set it up so the equipment can be moved when we need it for other classes.”

“It’s not a terrible idea, but right now, you only have the one client. It sounds like a big time-and-space investment. Let’s see how the fundraiser goes first, and then we can talk about it.”

“Hey, sorry to interrupt.”

The sound of his voice caused butterflies in her stomach. She turned to see him standing in the doorway. His tall and built body leaned against the doorframe, blocking her view of the busy gym. It had only been a few hours since she’d seen Chris, and she already missed him in the worst way.

“No worries. Come in. We were just talking about Friday night. This roster is incredible.”

“How did you get Benny to help you? That seems extremely unlike him.”

“He owed me a favor.” Chris shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

“I’ve got a class in five. Think about it?” she pleaded, looking at Ryan.

He nodded, and Tori stood. She let her gaze sweep over Chris who hadn’t moved from the doorway. She brushed past him, grazing his arm with her breasts.

“What was that all about?” Chris asked when Tori was gone. She’d had a wild look in her eyes and the body language of a woman with a mission. He guessed only part of that was aimed at him and the things he hoped she wanted to do with him.

Ryan shook his head and motioned for Chris to sit down. “She wants the gym to host a monthly fight-night to raise money for more sensory clients.”

He thought about that. He wasn’t surprised she was already looking ahead to service more people. She loved the work she did with Autumn. It meant something to her to help someone in need. He recognized that urge in her. He’d had that same drive when he’d started the construction company. “Not unreasonable. What else does she want?”

Ryan scrunched his eyebrows at him and then shook his head with a smile. “You know her too well. She wants to turn one of the exercise rooms into a sensory room full-time. I’m not sure how I’m gonna pull that off. The rooms are in high demand as it is.”

Ryan stared out the window of his office with his hand on his chin. It reminded Chris of how close the siblings were and how much Ryan was willing to do for his sister.

“You should give her this office. It’s nearly as big as the exercise rooms.” Chris glanced around at the office. His work trailers didn’t really compare. Then again, he wasn’t spending a lot of time behind a desk, either.

“Actually, that’s a great idea.” Ryan stood and opened the door to his office.

“I was kidding.” Chris stood to follow Ryan out.

Ryan’s face lit up, and he smiled as he waved toward the office next to his. “Tori’s office shares a wall with Exercise Room Three.” He walked quickly down the hall and paced outside the rooms. Tori was standing inside one of the exercise rooms, and a group of women were filing in for the next class. “We could knock down that wall, making the space larger and then split it in the middle. That exercise room would be smaller, but it doesn’t completely eliminate it for group classes.”

Chris pried his eyes away from Tori and studied the space to see if what Ryan was suggesting was possible. “What about Tori’s office?”

“That whole room can be her office. She doesn’t spend much time in there anyway. We can move her office stuff into a corner, and the rest of the space can be used for her clients.”

“By we do you mean me?” Chris asked, knowing Ryan wasn’t going to drop the idea.

He smiled and patted Chris on the back. “Apparently, you know me too well, too.”

Claire sat on the bed in Tori’s room with poster board and markers laid out before her. “I don’t know if I should be having a second glass,” she said, holding her empty glass up. “I don’t think my drawing skills are going to improve with wine.”

“I insist.” Tori filled the empty glass to the top and sat the bottle on the nightstand. “I have to unpack and organize my closet, and I hear drinking alone is frowned upon. How did you get roped into helping anyway?”

“Ryan went all ‘But you’re so good at this kind of thing’ on me. And it was the only way I could think to help that didn’t involve being in the same room as Jake.”

“You’re not coming Friday?”

“No. I have a very hot date with Reed.” Then she said his name a second time and drew each syllable out slowly. “Rr-r-re-eed.”

“Oh, God. You’re not going to say his name like that every time you talk about him, are you?”

“Rr-r-re-eed,” she said again and winked.

Tori laughed in spite of herself and opened the first big box waiting in her closet. She pulled out a dress and was hit with the familiar smell of Chris. She threw the dress back in the box and joined Claire on the bed.

“I’ll do the round cards,” Tori offered

Claire passed the black marker. “You’re avoiding unpacking.”

Busted. Her normal need for control and organization was being overtaken by a greater pull to leave everything boxed up and pretend she hadn’t just moved out of the only place that had felt like home. “I hate organizing my stuff. That closet in there is way too small.”

Claire didn’t look convinced. “Is that the only reason?”

“Alright, I might miss Chris a little. Ugh. I hate being this girl.”

“What girl? The girl in love?”

“Love schmove.” Tori went to work on round cards for the fundraiser.

“What did Chris say when you moved out? I can’t imagine he took that well.”

Tori focused on keeping her lines straight, already wishing she’d just bought cards for the event. She wasn’t nearly neat enough to pull these off without looking sloppy. “He was the perfect gentleman. He said I could stay as long as I needed, and even offered to have his guys move me back if I wanted.”

“I’m surprised he let you go without a fight. This whole Travis-thing must really have him out of sorts.”

“I dunno, maybe. I can’t help feel like I’m his secret hookup buddy.”

“Secret?” Claire looked up from her poster, marker in hand. “Honey, it’s hardly a secret. Everyone knows you two are crazy about each other. We knew before you two figured it out.”

Tori thought about that and wondered how it was possible everyone had known before she did. She was usually good at reading the vibes guys sent out, especially if they were interested in her. But Chris hadn’t given any indication. If anything, he had treated her worse than everyone else. He’d picked fights. He’d been standoffish. Was that some sort of revert-back-to-childhood thing where boys were mean to the girls they had a crush on? She didn’t like the idea any more now than she had in second grade. It was stupid.

“Everyone but Ryan.”

“Ryan’s not an idiot.”

“No, but if he knew...” Tori cringed at the thought. She didn’t want to cause trouble between Ryan and Chris. They had been friends longer than she could remember.

“Knew what? That you’re in love? Isn’t it better just to tell him the truth than to let him assume you two are just hooking up?”

“I’m not so sure.”

“You need Elle.” Claire’s eyes sparkled as she picked up her phone and began pressing buttons.

Elle showed up ten minutes later with more wine and Chinese takeout. They plopped down on the living room floor with half-finished signs and markers scattered around them.

“Ryan dropped me off on his way to the gym. I have one hour. What’s the emergency?”

Tori ran to the kitchen for plates and silverware, calling out over her shoulder. “Wait, what’s Ryan doing going back to the gym at nine o’clock at night?”

“He didn’t say exactly. Some sort of preparation for the fundraiser. What’s the emergency?!” Elle repeated once Tori was settled back beside her.

Tori bit her lip and stared hard at her brother’s girlfriend. Involving her was a terrible idea. “What does Ryan know about me and Chris?” She grabbed a pillow from the couch behind her and buried her head under it, her muffled voice speaking over Claire’s and Elle’s giggles. “Oh my God. I feel twelve years old.”

She sat up and looked at Elle, waiting for her response.

“You mean, does he know you two are banging?” Elle said, and Claire doubled over in a fit of laughter.

Tori felt her face heat.

“You’re blushing! So, you are banging Chris. I knew it! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush,” Elle commented with a grin.

Tori reached for her wine glass. “I’m not sure I have ever heard you say the word banging before.”

“So, does he?” Claire interrupted, looking at Elle. “Does Ryan know they’re banging?”

Tori shook her head before Elle could speak. “Surely not, or Chris would be dead by now.”

“What makes you think he’d be upset?” Elle asked as she studied Tori carefully.

“Ryan never wanted me dating his friends growing up. He was a total cockblock. Chris isn’t just his friend. He’s his best friend.”

Elle gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. “Why not talk to him? Tell him how you feel about Chris. I think he’ll be a lot more understanding than you are giving him credit for.”

Claire snorted. “That would require her to actually talk about her feelings.”

She shot Claire a look and then turned back to Elle. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I’ll talk to him.” She looked at Claire, who didn’t seem convinced. “After Friday night. I don’t want to risk anything messing up the fundraiser.”

“You won’t tell him before then, will you?” Tori pleaded.

“I promise I won’t say anything, but I have a terrible poker face, so you better hope he doesn’t ask me.”

Elle grabbed the wine bottle and filled their glasses. “Now tell me all about the banging.”