“What was that all about?” Charlie said, sitting down next to me in the locker room on a bench.

“What?” I tried to feign innocence.

“Don’t you what me, lady.” She swatted at my arm.

I tried to stay serious but instead burst out laughing. “C, I think Julian just hit on me. That’s impossible, right?”

“Nope. He totally has a thing for you.”

I stood up and placed my hands on my hips. “How the hell do you know that?”

“People talk in this place. No one knows how to keep their damn mouth shut.”

What did she just say? Holy fuck. “But he can’t.”

“Why?”

“Well, for one, he’s like fifteen years older than me.”

“He’s only ten years older, silly.”

I was struggling to absorb this information. “Okay, so maybe that’s better. But still, he’s Julian fucking Moore. Why would he even think twice about me?”

“Because you are the best thing in the whole world.”

“Charlie Bear, what are you not telling me?”

She threw her hands up. “I swear, I don’t know. Brooks walked over to the front desk and said ‘Julian is going to help Lily.’ I tried to ask, but he wouldn’t offer any more than that.”

“Okay, fine. Listen, I need to get home.” I bent down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, I need a few more hours here, and then I’ll be done.”

“Take all the time you need.”

I grabbed my bag and started making my way to the front door. I stopped about a foot from the entrance and then turned to head over to Julian’s office. A part of me was screaming, Don’t do it, Lily. While the other part was excited to be in a room alone with him.

My hand was on the handle. “I’m not in there,” Julian’s deep voice rang from behind me.

I spun around so fast. “Oh, sorry.”

He reached around me and turned the handle. “Need to talk about something?”

“Uh, yeah.” I stepped to the side so he could open the door. We were both silent as we moved about a foot into his office. I heard the door click behind me and felt my insides scream.

“What’s up?” he said, setting a bag on the desk as he leaned on the wood surface.

I tapped my foot, prepared to bolt at any moment. As he crossed his arms over his chest, I had to cross my legs and squeeze. My body was feeling needy at the moment. “Well”—I cleared my throat—“I was wondering…” He stepped into my personal space and reached his hand around my body. There was a sliding noise, and I realized he was closing his shades on the office windows. Finally, I blurted out, “Why are you training me?”

“You really don’t know?” he breathed out.

My heart rate increased, and I was finding it difficult to breathe. “Don’t know?”

He took another step closer. “Lily.”

Something came over me, and I needed to exit the room immediately. I ducked around him and reached for the handle. “I forgot I have a hair appointment in five minutes.” I threw the door back and practically ran to the front entrance. A little voice inside me said to look back, but I ignored the words.

When I was about a quarter of a mile away from the gym, I leaned against a building and took several deep breaths. I wasn’t sure how to process what had just happened. Then as my body calmed, I wanted to scream. Why did I run?

I knew something had happened between Julian and my dad.

Becoming emotionally involved when I still didn’t know if he was safe felt wrong.

“Lily,” I heard a voice yell from behind me. “Wait up.”

Charlie. I turned to face my best friend. “I’m fine. I just need to get home.”

“Lils, you were always a horrible liar.”

I let out a huff and leaned back against the brick wall. “I’m an idiot.”

“Why, because Julian tried to make a move and you ran?” I placed my hands over my face and softly moaned. She brought my hands down. “I can’t understand you, sweets.”

Standing up straight, I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Right as I was about to repeat my mumbled words, I noticed the man in question walking toward us. “Fuck.”

“What? Are you in pain?”

“He’s walking this way.”

She spun on her heel and struggled with holding in a laugh. “Oh, my God.”

When I was in high school, I’d had a crush on a senior. I was a sophomore, so the odds that we would ever connect were next to none. Still, the thought of dating an older man had its appeal. Plus, the guy would smile and make my insides melt on the spot. The jerk never did give me the time of day. That crush sparked something in me, though. I found I had a thing for older men. Something I only wrote in my diary and told no one. So of course, the thought of dating Julian piqued my interest. Well, I mean, the guy was also easy on the eyes.

I threw my head back against the wall and prayed this day could end soon.

“Charlie,” Julian said, stopping only inches from me.

“Hey, Julian.” She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “I forgot, Brooks was going to show me a move today.”

“I’m sensing a pattern here.”

I lifted my head up. “What pattern?”

“Being forgetful.”

I rolled my eyes. “Sorry we’re not perfect.”

“Who said you needed to be perfect?”

I pushed off the wall and stood directly in front of him. “What’s up?”

“You left quickly. Then a few seconds later, I saw Charlie run out.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to make sure you both were okay. I was worried you missed your hair appointment.”

Closing my eyes and shaking my head, I said, “You were worried, huh?”

“Lily.”

I glanced up into his jade green eyes. “I’m sorry.” I blurted out.

He took a step forward. “For what?”

“For being an idiot.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“It’s stupid.”

He surprised me by reaching forward and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m sure it’s not stupid.”

I lifted my hand and touched my fingers where his hand had just been. “Julian, why are you training me? And please be honest.”

“Well, I guess because I see something in you. You seem different from other competitors.”

“Different. How so?”

“You have a way with your moves that shows me a fighter taught you everything you know. Who trained you, Lily?”

“I put all that in my application.”

“Right, and now I’m here asking the truth.”

A part of me wanted to tell him the truth. I knew if I did tell him the truth now, he would claim I lied. Which I had, but for a good reason. My dad and I both believed using the Adams name would never give me a clean shot at a title. It would be a shoe-in. When I graduated from high school, Dad made me change my last name.

My mind ran through all the names of the fighters at my dad’s gym. “Jason Forrester.” I did actually train with Jason, but when I was like ten. Julian didn’t need to know that.

“The Jason Forrester?”

“Yeah, you know him?”

“Well, he’s a legend. I’ve never met him. That’s an amazing opportunity to train with him.”

“I guess.” I tried to shrug off the excitement in his words. “Jason was like a dad to me.” I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Is that all you needed to talk with me about?”

“No.”

“Oh.” I sounded disappointed but a part of me was actually happy he said no.

“What are you doing Friday night?”

It was only Monday. Hell, I didn’t even know what I was doing tonight. “No clue. I still need to decide on dinner tonight.”

“Perfect, go to dinner with me tonight instead.”

“Julian, you don’t even know me.”

“Which is why I’m asking you to dinner.”

“Why me?”

“Is there someone else I should be asking?”

I laughed softly. “I have no idea.”

“Then is that a yes?”

My mind let the words roll around for a few more seconds, trying to take in this whole situation. Julian wanted to have dinner with me, Lily Waters. If my dad could see this moment right now what would he even say? He was probably watching and silently cursing my name.

“Yes.”