IT’S BEEN ONE OF THOSE weeks in which Evie and I are ships passing in the night. I’ve been booked with clients and we won’t have a day off together until Sunday. Last night we babysat for my sister, and two nights ago she worked late with Jon. I was up this morning to teach spin and train clients before she was even awake. By the time I came home she’d already left for work. Now I’m back at the club for my evening clients but wishing for some one-on-one time with my woman.
I’m counting down the days until she’s my wife, but even better are the two weeks we’re taking off to explore up and down the West Coast. Two weeks of Evie all to myself. It’s what pushes me through another night of classes and training clients.
Lindsay is back for her third session tonight and she’s quickly become a client I actually look forward to. She has a great sense of humor, and works hard doing anything I ask and then some. After her session, I have a break in clients and then two more hours before I can head home. I shoot Evie a quick text to let her know I miss her while Lindsay finishes her reps on the leg press.
“You’re distracted tonight. Everything okay?” She says, wiping her brow with a towel and taking a quick sip of water while I change up the weight on her machine.
“Sorry. Long week.”
“Hear you there. And it’s only Thursday.”
“Which is kinda like my hump day since I work Saturdays. Three sets of ten.”
She winces and sets her legs for more repetitions. “I guess that comes with the job.”
“It does.” I nod and count aloud each push of her legs. “Good job. Let’s finish up with pull ups.”
“Fine, but only because I’m paying you,” she smarts and I have to laugh.
She follows as I lead the way to an empty bar. “What? Come on! You know you love them. I’m sure you wake up every day dreaming of the next chance you’ll have to pull your body weight over a bar.”
“Yep. That’s it.” She nods with the most serious of expressions. “I think about it more than food, or Netflix, or even sex.”
“Damn, girl. You really like pull ups,” I tease, and when she bursts into laughter I can’t help but do the same.
“Tate.” Evie’s voice is a total surprise and it takes a beat before my brain communicates to my legs that my fiancé is here in the flesh.
“Evie!” I say and even though I’m at work and should remain professional, I take two steps forward, cup her jaw in my palm and steal a kiss. It’s not a peck either, and I don’t pull away until Lindsay clears her throat behind us and one of my co-workers lets loose a whistle.
Evie pulls her lips up with a smile as her cheeks darken with a blush. “Sorry, I know you’re working but I brought you dinner. I just needed to see you.”
“I needed to see you, too. Thank you.” I step back and glance over my shoulder at my client. Shit, I need to get back to work. “Lindsay, this is my fiancé, Evie.”
Lindsay smiles and her eyes crinkle with laughter as she offers Evie a wave. “Nice to meet you. You’ve got yourself a good one.”
“That I do,” Evie agrees, but she studies Lindsay a moment before she turns to me. “Sorry, I’ll let you get back to it. See you at home?”
I check my watch. “Actually, if you want to wait fifteen minutes or so, I have an hour break.”
Her smile brightens. “Of course.”
“Tate, why don’t you go have dinner now. I’ll finish up myself,” Lindsay offers.
“Oh, no. I can’t do that,” I decline, because I won’t shortcut a session, even for more time with Evie. I take pride in my work and my professionalism.
“It’s fine, really. I promise I won’t cheat on my reps.” She strokes her pointer finger across her chest in an X. “Besides, I owe you one from when you stayed late for me on Friday.”
That’s true, it would be fair, and there’s not much coaching involved with her as it is. She knows how to do a pull up. I let my lips pull wide with my smile. “Deal. But you don’t leave until you give a full twenty.”
“Yes, sir.” She mock salutes.
A chuckle leaves my mouth as I turn, wrapping my arm around Evie to pull her to my side. “Thank you for the surprise visit.”
“I hope it’s okay. I hate how we’ve been missing each other these past few days.”
“Me, too. Things good with work?”
“Oh, fine. Business as usual. You seem busier than normal.”
“Yeah, just trying to squeeze everyone in before I marry you.” I place a kiss on the top of her head. My lips linger as I inhale, the scent of her shampoo one of the smells I’m an addict of. “God, I can’t wait for our honeymoon. You to myself for two full weeks.”
We get to the door that leads to the office and reception area and I let go of Evie to hold it open.
She grabs a takeout container from behind the desk with my name on it, and I motion for her to follow me outside. There’s an empty bench around the corner that provides us the perfect view of the setting sun. The vibrant splash of oranges and pinks paint the skyline while I dig into the salad she brought.
“So, who was that woman?”
I chew and swallow my mouthful before turning to Evie. “Who?”
“Your client . . . Lindsay.”
“Oh, yeah. She’s a new client of mine.” I take another bite. “This salad is really good. Flower Child?”
“Yeah.” She nods, but her gaze narrows. “She seemed really familiar with you.” When I don’t reply she adds. “Lindsay.”
“Oh, yeah. Well . . .” Shit. How do I go about this? As I never dated anyone in Phoenix until I met Evie, I haven’t had to deal with exes. Hell, before Evie I never cared enough to be considerate.
“Oh.” Her gaze drops to her red Chucks as they tap together at the toes. I hate the way her brow crinkles with worry and decide honesty is always the best policy.
“I dated her a few times back in California. When I first moved there after Oregon. We hooked up as well. But that was almost seven years ago, Evie.”
“And now you’re her trainer?” I reach for her hand but she pulls away.
“It just happened. I didn’t even recognize her name until she stepped foot in the club last week.”
“And you’re okay with that?” The jealously in her tone throws me off guard. Evie’s the most trusting woman I know. This isn’t like her at all.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Let me get this straight. A woman you used to sleep with comes waltzing back into your life unannounced and without warning a few weeks before your wedding and you, one, don’t find anything suspicious about that; and two, don’t think it’s something you should tell your fiancé?”
“Evie, calm down. It’s not a big deal. I’m training her. This is my job.”
“While she fawns all over you wearing her tiny little sports bra and matching leggings? She might as well be wearing nothing!”
“Hey now. I am nothing but professional with my clients. You of all people should know that.”
Evie’s chest rises and falls with her choppy breath, the hard line of her mouth faltering with a quiver as she looks away.
Turning so we’re face to face, I cup her cheeks with both of my palms. She’s forced to meet my stare. “Hey, baby. What’s going on? What is it that has you so upset?”
A few tears escape the corners of her eyes but my thumbs brush them away before they can fall. Her chin quivers on an inhale of breath, and my fear hitches when she hesitates.
“Evie, what is it?”
“I’m sorry. I trust you. It’s just been a really rough couple of days.” She closes her eyes and reaches for me, burying her face into my neck as I hold her close.
“Want to talk about it?”
“No. Not now. It’s a case we’re working.”
“It’s okay.” I understand there are some cases she can’t discuss due to contracts. “I love you, Evie. If you don’t want me training Lindsay, I’ll pass her on to another trainer. You’re more important than any client.”
“No. It’s fine. I trust you, Tate. I do.” She eases away and nods at my half-eaten salad. “Eat. I’m okay. This case we’re working has me questioning things, and when I saw you with her it just, I don’t know, it picked at some of those doubts. I wish we could fast forward the next few weeks to when we are already married.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying all this time.” I pick up my food and take another bite. “It’s still not too late to elope,” I joke, because I know it’s not even an option.
“That offer is more tempting than ever,” she admits with a tight smile.
“Hey, I love you. Always.”
“I love you, too.”