I hear a rush of his breath, and I shake my head, but am unable to shake my smile.
One date. One date with Noah won’t change anything.
“You sure you don’t want me to meet you out tonight? I could give you a little glimpse of what you’re in for.”
“Save it, Golden Boy.”
“Alright.” He laughs—that deep sound that comes from his chest, and now I’m imagining him in bed, holding the phone with one hand and rubbing a hand across his naked chest.
“How are you getting home?”
His question makes my knees wobble, and I stumble back against the wall. “We’re, uh—we’re walking. It’s only tenminutes, and after enough tequila shots, it will only feel like three.”
“Or I could come pick you up.”
My head hits the tiled wall harder than I intend when I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting the burn in my chest. “I’m good, but thank you. Have a good practice tomorrow.”
“Hey, Sav?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t regret this conversation tomorrow.” I don’t say anything as I try to force some oxygen into my lungs. “Goodnight.”
“Night.”
21
noah
The Dynamic DuoPlus Noah GC
Ivy: Which one of you pissed off the parentals?
Lana:
Ivy: Mom just called to tell me they are coming for a visit next week, and since they only visit me when one of you makes them mad…
Noah: To be fair, you're due.
Ivy: I’ve paid my dues. The ten years before you were born.
Noah: I’ll make it up to you.
Lana: Sibling trip this summer?!
Ivy: On Noah’s dime.
Lana: aka Dad’s.
“Bro, I think Sage might actually be the devil,” Maverick whispers.
“Did she kill you with Burpees again?”
“Worse! Manmakers. Except she calls them Womanmakers.”
I huff a laugh and drop my phone on the bench before looking over at the woman who has Gabe scratching his head as they go over his lift percentages. Somehow, a woman who barely comes up to my armpits is able to intimidate every guy in this gym. Sage is a pistol of a woman. No one really knows a whole lot about her, except that she drives a vintage, green Bronco with an Aster Meadow bumper sticker on the back. Her dark, wavy hair sits just above her shoulders, and sometimes I think she has a nose ring, but other times it seems to be hidden—just like the rest of her personal life. I can tell she’s curious about my training outside of her plans, but she never pries into my life, so I offer her the same respect. One thing she can’t hide, though, is that accent.
“Hall! Get over here. I’ve got more plans for you,” she yells out.
