When Paul didn’t answer, she found herself gnawing on her fingernails. Why was she so stressed out about this? It wasn’t like she was under interrogation. Paul was just trying to have a relaxed conversation—one that people normally had when they first met someone—and yet, she was having a panic attack inside.
“That must have been something, growing up withThe Stud.” Paul chuckled under his breath.
Danielle just nodded as she studied the signs and shops that were going by as Paul drove down the street.
“I’m guessing from your silence, there’s something else in thatgo way back.”
Danielle whipped her gaze over to Paul. How did he know? “Did Zach say something?”
She saw Paul glance at her in the rearview mirror. His gaze was soft and understanding. It made her uncomfortable and relaxed at the same time. Like, he too, knew pain like she did. And that scared her as much as it seemed to connect her to him.
Paul shook his head. “No. Zach is pretty private about those things.”
Danielle nodded as she focused down at her clasped hands. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. In a weird way, it made her sad. Sad that Zach didn’t talk about her. Sad that it probably meant that Zach didn’t talk about Isaac.
The memory of Isaac washed over her, and the feelings of grief that accompanied thoughts of Isaac followed. She swallowed as the familiar emotional tug on her throat settled there.
Thankfully, Paul seemed to notice her change in demeanor because he didn’t push the conversation. Instead, he turned his classical music up which helped Danielle to calm down. She settled back in the seat and studied the world outside of the car. Anything to keep her mind from wandering back to Isaac. Back to the mess she’d created for herself.
Ten minutes passed until Paul pulled over next to a building with the sign, “Theo’s Gym”, and Danielle felt the tension return. “Here we go,” he said, turning around to give her a smile.
Danielle pinched her lips together and nodded. “Yeah, thanks,” she breathed as she pulled on the door handle.
She hesitated as she stepped out onto the sidewalk and closed the door behind her. Paul rolled down a window. “I’m going to park. You go ahead and head in there.”
Danielle chewed her lip as she nodded. For a moment, the desire to turn around and run down the sidewalk, away from this place, pulsed through her veins. What was she doing here? Was she stupid enough to think that things were okay? Fromthe way her stomach was churning and her heart racing, she was anything but okay.
She took a deep breath and dabbed the sweat that was forming on her forehead. It was hotter than hades out here. If she didn’t get moving soon, she just might melt onto the sidewalk and if she was going to do this, she needed to do this now. Shoving her purse higher on her shoulder, she gathered her courage and walked into the gym with her head held high.
Just as she reached out to grab the handle and pull, she was met with resistance. Confused, she tried to open the door again. Nothing. It was locked.
Now she was really sweating. She leaned forward, cupping her hand to block out the sunlight. After glancing around inside, she noticed two figures in the back.
Thankful that this wasn’t some weird way of Zach getting back at her, she fisted her hand and knocked on the glass. From the thumping of the music coming from the building, she doubted that anyone heard her.
She knocked again but neither Zach nor his friend from the bar turned her direction. Instead, they were busy with arm curls, chatting away.
Grumbling, she grabbed out her phone and pressed the phone number that had left her a text earlier. It rang and rang only to end in an obnoxious voicemail from an overly excited girl stating that she’d just missed The Stud and to leave a message and he might call back.
Fed up with standing in the boiling Georgia heat, Danielle shoved her phone back into her purse and headed toward the back of the building. There had to be another door, and gosh darn it, she was going to find it.
Chapter Five
Zach tried to pay attention to what Jonathan was saying as he focused on curling his forearm to his bicep. He’d hoped inviting Jonathan along on this workout/interview would help him stay distracted from Danielle, but from the way his stomach was in knots, none of it was working.
Jonathan was chatting too much and Danielle wasn’t even here.
He glanced up at the clock on the wall, taking note that she was now ten minutes late. Maybe she’d given up her job. Maybe she’d won this feud that he’d begun with her when he refused to grant her wishes.
But she’d been ridiculous in thinking that they couldn’t do this. That she couldn’t report on him. They could put the past behind them, right?
“You’ve got that look in your eye,” Jonathan’s voice broke through Zach’s thoughts, pulling his attention to his best friend who was folding his arms and giving Zach an incredulous look.
Zach relaxed his face and glanced over at Jonathan, hoping he’d buy his lie. “I don’t have a look in my eye.”
Jonathan snorted. “Okay.”
Zach groaned as he set the dumbbell down and rolled his shoulders. What was the matter with him? He needed to chill out before Danielle got here.
