As I roll up the last yoga mat, I can’t help but think how quickly this week has flown by.
Each training session with Carlie has been a mixture of hard work and unexpected fun. She has a way of bringing this unique spark of humor to everything she does.
I love it.
I glance over at her as she wipes the sweat from her brow with a satisfied smile, and I feel a twinge of pride.
She’s kicked some major ass this week. Even when she didn’t think she could go any longer—or move her muscles—she made it happen.
She’s a badass.
“You know,” I start, as she reaches for her water bottle, “the more you work out, even when you’re sore, the faster that soreness will start to fade.”
She takes a long sip, then looks at me, a playful challenge in her eyes. “Is that your professional trainer’s wisdom or just an attempt to make me feel better about my aching muscles?”
I laugh, remembering my own early days at the gym. “A bit of both, actually. When I first started, I had no idea. I just thought pain was part of the deal. But really, it’s about getting your muscles used to the movement.”
Her laughter joins mine, and there’s an ease between us that feels like it’s been there forever.
We start to share a few more stories, and I find myself opening up about one of my early gym experiences.
“So, there I was,” I begin, a grin tugging at my lips, “thinking I could handle more weight than I actually could. Young and dumb, I guess. It was my first week in the gym, and I wanted to impress, you know?”
Carlie nods, her green eyes twinkling with anticipation.
“I loaded up the barbell for a bench press. Felt pretty confident—maybe too confident. I lift it off, and it’s going ... okay. Then, on the third rep, my arms just gave out. The bar came crashing down.”
She covers her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh. “Oh no, did you get hurt?”
I shake my head, laughing along with her. “Nah, the safety bars caught it. But the noise it made ... it was like a gunshot. Everyone turned to look. I was lying there, pinned under the weight, my face fifty shades of red.”
Her laughter fills the room, making my heart stutter. God, I love that sound.
“I bet you never made that mistake again,” she says between giggles.
“Never,” I affirm with a smile. “Learned my lesson about overestimating my abilities pretty quickly.”
She leans against the wall, still chuckling. “Well, it’s nice to know even pros like you have their moments.”
“That we definitely do.” I nod, admiring the way her grin lights up the whole damn room.
It’s these little connections—these tiny moments really—that make my feelings for Carlie grow stronger by the day.
As our laughter starts to fade, the sound of footsteps stomping through my house catches my attention. There’s only one person those loud feet could belong to.
I turn just in time to see my brother Brian striding in, his usual confident swagger on display. He’s in his casual work attire, which still looks sharper than most, if I’m honest.
“Hey, Adam—” Brian calls out, but his eyes are instantly diverted from me as they land on Carlie. “And you must be Carlie. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Carlie straightens up, wiping her hands on her yoga pants. “Yeah, that’s me. And you’re Brian, right? The infamous brother.”
He shoots her a befuddled expression.
She merely shrugs and confesses, “You look a lot like Adam. Just older. I made a calculated assumption and secretly hoped I wasn’t wrong.”
“Ah.” Brian chuckles, extending his hand. “Guilty as charged. Good to finally meet you.”
They shake hands, and I can’t help but wonder what he sees when he looks at Carlie. Brian has always been a great judge of character. I guess it helps a lot when you work a bar.
“So, what’s up, Brian?” I ask, leaning against the wall. “Did you need something?”
He shrugs, a playful glint in his eye that makes me cringe internally. “Just thought I’d drop by and see how the fitness empire is coming along. Maybe I should be stealing some of your training secrets.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling. “You know my training techniques are top secret. But for a small fee ...”
“Atta boy.” Brian laughs me off with a wink, then turns to Carlie. “I’ve seen some of Adam’s Instagram posts. You’re doing awesome. Keep it up.”
Carlie beams, clearly pleased. “Thanks, Brian. I’m just happy when I stay vertical. Adam’s a good teacher.”
Brian nods, then looks at me with a knowing smirk. “You always did have a way of motivating people. Remember that summer when we ...”
I cut him off with a quick, “Not now, Brian,” shooting him a pointed look. Some stories are better left untold, especially in front of Carlie.
Brian raises his hands in surrender, but he’s still grinning. “All right, all right. I’ll save the embarrassing childhood stories for another time.”
I can feel Carlie’s curious gaze on me, but I just shake my head. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
Brian takes a moment to glance around the converted garage, nodding approvingly. “You’ve done a great job with this place, bro. It’s come a long way since the last time I was in here.”
“Thanks, man. It’s a work in progress, but I’m getting there.”
Carlie picks up her water bottle, turning to Brian. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you. Adam talks about you a lot.”
Brian’s smile widens. “All good things, I hope.”
“Mostly,” Carlie teases, and I can’t help but chuckle.
Brian’s expression softens, and he gives Carlie a friendly nod. “Hey, you two should swing by Jaded Brews sometime. I’d love to show you around the brewery.”
Carlie’s eyes sparkle with interest. “That’s your place? The new craft brewery downtown? I’ve heard great things about it.”
“Absolutely,” I chime in, feeling genuinely excited about the idea. “That sounds like a great plan. What do you say, Carlie? Wanna check out the brewery later?”
She nods enthusiastically. “I’d love that. Maybe after our zoo adventure this afternoon?”
Brian grins, clearly pleased. “Perfect. Let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll make sure to give you the VIP treatment.”
“Thanks, Brian,” I say as he makes his way to leave. “We’ll definitely take you up on that. See ya this evening.”
He throws up a hand and walks out. “Have fun.”
As Brian exits, I turn back to Carlie. “So, about the zoo this afternoon ...”
Her face lights up. “I’m really excited to show it to you. The Duluth Zoo is one of my favorite places. I adore animals—and it’s the safest way for me to love them without having to ensure they stay alive. Which, as it turns out, I’m not great at.” She frowns slightly, and I know there must be another story hidden in there.
The idea of spending more time with her, especially in a place that means something to her, fills me with a warm anticipation. “I’m looking forward to it. But first, you mentioned needing a shower. Do you want to just take one here? I know I teased last time about not—”
“Yeah, that would be great, actually,” she says with a smile that makes my heart skip a beat.
“All right, let me get you some towels. You can use the shower upstairs,” I offer, trying to keep my voice steady.
As we head back into my house, there’s a new level of intimacy in the air, subtle but undeniable. I show her to the bathroom, handing her one of my extra towels. “Feel free to use whatever you need.”
She accepts the towel, her gaze holding mine for a moment, filled with an unspoken understanding. “Thanks, Adam.”
I can tell there’s more she wants to say, as she opens and closes her mouth. However, she never speaks the words that seem to be ready to fall from her lips.
Instead, she reaches over and brushes her hand across my jaw. Then, she steps into the bathroom.
There’s a zing of electricity that passes through me—like there’s a hint of an invitation in her touch.
After Carlie closes the bathroom door, I find myself standing alone in the hallway, caught in a tangle of thoughts. There’s this tension in the air—a sense of something unspoken between us. I can still feel the warmth of her smile, the hint of invitation in her eyes.
Should I ...?
No, Adam, don’t be that guy, I scold myself.
Full consent only—that’s my rule.
And she didn’t speak her consent.
But the thought lingers, tantalizing and bold.
The idea of just casually knocking on the door and asking if she needs any company is tempting—really fucking tempting. A part of me wants to throw caution to the wind and see if that spark I feel is as strong as it seems.
I run a hand through my hair, wrestling with the urge. It would be so easy to give in, to let this growing connection between us take its natural course. But another part of me hesitates, wary of crossing a line that could complicate things if Carlie’s not there yet.
Sure, she writes romance for a living—but doesn’t that mean she wants to be wooed? Romanced?
As I’m lost in this internal debate, the sound of my phone vibrating snaps me back to reality. I pull it out of my pocket, expecting maybe a message from Brian or a notification from Instagram.
It is an Instagram notification—only it’s a comment from Jillian.
My heart sinks a little and the moment of possibility with Carlie abruptly fades.
Opening the notification, I’m met with Jillian’s familiar tone of sarcasm and insinuation. She’s commenting on one of the Instagram posts I made with Carlie this week—basically telling everyone that Carlie’s a lost cause and I’m only using her to jump-start my own business.
There’s an edge to her words, a subtle jab meant to rile me up and hurt Carlie.
What a bitch.
I let out a frustrated sigh. There are already hundreds of comments on under hers agreeing with her.
This is the last thing I need right now. The last thing I want is for Carlie to be dragged into another Instagram drama—this time with Jillian.
It’s bad enough that I still haven’t told Carlie I dated her.
I lock my phone, tucking it away with a mix of annoyance and concern. I’ll have to deal with Jillian later, but right now, my focus needs to be on Carlie and the time we’re spending together.
Shaking off the unease, I head downstairs to take my own quick shower as I wait for Carlie. It’s a rinse-off, but I turn the water as cold as I can manage and try to force myself to regain some of the lightness I felt just moments ago.
I focus on the excitement of our upcoming trip to the zoo and even the feeling that we might take this relationship to another level soon.
But Jillian’s message lingers in the back of my mind, an unwelcome shadow on an otherwise bright day.
By the time I step out of my shower, I’m nowhere near as present as I’d like to be. I wrap a towel around my waist and trudge into the bedroom to hunt for clothes.
It only takes me a minute to get dressed and I settle on the couch to wait for Carlie.
When she emerges from the shower, looking refreshed and radiant, I stand up and push all thoughts of Jillian aside. This afternoon is about us, and I’m not going to let anything ruin that.
“Ready for the zoo?” I ask, trying to inject as much enthusiasm into my voice as possible.
She hesitates for a brief moment, then nods, her smile infectious. “Absolutely. Can’t wait.”
We leave the house, stepping into the sunlight and the promise of a new adventure. As we drive, I steal glances at Carlie, her presence a comforting antidote to the chaos of my thoughts.
However, with every glance, part of me wonders: What would she think if she knew I dated Jillian? That we were nearly engaged? Would she think I hid it from her? Worse yet, would she believe the lies Jillian is beginning to spread?
I keep these thoughts to myself, not wanting to spoil our day. However, there’s this terrible unease that tightens in my gut. It feels like I’m on the edge of something—either a wonderful new chapter with Carlie or an inevitable confrontation that could change everything.