“Thank you for coming with me,” Gabby says as we leave the goats and the weirdest hour of my life behind.
“You owe me. That was… I have no words.”
“When you post that photo of us with Trixie and her brother standing on our backs while we did the tabletop pose and get nine billion new followers, my debt will be paid in full.” She tries to say it with sass, but the usual Gabby spunk isn’t quite there.
“You alright?”
“Yeah, of course. That was amazing. Whoever thought up goat yoga is a genius.”
She goes silent again and I find myself in the unusual position of feeling like I need to make small talk.
“I didn’t know you worked out at the field house.”
She nods.
“I also had no idea they had fitness classes out on the yard. Let alone goat yoga. The guys are going to give me so much shit.”
“Mhmmm.”
We’re standing in the hall just outside of the workout room. She has no reason to follow me any farther and I’m not quite ready to leave her alone. Something is off. Call it Blair instincts or Gabby radar, but something is bugging her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Really. It’s stupid.”
“Did I do something wrong?”
She expels a heavy breath. “No. It’s just… I came here today hoping to find some new friends and I just realized I failed spectacularly. Those goats were so adorable I forgot my mission.”
I’m processing the words, trying to understand why she’d be looking for friends when she already has a whole bunch of them when she adds, “Blair and her friends are great, but they’re her friends. I don’t really have any of my own friends yet and I have no idea how to make them.” She looks up and groans. “Oh God. Saying it out loud made me realize just how pitiful it sounds.” She smiles the biggest, fakest smile. “I’ve gotta get going. Thanks, Zeke.”
I can’t think of what to say to stop her, so I head back to the gym. I lay on the floor; head resting on the cool wood and pull out my phone. I scan through the photos and find the one she mentioned. Misty perfectly captured the two seconds both goats stayed still on our backs. Gabby is turned toward me with a real smile on her face – the only kind that belongs there.
Without Gabby to help me, I’m a little slower, but I manage to upload the photo and caption it myself: When your friends trick you into hanging out with goats. The hashtags are impossible, but I go with the obvious #goats #yoga #goatyoga #valleyu and hoping it’ll bring a smile to her face #yogawithfriends
The next day, I’ve got an ice pack on my ankle and a massage pillow on my back as I flip through the channels. I went hard today and pushed myself more than even I thought possible. I’m starving, but according to my nutrition plan, I’ve blown through my calories for the day after this protein drink in my hand.
When I finish it off, I head out to the pool. Gabby lounges in a chair, my earbuds hanging from her ears. I kinda like that she keeps wearing them even though she’s been home plenty of times to get her own.
I take the chair next to hers. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself. I was looking for you earlier. Where’ve you been?”
“Gym.”
Nathan speaks from the giant unicorn he’s floating on in the pool. “Told you. You owe me ten bucks.”
She looks to me with a pout. “Your dedication cost me ten dollars.”
“Why were you looking for me?” A rush of energy that I thought was completely depleted after my workout, shoots to the surface and I bounce my leg.
She sits up and holds out an earbud in silent invitation. Her hair’s wet and skin red from the hours she spent out by the pool. “I had a question,” she says as I listen to the music currently playing on Gabby’s playlist.
“What’s up?”
“I want to get a tattoo and I was wondering if you’d go with me?”
“When are you going?”
She shrugs. “Tomorrow maybe. I work the day shift so I could go afterward.”
“Alright, sure. What are you going to get and where?”
She drags a finger down the side of her ribcage and my eyes are entranced with the movement. Even covered by the white one-piece swimsuit, the curve of that soft space is enticing. “I’m still toying around with the words, but I want it here.”
I clear my throat and nod. “Yeah. I’ve been meaning to get some new ink done. I’ll call my guy and see if he can get us in.”
She shifts so she can better see the tattoos that cover the entirety of my left arm and hand.
“Do you have tattoos anywhere else?” As she speaks, her index finger reaches out and traces the clock on my left forearm. She follows the short hand to the six and then the long hand to the three.
I shake my head and try not to think about how good it feels to have her eyes and hands on me.
“Why not?”
“I promised my mom I wouldn’t end up with tattoos all over my body.”
She giggles and the smile on my face gets bigger in response. I love being the reason she laughs.
“Why a clock?” Her hand falls away and she sits back, smiling at me while she waits for a response I don’t give her.
“I should get a shower.” I hand her back the earbud and as our fingers graze my eyes lock on the touch, on the unseen current that I feel as the tips of her soft fingers meet mine. That feeling is dangerous to everything I’ve worked for, so I tell myself it isn’t real. “I’ll text you about tomorrow.”