Chapter 9
Katie
I thought this kind of shit only happened in videos, but apparently there were gym arseholes in the wild as well.
I was in the zone, my feet moving, my arms pumping as I walked up what was the equivalent of a steep hill. Runner, I might not be, but walker? I took the dogs out for hours at the shelter, so I always smashed my steps goals.
Then he appeared.
You know when you get that weird, prickling feeling on the back of your neck? Like someone is staring at you, forcing you to turn around. I dismissed that thought, because who the hell would be staring at me on the treadmill?
Him, apparently.
Tall, good looking, and wearing a thin tank top that was spotted with sweat, he smiled when he came into my field of vision and then pointed to my headphones. For a moment, I felt a jolt of horror. I was listening to one of those smut audio files on Quinn, and right as the raspy voiced narrator was telling her/me what a good girl I was being, taking all of him, a gym bro appeared. That easy smile, initially I thought it was a knowing one and that he was hearing everything I was listening to, but when I stopped the track and pulled my AirPod out, it was far worse.
He had interrupted my workout to give me some unsolicited advice.
This was my worst nightmare. It was literally why I wanted to come here with my sister. Her resting bitch face would force douche canoes like this to back the fuck up. Instead, he smiled and came forward.
“Hey, I’m Steve.” I just stared as he offered me his hand, self-consciously wiping it on his shorts when I didn’t respond. “I saw you working out, and I thought you might need some advice.”
I’m not sure if other plus size women felt like this, but there was nothing on God’s green earth that I wanted less. Complete strangers felt the need to tell me I had a pretty face, but I’d look beautiful if I lost weight. Others inspected my shopping trolley like they were drug-sniffing dogs, looking for a few cheeky lines of cocaine, and still others looked at my meals and asked, “Are you going to eat all of that?” Being fat and in public seemed like a red flag to way too many people. I punched the stop button on the treadmill, which was my first wrong choice, and stood still on the conveyor belt.
“So if you’re looking to slim down?—”
How the hell was this happening again? Moments before, I was in the zone, feeling strong, powerful with every step I took on the treadmill. I wanted to listen to my horny stories, not dickheads like this.
But when did what I wanted matter?
Right then, I saw my ex’s facial features superimposed over Steve’s. Same cocky air, same arrogance that made him think he had a right to tell me what he thought. My hands wrapped around the handrails of the treadmill and I sucked in one breath, then another, feeling my heart pounding in my chest. How dare he interrupt me? How dare this Steve come and insert himself into my space? Why the hell did he look at me and just see a problem that needed fixing? And why did the world think the exact same thing? If I was exercising, it must be because I was finally, finally, taking myself in hand and resolving the issue of my size. My throat worked, not to suck in a breath, but to try and find the words to tell him to piss all the way off, when I was cut off by another masculine voice.
“And why would she do that?” Rhys was all cute Golden Retriever when he met me at the door, but now he was a German Shepherd. He prowled forward, then came to stand between me and Steve, arms crossed. Those biceps were popping, something that made even Steve go pale. “When Katie is perfect the way she is.”
Perfect? Steve and I had a little moment of simpatico, our eyebrows shooting upwards.
“Gorgeous.” Rhys bit that word off. “Stunning. Beautiful and most of all, not interested in your little spiel. Steve, did we or did we not talk about you giving unsolicited advice in our gym?”
“Look, mate, I’m just trying to build my client base,” Steve replied.
“By being a complete dick? What, you thought you were going to neg Katie into signing up with you?” Rhys looked back at me. “If there’s anything you need help with, you just ask me, but no one, and I mean no one, is going to hassle you about anything in my gym. We clear?”
I nodded on automatic as my brain tried to process what was happening right now.
“As for you.” All that gentleness was gone when Rhys turned back to Steve. “Get your shit and get the fuck out.” He stabbed a finger at the door.
“But I’ve got seven months left on my membership!” Steve snapped, and I was stunned to see him try to front up to Rhys.
“Not anymore you don’t.” Drew appeared with a receipt in hand. “Refunded to your account.”
“But—”
“You’ve been warned, more than once, and we told you what would happen if you kept pestering women,” Rhys said with a shake of his head. “So go, or don’t.” That casual lift of his shoulder had my eyes widening. “Drew’s been on me to take out the trash and I’d be happy to start with you.”
Steve seemed to come to his senses, turning on his heel and marching away. The jeers and claps from the guys working out just seemed to intensify Steve’s shame, the man’s face an alarming shade of purple as he stormed out the front door.
“Well, good riddance to bad rubbish.” Rhys’ expression changed when he looked at me. “How we doing, love? You OK? I should’ve kicked him out long ago. Steve shouldn’t have gotten within ten feet of you.”
“I…” Words failed me. While my family was fiercely protective of me, the outside world? Not so much. I blinked as my throat worked, knowing I needed to say something. “Thank you?”
“No need for that. I should’ve headed Steve off before he even got within ten feet of you.”
Rhys held out a hand, and I thought it was to help me off the treadmill, but when I got close, both hands went around my waist, picking me up and setting me on my feet.
OK, then.
“Were you finished with your workout?” Now that Rhys was close, his voice dropped down into a deep rasp. “I can stand by the treadmill and make sure no one bothers you.”
“I’m done.” I needed to get it together, that was clear. Step away from the hottie and go and get changed before heading home in time to kick my sister’s butt for flaking on me. “I might get a retaliatory cheeseburger on the way home as a big fuck you to Steve, but I’m fine.”
“Burgers are what you want, huh? Ever had the smash burgers in Unley?” he asked, moving closer so all I could see was that chest and his tank top. “They’re pretty amazing.”
“Um… no.” I cleared my throat. “But I hear good things about them.”
“Let me buy you dinner,” he said, hands rising, but not touching. “To make it up to you.”
Was he for real? I half wanted to reach out and touch every inch of him, just to reassure myself he wasn’t a figment of my overheated imagination. That low growl he used to put Steve in his place? It healed something in me that had been hurting since high school. Trouble was, that rush of feeling had me wanting to get closer, closer, eradicating the gap between us. That was the same impulse that had me running towards my ex the moment he crooked his finger. I sucked in a breath, ready to refuse, when he shook his head.
“Don’t say no. Well…” He shook his head. “Not unless you really want to. Look, this isn’t a date or anything. Not unless that’s what you want.” The German Shepherd was fraying to pieces before my eyes, a much less cocky Golden Retriever replacing him. “I… It’s just a burger. We could be just two people grabbing a really good feed, as friends.”
I looked up then, meeting his eyes, but this time it wasn’t the strange colour that had me transfixed. There was a warmth there, one that drew me closer, had me nodding, right as my focus dropped down. He hadn’t shaved this morning, maybe not for a few days. His full lips provided stark contrast to the coppery stubble around them. Would that scratch at my skin if I kissed him? Suddenly, I really wanted to know the answer to that question. New year, new me, that’s what I’d promised the night of New Year’s Eve, so that’s who I’d be. Maybe I could be the girl who could go and grab a burger with a really hot guy and not make it into a big deal.
“Um… yeah,” I replied, then snorted at my inadequate reply. “That would be amazing.” His big grin had my lips twitching in response. “I should get changed first, though.”
“No need.” He stepped back, and did those eyes sweep me from head to toe and then smile like he was really happy with what he saw? “The place is pretty casual. Do you know the address?”
I worked it out, gripping the steering wheel tightly all the way over to the burger place. Part of me expected Rhys to not even be there when I arrived, but as I pulled up just down from the burger place, I caught sight of him standing on the curb, staring into each car as it went by. I smiled for a second, the dog metaphor unable to be avoided, but if that’s what he was, he went into alert mode when he saw me. Perfectly still for just a second, then running over to my door and opening it for me before I had a chance to do it myself.
“Milady.” I looked around in alarm as he swept me a bow while standing on the street, but there were few cars around this time of night. “Ready to eat the best double cheeseburger with extra cheese known to man?”
“That sounds like a heart attack ready to happen.” His grin didn’t dim for a second. “So, obviously the answer is yes.”
“Well, come this way.”
He steered me over to the front door of the place, his hand light on my shoulders, but the people inside didn’t know that. They looked up, and some frowned at the sight of us together. Rhys was in his gym gear, but that had him fitting in with the other cool kids seated at the tables. The walls had been painted black, with a massive graffiti mural on one side, loud rap music playing through the PA system. Me? I glanced down and for once agreed with my sister that it was time to retire this particularly ancient band t-shirt. It was one of Dad’s old ones, so it was soft as hell from frequent washing, but not something I really wore outside the house except for the gym.
“Here.” Rhys found us an empty table, and I took a seat gladly, conscious of the looks we were getting. “So cheeseburgers, obviously, but what about fries?” When I looked sideways, I caught the couple next to us staring. They looked away as soon as I met their gaze, but I was pretty sure they’d go back to staring the moment my focus returned to Rhys. “And a milkshake? They do freaking amazing ones here.”
For a moment, I just stared. Sometimes I felt like making healthy food choices was the rent I had to pay for existing as a plus sized woman. Rhys didn’t seem to share that view at all, just looking at me expectantly. I shook my head, smiling despite myself and that just seemed to make him even happier.
“Sure,” I replied, “that sounds amazing.”