Chapter 10
We pulled into a gigantic parking lot, and I realized we were on some sort of small campus. I saw a sign that told me it was Chicago ETC, and I knew that was Dominic's gym. I had no idea how big of an operation it would be.
We parked in one of the regular parking spots and walked toward the main door.
"Ice skating?" I said, looking at him after I saw a smaller temporary sign on the side of the walkway advertising it.
"We have a rink that we use for hockey, but we have it open for ice skating during certain hours. We don't do skate rental or anything, but people bring their skates."
He owned an ice skating rink for goodness sake. I knew that kind of thing was popular here, but I had never been.
"I used to go roller skating when I was a kid, and I liked that, so I feel like I'd be okay at ice skating even though it seems harder. The problem is that I think I might be too cold the whole time."
"It's cold, but it's not that bad. Have you never been? You need to go. Lila and my mom have some skates in the office, and so do some of the other girls who work here. I'm sure someone would be your size and let you borrow a pair. You won't be too cold. You should try it."
"Yeah it must be bearable, I think about those figure skaters with just a leotard on. There's probably a ton of stuff at your gym I've never tried," I said, seeing someone walk inside with tennis rackets in a bag slung over his shoulder.
Someone yelled "Go Cats," from their truck as they passed by, and Dominic gave them a wave.
He opened the main door, and I walked ahead of him, going inside.
"This is a ten-acre facility, but the one in Milwaukee is twice the size at twenty acres with quite a bit more indoor square footage as well. We've got a full indoor track and football field over there. We have a nice half-size track and field here in our main building, though. Come on. I'll show you around."
I followed Dominic through the giant lobby.
"Does everyone use this door?"
"Yeah, you have to come in this way for security reasons," he said.
Everyone else was stopping at the counter to have their card scanned, but I followed Dominic who walked around the edge of the gigantic open room. We passed the front desk which had two people standing behind it with uniforms on. He spoke to one of them, a lady named Gina, asking her about how things were going at the gym today.
I could see how people treated Dominic, and I felt important walking in next to him. I smiled when people looked at me, but I didn't glance at anyone long enough to judge what they thought of me.
"Hey, is EJ here?" he asked Gina as we were walking off. He stopped to wait for her answer before we rounded the corner.
"Is who here?" I heard a man's deep voice. It sounded exactly like Dominic, and I knew it was his brother. I vaguely heard the woman behind the counter make a comment about EJ being 'right behind you' but I was so caught off-guard that it was hard to make sense of things for a second.
I smiled as I turned, knowing I would come face to face with—"Whoa, you really are twins," I said gawking at EJ. "I saw a picture, but this is so cool, seeing an alternate version of Dominic right here, next to him."
EJ laughed. "Hey, I think he's an alternate version of me! I am the eldest, after all."
I was intrigued by the similarities, but I had no time to stand there and stare or make comparisons.
EJ motioned for us to follow him, and we did. "I'll head back this way with you for a minute," he said.
"This is Marley. I'm going to give her a little tour—take her to the café to get a smoothie. She's never been ice skating, so we might hit the ice."
EJ stared at me with newfound curiosity that turned into a look of confusion. "Never been skating?"
I laughed.
"I'm from Texas," I said, putting on a thick southern drawl, but only for a second as I stuck my hand out.
They both knew I was putting on an accent and they laughed. "Nice to meet you, Marley from Texas," EJ said, still smiling at me as I made comfortable eye contact with him—his were dark, same as Dominic.
"It's nice to meet you, too," I said.
We walked slowly down the hallway. I could see different corridors and doors that led to different rooms—weight rooms, training rooms. Music was coming from some of them. I could tell we were hesitating so that EJ didn't walk too far in the wrong direction.
"Are you eating at Mom's tonight?" EJ asked his brother. "They've got food. Thad's coming by with me."
"Yeah, I'll be over there later tonight," Dominic agreed.
EJ turned to me. "How did you show up with my brother?"
"Dominic rescued my scarf from an evil villain, and we met up today so he could give it back to me. I treated him to a nice lunch at a fancy restaurant."
EJ figured I was joking and he smiled at me, and then he tilted his head a little, appraising me. "You're the scarf girl?" EJ stopped walking altogether and took me by the shoulders, turning me and staring at me.
I glanced at Dominic long enough to see that he was rolling his eyes and smiling at his brother. EJ took me in with great amazement. He looked down at the front of my clothes. I opened my coat and flashed the scarf at him. He glanced at it before looking at my face again. I smiled, and he smiled back.
"She exists!" EJ said triumphantly, turning and raising his fists. "I was starting to worry about you, brother. First, there was supposedly a woman and a scarf in a restaurant. Then there was a scarf but no woman to go with it. Dominic swore there was a human woman involved, but I was starting to think he had made it all up. So, you're the famous Marley with the scarf? She really does exist…" he added, dazedly.
EJ Decker looked me over with such great interest that I began to get nervous. This whole place was overwhelming, and now Dom's brother was staring at me and seemed to know who I was.
"I guess you owe me a thousand dollars," Dom said.
EJ made a dismissive noise. "That wasn't a real bet, I was just saying 'I bet' you a thousand bucks the scarf girl doesn't exist. All you had was a story and a scarf."
"Yeah, but you mentioned a dollar amount, so I feel like it's a real bet."
"Look, I'm glad the lady exists, you were right about that, but I'm not paying you that thousand. I've not paid up on way more solid bets than that."
"Good point," Dominic admitted, causing his brother to laugh.
"My phone's exploding, I can feel it in my pocket. I have to stay focused and go back the way I came. There's work to be done. It was nice meeting you, Marley from Texas. I have to say I'm honestly thankful you exist. Dom told me you had green eyes, too. I guess it is you."
EJ was staring straight at me when he said it and I smiled. "Yep, I guess I am me," I said with a casual shrug, causing him to laugh.
"All right take care, Marley. Maybe I'll see you tonight at my mama's house."
"Yes, it was nice meeting you, EJ."
I gave him a wave and he said something to his brother about their plans to see each other later.
"And let the lady try on some skates," EJ insisted, walking off and waving at us.
"I will," Dominic agreed.
We decided to take a tour of the facilities before making our way back to the café where we would order smoothies. I told him I'd like to use the restroom when I saw a sign indicating that we were passing the women's area. He said there was a chance I could get lost back there, and that he would wait right where he was for me to come out no matter how long it took.
It didn't take long for me to understand why he had to warn me. There was an entire women's gym behind those doors. I had to make my way through a gigantic women's-only weight room to find the locker room where the restrooms were. I also had to traverse a maze of showers, saunas, steam rooms, etc., and this was just for the women. It was posh, and the ladies in there were decked out in perfect ponytails and matching workout clothes.
I kept my head down so that it was impossible to notice any scrutiny. I used the bathroom and was washing my hands when I heard two women in the locker room. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop on their conversation, but they mentioned people who were at the gym that day. They mentioned two specific guys' names who seemed, by context, to be professional sports figures.
Then they mentioned the twins, and I really tuned into their conversation. They were fans of the boys, and they talked about seeing them both at the gym today. I figured they must've seen us talking to EJ. I got nervous thinking I was about to be talked about, but they didn't mention me. They were impressed with seeing EJ and Dominic together, though. I gathered from their short conversation that it was a normal thing to see one or the other at the gym, but not as common to see them both at once.
I felt completely out of my league at this place, but I told myself that if Dominic wanted me there, I could fit in. Dominic liked spending time with me. He had gone to great lengths to get my scarf, and he had told his brother about me. As unbelievable as it was, and as much as I tried to let myself deny it, Dominic Decker seemed to be interested in me.
I was most assuredly interested in him.
Those women were in my periphery when I went to the mirrors. I took off my coat and scarf, knowing I would carry them over my arm when I went back out there. I would put them back on to go skating but for now, I was hot and they needed to come off. I fixed my hair as I looked in the mirror, doing everything I could in ten seconds before I headed back out there.
Earlier today, I had been lowkey about my appearance, but back then, I thought I had no chance with Dominic. I didn't think our initial meeting would turn into all this. Now I was wishing I had washed my hair and taken time to fix it. It was fine in a ponytail. It would have to be. I stood up straight, grabbed my things, and took a deep breath as I left that locker room.
I made my way back through the maze of women's facilities and back to the hallway where Dominic was waiting. He smiled at me and bit his lip, and it caused the feeling of hot electricity in my core. I had decided to let myself be attracted to this man, to have hope, and it was turning out that I was weak in the knees because of it. I stared at his face, at his perfect nose and mouth, and my stomach flipped. My heart ached. I had to glance away.
"Sorry if that took a long time," I said pretending to be casual.
"No, I'm just glad you came back to this door. There are two other ways out through the women's area. I forgot to tell you that."
"I figured it out. It is a maze back there, though. This whole place is."
"Once you start coming here all the time, it's not like that. These people aren’t lost at all."
"Hey, Dom!"
"What's up, man?" Dominic said, nudging his chin at a teenager who was walking by.
The guy came in for a hug.
"Whatchu into today?" Dom asked.
"Kickboxing 301."
"301, son? You must be getting serious. Imma see you in the cage next week."
"Naw, bro, my mom might kill me if I try to take a fight."
"I hear you. Hey, good seeing you, Caleb. Tell your dad I said 'hey'."
"You too, and I will."
Caleb walked away and Dominic looked at me with a smile. He reached out and put a hand on my back, and I did not flinch at all. I could feel it there. Without my coat, there was just a thin layer of sweatshirt between my back and his hand. He was touching me.
"Do you want to go get that smoothie?"
"Yes, I'd love to," I said, glancing at him and trying not to sound breathless.