20. Adam
CHAPTER TWENTY
Adam
The rhythmic clang of weights and low hum of conversation filled the gym as I pushed through another set of reps.
The place was packed with familiar faces.
Medford wasn’t a big town, and the gym was one of the few places where everyone, from ex-high-school jocks to middle-aged business owners, came to blow off steam.
I spotted Garrett Wolfe near the squat rack, arms crossed as he observed one of the younger guys struggling with his form.
Garrett had always been the kind of guy people listened to—steady, dependable, and built like he could chop down a tree with his bare hands.
Which I’d heard he could.
He caught my eye and nodded.
“Adam,” he greeted as I grabbed my water bottle and stepped over. “Did you see they’re finally fixing that pothole near Grady’s Auto Shop?”
I huffed a laugh, wiping sweat from my forehead. “It’s about time. Thought I was gonna lose a tire in that thing the other day.”
Garrett smirked. “Mason has really started making an impact at town meetings, hasn’t he?”
“More like they finally had the budget after pouring money into that new welcome sign.” I shook my head. “Who even notices those damn things?”
Garrett chuckled. “Tourists, I guess. Not that we get a ton of them.”
“We might soon, for the Harvest and Heath,” I said, taking a sip of water. “It’s bigger this year. Town’s been pushing more advertising for it.”
Garrett nodded. “I heard. A couple of folks from out of town already called about renting cabins. Might be good for local businesses.”
I shrugged. “Could be. As long as the diner doesn’t run out of pancakes again like last year.”
Garrett wiped his hands on a towel, then shot me a look. “So, what’s going on with you and Sadie?”
I froze, his words settling heavier than any dumbbell in here.
Garrett was observant. That was part of what made him a good leader in his line of work.
And he must’ve seen something, maybe the way my eyes tracked Sadie whenever she was in the room, or the way I leaned in just a little too much when she laughed.
I exhaled through my nose, forcing a shrug. “Nothing.”
Garrett raised an eyebrow. “Bullshit. I was there at bowling night. Besides, people talk.”
I clenched my jaw, rolling my shoulders like I could shake off the tension settling there.
I guess I wasn’t very discreet with my feelings at bowling.
Before things happened with all of us.
But she wasn’t a repeat of Penelope, the woman Samuel, Kai, and I had tried to hold onto, only to watch her slip through our fingers because the small-town whispers had been too much.
And she sure as hell wasn’t Emily Carter, my first love, the girl who had once held my heart in clumsy teenage hands before handing it back without so much as a second thought.
This was different. More dangerous.
Because no matter how much I tried to play it cool, no matter how many times I told myself we were just having fun, there was no pretending now.
Not after the way she’d come apart in our arms, her body trembling, her lips forming our names in the dark.
Nothing had ever felt like that.
Nothing had ever made me want to burn the whole damn town down just to keep something safe the way I did with her.
And that scared the hell out of me.
I forced out a breath, tossing my towel over my shoulder before meeting Garrett’s knowing gaze. “There's nothing going on.”
Garrett smirked. “If you say so.”
But I could see it in his eyes. He didn’t believe a damn word of it.
And if I was being honest with myself, neither did I.
The smell of fresh coffee and warm bread hit me the second I stepped into The Foundry, chasing away the lingering chill from outside.
The place was quieter than usual. The morning rush was long over, but a few stragglers were nursing their drinks, chatting in low voices.
I expected to find Kai in the back prepping dough or Samuel going over inventory, but instead I walked into a full-blown discussion at the counter.
Sadie sat on a barstool, one leg tucked under her, hands moving animatedly as she spoke. Samuel leaned against the counter, listening with an intensity that told me he actually gave a damn.
Even Kai, who usually preferred action over words, was paying attention, arms crossed, nodding at something she said.
But of course he was—because it was Sadie.
“And if we start incorporating community nights,” she continued, excitement sparking in her voice, “we could pull in more regulars, not just the usual breakfast and lunch crowd. A trivia night, maybe. Or a casual cocktail evening with themed drinks. Maybe even charity fundraising events to give back…”
Kai lifted a brow. “Themed drinks?”
Sadie grinned. “Yeah. Like, I don’t know, a ‘Lumberjack Old Fashioned’ for the loggers in town, or a ‘Blacksmith’s Bourbon’ as a nod to The Foundry’s name.”
Samuel huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”
Sadie shot him a look. “Obviously. I don’t have bad ideas.”
I smirked, leaning against the doorway. “Bold claim, Collins.”
Her head snapped toward me, her lips parting slightly.
For a second, she just looked at me, like she wasn’t expecting me to be standing there.
Then she rolled her eyes, but I caught the flicker of amusement. “It’s only bold if it’s not true.”
Damn .
That spark in her eyes? That quick, confident wit? It did something to me.
I pushed off the wall, making my way over. “So, what’s this? You running the place now?”
Sadie scoffed. “Someone has to come up with fresh ideas while you three spend all your time kneading dough and looking pretty.”
Kai chuckled. “She’s not wrong.”
Samuel exhaled through his nose, but there was no denying the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
I slid onto the stool beside her, resting my forearms on the counter. “Alright, genius. Keep going. What else you got?”
She didn’t miss a beat. “Well, we need better marketing. Social media, an updated website, some professional photos of the space. We should be promoting what makes The Foundry different… the building history, the community vibe, the fact that you’re all ridiculously good looking.”
Kai snorted. “Not sure that last part is relevant.”
“Oh, it is.” Sadie gestured toward the open seating area. “Half the people who come in here are women who want an excuse to watch you guys work. We should be capitalizing on that.”
I grinned. “So, you’re suggesting we objectify ourselves for profit?”
Sadie shrugged, her expression all mock innocence. “I’m just saying if it works…”
Samuel scrubbed a hand over his jaw, exhaling. “Alright. What do you need?”
Surprise flickered across her face before she quickly masked it. “Seriously?”
“You have good ideas,” Kai said simply. “Let’s make them work.”
Her chin lifted slightly. “I’ll put together a full plan, but first, I need access to your social accounts, some basic numbers on sales, and a little creative freedom.”
Samuel nodded. “Done.”
She blinked. “That easy?”
I studied her, the hint of tension in her shoulders, the guarded look in her eyes.
She wasn’t used to this… being heard, being trusted.
Especially since her last boss was clearly such an asshole to her.
Well, not us.
I didn’t want to make her regret getting mixed up with the people in charge a second time.
Leaning in slightly, I lowered my voice. “You’re smart as hell, Sadie. You think we’d ignore that?”
Her expression flickered.
For a brief moment, the world around us faded, and all I saw was her—sharp, brilliant, beautiful Sadie.
And damn, was I in trouble.
Kai leaned back against the counter, arms crossed, watching Sadie with an amused smirk. “Since you’re full of ideas, do you have a big plan for the festival?”
Sadie blinked. “The festival?”
Samuel gave her a knowing look. “Don’t tell me you forgot about it. Harvest and Hearth…”
She groaned, pressing her palms to her temples. “Ugh. I did. But it’s, like, the best event of the year! The lights, the music, the ridiculous amount of food… I always used to go when I was younger.” Her eyes flicked between them. “Wait. Are you guys running booths?”
I shot her a grin. “Of course. What kind of self-respecting business owners would we be if we didn’t capitalize on a town event centered around food?”
Kai shrugged. “I’m doing a cake stand… miniature versions of my best sellers. I figured it’d be a good way to test out some new recipes too.”
Samuel rolled his shoulders. “Grilled fish. Simple, classic.”
Sadie turned to me expectantly. “And you?”
I smirked. “Meat sandwiches. Big ones. Messy ones. The kind that make people question their life choices halfway through but still finish every last bite.”
Sadie snorted. “That’s very on brand for you.”
“Damn right.” I propped my elbow on the counter. “So, what about you? Gonna come by and sample our hard work?”
She huffed. “Like you even have to ask.”
Kai nudged her knee with his. “You could help, you know.”
She hesitated. “Help? As in… with the food stands?”
Samuel arched a brow. “You think we can handle everything by ourselves? You’ve seen The Foundry on a busy day. Now imagine that, but outside, with triple the people, kids running around, and some overenthusiastic town council member making sure we’re ‘on theme.’”
Sadie bit her lip, clearly considering it. “Well, who would I work with?”
Samuel shrugged. “Now that’s up to you.”
Sadie’s eyes flicked between the three of us, her lips twitching like she was trying to suppress a grin. “Let me get this straight. My options are: making fancy desserts with Kai, grilling fish with Samuel, or assembling absolute monstrosities of meat and bread with you?”
I smirked, leaning in slightly. “Not monstrosities. Masterpieces. My sandwiches are an experience, Collins.”
Kai snorted. “An experience in heartburn, maybe.”
I ignored him, keeping my focus on Sadie. “It’s a messy job. Requires a certain level of… passion.”
Her brow lifted. “Passion?”
I grinned. “Messy hands. Big bites. Maybe a little sauce on the corner of your mouth that someone would have to?—”
“Christ, Adam,” Samuel cut in, rubbing a hand over his face while Kai just shook his head.
But Sadie didn’t look away. That teasing gleam in her eyes damn near wrecked me.
She tilted her head, pretending to consider. “Tempting. But I think I’ll go with Kai.”
Kai blinked, clearly surprised. “Yeah?”
Sadie nodded. “I think the town deserves the chance to experience my superior decorating skills. I’ve improved a lot since our Sunday afternoon baking sessions. I’d like you to see that.”
I let out a dramatic sigh, shaking my head. “A tragedy. A loss for the sandwich lovers of Medford.”
Her smirk deepened. “I’ll still eat one.”
That got my attention. I sat up a little straighter. “Now that’s what I like to hear.”
Samuel rolled his shoulders, clearly done with the conversation. “Alright, now that that’s settled, we actually have to get some work done.”
Sadie stretched her arms over her head, her shirt lifting just enough to give me a glimpse of soft skin.
I dragged my eyes away before I got caught staring.
“Fine, fine,” she said, hopping off the stool. “I’ll let you all get back to your kneading, grilling, and sandwich… passion.”
I chuckled, watching her walk away, my stomach doing that stupid thing it had been doing lately whenever she was around.
Yeah. I was in trouble.