Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
VERA
I needed to blow off some steam. Seeing Cara again for the first time since Fairview had awakened all the feelings I tried to suppress since she left.
I didn’t think I’d see her again, but time hadn’t gotten rid of my feelings. They must’ve gotten rid of hers, because now she wanted nothing to do with me. Which was perfectly okay, but until I could move on, I needed to place my focus elsewhere.
Which is how I ended up at my home away from home, also known as the gym. Today I was accompanied by three out of my four brothers. My eldest brother, Carlos, had moved to Arizona with his wife, Andrea.
“You’re looking a little thin, there, V. You should come work out with us more often.” Miguel laughed as he squeezed my bicep, which was not thin at all, by the way.
“Ha-ha! You’re so funny, cabrón. I work out plenty, thank you very much.”
He rolled his eyes as I got set up on the leg press. I’d been doing about four hundred for that past month or so, and I wanted to push myself and add another hundred. As a volunteer firefighter, my arms were a lot stronger than my legs, and I wanted to work extra hard on them.
“Whoah, V. Are you sure you can handle five hundred? That seems like a lot for you?”
“Piss off, Esteban! You know I can take you, right? Did you forget when we were younger—”
“Cállate! That never happened!”
I laughed, knowing damn well I took his ass down when we were kids. He still pretends he tripped over a stick, but my other brothers were there and knew it happened. The only thing that mattered was that I knew it happened and I’d be willing to recreate that day at any time.
I loved my shithead brothers. We all joked around and picked on each other, but we were very close. We always had been, and I never took that for granted. There was nothing more important than family to me, and we looked out for each other at the end of the day.
I rolled my eyes and started to steady myself at the leg press.
I took a deep breath and took the position, putting my feet at shoulder width and making sure they weren’t too high or too low.
I took one final inhale before I pushed.
I struggled a little, but was able to get my legs straight before bending them and holding for a few seconds.
I had to show off a little. I was in front of my brothers, after all.
“Damn, Veronica. You aren’t as weak as you look after all.”
“Don’t call me that, Miguel. But I know I’m not. Who’s next?”
Luis took the seat before I could even wipe it down. “I’m not going after you sweaty cabrónes.” He grinned and positioned himself.
After Luis proved his strength on the leg press, Miguel was up next before we moved on to arms. For that, we headed to the squat racks and tried to find an empty barbell. There was only one available, so sadly we all had to take turns again.
“I’m going first,” Miguel said before any of us could say anything. I shrugged. I didn’t care who went first, as long as they didn’t break anything before it was my turn.
“No, I’m going first, ladies”, Luis said next. He was the youngest of us all at twenty-two.
I let the boys argue over turns and took a sip of my water, surveying the gym. It wasn’t too packed, which was nice, but it was still bustling. There was a lot of eye candy as well, redheads and brunettes and blondes, especially the one with Drea.
Wait. Drea? I hadn’t seen her at the gym in a few months, and who was she with? I got my answer when the gorgeous blonde took her hat off and her long hair tumbled down.
“No fucking way,” I whispered to myself. Cara and Drea knew each other? Interesting. I’d certainly never seen Cara at this gym before. I would have noticed if I had.
I wanted to go say hi, but she was with a friend, and I knew it might not have been welcomed. She hadn’t seemed too happy to see me so far, and I knew how annoying it was when you got interrupted during your workout. So instead of going over, I decided to watch her like a creep.
She hadn’t noticed me yet, and neither had Drea. I was pretty far away enough that it could’ve taken a while for them to see me, so I used that to my advantage.
She was looking absolutely stunning in red capri leggings and a white sports bra. I had no shame in the way I stared at every inch of her exposed skin. Even from my distance between us, I remembered how soft it felt underneath my fingers.
“Vera? Earth to Vera?” I jumped when I heard Miguel’s voice through my thoughts. I had to have been staring at Cara for long enough that they noticed.
“Sorry. What?”
“What are you looking at?”
“What? Nothing—”
“?Mierda! Is it that blonde with the ass in red? She’s smokin’!”
I groaned and punched my brother in the arm. “Dude. Don’t talk about women like that. No wonder you’re single. I wasn’t looking at anyone. Especially not her.”
“Damn, V, chill. We’re just messin’ around. Why are you so testy? Do you know her or something?”
I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to be honest, but at the same time, I didn’t want to lie.
Did I know her? “No, I don’t know her. And I’m not being testy.
I just don’t think you should objectify women like that.
She’s very attractive, yes, but we’re here to work out.
” I tried to make myself believe the lie.
Now that I knew she was in the same gym as me, there was no way I was getting anything done.
Thankfully, they dropped it and moved on to another machine farther away from Cara. I still hadn’t taken my eyes off her and as I was about to turn and catch up with my brothers, she turned around and her mouth opened when she saw me.
I didn’t want to go over and say hello, only to be embarrassed by getting shut down in front of Drea, but I couldn’t just ignore her.
I sent her a wave with a small smile. She still just stood there until I winked, then she made a movement.
She whispered something to Drea and they headed towards the locker rooms.
I sighed. Maybe one day she’d actually be happy to see me. Maybe.