One
MIA
How do men make me feel? Like I want to commit arson.
If AJ doesn’t come back from Rory’s fight soon I’m going to burn the gym down.
I could easily make it look like an accident if it started in the office.
Actually, I wouldn’t dare because I love Eddie and AJ too much, but if I have to sit through another day of Oliver staring at me then giving me that dumbass grin because he thinks he knows me, I’m going to burn something somewhere.
And I’ve been gloriously failing.
It’s been three months of casual eye fucking and pretending nothing is happening. Months of him making comments every time he finds out I’m going out with another guy. Months of him not knowing that I haven’t been remotely interested in finishing a date since we spent the night together.
“I want you to watch the way you make me come undone. So when you pretend this never happened, I know you’re really picturing this in your mind.”
Every time I see him, his face as he pulled my hair and finished inside of me flashes through my mind.
Fuck him. His singular goal is to remind me of him every chance he gets, and he’s mastered it.
Between the gym and the coffee shop, I’ve had my choice of men to help me forget that night but they don’t make my heart hiccup the way Oliver does just by looking at me.
So I end up going home horny and frustrated. He will never know that though.
I pull out my phone to call AJ. I’ve been battling between being dramatic and just giving her space to focus on Rory.
But being in the gym without her makes me antsy.
Eli and Maxwell will be here later but the first half of the day I’m left alone with Oliver.
And she always has this weird way of calming me down without actually trying.
The phone wobbles in my hand as I contemplate if I really need her or if I’m just being needy.
I’m also worried about her and the stress I know she is feeling over tonight.
“Don’t you dare call and bother her. You will survive.” Oliver’s voice burns my ears from close behind me. Where did he even fucking come from? All the West men have the same annoying ability to sneak up on you.
“Hear me out.” I turn to face him, plastering my prettiest smile on my face. “Go fuck yourself.”
That ridiculous grin is on display. A chill runs over my skin when his voice drops, “Careful, Mia. You know I like it when you bite.” I’m glad to see he's holding the two boxes I left outside the door because if I am going to be stuck alone with him like this, he can at least do the heavy lifting.
Can’t wait to have you home! Wish Rory luck for me. We will be watching tonight!
I send the text anyway, because I know that tonight is going to be a big night for her.
She gets to be first corner for Rory in a professional fight.
Which is probably one of the most important moments in AJ’s career.
Eddie has been working with her nonstop for the past few months to get her prepared.
And even though she has been so focused on that, she still never missed a single Margarita Monday.
I pocket my phone and glare back up at Oliver. “Those need to go to the office.” I motion for him to head in the direction away from me. He just balances the boxes on his shoulder instead, studying me with intention that I didn’t ask for.
“She’s going to be brilliant tonight.” He soothes my worry for her with his never wavering faith in her.
“And it will feel like you are ring side right there with her with the setup you have happening tonight.” He taps the boxes he’s holding.
Eddie gave me permission to host a watch party tonight in the gym with a projector so the fight is on a big screen.
I even got my favorite taco truck to park on the street outside of the gym and I was able to bribe Ty, from The Poolhouse, to set up and bartend for free as long as I bought the alcohol.
The best part is that Ty designed a specialty drink just for Rory, who’s so pathetically in love with AJ that he changed his fight name to The Viper. The drink is a blackberry hard lemonade. Not my style, but I know that everyone will enjoy it.
“I should be there.” The words fall out of my mouth before I realize. I hate the fact that I’m not able to be beside her on such a big night. What kind of best friend am I to not show up and stand in her corner while she stands in Rory’s?
He exhales as if he has a direct link to the exhaustion in my brain, “you’re the best kind of friend to her.
She isn’t there worrying about this place falling apart while her and Dad are gone because she knows you're here.” With the boxes still resting on his shoulder, he cups the bottom of my chin and lifts gently.
“She doesn’t question that you are in her corner.
” His voice is reassuring and I know he’s right.
Sometimes I just question if I’m doing the best I can for the people I care about.
Doubting that the people who claim to love and support you, actually do, is the loudest form of insecurity.
It’s something I’m very familiar with. I never want someone to doubt that I will show up for them.
I shift out of his hold and he drops his hand to hold the boxes in front of him.
These rare moments of softness with him are almost overwhelming.
Flirting is easy, riling him up is fun. The way I feel right now is an attack on my nervous system.
My body covets his touch but my brain reminds me that it’s too much of a risk to become addicted.
So I keep him at a distance. Self preservation.
I should say thank you but instead I point to his full hands and say, “Take those to the office.”
His chin dips slightly but the corner of his mouth twitches, “yes ma’am.” I watch him as he walks up the stairs until he is out of sight behind the office door.
Shaking off the way Oliver’s closeness makes me feel, I face the open floor.
I still have to put everything in place for tonight.
I can do this. Eddie and AJ are doing what they need to do to make sure that Rory is prepared for tonight while the guys have been taking care of classes for the past few days.
We need this win tonight just as bad as Rory needs it for his career.
If Rory brings it home, we’ll be able to solidify the money for sponsorships for not just the women's only strength class, but also for several of our kids classes. And I’m going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
My training is supposed to start for the women’s class after Rory’s fight.
AJ wants to train me herself at least one day a week and I’m thankful for her persistence.
She always makes me feel stronger. It’s the confidence I lacked before I found my place here and now I get the chance to give it back to women who desperately need it.
Something else AJ is trying to teach me is that the gym quiets your chaos if you let it.
I stand in the void of noise and empty mats but fail to find the quiet.
I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and hold it like I’ve watched AJ do every day.
I try to focus on the vibrations of the air circulating throughout and let the sun brush over my skin through the windows.
Nothing. “I have to be doing it wrong.” I groan.
“It only works for Eddie and AJ.” My eyes are still closed, but Oliver’s voice is unmistakable.
“I thought you were in the office.”
“Well, now I’m back down here.”
I open my eyes to find him shirtless and standing in front of me. He’s been doing this a lot lately, just walking around like shirts are a lost concept to him.
“If you’re going to walk around without your shirt on, I’m going to start doing the same.” It isn’t a strong threat because I now have a large amount of matching workout clothes added to my closet that I love wearing.
“Public nudity.” He nods approvingly, “Should we add it to the waiver forms at the front desk?” That stupid chain around his neck dances with the way he is laughing.
“I hate you.”
“Still pretending, pretty girl?” He leans in and my eyes catch the snake that wraps around his shoulder and my own itches on my side.
It’s weird to be tied to someone just because we love the same person endlessly.
I’ll never forget the unfiltered emotion in AJ’s eyes when she realized we all got viper tattoos to cement that we will always be in her corner.
In hindsight, it was kind of crazy but I live to be impulsive.
I look up and find myself rooted, staring up where his curls are shading his brown eyes and licking the back of his neck. Amusement reflects back as he doesn’t break eye contact.
“Do you two ever stop arguing?” Maxwell’s voice makes me jump. My eyes are still on Oliver’s as I lift one shoulder and smirk. There’s a promise in his eyes about what happens when we stop arguing.
“Never.” I say, finally breaking eye contact to face Maxwell.
“I passed Ty on my way in. Eli is going to help him bring in the rest of the boxes.” Maxwell steps forward and hands me a sheet of paper.
“What the fuck is Ty doing here?” There’s obvious annoyance in Oliver’s voice.
He hates anyone that isn’t his family or AJ.
He’s only just now getting to where he is friendly with Rory.
And that’s only because I think AJ threatens to stop talking to him if he isn’t.
When I first started working here, I had to point out that he was an asshole to Rory every time they were near each other.
I check the order on the sheet that Maxwell handed me,“He’s the bartender for tonight.” I give just enough pause so my next words land with a sting to his ego. “And my date.” I add, looking up just in time to see Oliver’s jaw tick.
The feeling of watching him try to not get riled up is one of my things.
“It’s a watch party. Didn’t know we needed dates.” Oliver growls as he snatches the paper from my hands.
“Fine. I bribed him with a date to do this for me so I didn’t have to pay him.” I admit. Maxwell highfaves me before we let our hands smack each other’s asses. I reach out to grab my paper back from Oliver but he easily keeps it out of my reach.
Squinting at the paper, he says, “There’s nothing cherry on here.” I swallow tightly at the realization he cares about what I like.
“Wow, didn’t know you could read.” He tilts his head as his eyes roll into the back of his head.
I take the moment of distraction to take my paper back.
I still need to check all the items. “I’m not drinking tonight.
” Both their heads swivel to me in shock.
I mean, I do love a good margarita but, “it’s an important night for the gym.
And someone has to make sure everything goes right.
And that won’t be you two.” I make sure to give Maxwell a sympathetic smile.
He really is the sweetest guy alive, but he has a tendency to mess things up without even trying.
Eli and Ty come through the front doors and Ty beams at me from where he is hauling carts behind him.
He’s a cute enough guy. Unfortunately, he doesn’t stand a chance of being seen when a shirtless Oliver is in the room.
Actually, I don’t know how any guy is seen when in the presence of the triplets.
Eli’s earrings shimmer as he gets closer and his glasses start to fall down to the tip of his nose.
I step forward so I can push the middle of the frames back up for him.
He gives me the same grin that matches his brothers, “Thanks, Mia.” I think Eli is the brother that’s the most confident in who he is.
He’s always the same every time I’m around him, hot as hell, a little edgy, but always consistent.
Max is my twin flame. He’s every bit as chaotic and full of life as I am but I see his heart beat in the same pattern as my own.
I grin at Eli and prep myself to take on Ty.
I’ll have to keep him just close enough to not be rude but I have zero interest in spending time with him.
Ty is nice and he’s a decent bartender. He just doesn’t quite do it for me though.
“Can’t believe you actually agreed to a date with me.” Ty steps forward, his hands in his pockets and his voice full of an awkward kind of awe.
“Not really like you to do something for free.” I feel the heat from where Oliver’s bare chest is at my back. It takes physical restraint to not react.
Ty grins over my shoulder to where I’m sure Oliver is glaring at him. It seems to be his default setting.
“Getting undivided time with Mia is worth it, don’t you think?” He raises an eyebrow and I swallow hard.
I feel Oliver inch just close enough that his breath barely ghosts over the back of my neck. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had her undivided attention.” Lies. It’s the game we keep playing.
Oliver steps around us as he puts his headphones in to go on his morning run. They all run. Psychopaths.