Chapter 14
Alex
With my head still full of thoughts about Rosie, I head to the ranch gym. It’s well-equipped and has everything we might need. We all enjoy working out, so building it seemed like a good investment. The gym is simple, nothing fancy, but a bit more modern than the classic style of the rest of the ranch. The walls are painted in a soft gray, with a few wooden accents to tie in the rustic theme. One of the main walls is lined with large mirrors, while another features shelves holding weights, resistance bands, and other workout tools. In one corner, there’s a cardio area with treadmills, stationary bikes, and an elliptical machine. On the opposite side, there are strength-training machines and a bench for weightlifting. At the center, there’s an open space with mats for bodyweight exercises or stretching. There’s also a dedicated dance space for Rory. She’s an extraordinary dancer, and when she’s home from college, she uses the gym to refine her routines. Her movements are so graceful, it’s impossible not to be in awe of her talent. I’m incredibly proud of her—not just for her dancing but for the person she is. Rory is also an exceptional student, my brilliant adopted little sister. She’s achieved so much already, including earning a scholarship to Halton University, one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious institutions. She’s truly made us all proud.
Val and Lexy, on the other hand, are full of energy and always up for adventure. They love trying out every sport—those two are unstoppable. If there’s a challenge to take on, you can count on them to dive right in without hesitation.
There are also locker rooms and showers, divided for men and women, since the girls enjoy using the space to work out too.
When I enter, I see the guys are already there. Chris is lifting weights, muscles tense under the strain. Diego is on the pull-up bar, while Fran is jumping rope.
"Hey, Romeo!" Diego greets me, coming down from the bar. "We thought you'd got lost in your love story."
I roll my eyes. "Very funny. Are you ready to be humiliated or what?"
Chris grins, putting down the weights. "Oh, someone's in a fighting mood today. Trouble in paradise with the princess?"
"Shut that mouth before I shut it for you," I retort, but without real malice. This constant joking between us is comforting, familiar.
"Ooh, someone's touchy," Fran laughs. "Come on, champ, let's see what you've got."
We start with pull-ups. It's a silent but intense competition, each of us trying to outdo the others. I feel my muscles burn, but I push beyond the pain.
"Fifteen... sixteen... seventeen..." Diego counts. "Come on, Alex, I think Rosie could beat this record!"
The mention of Rosie makes me lose concentration for a second, and I almost lose my grip. I recover quickly, but not fast enough for the guys not to notice.
"Oh oh, looks like we've touched a nerve," Chris grins.
"Fuck off," I grunt, dropping to the ground. I did twenty pull-ups, more than all of them, but I don't feel satisfied.
We move on to weights. As I lift the bar, I feel the familiar burn in my muscles. I focus on that sensation, trying to chase away thoughts of Rosie.
"Hey, Alex," Diego says between sets. "I bet you're thinking about how to impress your princess with these muscles, huh?"
"Yeah, right," I snort. "Why don't you think about how to impress your mystery girl instead?"
Diego almost drops the weight he's lifting, and the other guys burst out laughing.
"Hit and sunk!" Chris exclaims.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Diego mutters, but the blush on his cheeks betrays him.
"Oh, come on," Fran chimes in, "we know there's something going on..."
Diego tries to keep a serious expression, but then he bursts out laughing too. "At least I don't spend my nights taking moonlit swims."
All eyes turn back to me, and I feel the heat rising to my face. "Oh, shut up and get back to training," I grunt, lifting a heavier weight to distract them.
We continue like this for an hour, alternating exercises and jokes. It's exhausting, but somehow cathartic. Every push, every lift seems to take away a bit of my frustration and confusion.
In the end, we're all sweaty and panting, lying on the gym floor.
"Damn, Alex," Chris pants. "You were a beast today. What did you have for breakfast?"
I shrug, staring at the ceiling. "Nothing special."
"Mhm," Diego murmurs. "Nothing to do with a certain city girl, right?"
I feel anger bubbling up again. "How many times do I have to tell you? There's nothing between me and Rosie."
"Sure, sure," Fran says, sitting up. "That's why you can't stop thinking about her?"
I get up abruptly, feeling the need to move, to do something. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Chris gets up too, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, man. We know it's complicated. But maybe... maybe you should talk to her instead of trying to ignore what you feel."
I look at him, surprised by his seriousness. For a moment, I'm tempted to open up, to share all my worries and doubts.
But then I shake my head. "There's nothing to talk about. She'll be leaving soon, and everything will go back to normal."
The guys exchange a look I can't interpret.
"If you say so, man," Diego says, but he doesn't sound convinced.
As we leave the gym, I feel the weight of their gazes on me. As we walk towards the showers, the silence between us is charged with unspoken tension. I know the guys want to say something, but they're holding back their words, perhaps for fear of pushing me too far.
Finally, it's Chris who breaks the silence. "You know, Alex," he says cautiously, "there's nothing wrong with admitting you like someone."
I sigh heavily. "It's not that simple, Chris."
"And why not?" Diego chimes in. "She's pretty, you're... well, you. What's complicated about it?"
I stop, running a hand through my sweat-damp hair. "It's complicated because she doesn't belong to this world. She's here only temporarily. She has a whole life waiting for her in Los Angeles. And I don't know what the hell is going through my head. I don't even know her, damn it. She's just a pretty girl... I don't know why you're all getting so worked up," I burst out. I feel a bit stupid for saying she's just a pretty girl... I know she's much more than that. And I don't even know why I know that, considering I don't know her.
Am I going crazy?
Fran pats me on the shoulder. "You have time... you can decide whether to use it and try to figure out if there's something between you or just have fun. Why are you tormenting yourself like this?! And Alex, remember that her father lives here. She's alone on the other side of the world... maybe she'll decide to stay."
His words hit me harder than I'd like to admit. A part of me, a part I'm desperately trying to ignore, clings to that hope.
"We don't know," I finally say. "We don't really know her. I don't even know if she's happy there, if she has someone waiting for her... and then... what about the rest of her family?"
I don't know what to be more uneasy about. I can't bear to think that she might have a boyfriend in America... this thought definitely bothers me.
And even the last thing I blurted out worries me. Is she alone? I hadn't thought about the fact that Robert had told us his first wife had died many years ago. Suddenly, I'd like to talk to Rosie. Understand what's going on in her head... what she's had to face...
"And why don't you ask her?" Chris suggests. "Instead of making assumptions, why don't you try to really get to know her?"
I remain silent for a moment, reflecting on his words. He's right, I know. But the idea of having such conversations terrifies me. It's all a mess. I'm not used to these things. I don't even know what "these things" are. I can't ask a person out of the blue to tell me the secrets of their soul if I don't trust myself.
"I don't know if I can," I finally admit, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Diego puts an arm around my shoulders. "Hey, you don't have to do it alone. We're here for you, man. If you want, we can organize something. An evening all together, no pressure. So you can get to know her better without feeling embarrassed."
The idea isn't bad, I have to admit. Maybe, in a group context, I could relax enough to really talk to Rosie.
I think back to the night of the barbecue. To her... she seemed so nervous and out of place. To her letting go when Val offered her a lifeline. To her then withdrawing and seeming... melancholic?
And then to us...
Us...
"Maybe," I say slowly. "It could work." I don't know if this slips out of my mouth out of pure selfishness, because I'd like to have her back like that evening, or because I feel relieved at the prospect of spending time with her and having more opportunities to talk without necessarily resorting to a date right away.
A date that would be awkward. I wouldn't know what to say, what to do, how to behave.
The guys smile, clearly satisfied with having made progress.
"Great!" Fran exclaims. "And maybe we can invite your mystery girl too, eh Diego?"
Diego looks panicked. "There's no mystery girl."