Chapter Twenty-Seven
“You okay, man?” Barry asked as Spencer arrived the next day. “You look like hell.”
“Rough night.” When he put it that way, it sounded like he’d spent the night out drinking.
That sounded so irresponsible, and yet he didn’t know how else to sugarcoat the fact that he’d cried his eyes dry and sobbed to the point of dry heaving over his toilet.
He’d crawled into bed and slid into oblivion shortly after that, but woken up still exhausted and with a monster of a headache that a cup of coffee and a fistful of Advil had yet to make a dent in.
If anything, ibuprofen on an empty stomach was only making things worse.
Barry held up an infrared thermometer before Spencer could voice an objection. “No fever, but you still don’t look so hot. If you start to feel worse, go home. That’s an order,” he added in an evident throwback from his days in the military.
“I’m not sick, just tired.” Which was true but ridiculous, considering he’d had an early night. “And I have a new client waiting, so I’d better get going.”
The session started with the usual measurements, questions about goals and diet, and likes and dislikes for him to take into account when making the plan.
It struck Spencer how much this was like being on a date, and he sternly reminded himself of what Barry had said about boundaries in the meeting. Then it was time to take to the floor.
About halfway through the treadmill test, “2 Be Loved” came on over the sound system. Spencer’s heart clenched at the memory of Misty singing along to it in her Allegro Café t-shirt. “Who put this song on?” he demanded.
His client looked incredulous at his apparent distaste. “Seriously? Who doesn’t like this?”
“Keep going, I’ll be right back.” He found Barry at the front desk and repeated his question.
“It’s on Emily’s playlist, and she’s more than earned the right to pick the music. But in a few days’ time, it’ll be your turn.”
“What?” Not the most original response, but it was the most unexpected answer to the question he could have gotten.
“Did you forget that choosing the gym’s music is a privilege for platinum trainers?
After everything you’ve accomplished with your clients, you more than qualify.
You’ve done well for months, and your bobsledder pushed you over the edge.
” The older man smiled. “I’ll get the website updated to reflect this and let HR know. Congratulations on your promotion.”
He extended a hand, and Spencer shook it in the daze of a clearing headache. He’d been working for this for ages, and now his moment had come. He should have been euphoric at achieving his goal, but instead, he felt completely numb.
Maybe it would sink in as the day went on.
He rushed back to his client, who was winding down the test, and finished the rest of the evaluation.
It kept at least part of his mind engaged, but he still wasn’t totally present.
He hadn’t felt like this since the worst days at the insurance office, and it made no sense because he couldn’t have asked for a more opposite environment.
He thought back on Kurt’s pep talk, but it didn’t do much to pump him up. Not when the last part—all the girls they met—had only led to Kurt getting suspended and Spencer getting thrown back to the worst days of his life.
Still, he had to admit that Misty had at least left him a better parting gift than Haley, who’d tried to give back the ring.
Because he hadn’t wanted the reminder of the breakup, he’d insisted she keep it even though it had drained some of his winnings.
Barry had specifically cited “your bobsledder” as a factor in his promotion.
Misty had done nothing but good for him, and he’d let issues that had nothing to do with her get in the way of things.
It shouldn’t have been possible to feel worse, but somehow, that thought managed it.
He couldn’t take another minute at work and knocked on Barry’s slightly ajar door to let him know. His supervisor looked up. “Everything okay?”
“You were right. Maybe I shouldn’t have come in today. I’m happy about the promotion—”
“You sure don’t look like it.”
“Because of how bad I’m feeling. I should take a day or two and see about getting checked out.”
Barry looked as inscrutable as ever. “Mental health is as much a component of health as good physical condition. Do what you need to do.”
Spencer thanked him, wondering how his boss seemed to know everything. Back home, he searched his email archives until he found the one he was looking for. The phone rang twice, sent him through a maze of automated messages, and put him on hold before someone finally asked how they could help him.
“I’m not doing too good.” Something about saying it out loud made it real.
“Are you thinking of hurting yourself right now?”
Did he sound that desperate, or was that the kind of thing they had to ask everybody who called? Either way, Spencer was taken aback. “No, nothing like that. I was in therapy for depression once and think I should get back to it now. My gym recommended you.”
“I see.” Spencer heard a keyboard clicking. “Dr. Kaur is taking new patients. She actually has a cancellation at ten tomorrow morning if you’d like to take it.”
“Yes. Please.”
The rest of the conversation was mostly Spencer giving information and the receptionist typing it in. “That’s all I need from you now, but I’ll need you to complete some forms ahead of your session. I’ll email them to you now.”
“That’s fine.” Spencer hung up, feeling shaky but a little better for the promise of taking care of this.
****
“Go!” Misty raced down the track at the back of the sled with the rest of her group.
A day or two in the middle had been cool, but being on brakes in the back was even better.
It gave her more to do, not to mention a thrill at pulling the hand brakes as they crossed the start/finish line.
Choosing the exact right time to do it was a learning curve, but one she embraced with both hands.
“Can’t we do it again?” she begged as they were herded back to the hotel.
“Eager, aren’t you?” Ms. Coolidge sounded faintly amused. “That was the last round for today. We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow.”
Misty struggled not to show impatience. The more time she spent on the track, the more she came to crave the rush and appreciate how everything else got left behind.
Especially these days. Where had Spencer’s paranoia about the delivery guy come from?
What had either of them thought this was?
Clients turned lovers, friends with benefits, or what?
Was this thing even meant to last through the combine?
Was she going to be able to go back to the gym when she got home?
The only thing that helped was getting tired enough that those thoughts couldn’t intrude, and the combine was all too helpful with that. She mulled it over as she shredded some bread into a second serving of beef stew.
Tallulah, Marla, and some others passed her end of the table. “We’re going to have a little Hallmark movie pajama party before bed tonight. Want to join us?”
Tish hesitated. “Sounds fun, but I want to get one more workout in before bed.”
“Come on, Tish, rest is just as important,” Misty spoke around the bread and realized she’d just quoted Spencer. It would be good to find something to do to take her mind off him.
“It’ll be fun,” Tallulah said. “I’m going to order some treats, and we have sparkling wine...”
“I can’t have any of that,” Tish looked pained.
“But I can,” Misty said hurriedly to cover up the awkward moment. “I’m in.”
Tallulah smiled. “Great! See you in room 1203 at 8:00.”
At 8:00, Misty knocked on the hotel room door.
All eight women Tallulah had persuaded to join her were dressed in pajamas from oversized t-shirts to elaborate sets, and a tray of desserts from a bakery in town sat on the desk.
“You look so cute!” Marla said, gesturing to Misty’s dog-patterned flannel pants.
Tallulah pointed to a picture of a miniature husky around Misty’s left knee. “That looks just like mine!”
“Sounds adorable.” Misty glanced around the room. “Should we take a picture?”
The group crowded onto the queen-size bed that didn’t look like it had been occupied recently, and the woman in front extended her hand. “Everybody say—”
“Hang on,” Angela said, looking grim. She squirmed away from the group to pull her phone out of the pocket of her drawstring lounge pants.
“Hang on? Unusual,” Misty teased to try to break the tension as Angela dealt with her husband.
“Is something wrong with Evelyn?” The answer must have been no, because Angela sighed and said, “Then I can’t talk right now.
It’s been a long day, and I’m trying to get some rest before tomorrow.
.. That’s what I’ve been telling you all this time!
I miss you too, both of you, but... No, I can’t come home early, and you can’t keep calling at all hours of the day and in the middle of practice.
.. If it’s not in our bathroom, try the one above the sink in the powder room.
.. Then use your common sense, Raymond!”
She let out a shuddering breath as she hung up, and the rest of the room sat in awkward silence. “What’d he need now?” Marla asked gently.
“He doesn’t know where we keep the Icy Hot.
He pulled a muscle in his shoulder giving Evelyn a piggyback ride.
” Angela buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up.
“Real love is supposed to be about supporting your partner even when it’s less than convenient for you.
At least, that’s what I’ve always been told.
But all he’s done is whine about me being gone and bug me about the silliest things. ”
As the group urged Angela not to let her husband get her down, Misty tried and utterly failed to imagine Spencer being this incompetent.
His proficiency as a kickboxer had obviously carried over to other aspects of his life—the gym and the bedroom among them.
That reminded her that even after they’d gotten closer, he’d been nothing but encouraging of the goal that would send her out of town for weeks.
Which made the last time they’d spoken all the weirder. Had he been drunk that night? High? Concussed? Those were somewhat comforting theories, but the lack of a follow-up text the next morning apologizing for what he’d said under some influence meant that probably wasn’t it.
Unless this was the real him, and he’d kept it hidden out of a desire to get laid. Misty hated that idea, and yet, she couldn’t come up with an explanation for his behavior that she liked.