Chapter 1 #2
It’s also why the only socializing I engaged in were the occasional invites to hang out with my older sister and her group of friends.
They didn’t treat me like a subpar human.
As the youngest of the group and only a member by sibling proxy, I kept a low profile and tried to fly under the radar.
Mostly house parties and usually at Chase and Kendall’s, the unofficial leaders of their crew.
My sister, Olivia, only recently began inviting me.
I guess Via felt sorry for me. Or maybe I was old enough now not to be a burden.
Either way, my sister’s crew was different—many of them older siblings of the bitchy girls in my class—and their boyfriends.
Small towns. They treated me like their mascot, which wasn’t as bad as it sounds.
They doted on me. Did I get a drink? Did I have enough to eat?
Was I having fun? It’s like they were all playing adult, and I was their kid.
But it was a win-win. They got to feel older and superior, and I got more attention from them than I had my whole life.
And for well over a year now, they were “teaching” me how to party.
After my first hangover, I decided drinking wasn’t my thing, so I slowly sipped one throughout a party and faked the “fun.” And it worked.
It kept the peer pressure to a minimum. Until it didn’t.
I shake my head to physically snap me out of the memory spiral and focus on the passing scenery out the passenger window.
The drive to Fit, as Allie calls it—full name Blue Lake Fitness Club—is quick and Allie explains there’s a bike trail I can safely use to ride to work on nice days.
I left my car back in Oak Valley. What’s left of it anyway.
Maybe if I save enough money, I can get another one.
But I know that won’t be anytime soon. I brought my ebike though, so that could be fun if the weather holds.
California is known for its sunny and seventy-five hype, but the Sierra foothills are known for being one of the few places in the state that boasts all four seasons, albeit short snippets of them.
The trail looks cool, peaceful, like everything else up here so far.
It meanders through the trees and follows the curve of the road to Fit.
I make a mental note to check it out on my first day off.
Eucalyptus and mint hit my nose first walking through the doors.
It’s nothing like I pictured. It’s huge.
And more like some bougie country club than the small-town gym I envisioned.
No wonder Allie oozes serenity. The smell alone embodies health and fitness.
Every cell in my body exhales. I feel lighter.
She gives me the tour, and I feel a sense of home, but I don’t want to trust it just yet.
I follow her around as she proudly describes the layout.
From the juice bar to the men’s and women’s locker rooms that each boast a sauna and steam room, my excitement builds.
This place is incredible for the small hillbilly town it resides in.
“Wow, Allie. Impressive! How many employees do you have?”
“Including you, five. Letty helps me manage the place during the day. Two high schoolers, Lilliana and Noah, share the afternoon and evening hours. And Julian and I share the personal training appointments. He and I also lead special classes. He’s trained in kickboxing and personal fitness, and I run Pilates and yoga.
On weekends, Fit also features remote access that we enable so members can use an app to unlock the doors during modified business hours.
When we activate remote access, we lock access to the saunas and steam rooms.”
I nod as she explains. Cool, so we get days off sometimes.
Not that I’m lazy. I like to be busy. I was just wondering how she worked here every single day without any days off.
Tension drains from my shoulders at hearing there’s only five new people to deal with.
Well, four if I'm the fifth. I can meet four new people.
“Our Fit crew is really nice,” she adds with a chuckle.
I guess I’m not hiding my apprehension very well.
“C’mon. Let’s get you a Sunshine Shot. I noticed you didn’t eat any breakfast. And juice shots work great on an empty stomach. Letty is the master behind our shot creations.”
We make our way to the juice bar around the corner from the welcome counter.
She opens a little fridge and grabs two bright orange containers and hands me one.
She slams hers like a shot, so I do the same.
Spicy . . . and delicious. The tangy sweetness wakes up my taste buds and puckers my lips.
After the tour, she asks me to fold towels from the dryer in the back room behind the front desk.
It’s a small area with a table and chairs, washer, dryer, a folding table and some shelves.
I throw in my earbuds and crank my old-school rock playlist as loud as my ears will allow and welcome the mundane task.
Armed with my neat stack of linens, I head to the counter a few minutes later to ask Allie where they belong.
Coming out of the back room, partially blinded by the wall of terry, I hit a wall.
The towels topple over and puddle at the feet of my wall, which isn’t a wall at all but might as well be.
My eyes track large tanned hands attached to larger toned arms extended out low in a clear stance of what the hell.
I note a long, wide scar on the inside of one forearm but don’t dwell on it.
I raise my eyes past the tight-fitting thin, white muscle shirt that showcases a sculpted six-pack and bulging pecs underneath.
A tan taut neckline with veins protruding on either side connect to a rigid, chiseled jaw and chin.
My scrutiny pauses on a full set of pouty lips slightly agape and quickly continues until I meet eyes of crystal blue under dark slightly raised brows.
Brows that are almost hidden by the tufts of equally dark brown hair spilling onto a creased forehead.
The messy strands fade into a neater buzz beyond his ears.
He’s most certainly not the high schooler named Noah.
He looks older than a high schooler for one and clearly annoyed.
My heartbeat trips on the pure virility oozing from this tower of a guy—like no high schooler I’ve ever met.
Julian. Great, Ev. Way to make an impression on the first of the four.
Pulling out one earbud, I begin to apologize but stammer instead.
Uh, I hate it when I do that. I quickly shove the earbud into my leggings pocket so I can pay attention to my surroundings (I hear my mom’s voice in my head) and bend over to grab the towels.
I think he grunts (Really?) as he steps around me and continues on his way to wherever he was headed.
Allie must’ve witnessed the collision because she chuckles and she’s there instantly helping me pick up the pile.
She tells me to divide and stack them on the towel racks in each locker room between the saunas and steam rooms. “Just knock before you head into the men’s room.
We’re the only ones here right now, but it’s a good habit to get into.
Heading into my eight a.m. hot yoga if you need me. ”
And just when I thought she ignored the collision, she adds, “Don’t mind Julian. He can be . . . moody.” With a little giggle, she turns to go—then pivots back. “Evvie, breathe. You’ve got this. Fresh start, remember? Give it a chance. Blue Lake will steal your heart. Promise.”
Sounds nice. But to steal a heart, you’ve gotta have one, and I’m still not sure mine survived the hit.