She laughed, showing perfectly straight teeth. “Darlin’, you’re not the first girl to dance on my bar, and chances are you won’t be my last.” She glanced down at my button-up. “We’re pretty informal around here, so why don’t you grab a shirt off my desk, and my daughter will show you the ropes? Take her back, would you, Grayson?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He put pressure on my lower back and guided me toward the door past the locker rooms. The office was neat, and I easily spotted the stack of shirts. “Here,” he said, thrusting a white polo shirt with Anytime Fitness embroidered on the front.
“She sure knows you pretty well,” I questioned, taking the shirt and pulling it on over my blouse.
“Like I said, I’m here a lot.”
I glanced over the huge muscles of his arm as he curved the brim of his baseball cap. “I can see that.”
He shook his head and walked me back out to the desk. “I’m going to lift a little while you train up. Avery, take care of her.” He abandoned me for the locker room.
“Hi there, Sam.” She smiled, revealing a set of sparkly braces. “Ready to get started?”
“Sure,” I said, and we began with the computer system. There were four managers, three receptionists, five trainers, and Avery, who filled in behind the desk when she wasn’t at school.
“Mom doesn’t want me at the bar, of course, so I’m here.”
“It’s cool that she owns two businesses,” I said as I familiarized myself with the mail system.
“She got the bar in the divorce, but she’s trying to sell it. This is pretty much our place, now.” She reached into her bag, pulling out a heavy math book.
“Aren’t you on vacation?” I asked.
“One more week and it’s finals. Junior year algebra three is kicking my butt.”
“Want some help? I used to tutor high-school math back in Colorado.”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not in the least,” I answered with an easy smile.
“Nice to see you again,” a vaguely familiar guy said as he signed in, a bag slung across his shoulder. He flashed me a smile. He was good-looking, but my usual hot-guy response must have been broken, because he didn’t so much as stir my interest.
“Welcome back,” I said with a polite smile, trying to remember where I’d seen him before.
He laughed. “You don’t remember me. It’s okay. I’m Will. I’m the one who called Jagger a few weeks ago.”
Ugh. The hot one from the bar. Because I wasn’t embarrassed enough already today. “Nice to meet a friend of Jagger’s. Well, officially meet since I’m guessing you didn’t exactly get my best side last time.”
His grin was contagious. “Well, if you’d ever like to show me your best side—”
“No chance, Carter. Not happening.” Grayson said as he walked over, dressed in shorts and a loose tank. My heart jumped and my breath caught at the possessive glance that swept over me before glaring at Will. Maybe I wasn’t broken; I was simply having a hard time comparing guys to Grayson. Shit. That was inconvenient.
“Whoa, you marking territory, Masters?” Will teased.
“She’s my new roommate, so hands and eyes off, or I’ll explain the many different ways in which you really are second-choice Carter.” The muscle in Grayson’s jaw flexed.
“You’re an asshole.” Carter tipped his hat. “Ma’am, you have my most sincere sympathy at your living situation.” He turned back to Grayson. “We still on for Memorial day?”
Grayson smacked his back. “You bet. Barbecue starts at two, but I’m missing out. I’ll be home.”
“Ah, yes, the mysterious trips. We’ll catch you when you’re back.” Will nodded and headed to the locker room.
“He’s an acquired taste,” Grayson explained.
“Yes, you are,” I responded, tossing him a flirtatious smile and digging into the algebra book with Avery. Crap. I’d just flirted. With my roommate. I needed to watch that. I also needed to not ogle him lifting weights between learning my job and helping Avery out.
Epic fail.
He got me a job. Thank God. Such a simple thing, but simply knowing it made breathing easier, like I’d been under water for so long that coming up had me drunk on oxygen and possibilities.