“What would those other interests be? Gazing at each other longingly and lying on his back as he does push-ups? I can’t believe you invited him to the bachelor party. You know it’s gonna be a joint party. Lily will be there. And she sure as hell isn't gonna feel like hanging out with Max Samson for a whole weekend.”
“That’s why you had me come later, isn’t it?” I asked. “You knew he’d be here.” I appreciated that Amanda had stopped me from going to the exact same class as him, but it was more awkward that she hadn’t prepared me to see him. I wasn’t sure where he and I stood, so a little heads up would’ve been helpful. And now I’d have to spend an entire weekend with him in Atlantic City for Shane and Amanda’s party. I thought back to the last time Max and I had been in Atlantic City together. Shit, I’m really fucked. Even though this time I was sure we wouldn’t be having any secretive, sexual encounters, Adam wouldn’t be so sure. “If Adam knows Max is going to the party, he’s gonna lose his shit.”
“What’s the worst that Adam thinks could possibly happen? It’s not like you’re gonna screw Max there or somethi—” Amanda stopped abruptly when she realized her mistake. “Yeah, never mind. He’ll probably be pissed if he finds out.”
“You don’t have anything to worry about, Lily,” Shane tried to assure me. “He’s bringing his girlfriend to the bachelor party weekend. Now I gotta start class. We can talk about this later.”
Girlfriend? I wasn't sure why, but this news filled me with more dread than my impending conversation with Adam. I blew out a breath. "Today sucks," I muttered before starting my jumping jacks and contemplating running away from home.
Chapter 32: Adam
“Today is the day, Adam. Let’s go.” Lily was positively giddy.
“I know, I’m ready.” I was behaving purposely reluctant, though was actually feeling the opposite. Not that I was excited to go with her to CrossFit, but seeing her so happy was contagious. I started shuffling papers on her dining room table.
“What are you doing?” she accused more than asked.
“Just making sure my will is in order before I let you drag me to my death.”
“You’re so dramatic,” she murmured as she rolled her eyes. “Now, come on. If we’re late we have to row, and I prefer to not begin my workouts exhausted.”
I followed her out of her apartment and used my key to lock her door. As I looked down at her house key on my keychain, I shook my head slightly, smiling. Who would’ve ever thought that we’d be here when we got back together in December? It still didn’t seem real.
“Old man, what the hell are you doing?” Lily’s shrill yell pierced through my happy moment.
I ran to catch up with her, barreling into her from behind and wrapping my arms tightly around her. “Letting you drag me to your gym.”
Her arms wrapped around mine as we moved awkwardly, but lovingly, down her hallway. “I let you drag me out with your friends, so you’re going to CrossFit with me and you’ll damn well like it,” she said with mock seriousness.
“You don’t like it when I make you go out with my friends, so why do I have to like it when we go to your gym?”
“Touché, Mr. Carter. But I do pretend to like them. At least to their faces. Most of the time.”
I laughed into her shoulder. She was right, she did try to put on a good show. We’d been out with my friends a few times since their disastrous first meeting, and Lily always went in with a smile and a good attitude. That’s not often how she left, but at least she tried. It still bothered me that she didn’t get along with them, but at least the effort was there.
I had tried asking her what it was that she didn’t like about them, but she didn’t really have a solid answer. “We just have nothing in common,” she had finally responded.
“But you and I have things in common. And I have things in common with them. So, I don’t get how that works.”
“They have different things in common with you than I do.”
“Wow, I must be pretty common,” I joked.
She swatted me on the arm, but then turned serious. “They don’t like me either, Adam. Did you question them too?”
Truth was I had, and received similar answers. They just didn’t mesh, and I doubted they ever would. It was kind of how I felt about her friends actually. Granted, there wasn’t a palpable tension between me and the Lily Brigade like the one that existed between Lily and my crew, but my interactions with them were stilted and forced all the same.
Lily and I finally made it down to her car, and started for her gym. I had been actively avoiding this trip for months now. It’s not that I didn’t want to participate in something she clearly enjoyed, but I, well, I just didn’t want to participate. I was fine at my own gym where I was able to do my own thing. The class structure to CrossFit didn’t appeal to me. But she had been hounding me about it, so I finally agreed to go and see what it was all about.