Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61591 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“He’s absolutely amazing. Can you imagine coming up with a place like this in your imagination, then making it come true?”
“It’s quite the feat, no doubt about it. So, what’s happening at this fancy party tonight?”
“It’s a chance to show off the place to our friends and some VIPs, for the staff to meet everyone, and most importantly, for all of us to celebrate Ever.”
I flipped the camera back around, and Roger grinned at me through the screen. “When I first offered Ever the use of my apartment, I was worried you two might hate each other, because you’re so different. Imagine my delight when you called me two months ago and told me you’d become a couple! I guess there’s truth in the old adage, opposites attract.”
I grinned at that. “Apparently.”
“So, has either of you said the ‘L’ word yet?”
“Not yet. I’m waiting for the right moment.”
“My advice is not to wait too long, mate. I know you feel it, and he needs to hear it.”
“You’re right on both counts.”
We chatted for another minute, until he said, “It’s late here and Callum is calling me to bed. Let’s talk soon, yeah?”
“For sure.”
After we ended the call, I pocketed the phone and realized I had the entire fitness center to myself. Ever was working in his office, and the party guests wouldn’t start arriving for a couple of hours.
I sat down on the end of a weight bench and took it all in. The racks of free weights were an interesting contrast to a nearby standing-height table, which was covered in a white tablecloth and held orange lilies in a royal blue vase. These tables were dotted all around the ground floor. Banners announcing the grand opening, which was happening on Monday, hung from the high ceiling, amid smaller banners in a rainbow of colors, which designated each workout zone. There were also balloons and flower arrangements everywhere, and up front, dozens of royal blue gift bags with the EverFit logo were neatly arranged on the reception counter.
Ever had spared no expense. He’d also been working tirelessly to make sure the party, the soft opening this weekend, and Monday’s grand opening went off without a hitch.
But even with all of that, he’d been making a real effort to spend time with me. He did most of his work during my shifts at the shelter, and he still volunteered there twice a week. We worked out together every morning, and every night when I got home from work, he stopped whatever he was doing and devoted the rest of the evening to us. I appreciated all of that so much.
I was worried about him, though. He was stretched thin with all of his responsibilities, and I knew he was under a huge amount of pressure. I helped out in any way I could and even offered to take a leave of absence from the shelter, but he’d been dead set against it. He’d said my job was far too important to take a back burner to the fitness center, or to anything else. That kind of respect for the work I was doing was just one more reason to love him.
It was funny that Roger had asked about the ‘L’ word, as he called it. I’d known for a while now that I was utterly, totally, madly in love with Ever, but somehow I didn’t just want to blurt it out. I had this vision of telling him in some special way, possibly involving candlelight and a romantic setting.
It seemed important to get it right. I didn’t just want him to hear me say the words, I wanted to show it. And I wanted it to happen when he didn’t have a million other things on his mind.
Or maybe that was just what I was telling myself.
Maybe I was afraid to say it first.
I had no doubt in my mind that Ever cared deeply about me. But what if he hadn’t gotten to love yet? What if I said it too soon?
So, yes, for all the strides I’d made with my self-confidence, I was still a work in progress. And that was okay. I knew I was changing and growing, and there was no deadline for that.
I was snapped out of my thoughts by the buzzing of my phone. It was the caterers, telling me they’d arrived, so I leapt up and hurried to the loading dock to let them in.
Ever had hired my friends River and Cole on my advice. When I opened the back door for them, River grabbed me in a hug and exclaimed, “Tracy, my man, tonight is going to be epic! I’m not gonna lie, your boyfriend’s request for healthy appetizers almost threw me for a minute. But you’re going to love the menu we came up with. Two words: gazpacho shooters. And that’s just one of over twenty delights we have in store for you.”