Page 18 of Floored By Love

“So, how’d that go?” O asked, walking up.

“You saw him. He practically ran out of here.”

“You going to tell me what’s going on? Why Cassandra will let you be alone with me, but not Cam?”

“Can we go somewhere else to talk about this?”

“Yeah, sure. I was kind of staring at out-of-my-league hot dudes working out more than actually working out myself.” O smiled.

“I hate when you do that to yourself, O. One day you’re going to see yourself the way I see you.”

“Yeah, okay.”

I ignored his sarcasm. “I mean it.” But then I looked around myself. “I guess there is a lot to look at.”

“Right?!”

We ended up in the main dining hall. There were a few others, but this one was central and the size of a department store. It was so big, I couldn’t even see the other end of it.

“Ay dios mio, this place is huge!”

“I know! I haven’t even seen all of it yet,” O said. “What are you in the mood for? They have everything.”

And they did. I settled on some grilled chicken kebabs and roasted vegetables. O had some kind of wrap.

“I can’t wait until we’re done competing and then I can have an enormous pizza all to myself,” O said, holding his wrap in front of his face with very little enthusiasm. “But enough about food, something is up. What’s with you and Cam? There’s more there than you’ve told me.”

“Okay, Detective Ellis, you got me. I didn’t say anything before because it’s not something I’m proud of, but the short version is that he and I dated in Brisbane despite my parents’ rules regarding relationships and at the end of the games, they forced me to break off all communication with him, took me home, and pulled me out of Florida University.” O’s mouth hung open as he stared at me. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

He scratched his head. “So...you broke up with him or your parents did?”

“I don’t know. Kind of both. My dad saw us kiss, and that was the beginning of the end. They read all my phone messages and knew we were still talking, and that I lied to them. They fired my previous coach Shane and threatened to pull all their financial support, and like a coward, I just went along with it and left Cam behind.”

“Well, it sucks they put you in that position.”

“You don’t think I’m a total dick for ghosting Cam?”

“Well, I’m not saying I’d want to be Cam in this situation, but I know you well enough to know you’re not a total dick.”

“Well, I’d guess Cam thinks otherwise.”

“I mean, it was definitely dick-ish. Have you tried to explain?”

“I kind of was about to and…well, you watched what happened.”

“That could’ve had more to do with his massive tent than anything else.”

“You saw that?” I asked, surprised.

“His dick’s kind of hard to miss, Luke, even from halfway across the gym.”

“Trust me, I know,” I replied, smiling. “I was kind of hoping that tent was because of me.”

“Do you still like him?”

I let that question linger in the air for a few seconds. “I’m pretty sure I still love him, O.”

“Damn.” O looked stunned. “That’s…something.”