Page 30 of Hate It with You

She actually showed up.

“You didn’t tell me I’d be getting a show,” she calls from the front desk.

I’m smiling, about to say something, when Leo beats me to it. “Only the best for our lovely guest,” he booms before pulling me into a headlock.

I was too distracted by Beth’s cropped sweatshirt and leggings combo to see him coming. When Roman joins in, I know I’m done for. Grappling with my brothers in the ring, I put up a fight before I’m pinned down on my stomach, Roman sitting on my back.

I’m thrown back to middle school when I first started training when Roman says, “Do you yield?”

“Yes, I yield.” I give up the fight, no longer interested in entertaining my brothers with our present company.

Once I’m up, I give Roman a proper shove, embarrassment taking over my actions as I throw off my gloves. Once I snag my water bottle from Leo, I exit the ring as quickly as I can before the two of them gang up on me again. I can feel my brothers’ eyes piercing through the back of my skull as I casually make my way over to Beth.

She’s talking with Jake as I approach. He’s a great employee, even making me laugh from time to time. But when he says something to Beth that makes her throw her head back with laughter, it takes everything in me not to land one of my fists to his face.

“I was getting Beth here signed up for a membership,” Jake says.

“Which is how much, exactly?” Beth asks Jake hesitantly, holding out her wallet.

“Free.” Beth whips her head around to face me. “No need to pay. Your membership is on me. Count it as an added perk of your lease.”

“I couldn’t—” Beth is cut off when Roman and Leo join us at the counter.

Leo reaches his arm around Beth, in a sideways embrace that Beth has no problem leaning into.

“It’s good to see you,” Leo says, my nostrils flaring at the sight of them touching.

Beth is all smiles when she looks at Leo. “You too. I watched that movie you recommended. It was so good.”

Leo opens his mouth to respond, but I don’t let him when I say, “Right, well, let’s not keep Beth from her workout.” Envy fuels the bite in my tone.

A moment of silence passes between all four of us, the thumping bass of the loud background music the only sound filling the void.

Beth and Roman exchange a friendly nod with one another, and my molars pay the price, my jaw ticking tighter.

“Enjoy your workout,” I say to Beth in a clipped tone.

She takes a step toward me, lowering her voice when she says, “I really can’t accept⁠—”

Softening, I give her a small smile. “I insist.”

With a nod, I watch her hips sway as she makes her way across the room to the free weights. When she grabs a resistance band and begins what looks like an intermediate upper-body warm-up, my smile widens.

At least I know she has gym experience. That’ll make teaching her self-defense a lot easier.

“I know it’s not my place, but I’m not sure we should be giving out memberships for free,” Jake says to me.

“Why? Are you having financial troubles?” Roman’s voice is laced with his usual tone of concern.

I put a hand up, stopping him from continuing, “No, we’re doing fine.”

It’s a lie. We’re far from fine. The mainstream gym down the street continues to poach more of my customers each week, and we haven’t signed up new members in months. Roman is the last person who needs to know that right now.

“Beth is a family friend, so I’m offering her the family discount. Why don’t you pack up and take off early? It’s almost closing time anyway,” I tell Jake. The ambient lighting in the gym works overtime as the sun outside inches toward the horizon.

I let out a long breath when Jake doesn’t say another word about our financial situation as he packs up and heads out for the night.

“Family friend, huh?” Leo side-eyes me as he takes a swig from his water.