Page 47 of Hide Me Darling

“Hey Rye,” I reply, returning his smile. “It’s going well. This class is intense.”

“Yeah, Nathan doesn’t mess around,” Rye says with a nervous chuckle. “It’s a great way to start the day, though.”

“Definitely,” I agree, feeling the burn in my muscles.

Rye hesitates, as if he’s about to say something more, but Nathan’s voice cuts through the moment. “Alright, everyone! Time to get back to it. Let’s keep that energy up!”

Rye glances back at Nathan with a scowl, then he is smiling again as he turns to me. “Umm, I’ll see you around sometime, Taylor.” He gives a quick nod and heads back toward the equipment.

As I watch Rye walk away, I notice him pass Makai, who nods at him before heading over toward Nathan. Makai murmurs something to Nathan, who nods in response before Makai moves on to help someone else. Nathan claps his hands together, calling everyone back into the circuit training one final time.

The rest of the class passes in a blur of movement and effort. By the time we’re done, I’m drenched in sweat and my muscles are screaming. But I feel a small sense of accomplishment too. I managed to keep up and even learned a few more names and faces.

As I'm cooling down, stretching out my sore muscles, I see Makai approaching with a friendly smile. “Hey Taylor,” he says, stopping in front of me. “How did you like your first class?”

"It was intense," I reply, chuckling despite the fatigue. "But in a good way. Nathan really knows how to push everyone."

Makai nods appreciatively. "Yeah, Nathan's great at what he does. It's good to see you pushing through. A lot of people don't come back after their first class."

"I can see why," I say with a laugh, stretching my sore muscles that aren’t entirely from the workout. "I’ll admit, I’m pretty stubborn. I’m determined to stick with it."

"That's the spirit," he says, his eyes studying me for a moment. "We have this class every week. We need more people with that kind of attitude around here."

I nod, genuinely appreciative of Makai's encouragement. "Thanks, Makai. It’s good to know there’s a regular routine I can stick to."

"Yeah, and if you're interested, we've got a few other classes that might interest you," Makai offers, his expression thoughtful. "Apart from this circuit and the yoga class I already mentioned, we also run Zumba, Pilates, and another high-intensity session. In the afternoons and evenings, there's also sometimes boxing and kickboxing, even mixed martial arts in the back room."

My ears perk up at that. "That sounds intriguing," I admit, "I do some kickboxing here and there."

Makai's eyebrows rise in mild surprise. "Oh, really? That's great to hear. You'll find a few enthusiasts here, especially in the evenings. It’s a good way to blow off steam and stay sharp. Definitely a good workout."

I smile. "I might have to check that out sometime. Are you the one that does that training?"

Makai laughs and shakes his head. "Nah, I'm more into weights and strength training myself. It's actually Telvin who volunteers to handle the MMA and kickboxing sessions." He gestures subtly towards Telvin, who's now back to being deeply engrossed in his workout, oblivious to everyone else around him.

"Really?" I respond, glancing over at the man. He seemed so quiet and withdrawn when we met.

"Yeah," Makai chuckles again. "What's that saying? It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for? Apparently, it helps him focus or some shit."

I nod thoughtfully, considering this new piece of information. "Interesting. Do a lot of tourists attend those?”

He shrugs. “Some, but not many and it’s not overcrowded during that time if that's what you’re asking.”

With a grin I stand up straight and shake my muscles out, then I start patting away any lingering sweat with the towel. Someone calls out to Makai and he glances over my shoulder for a moment, when his eyes return to me they flick down briefly.

He opens his mouth but before he can speak someone calls out his name again. He waves his hand in that direction but there's a momentary pause before he starts walking towards the person calling him, still glancing back at me.

"Maybe I'll see you here in the evening and you can really work up a sweat," he says with a grin. Then, not waiting for my response he heads off to attend to the gym's business.

Before I can react to Makai's parting comment, Maddie bounces up to me, full of energy. "Hey Taylor! Are you grabbing a coffee from the bakery before heading home too?"

I give an exaggerated groan, half-playful. "Yes, I need coffee. Just hook me up with an IV of it."

Maddie giggles, clearly amused by my dramatic response. "You might also need some more makeup," she points out, her tone teasing. "Your neck is a very pretty shade of bruised."

So much for the foundation’s staying power.

Chapter 23

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