Page 40 of Unstoppable You

James tapped me on the shoulder as I waited for her in the lobby.

“Ready?” she asked, her face pink from her own shower. She wore a matching black sweat set that had a logo I didn’t recognize on the front.

“Yup.”

We both paused outside the gym, looking up and down the street.

“Did you want to just walk somewhere?” James asked me.

“Uh, sure. There’s a good place right down the street actually.” It was one of those kinds of places that had burgers with funny names that came loaded with so many toppings that you could barely fit them in your mouth. Their double-fried fries were also legendary and had been featured on a traveling food show.

“Sounds good to me. I trust you.” James fell into step beside me as I adjusted the straps of my bag. We’d been talking with each other all week, but it was different now that we were in person.

“How’s Millie?” James asked, bumping my shoulder with hers. It still annoyed the hell out of me that she was taller.

“Millie is booked and busy keeping me alive,” I said. The air fryer naming was too ridiculous, but I couldn’t stop saying “hey, Millie” and “thank you, Millie” every time I used my air fryer now.

“Good for her. She looks like a hard worker,” James said, grinning at me and I tripped on the sidewalk. The only thing that saved me from breaking my face was James grabbing my arm.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.”

She didn’t let go for a second, her fingers clenching my arm.

“James?” I asked, nodding to the death grip she still had me in.

“Oh, sorry. Just trying to make sure you’re good.” She let go and stepped away from me, almost bumping into another man walking down the street.

“I’m fine,” I said.

* * *

The burger placewasn’t busy, since it was a little too early for dinner and a little too late for lunch. We got a booth right in the front with the widow facing the street. It reminded me of the first time we’d eaten together at the café.

James ordered an Arnold Palmer and I asked for the same.

I watched her over the edge of my menu as I pretended to peruse it. She chewed on her lip as she read through the options.

James was still gorgeous, but in a different way. Less polished and more…comfortable. Like she just rolled out of bed looking incredible. For someone who’d just been through a workout class and had taken a quick gym shower, she was glowing, and I didn’t think she had a single ounce of makeup on.

“Did you ever have acne?” I asked, my tongue voicing my inside thought.

James looked up, puzzled by the question. “Uh, not really? I get a few breakouts sometimes before my period, but for the most part no.”

What a bitch.

“Ouch,” she said through a laugh, and I realized I’d said that last part out loud. Oh well.

“You made fun of my skin,” I reminded her.

Her face fell and she gripped her menu in both hands, making it bend. “I know. I…I really am sorry about all that.”

“I know you are.” I didn’t want to keep bringing up the past, but it kept coming up anyway.

“I went on birth control in college. That helped,” I said.

“You have lovely skin, Delaney.” Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but the compliment did make me feel a little soft and fluttery.

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