Page 72 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“Rest,” I ordered. “Drink lots of water and I’ll talk to you in the afternoon.” When he hung up, I turned to Bronson. “Ready, boy?”

He was. I got changed, and he milled around the door the moment I picked up his dog chain, making excited little noises. That changed when we got out. The dog was exquisitely aware of his surroundings and he went perfectly still, eyeing the place next door. The previous tenants had moved out and a strange car alerted us to the fact someone else had probably moved in.

“C’mon, Bronson.” I started out at a slow jog to get both our muscles moving and then took off down the street. We got to the end, went around the park, the sun just starting to rise. Dew stained the grass and my shoes, his feet, as we went. The sound of a dog barking as we passed had Bronson moving faster. No matter what we’d done so far, we hadn’t gotten him used to that yet, and when he started to bolt, I kept pace with him. “You’re alright.” He glanced up at me. Didn’t stop running, but he held eye contact for a few seconds. That and the fact we were now away from the yard that held the other dog seemed to settle him a bit. “That’s probably enough for you today, hey boy?”

We both stretched our legs, running full pelt back home, burning through worries, adrenaline, everything until we ended up back home again.

“Where are you off to?” Rhys asked, stretching and yawning as he emerged from his bedroom hours later.

“Puppy yoga,” I said, shoving a mug of coffee into his hands. He grabbed it gratefully, blowing on the top and then taking a sip.

“What? I thought that was Rhett’s date. Where is he, anyway?”

“Sleeping off the effects of a factory fire,” I told him. “He took Katie to the brewery. I’m taking her to puppy yoga.”

“No fair,” he grumbled like a child. “I wanna go.” The guy actually pouted. “Except I’ve got stupid work at my stupid job.”

“At the gym you own.” I glanced at my watch. “We’ll be there for an hour or two, then we might stop for brunch at that nice cafe a couple streets away.”

“The one that does the Nutella croissants?” He rubbed his stomach. “Grab me one.”

“Have fun in a gym full of smelly men.” I punched him on the arm. “And take Bronson with you. I’ve got a date with a girl and a room full of puppies.”

“Hey!”

I stood in Katie’s doorway and she blinked and then stared up at me, a yoga mat tucked under her arm. Was I supposed to have one of them? I didn’t ask Rhett.

“Hey, I know I’m not Rhett, but he rang me this morning to let me know he’s stuck at work.” I explained the situation, and she nodded in understanding, but… Was that a tiny frown, there and gone again? I was adept at reading tiny micro expressions, but it happened so fast, I couldn’t be sure. My words came tumbling out, as if I talked fast enough, it would make this all OK. “He was up fighting a factory fire all night.”

“Is he OK?”

The look on Katie’s face almost had me wanting to sign up to become a firie. Saving someone from a drug overdose, resuscitating someone whose heart stopped beating, they were all kinda heroic as well, but just not as glamorous as stopping a fire from tearing through the city.

“Yes. I mean I think so. He sounded kinda hoarse when we spoke early this morning. Rhett didn’t want to text you and cancel, particularly as he’s probably asleep right now. We figured since he took you to the brewery?—”

“Hey!” Mandie popped up in the doorway, then looked down at her sister. “I thought you were going out with the firefighter today.” Her eyes narrowed. “Which one are you?” A hand raised as she stabbed a finger in my direction. “You’re the murse!”

“We are not calling people that!” Katie hissed, and when her sister went to reply, an elbow was jabbed hard into Mandie’s ribs. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s OK.” I waved her apology away. “But you could come to puppy yoga with me by way of an apology.”

“Go,” Mandie croaked, shoving her sister out the door. “Apart from the fact you nearly broke my ribs, puppies. You freaking love puppies.”

So today wouldn’t be a complete disaster. My arm shot out as I offered her my elbow. Katie shook her head and then took it, stepping clear of the apartment.

“Do you know much about this?” she asked as we walked downstairs.

“There’s puppies and yoga?” I replied, shooting her a sheepish smile.

It was chaos.

I’d never done a lot of yoga, but I always assumed it was kinda peaceful and Zen. Instead, there was beautiful, tranquil music playing, lots of people in active wear, mats spread out across the floor, and puppies. Romping, running, yapping, nibbling puppies.

“Oh my god…”

Katie’s hushed tones had me kicking my own butt. Why the hell didn’t I think of a date like this? Didn’t matter, I could take advantage of Rhett’s stroke of genius, because that’s what being in a polyam relationship meant, right?

“Hi.” A very slender woman with an earnest expression appeared in front of us. “Ready for the yoga class today?” I pulled out my phone and showed her the booking Rhett had forwarded onto me. “Come in and be welcome, Katie and Rhett.”

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