Page 96 of The Thorne at My Side
I look between him and Elle. Felix is focused on his speech and Elle is nodding in encouragement.
“We used to enjoy the finer things in life together, beers on the sofa while watching a game, rock climbing so we’re fit as fuck, inviting girls into VIP sections,” Elle rolls her eyes but I smirk, “and trying to outperform the other in any competition we could think of.”
He takes a break and looks at me dead in the eyes. He’s taking this so seriously I try really hard to contain my smirk.
“C’mon man! Don’t laugh! I’m serious,” he looks at Elle, “He’s laughing at me!”
“Finish your words, he’s listening, he’s in denial.”
“I am not,” I protest but she just raises an eyebrow at me.
Point taken.
“Okay, where was I, oh yeah,” Felix regroups, “in the last two months the Thorney I have come to know and love has been gone. You’ve been moody and dismissive and have been working out way too much.”
“Can you really work out too much?” I ask as I flex my bicep and kiss it. Okay, I can see it, I’m being a jerk.
“Austin, seriously, what is the matter with you?” Elle complains. “You’ve been off since the fall. It got worse before Christmas, and even worse after all that AI Media bad story stuff at New Year’s. I thought it would get better when you finally quit being a corporate monkey jumping around for Dad. Instead you’ve been working out, taking sad walks around the city, or spending your time holed up in your room.”
Elle throws her hands up in the air in exasperation.
She’s not wrong.
I expected my mood to lift after I left too.
But it hasn’t. The cold has settled into the city and my heart.
Everyday I wake up without a response from Maggie it freezes a little more. I feel hollow without her in my life. But I’m not about to admit how low I actually am to these two after they organized this little ambush.
“Why is it so bad that I’m working out so much?” I ask instead to deflect from the numbness inside.
“Well, it’s not bad exactly, it's just not, like, mentally healthy. You’re borderline obsessed with it. I’m the professional athlete in the room and I think you’re training more than I am.”
“It feels like you’re avoiding something,” Elle says gently. “And,” she glances at Felix who nods, “you haven’t mentioned your girl recently.”
“What girl?” I ask as my foot slides off the bar under the stool.
“Maggie,” Felix says with a smile. And I don’t miss the eyes Elle shoots to him and then to me. She’s going to be pissed I told him her name before I told her.
“I don’t know what to tell you guys.” I admit. Even if a part of me really wants to tell them everything. And, it doesn’t matter anyway.
She’s gone. I missed my chance. It’s been almost a month since my message to her and no matter how hopeless the outlook is, I can’t let go of her yet.
“Well, I said my piece,” Felix says as he folds his paper back up. “I’ll only add that you’ll be joining me and the boys for our All Star break trip in two weeks. Your attendance is mandatory. I’m fuckin’ pumped. PuertoRico, here we come!”
???
"Don't forget to reapply!" Felix says with a smack to my back. Sunscreen bottles start flying between the group as we all lather up again. Five dudes with little else to do besides swim, play pickleball, and try to set up ping pong ball trick shots throughout the house.
Our triumphant moment was when one bounced off the ceiling fan, into a funnel and then down into the cup. When it dropped in we all stood in silence for a beat and then erupted in whoops and hollers like we'd scored a game seven, overtime winner.
Not that I know what that feels like, but the other guys do.
There were hugs and cheers and I spied Felix wipe a tear from his eye.
It's been three days of these kinds of shenanigans.
Tonight is our last night and Felix has booked us a private room at a restaurant in town. It's Valentine's Day too, so of course, he has bags of cheap party supplies, decorations, and wearables for us. One thing about Felix is he is a sucker for a theme. He loads up on cheesy party supplies and makes sure anyone and everyone feels the experience from all aspects.
