Page 86 of The Season
The gym. Not where I thought I’d have the most incredible sexual experience of my life, but there you go.
I shiver against the icy drafts coming through my car’s floorboards, and squint against the snow piling up on the windshield. I’ve only been parked here for a few minutes, waiting for Matty and Eddie to get off work, but already it’s impossible to see out of the car.
Tessa:So… party? (puppy eyes emoji)
I chuckle, grinning at her insistence. After my video chat with Lani and Summer, and then going to the gym, I’d almost forgotten she’d invited me to a party this Sunday.
Lily:Of course! I’ll be there. Will ask the guys too.
By the guys, I mean everyone but Tom.
Ever since I quote-unquotenarkedon Tom, he’s been even more of an asshole to me than usual, wielding microaggressions like they’re his own personal brand. Banging on the door when I’ve only been in the shower for two minutes, intentionally leaving the toilet seat up, ‘accidentally’ eating my granola.
Yesterday, his dirty socks were on my pillow.
The door to the car swings open, snowflakes fluttering and metal creaking as Matty climbs into the front passenger seat.
“Hey.” His voice is a low rasp, and he shoots me a tentative smile.
Behind us, the backdoor slams, Eddie cursing under his breath about the cold as he clicks his seatbelt.
“How were the kids?” I ask, shooting Eddie what I hope is a cheerful smile in the rearview mirror.
“Like rabid squirrels in a tin shed,” he replies with a shudder, flicking the collar of his coat up to his ears. “It was fucking horrific.”
I press my lips together in an effort to stifle a laugh, and turn a questioning look on Matty.
“It was pretty bad,” he concedes. “No idea how Antoine managed to get out of it.”
“Stupid ranking system,” Eddie grumbles. “Somehow the Swiss certification is higher than the Kiwi one. So ridiculous.”
Oh.I feel my eyebrows lift with surprise as I carefully reverse out of the parking spot, my windshield wipers flailing furiously in an effort to combat the snow.
“The ski school really isn’t set up to have that many kids indoors all day,” Matty comments carefully. “Don’t know why they didn’t cancel.”
“Because the mountain doesn’t want to lose money,” Eddies snorts. “And the parents are more than happy to drop their kids off for the day, so they can go get pissed at their hotels or whatever it is that tourists do.”
I lean forward over the wheel, squinting through the blinding snow. I can just make out the red taillights of the car in front of me, and there’s the occasional flash of yellow as a car passes by on the other side of the freeway.
“What did you end up doing?” Eddie asks, then gives a loud sniff. “And why do you smell like a swimming pool?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. “I went to the gym with Liam and Antoine.” I bite my lip, casting a nervous glance in the rearview mirror, expecting somehow to see suspicion or a look of knowing on Eddie’s face.
He gives a bored nod, slumping back in his seat. “Huh.”
Matty perks up in the seat beside me. “I didn’t know you liked working out,” he says, angling his big body toward mine, his hands clasped in his lap. “I mean, I know you’re into yoga…”
“Yah, cause you stare at her ass every morning, you fucking perv,” Eddie snarks, but I can hear the smile in his voice.
Matty’s face flushes red, and he clears his throat, ignoring Eddie. “… but I didn’t know you were into the gym.” He gives me a hopeful smile, one dimple flashing for the briefest of moments. “If you ever want a gym buddy, I’ll go with you.”
Eddie huffs. “I bet you would.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Matty asks, twisting in his seat to frown at Eddie.
My wheels hit a thick patch of fresh snow, and for a brief, terrifying moment, my car lilts forward, sliding faster in a slipping rush. My lungs tighten, breath catching as I white-knuckle the steering wheel.
The wheels seem to catch again, and I let out a sigh of relief.Good thing I bought those overpriced snow tires.
