Page 6 of The Jock
Whatever Taylor was going through, Colby wanted to help him. First he had to figure out how. But at least now Taylor was talking to him again. He seemed to be satisfied with Colby’s promise not to tell anyone. This wasn’t something he could tell his best friend, Nash.
Even though Nash had secrets of his own that he was good at keeping. Like the fact that he was boning Jonah’s best friend, Damon. Colby wasn’t sure when that had started or if it was serious, but it didn’t take a genius to realize what was going on. They’d been thrown together at enough Bennett family events that the only thing that surprised him was they were still keeping it a secret.
Even if he hadn’t promised Taylor not to tell anyone, Colby couldn’t tell Nash about it anyway. It was probably against some sort of code. Taylor had a crush on Nash that went back years. He probably thought he hid it well, but if you knew him, it was easy to see the signs.
Colby had never called him on it, though, and he’d never had to warn Nash away from his baby brother either. Not that Colby would care. He was protective, not controlling.
The gym Colby worked at wasn’t the twenty-four-hour kind, but it did open at six every morning, so by the time his shift started, there were already a good number of people there. He stopped at the locker room and stowed his gym bag, grabbed hiswater bottle, and filled it at the fountain before heading out to the floor to warm up.
When he was on shift, like now, he didn’t listen to music while he worked out or warmed up. He wanted the other gym goers to be comfortable walking up to him and asking for help. Earbuds made him less approachable. But it was times like this, when his brain whirred too fast for him to hold on to a single thought, that he yearned for the quiet that music brought him.
He was halfway through his warmup when Sophie brought a new face over to him.
“Colby, we have a new member. This is Milo. He’ll be joining your circuit this morning, so I told him that I’d let you show him around.”
Colby wiped his hands on the side of his shorts and grimaced. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m already kind of sweaty.” Shit, he’d overdone his warmup if he was already perspiring that hard. It was a good thing he’d been interrupted. “Are you new to town or just the gym?”
“The gym. I needed a change of scenery.” Milo bit his lip and his brow furrowed, making a slight crease between his eyebrows. His hair was short and dark, and long enough that a few curls fell over his forehead. Milo pushed them away, but they went right back.
“How familiar are you with CrossFit?”
“Honestly, it’s the only thing at a gym that doesn’t bore me to tears. I can’t do the endless rep thing and running reminds me of a hamster on a wheel.” Milo cracked a smile that looked like it took too much effort to produce.
“Then you’re in the right place. I run several circuits a week, with all kinds of fitness levels welcome. On Saturday mornings, I run a beginner’s circuit because people who are new to CrossFit can get discouraged if they have to try these new things with a bunch of pros watching. I offer modifications to accommodateall kinds of abilities, so if there’s something you struggle with, or can’t do, let me know and I’ll work something out.”
“Sounds like you’ve been doing this for a while.” Milo’s smile came easier this time and was almost genuine.
“A few years.” Colby shrugged. “It’s what I’m good at. Let me show you around and then we can warm up together if you want. I have a circuit starting in half an hour.”
The tour was short. It was a gym; there wasn’t much to explain to someone like Milo who knew the difference between a kettle bell and a dumbbell.
“How long have you been doing CrossFit?” he asked Milo.
“A few years. I needed something to keep me in shape for shows.”
“What kind of shows?” Colby led Milo to the main area where he held the circuits. It was an open space with cushy but firm floor mats. He’d already set up the stations he’d be taking them through soon.
“I used to do drag.”
Colby couldn’t help but jolt at the surge of shock as he looked at Milo. His lashes seemed unnaturally thick and if he looked closer, Milo’s eyelids appeared to shine.
“Are you wearing makeup?”
Milo raised an eyebrow. He probably thought he was being nonchalant, but Colby watched the way his jaw ticked and how his arms suddenly folded over his chest, taking a defensive stance.
“I think it looks nice, if you are. That’s all.” Colby wanted to yank his hat off his head and stuff it in his mouth to keep him from talking and saying something stupid.
His compliment relaxed Milo, though.
“Thanks.” Milo exhaled a shaky breath.
“Hey, are you okay?” Colby stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I’m sorry if my reaction made you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to come across as a jerk or a moron.”
“You’re fine. I’m just…” Milo trailed off like he didn’t know how to finish that sentence, or at least not how to finish it with a stranger. “It’s fine.”
“So, drag, huh? What’s that like?”
“You ever been to a show?”
