Page 26 of Isolated
But what I could do was let her know where I stood, in case she changed her mind.
Shaking my head, I insisted, “There’s no need for an apology. You didn’t do anything wrong. You just don’t seem like yourself, and I was worried.”
“I know I’ve been a bit down in the dumps for the past couple of days. I had some things pop up that haven’t exactly been ideal, so it’s left me feeling a bit preoccupied. I promise to do better here on Thursday.”
Iris sounded so downtrodden. There was such a sense of doom and gloom and something else. Failure, maybe?
The sound of her voice matched what I’d witnessed from her in the gym the past two days. I’d been significantly more cautious and watchful of her when she was doing any of her sets, because she seemed so sluggish. It was like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and I wasn’t convinced she’d be able to get through her workouts like usual without getting injured.
Seeing her like this bugged the crap out of me. It just wasn’t Iris.
Instinctively, I reached out for her hand and offered a reassuring squeeze. “I didn’t bring this up because I was looking for you to mask whatever’s going on the next time that I see you. I simply noticed you’ve been struggling, and I wanted to offer a listening ear. If there’s anything I can do to help, even if it’s just to give you someone to vent to, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’d be more than happy to help.”
Her fingers twitched in my hand as she sent a genuine smile of appreciation my way. “Thank you, Landen. Just hearing you say that means the world to me right now.”
I returned the smile, begrudgingly releasing my hold on her at the same time. “You’re welcome.”
We were standing just outside the entrance to the gym. Iris had shifted her attention to the front door for a moment before returning her focus to me. “Lately, it’s like this place is the only place that feels normal for me.”
“The gym?”
She nodded. “I know that’s weird.”
“It’s not weird. For what it’s worth, coming here is one of the highlights of my day, too.” I had to force myself to stop speaking, because if I didn’t, it was entirely possible I would have shared with Iris exactly why the gym was such an important part of my day. Sure, there were all the physical and mental health benefits that came as a result of getting in a rigorous workout, but that wasn’t what it was for me.
If whatever Iris was going through would lead to her needing someone to lean on at any point, I didn’t think it’d be wise to reveal that it was her who made these mornings so much more enjoyable for me. Whatever pressure she was already under, I’d surely be adding to it with such an admission.
“I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who feels that way. Thank you, Landen, for being so understanding. I know you said you don’t need an apology, but I really am sorry if I’ve made your workouts a little less enjoyable.”
I didn’t think it’d be possible for me to ever be around Iris and not feel good. Of course, I’d noticed the change in her this week, but that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy being around her. It was one thing I couldn’t ever see changing.
“I promise you didn’t ruin anything. As long as I know that you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”
Iris jerked her chin down with understanding. “I’ll be alright.”
“Okay. But if that changes and you need someone to talk to, I’m your guy.”
I didn’t know if saying that to her would have the same effect on her that hearing her tell me she was my girl if I was heading to another wedding had on me, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.
She smiled again, indicating I hadn’t made a bad choice in saying what I did. “That sounds wonderful. Honestly, I appreciate it.” Iris tucked a lock of hair that had escaped the confines of her ponytail behind her ear. “So, I guess I’ll see you on Thursday morning, then?”
“You will.”
With that, Iris and I turned toward the parking lot and began our trek to our vehicles. Like always, I kept my gaze on her as the distance between us grew, and until she’d pulled out of her spot, I didn’t drive away.
Despite her reassurances that she was fine, for some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about her for the rest of the day, wishing there was something I could do to get that fun-loving woman back.
By the time I was back in my office the next day, I had assumed I’d be so caught up in my work that the thoughts of Iris would remain tucked away until I’d see her again on Thursday.
It turned out I was only a fool.
There was still something nagging at me about how Iris had been this week, and I couldn’t seem to go for morethan an hour without having her pop into my head. Maybe that was a curse of being a private investigator. Whenever there was a case to solve, or a problem that needed a solution, I couldn’t rest until I figured it out.
The last thing I wanted was to think about Iris as being a case I needed to solve, but I couldn’t stop worrying about her.
So, when the knock came at my closed office door just before noon, I was glad for whatever reprieve awaited me.
“Yeah? Come in.”
