Page 46 of Release
Chapter 18
SEBASTIAN pushedhis way through his morning workout with Nate and Rodrick at the basement gym of their fire hall. There was only one phrase he repeated to himself.
Pain is temporary. Pain is temporary.
It had been his mantra throughout the entire rehab experience. He usually believed it, but today, not so much. The pain he felt today had less to do with his knee and everything to do with the damned song pouring through the speakers at the gym. As if it wasn’t enough that the news of her reconciliation with the rhinestone cowboy was widespread, she had to go and release a song with him. A song that at the moment, made Sebastian want to rip the speakers from the ceiling. Yes, this was a new kind of pain.
The pain in his knee however, was all but gone. So much in fact, he felt pretty good about his chances to pass the physical in a week. That would get him back to work, and it wouldn’t be a moment too soon.
“What the hell are you doing, Bash?” Rodrick shouted across the room from the functional training bench. “Did you forget about getting a bench press spotter while you were off?” He crossed the space in six long strides and placed his hands near the center of the bar Sebastian had lifted high above his chest. “How much weight do you have on this thing?”
“A hundred and fifty pounds,” Sebastian groaned, placing it up on the rack before sitting up. “Thanks. It’s my last set for the day.”
“Good. So…when were you planning on coming clean, bud?”
Sebastian picked up the towel resting on top of his gym bag. “About what?”
“You had us fooled.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Alex…that was Lexxi Rock all along? Man you got us hook, line and sinker that night at the speed dating thing.”
“Oh right,” Sebastian chuckled. “Yeah man. Sorry about that. Lexxi Rock was doing what she could to keep a low profile in town.”
“So you two are friends?”
He hesitated. They weren’t anything now. “I wouldn’t say that. Her dad lives next door.”
Nate looked at him curiously. “Why do I get the feeling there’s more to that story?”
Sebastian picked up his gym bag and started heading to the mats for a quick stretch. “There isn’t.”
“Hmmm. Okay. So when are you hooking us up with Lexxi Rock concert tickets or backstage passes?”
“I haven’t hooked myself up with those, so why would I hound her for you slackers?”
“That’s ice cold, Sullivan.”
“Nope. It’s fair. Don’t you think she’s got lots of people she knows who are already hounding her for shit because of what she’s made of her life?”
“True, but they aren’t the ones who took her speed dating. I’d say you, Rodrick and I are special. Plus she got the drop on us with that Alex boy stunt she pulled. I’d say she owes us.”
“You’re welcome to tell her that yourself.”
“What? You’re hooking me up with her number?”
“Nice try, bud.” Sebastian finished up his stretches and checked the clock on the wall. “Okay. I think I’ll call it a day.”
“Cool. Are you coming out to the bar with us this weekend? We’ve got to celebrate seeing you around here again.”
“Friday?”
“Yeah.”
“I can probably swing it. Sure. I’ll be there.” Grabbing his gym bag, Sebastian headed for the locker room.
“Sullivan,” the fire chief called out before he made it to the door.
