Bender (The Core Four #1)(20)

“You ready?” Dodger asked, while zipping up a gym bag.

I shrugged. I truly had been dreading this all day, and I scolded myself for even agreeing to it. I’ve been to the gym before, but I was the type that went in once, felt self-conscious, and never went again. I was much more comfortable exercising in my own home, which of course I never did.

Macie stood up from the couch, and I couldn’t help but admire her confidence in this moment. She wasn’t agonizing over how she looked. She didn’t have to. Her long lean legs were perfectly proportionate to the rest of her body. She was wearing a pair of short black spandex shorts with a hot pink, skin tight tank top. Her brown hair was up in a messy ponytail that she pulled off flawlessly. Her body was incredible, and I almost hated her for it. I glanced down at my own body and sighed. Besides my yoga pants, I had on a yellow sports bra with a white tank top over it. I’ve never left the house wearing tighter clothing. What I was comfortable in was usually somewhat baggy around my middle. Wearing this was completely out of my norm. I was worried people were going to hone in on my lumpy stomach. I wanted to dart back upstairs and change into a baggy t-shirt, but Dodger seemed to read my mind and shook his head at me.

“No way are you changing. Besides, the gym isn’t the place for a fucking beauty pageant. You’re perfect, let’s go.” He hefted the bag up over his shoulder and held the door open for Macie and me.

The drive to The Dugout was okay. Dodger and Macie were chatting in the front about music and school schedules. Macie seemed just as interested in him as he was her. The music in the car was loud enough that they had to speak over it to hear each other. I tuned them out and watched the scenery pass by. Because we were still close to campus, the buildings were well kept, and the surrounding neighborhoods were manicured. I loved this area of Athens. It was very much part of the city but still had a country feel. Plus if you ever tired of the hustle and bustle it wasn’t much of a drive before you were looking at cow pastures instead of concrete. I closed my eyes and let the bass of the music soothe me. Before I knew it, we were pulling into a parking lot, and Dodger had turned around, looking at me.

“You fall asleep, Blue?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, I was just…meditating. And stop calling me that, it’s annoying.”

He smirked before he got out of the car, and Macie followed behind him. I’d never been given a nickname before, but that particular one really grated my nerves. I knew why, too. Looking around at the parked cars, I tried to find Camden’s Mustang, but I didn’t see it. I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My body automatically released some tension, and I got out of the backseat. Dodger and Macie were waiting for me by the front door.

“When we get in here, there’s a women’s locker room off to the left. You can go check it out or use the restroom if you need to before we start. I’m going to use tonight for demonstrating and making sure you know how to use the machines and weights. Good?”

Ugh! Why was he always so happy? “I don’t even know why you’re bothering with this. I’m going to be here once. You’re better off putting me on a treadmill and training Macie.”

His lip curled. “You’re not getting out of this. And I’m not putting you on the treadmill. Well, at least not for the whole time we are here. I want to show you that the gym isn’t a scary place where people are here to judge you. Okay?”

There was no sense in arguing with him, so I simply nodded my head.

When we walked in through the glass double doors, there was a desk at the front with an attractive brunette sitting behind it. She looked up from her computer screen and beamed at Dodger, batting her eyelashes.

“Hey you,” she cooed.

“Hey.” Dodger gave her a friendly smile but really didn’t seem interested.

“You looking for your brother?” Reception Girl asked in a sing-song voice. My heart jumped into my throat at the mention of Camden. I thought he wasn’t here. “He’s in the back doing a class, but they’ll be out,” she glanced at the clock, “in about ten more minutes.”

Fantastic.

“Nah, I’m actually about to show these two beautiful ladies around and get them started on a few machines.”

The brunette looked at us as if she hadn’t seen us standing there. Her lip curled as she seemed to be sizing us up. I got a quick once over, but she must have deemed me non-threatening. When she saw Macie, her eyes opened a bit wider, and her face looked like she had just sucked on a lemon.

“Well, y’all have fun,” she said in a perky, fake voice.

Dodger grunted before leading us over to some blue mats.

“Someone has a crush,” Macie said, laughing.

“What are you rambling about?” Dodger asked, while bending over and unfolding some of the mats to make a long rectangle.

“The little tart over there. She was practically fucking you with her eyes. ‘Oh Dodger’,” Macie chirped a fake, high pitch voice. “‘You’re so hot. Bend me over this counter and…’” she trailed off.

Dodger shot around and pinned Macie with a look. I wasn’t sure what it said, but it was both heated and a warning. Macie didn’t back down though. She enjoyed a challenge like this. She thrived on them.

“Careful,” was all he said.