Right Man, Right Time (The Vancouver Agitators, #3)(17)

Hmm, maybe that would be of interest.

“Do you need to borrow a car? You can always borrow mine when I’m out of town.”

“I have a car, but thanks.”

“Yeah, figured. I have a home gym, not sure if—”

“Tell me more about that,” she says, setting her sandwich down and wiping her fingers with a napkin.

“Uh, I have a gym in my apartment with practically brand-new equipment. I don’t use it as often as I want, but just enough to warrant the money I spent on it. I mainly work out at the arena.”

“What kind of equipment?”

“Everything,” I say.

“Even cardio?”

“I need to keep my legs in shape to ensure I keep up late in the third period. Yeah, there’s cardio.”

“And you would give me access to your apartment so I could use the gym? You don’t think that’s weird or anything?”

“I have nothing to hide,” I say. “My cabin up in Banff feels more like home than my apartment here in Vancouver.”

“You have a cabin in Banff?” she asks. “Like in the mountains?”

“Yup.” I smirk at the awe in her eyes. “Not so bad knowing a thirty-one-year-old now, is it? Bet your little pipsqueak friends don’t have a cabin in Banff, do they?”

“I don’t even think they pay their own phone bill.”

That makes me chuckle. “Anyway, the gym is yours if you want to use it. Tack that on with helping out on that assignment and going to any event I’m present for, and that’s what I can offer.”

“And what would you require from me?”

“Being available when I need you.”

“For . . .”

I roll my eyes. “Nothing sexual. Remember, my hand owns that job.”

“As does mine.” She winks. “Well, that and my seven-inch, neon-purple vibrator that I’ve promised myself to use only once a week to keep my expectations low.”

“Probably smart.” I take a bite of my sandwich because I’m tempted to ask her if I can see it. Seven inches? The girl likes a touch of length. “But nothing sexual. I think you established that early on in this conversation. But we’d have to be intimate around people.”

“Describe intimate.”

“Holding hands, maybe a kiss here and there. You’ll have to look at me as if you find me attractive and not some old man you’re trying to help across the street.”

She smiles. “It might behoove you to know that I do find you attractive. I’m just able to control myself, unlike you, whose eyes wandered immediately to my breasts the moment you saw me this afternoon.”

“You’re not wearing a bra.”

“So?”

“So that’s hot. I looked.”

“Well, at least you’re honest.” She takes a sip of water. “Okay, so are we doing this?”

“You tell me.” And for some reason, I hold my breath, waiting for her answer.

It’s not like it matters if she says no. It’s not like my career or my life depends on her answer.

But I also find the idea of having someone by my side when I’m around Sarah very appealing. I’m still not over what Sarah did to me, and it would feel like such sweet redemption if I showed up to an event with Ollie on my arm.

So yeah, maybe I do hope that Ollie says yes even though this is an asinine idea. Probably a terrible plan in the long run.

“Seems like a ridiculous thing to agree to,” she says. “But I’ll be honest, I think the gym won me over. You have no idea the type of misogynistic behavior I deal with all the time at the gym.”

“What kind of behavior?” I ask.

“Oh, you know, random men coming up to me, mansplaining proper form even though they’re over in the corner, attempting bicep curls by swinging their entire body to get the weight up. Or men who think they can move my stuff to the side to use the bench I’m occupying. Or stealing equipment or blatantly trying to hit on me. It’s frustrating. I just want to work out.”

I run my tongue over my top teeth. “Well, you don’t need to worry about that with me.”

“So I can count on you not attempting to show me how to squat?”

“I probably won’t be there very often at all, so no, you won’t have to worry.”

“How close are you to my dorm?”

“Ten minutes,” I say. “Not very far at all.”

She sighs and leans against her headboard. “This feels too good to be true. My very own gym, help on this stupid hockey thing, and a guy to take to random events. I should have signed up for this a long time ago.”

“Guess you kissed the right man at the right time.”

She smirks at me. “I guess I did.”





Chapter Five





OLLIE





From my purse, I pull out the picture frame I bought last night and filled with a picture of Silas. It was a random thought after he left, and I couldn’t think of anything more perfect for Candace to see while she walked by my cubicle this sunny Monday morning. Sure, we have a few weeks left before the school year starts, and I won’t be in the office that much longer, but it felt . . . apropos to solidify this boyfriend thing with a picture. Really shove it in her face.