Page 122 of Relationship Goals

“You probably did,” I say.

“Fuck you, Wolfe,” he says, but he laughs.

A whistle blows, and we blink at each other in confusion. It’s not like them to change up our routine. Coach Garrett likes things the same, day in and day out.

“Listen up!” Coach shouts, scowling at all of us. That’s nothing new, though—Coach always looks like he just bit into a lemon.

I bend over, adjusting my shin guard. Probably time to retire this pair of practice cleats, too. Unlike a lot of the guys, I don’t like wearing the latest brand-name shit.

“We have a guest instructor here at the request of none other than the LA Wolf.”

I jerk up straight, glancing around in confusion.

“Nice, Wolfe,” Gold slaps a hand on my shoulder. “Coulda warned us, you jerk.”

“I don’t know—”

“It’s my pleasure to introduce Lauren Reacher, of Reacher Pilates. Let’s give her a warm Aces greeting.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Coach Garrett pins me with a glare, and a moment later, Lauren appears, decked out in what appears to be a gold-and-rhinestone bodysuit.

“Dude,” Gold says, shooting me an incredulous look. “What the hell?”

Applause breaks out, the guys whooping, and when Lauren waves at them, her ponytail bouncing, I think it’s for her.

Until I catch sight of Abigail, waving her bandaged hand.

And just like that, it all makes sense.

Abigail did this.

Affection spreads through me, a sweet addiction. I’d barely heard from her all week, since what will forever go down in history as the absolute worst date of my entire life.

The urge to run to her, to hold her and ask if she’s all right, crashes over me, so strong it’s like a punch to the gut.

It’s been only four days since I last saw her, when I took her home from the hospital and tried to tuck her in bed. She wouldn’t let me.

She barely looked at me, and when I asked her what was wrong, she said she was fine.

I’m by no means an expert at women, but I have no doubt that was a lie. Abigail was anything but fine.

The messages I’d sent her were perfunctorily answered, and I assumed it was because it hurt her hand to type, or because she was embarrassed about how the date went.

Now she’s here, though, a smug look on her face that makes me want to kiss her until it turns into the sunrise of a smile I’m fully addicted to.

Feedback crackles from the practice fields’ speakers, and then Lauren’s voice blares out, filling the space.

“Thank you so much for having me, LA Aces.” She waves a hand, her gold bodysuit practically blinding in the morning light. “Now, who’s ready to work?”

A few of the guys cheer, and I shake my head, bemused at how Abigail always knows just what to do. I mentioned in passing how Lauren would have kicked our asses, and here she is, trying to make us all better, stronger.

The time it took for her to set something up like this so quickly with the team and Lauren speaks volumes about her thoughtfulness, and the fact that she did it at all nearly brings a smile to my face.

It’s tugging up the corners of my mouth as soon as Lauren says,“Now, I’ve heard a special man here, Mr. Luke Wolfe, has asked me to spend plenty of time working your pelvic floors today. We are going to be concentrating on allllll the teeny-tiny muscles that are so important for bladder control and erectile function. Thanks to my client Abigail for pointing out how much you all need it!”

The entire team turns to me at once.