Page 109 of Never Stop

“On second thought, I don’t want to talk while working out.” I sped up the treadmill some more until I was running.

“Works for me.” He smirked and put his earbuds in his ears.

Fucker.

Sweat dripped from my forehead and onto my royal blue fitted T-shirt. Actually, sweat was dripping everywhere: my chest, my back—my balls. Usually, I pushed it more when I could tune everyone out with my music. Today I was well aware of the dudes all trying to out lift each other. I was no exception. I’d pushed it hard figuring I needed to build up my stamina more so I could fuck my wife multiple times a day once she was ovulating. That was what I told myself at least. Maybe I pushed it because I couldn’t get sex off my brain and I was trying to distract myself.

It was probably the latter.

“Hey, so,” Avery started as I approached him after my shower, “I wasn’t going to ask because I figured you’d tell me, but did Brooke hear about her CT yet?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

“Let me know.”

“Yeah, of course.” I pulled open the door to the locker to get my belongings. I grabbed my phone to check my missed calls and text messages. I had eight missed calls from Brooke. My eyes shot to Avery, and he furrowed his brow. “Brooke called me eight times. Maybe she did hear.” I swiped the missed call notification so it would automatically call her back. It rang and rang then finally went to voicemail. “She isn’t answering.”

“Maybe she’s downstairs at Halo and left her phone in the office.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Call her there.”

We both shrugged on our clothes as the phone dialed the bar. “Halo,” a female voice answered, and I knew it was Dominca.

“Hey, D, it’s Easton. Can I speak with Brooke?”

“Sorry, boss. She’s not here.”

I felt all the blood drain from my body. “When did she leave?”

“She hasn’t come in today.”

I started to walk out of the locker room but stopped. So did Avery and our eyes met. “She hasn’t come in?”

“No. Do you want me to have her call you when she does?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” I hung up.

“She didn’t go in yet?” Avery asked. Brooke was always there at least an hour before we rolled in since we went to the gym.

“Maybe she’s still at home. I’ll go check.”

“Let me know,” he said, and we both went to our cars.

I tried to call her cell a few more times as I drove but she didn’t answer. Ten minutes later, I clicked the remote to open the garage and Brooke’s car was still parked in it. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I knew where she was.

After parking next to her, I opened the garage door and walked into the kitchen expecting to see her drinking coffee or something. She wasn’t.

“Babe?” I called out.

Silence.

“Brooke.”

More silence.

I walked down the hall to our bedroom. When I turned to walk through the threshold, I saw her lying on the bed.