Page 15 of The Weight Of It All

I explained my family was probably the opposite.

“My dad left when I was four. I don’t remember him.

My mum did a great job raising my sister and me on her own.

I have two cousins in Melbourne, well, I think that’s where they still live.

I’m not particularly close to my sister, though we get on well enough I suppose.

And to give you a likeness of my family, I’d have you watch an episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys . ”

Reed burst out laughing. “Sounds entertaining.”

“Well, Christmas is always interesting. And mildly disturbing.”

We hit the sportswear store first, and I couldn’t hide my smile when I actually tried on and bought two new pair of shorts and two shirts in a smaller size. I chose a pair of new sneakers that matched both outfits, and I left the store happier than I’d been in a long time.

Holding my bag of shopping like an Oscar, I gave a speech worthy of one―if they gave Oscars for really bad American actor impersonations. “I’d like to thank my personal trainer, Reed. I’d like to thank my mom and all my fans. I couldn’t do this without you.”

Reed laughed as he pushed me out of the store. “You crack me up.”

“You’re welcome! Now, let’s find you some jeans.” I looked up the Strand in both directions, not sure which way to go. “So, where does a six-foot-three body builder buy his jeans?”

“JeansForGiants.com normally, but they were all out of the body builder’s fit.”

Now it was me who laughed. “That’s unfortunate.”

He rolled his eyes at me. “I dunno, let’s try an everyday jeans store for everyday people? And I’m not a body builder. I’m a personal trainer, which you correctly addressed me as in your Emmy Award winning speech back there.”

“It was the Oscars, and yes, I stand corrected. You are a personal trainer, and a very good one at that.” I hoped he saw the sincerity in my face.

“And I meant what I said. I couldn’t have done this without you.

I’d still be fat and single, crying in my cheesecake if it weren’t for you.

” Then I amended, “Well, I’m still fat and single, but I haven’t had cheesecake in three weeks. That’s gotta be some kind of record.”

Reed stopped walking, and when I turned to face him, he wasn’t smiling. “Don’t call yourself fat.”

“It’s true though.”

“You’re more than a label, Henry,” he said quietly. “Someone else’s label, I might add. Just because what’s-his-name―”

“Sauron.”

“Just because Sauron is a short-sighted, superficial arsehole, doesn’t mean you are what he says you are.”

A short-sighted, superficial arsehole . Right then. “Jeez, Reed. Tell me how you really feel about him.”

“I’m sorry, but if he can’t see the real you, he doesn’t deserve the real you.”

I fought a smile. “Oh no, you were right the first time. He is a superficial arsehole.”

Reed laughed at himself then shook his head. “I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. But I have issues with words like fat.”

I’d never seen such a tall and intimidating guy look so vulnerable. I guessed working in the fitness industry, it was only natural that Reed was more aware of body image issues. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Nah, it’s alright.” He shrugged it off. “Are we good?”

“Yes, of course. Well, not entirely. You still haven’t bought me that coffee yet.”

He rewarded me with that perfect smile. “Jeans or coffee first?”

“Whichever shop we pass first.”

“Deal.”

We walked up to the Pitt Street Mall and found us a jeans shop first. And I had to admit, going jeans shopping with Reed wasn’t exactly a hardship.

Except for the sales guy, who just about fell over himself trying to help him.

Some bottle-blond twink with twigs for legs and zero shame pounced on Reed like a Chihuahua trying to hump his leg.

“Oh, you’d look great in these,” Chihuahua boy yipped.

He looked Reed up and down and grabbed a pair of jeans from the display and gave them to him.

“These would fit you like a glove.” I wasn’t sure if he was going for seductive, but the deliberate finger stroke on Reed’s hand made me want to smack the kid on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.

Reed took a small step back from him. “Uh, thanks.” He glanced at me and smiled with a “please help” look in his eyes. “Can you hold them for me, babe?”

Babe? What the…?

Reed narrowed his eyes at me and gave a quick pointed nod toward Chihuahua boy.

Oh, right . “Sure,” I said cheerfully, taking the folded jeans from Chihuahua boy.

He looked me up and down with a sour look on his face.

I’m pretty sure he didn’t fall for it. I mean, Reed was something straight out of Fitness Gods , and I was… well, I was me.

“If we need any help, I’ll let you know,” Reed said, dismissing him with a charming smile.

Reed quickly snatched up a few pairs of different jeans, grabbed my hand, and led me to the back of the store to the change rooms. When we were out of view from Chihuahua boy, Reed dropped my hand and sighed. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to play it cool. My hand was still tingling from his touch .

Reed let out a frustrated sound. “It pisses me off when that happens.”

“Happens a lot, does it?”

He rolled his eyes. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise. It’s not your fault the twinky Chihuahua tried to hump your leg.”

Reed finally started to smile. “Chihuahua?”

I nodded. “His full pedigree kennel name is Shameless Bottom Needs a Muscle Daddy, but he gets called Chihuahua Boy for short.”

Reed stared at me for a second before he burst out laughing. Like really laughed, really loudly. Even when he’d gone into one of the change rooms, he was still chuckling. I stood by his door, and when he opened it and stepped out, he was still smiling. “What about these?”

Reed stood there with the dark denim jeans on, with bare feet, holding his shirt up a little so I could see the waistband. And those damn V muscles that framed his hips and a trail of dark brown hair that ran from his navel and disappeared under the button of his jeans…

Jeans. Right . Yes, he’s wearing jeans. That’s what we’re doing here.

“How do they feel?” I asked, pretending not to have noticed his body.

He bent one leg at the knee to stretch them and stuck his thumb under the waistband. “They feel good.” Then he turned around to show me the back. And the way they framed his arse…

Fucking hell.

“Well, they look like they were made for you.”

He gave me an honest, eye-crinkling smile. “Next pair,” he said before disappearing back into the change room.

I resisted the urge to fan my face, though I’m sure I was flushed. I mean, I hadn’t been physically attracted to someone in a long time. Well, of course I had been attracted to Graham, but the passion between us in the bedroom had died off years ago.

God, how blind was I to the state of my relationship with him?

The change room door opened, startling me. And I hadn’t noticed Chihuahua boy come in either. The sales guy was standing there, staring at Reed. “What about these?” Reed asked.

I could tell by the look on his face he didn’t like them, but before I could answer, Blondie McLeghumper spoke. “Oh, they look good.” Of course he’d say that. The jeans Reed was trying on were the same as he was wearing.

Reed was still barefoot and holding his shirt up a little so his perfectly sculptured waist was in full view.

The jeans were tight, clearly outlining the muscle definition in his thighs and calves, not to mention the pronounced bulge in his groin.

If it were possible to spray on jeans, these were it.

Mr Platinum Droolerboy was two seconds away from stripping naked and launching himself at Reed. Jesus, did he just purr?

Reed looked at me for help. “They don’t suit you,” I said. “Not your style at all. You’d never be comfortable in those.”

He looked right at me and smiled. “You’re right.” He stepped back into the change room and shut the door. “Next pair!”

I turned to face the sales assistant, who was staring, dazed and slack-jawed, at Reed’s change room door.

He seemed to have forgotten where he was, and it took him a moment to look at me.

I slowly raised my bitch brow at him, which Anika once said could level the bravest of men, and I watched as he paled.

I didn’t really want this to become a bottom-bitch fight, but I had this guy beat.

I mean, I had fifteen years on him at least: I had mastered the “back the fuck off from my man” look when this kid was still in nappies .

He gave me a weak smile and retreated, wandering off to another customer, and it occurred to me that maybe Reed wanted to meet someone new. It also occurred to me that I’d just thought of Reed as my man .

Which he wasn’t. Friend, maybe. Boyfriend, definitely not.

I wasn’t ready for that.

Reed opened the door and stepped out. “What about these?”

I stared at his face, not even looking at his jeans. “Did you want…? Are you interested in him because I―”

“What?”

“Chihuahua b― I mean the sales assistant guy.”

Reed looked horrified. He pointed out into the store and whispered, “That guy?”

I nodded.

Reed balked at first then laughed. “Uh no. No. No. He’s not my type.”

I let out a breath of relief. “Oh, thank God. I didn’t think so, because you called me babe in front of him, but I thought I should ask. I mean, I just sent him packing with my bitch brow, and I thought maybe I shouldn’t have.”

“Your bitch brow?”

“Yeah, you know…” I gave him a demonstration, waving at my face like it was on The Price is Right .

He made a pained ooooh face. “I see.”

I nodded. “I should probably apologise,” I said, looking out to where the sales guy had gone.

Reed just laughed. “Oh, Henry. Don’t worry about him.” He chuckled for a while then turned around and lifted his shirt to show off his arse. “How about these?”

“Very nice.” Then I actually looked at the jeans. “Yeah, they’re great. How do they feel? ”