Chapter One
Eve Jewel bent low and kissed her daughter Paisley. “I’ll come get you for lunch in three hours,” she promised.
“Okay, Mama. I’ll be having the time of my life doing my work.” Her blue eyes lit up as she winked with more sass than any four-year-old should possess and sauntered away to join her friends at Eve’s gym’s play center. Eve always felt a sting of guilt for leaving her daughter while she worked but Paisley loved the gym’s daycare and the workers all adored her.
“Don’t worry about her,” Abbie, her play center manager, said. “She’s the happiest little girl and everybody loves her.”
“Thanks, Abbie. I just hate missing out on any time with her.”
Abbie nodded with understanding. Her own daughter was now at the daycare with her, but she used to work as a receptionist at a local dental office and had to leave Shay every day. Her husband had MS and worked from home. Eve knew they were struggling financially and her husband wasn’t healthy enough to help much with their little girl. Eve paid her as generously as she could.
“I know how that goes,” Abbie said.
Eve raised a hand, watching Paisley organize a game in the play kitchen with several other children.
She backed out of the play center’s door, having a hard time taking her gaze off of her darling girl. Though Eve still dealt with disappointment with herself and resentment against Mark for charming her into thinking she was in love at eighteen, whisking her away to Vegas, and immediately getting her pregnant, all the while planning on stealing the inheritance she wouldn’t receive until twenty-five—she’d never regret having Paisley. Her little girl was the best part of her life.
She ran into someone as she backed out of the door. Whirling, she found herself face to chest with a well-built man. “Oh, excuse me.” She glanced up and the oxygen sucked from her lungs as she stared into perfection. The man had blue eyes that could rival the Jewel family’s eyes in brightness and clarity, as well as a well-trimmed beard that complimented the strong planes of his face. He was smiling at her and the deep dimples in his cheeks, visible even through the facial hair, softened what would have been a face far too much like she’d always imagined Apollo would look like.
“Sorry I didn’t see you,” he said, holding his phone up. “Texting and walking.”
“Should be illegal.”
He slipped his phone into the pocket of his shorts and leaned even closer to her. “Eyes as pretty as yours should be illegal.”
Eve’s stomach hopped happily at the compliment but she forced herself to not fall into the trap ofhisbeautiful eyes. “Empty compliments will get you nowhere.” She surprised herself by saying the line much too flirtatiously with a welcoming smile that clearly told him she wanted more empty compliments. Her sister, Rachel, and her sassy sisters-in-law would be proud. They always gave her a hard time about never giving any handsome man a chance to flirt.
“It wasn’t empty,” he insisted. His gaze seemed sincere, but what did she know? After her one failed attempt at a relationship, she’d focused on getting through college in under three years while also being pregnant and having an infant and then toddler underfoot. When she graduated, she searched the country for the perfect spot to raise her little girl, then secured a loan from her dad to buy this gym in Golden, Colorado. She’d almost paid that loan off in the past two years. She loved her gym and her work as a personal trainer.
She lifted her eyebrows in an obvious challenge, compliments like that were always empty and were usually the prelude to an even more empty and meaningless dating fling. A single mom didn’t have the time or energy for that kind of relationship.
She backed away then spun on her heel and headed toward the weight room. The main floor of her gym housed a two-story massive weight and cardio room, the state of the art locker rooms, the daycare center, racquetball courts, basketball courts, and indoor pools. Upstairs, the areas that weren’t open to below housed separate rooms for aerobics, spin, and Pilates/yoga, as well as personal training rooms, offices, and a juice bar and deli.
She heard him walking behind her but chose not to stop. She had a personal training appointment that she was already pushing being late to. There were always plenty of fit and handsome men in her gym—she knew how to stay strong. Raising Paisley was her priority. Sure, she got lonely, but she had a great family to support her and interact with when she needed adult communication.
She’d almost made it to the weight room when he touched her arm. Spinning, she folded her arms across her chest. “Can I help you?” She said it pleasantly. Eve rarely got snippety with anyone, but she didn’t have time to flirt.
He nodded. She would’ve thought he was a very serious guy if his blue eyes hadn’t been twinkling. With his tall, muscular frame, maybe six-four or five to her five-eight, and that mischievous glint in his eyes, he reminded her of her brother Caleb, about ready to play a prank or “sturdy trick” on someone.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m new to the gym and wondered if you could show me around?” He glanced down at the fitted t-shirt she had all of her employees wear. The Fitness Spot emblazoned on her chest.
“Oh, shoot! I’d be honored to, but I have a personal training appointment at nine. I’ll find someone else to give you the tour.” He should’ve already received an in-depth tour when he signed up for the gym unless her employees weren’t doing their jobs. But she was certain her employees were doing their jobs. It hit her—he was trying to get more time with her. She shouldn’t have been so irrationally happy that he was being obvious about it.
“Don’t do that. I’ll lift some weights while I wait for you.”
“I have an appointment at ten also.”
“Popular trainer.”
Eve lifted her hands and shrugged. What was she supposed to say? She tried to turn as many clients over to the other trainers as possible but many people insisted on her and then they told their friends about her. She got results and didn’t waste time and many people appreciated that.
“I’ll lift until ten-forty-five, shower, and meet you right here a few minutes after eleven.”
“Do you always get what you want?” she asked, partially annoyed he wouldn’t take no for an answer and partially impressed at his tenacity.
“If it’s something I really want.” he shrugged. Even though she was surrounded by muscular bodies every day she was impressed with the strength and definition in his shoulders.
“And a tour of the gym with me is what you really want?” she challenged.