Let Her Go by M. R. Pritchard

Author:M. R. Pritchard [Pritchard, M. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Published: 2015-06-01T23:00:00+00:00

December 14, 2012

Nick walks into Sullivan’s Gym.

“Hey.” He looks around the open space. “Is everyone gone?”

“Yeah.” I finish what I’m doing on the computer.

Nick flips the “Open” sign to “Closed” and clicks the lock. “Don’t go, okay?” he says as he heads for the back office.

“Sure.” With a few keystrokes I save the monthly budget for the gym. The lights go out, then the television in the corner of the room, which is usually off, lights up.

“Is it on?” Nick shouts from the back office.

Turning, I get a glimpse of him half-dressed. He’s changing out of jeans into gym shorts and a T-shirt. Even in the shadows of the dark gym, I can tell his body is amazing. Like Alex’s was. But Nick has more bulk and he’s taller. My face heats with embarrassment. I look away. Catching Alex was a “never-event,” meaning it’s never going to happen again. A girl like me doesn’t get that lucky twice.

“Is it on?” he asks again.

I snap out of it. “Is what on?”

“The television.”

“Yeah.”

The door creaks and his shadow passes through the gym. “Come here.” The sound of the treadmills powering up fills the room.

“Where’s here?”

“Over here.” Nick clicks on a small light in the corner of the room. He’s bent down, pressing buttons on a remote. As I cross the gym, the television flickers to the news. I cringe. I hate the news. Nick pushes more buttons on the remote, and the screen darkens before it flickers again, and the image of a glowing crescent moon and twinkling stars appear on the screen.

Nick stands and rests his arm on the treadmill closest to him. “I can’t make winter go away, but you don’t have to spend your entire winter running at that other gym.”

What is this thing that Nick just did for me? And what do I say in response? I can’t think of a thing, so I blame my lack of words on my poor upbringing and just smile at him.

Good thing I came in sneakers, yoga pants, and a sweat jacket. You know, working at the gym, you need to look the part for customers to trust you.

I move to get on one of the treadmills and adjust the speed to the pace of a fast walk.

“Better than the other place?” Nick asks as he turns the volume up on the television, the sounds of crickets and peepers and dull-hooting owls fill the room.

“I think so.”

“How’s the view?” he asks.

I focus on the television screen. “Perfect.”

“If you get bored I can change it. I got this DVD. Watch.” He presses a button, and different images appear: beaches, forests, and volcanoes, each image with its own sounds. The last is a crackling fireplace.

“Is that a Yule log?” I ask.

“I think so.” He changes it back to the night sky. “Better?”

I laugh lightly. “Better.”

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