“How is Nellie doing?”

“Oh, much better.” That smile was back. “But she’s always hated working out. I knew the day we started she was really only doing this for me.”

“And you?” He smirked. “You didn’t hate working out? That first day you sure looked like you did.”

She laughed. “Well, I hadn’t worked out in years. You almost killed me.” She picked up her gym bag and smiled at him. “But I’m glad you did. I needed that.”

“I’m just glad you came back. Even though I’m sorry Nellie had to have an asthma attack to get you back in here.”

She flung the gym bag over her shoulder. “Well, like they say: God works in mysterious ways. It took her attack to get me to do what I absolutely had to do. You don’t even know the half of it.”

“So tell me about it.” The smile dissolved again and he ground his teeth in regret. “Only if you want. I know it’s none of my business.”

She shook her head. “It’s just a bunch of depressing crap. You wouldn’t want to hear about it. Trust me.”

“I trust you. If it’s personal and you’d rather not, I understand but if you ever do, I don’t mind hearing about it.”

She tilted her head. “I’d rather not now, but I wouldn’t mind going out for a celebratory drink if you’re up for it.”

“I don’t—”

“Okay, stop the lecture.” She held her hand up, smiling. “Alcohol is not a part of my diet, but I’ve been really good about keeping it to only one or two glasses of wine a week since I started working out. And tonight would be the night. I haven’t had any all week.”

Had she really asked him to go for a drink with her? She’d grown on him in two weeks, and he’d never seen her out of her sweats, ponytail and no makeup. He knew so little about her except she was more determined than most girls her size to try and whip back into shape. And she was smart. That he definitely picked up on. “I’m not twenty-one.”

For the second time that night, her jaw fell open, only this time it didn’t feel good. “You’re not?”

“It’s not like I’ve never drank.” Hell him and the guys had been drinking for years. “I just can’t go into a bar and drink…yet.”

Her eyes were still big and overly concerned. “How old are you?”

He knew she couldn’t be more than twenty-one or twenty-two. He towered over her and at times she seemed so small and delicate next to his six-foot two stature. “I’ll be twenty soon,” he said with confidence.

“Oh my God.” Her absolutely horrified reaction was not what he was expecting. “I’m so sorry. I had no—”

He had to laugh. “What? I’m legal!”

“I know,” she said, hurrying her step toward the exit of the gym. “I had no idea. I apologize.”

“Again, for what?”

“I just didn’t know.”

“So I’m not twenty-one. How old are you? Twenty-one, twenty-two?”

She glanced at him, her eyes still lit with bewilderment. Since she wasn’t slowing down, he took a step in front of her to make her stop. “How old are you?”

She turned away and hesitated for moment before answering. Finally she looked back at him lifting an eyebrow. “I’m twenty-eight, Noah.”

It came as a surprise. She didn’t look it but the way she was acting you’d think she was forty. “Alright so you’re twenty-eight. You don’t look it.” She didn’t. Not at all, especially now that she’d lost a few pounds. She tried to walk around him but he moved with her. “Don’t get all weird on me, Veronica. If there’s one thing I’ve learned my whole life, time and age are but an illusion.” The crease that suddenly made an appearance between her eyes again made him smile. “I’ll be twenty in a week, by the way. You lost eleven pounds in two weeks because of me—your nineteen year-old trainer.”

She stared at him for a moment then the crease disappeared with her forced smile. “I know. And you’ll never know how much I appreciate it. I’ll see you Monday, okay?”

She walked around him and was almost out the door, but he had to ask. “Why never?”

Glancing back, she took a moment to answer. “I mean, I’ll just never be able to thank you enough.” She shrugged before waving at him and walked out the door.

Noah showered at the gym before leaving, thinking about Veronica the entire time—twenty-eight. She’d never mentioned a husband or boyfriend for that matter. But then their conversations had never gotten that personal. Now that she knew just how old he really was, he got the feeling they never would. In a weird way that bothered him. Maybe he’d just make sure things didn’t change. After all, he’d meant what he said. Age was just an illusion.

CHAPTER 4

The very next time Veronica went to the gym she made it a point to keep any awkwardness at bay. She had no idea what she’d been thinking when she asked him if he wanted to go for a drink. She’d just been so excited about the weight loss she hadn’t been thinking. God, she was an idiot.

How young Noah really was had been a shock to say the very least, and she was more than happy she had a day away from him to shake it off. He seemed content that there had been no weirdness and they’d fallen back into their regular routine. Veronica made sure there was never any more talk of them socializing outside the gym.