Garnet Flats (The Edens)

The phone’s ring bounced off the block walls in my new building. I pulled it from my pocket. Jasper.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Hey. Just checking in. How was yesterday?”

“Could have been worse.” She could have had a man answer her door last night. I knew she wasn’t married, but a boyfriend would have made this more of a challenge. Not impossible, just another challenge. “She didn’t slam the door in my face.”

“Well, you would have deserved it if she had.”

I chuckled. “This is true.”

Jasper wasn’t just my trainer. He was my closest friend and one of the only people in the world who knew the truth about my situation. About Talia. About why I’d come to Montana.

This was the fight of my life.

There were five rounds in a fight. And after last night at Talia’s, I had a feeling I’d need them all to win.

“How’s the gym?” he asked.

“Empty. Dirty. I don’t know if you could even call this place a gym.” My voice echoed around the dank space. “Guess that’s what I get for buying a building sight unseen.”

From the outside, the building was nothing more than a square box painted a dull gray. GYM was written on the front wall in an obnoxious shade of safety orange. The letters hadn’t looked nearly as ugly in the photos my realtor had sent.

There was a bit of resemblance to the pictures. But the photos had shown a bright, clean space with outdated equipment. Either they’d been from a decade ago or he had a Photoshop magician on staff.

Regardless, I should have known something was wrong when I’d met him an hour ago to pick up the gym’s keys and he’d hesitated outside the front door.

I’d hoped the interior would be better, but with every loop around the room, it only got worse.

The cement floors were covered in a coat of dust. Every single ceiling tile was spotted with water marks. Most of the paint was the same gray as the exterior, but the orange had snuck its way inside too and covered an entire wall. Not one of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors at the back of the gym lacked cracks. And there was a draft coming from one of the windows—or maybe all of the windows. The furnace was running on full blast, the fan nearly as loud as helicopter blades, and it wasn’t doing a thing to cut the December chill.

“How bad is it?” Jasper asked.

“Bad. The realtor handed me the keys and bolted. He said he had another appointment, but I have a feeling he was leaving before I could pummel him. Those pictures he sent were bullshit.”

“What are you going to do?”

I sighed and dragged a hand through my hair. “Get to work. I’ve got to get this usable.”

At this point, I didn’t have a lot of other options. This building was just going to have to work temporarily.

With Christmas in five days, I doubted I’d be able to find another place to live until after New Year’s. The hotel was booked—ten minutes after I’d walked through the gym’s door, I’d called The Eloise Inn and asked to extend my reservation. But the hotel was booked through the holidays. I had two nights left before my room would go to the next guest. And every motel, VRBO and Airbnb within fifty miles was taken.

After the holidays, I could search for a nicer home. But I needed a gym. My training had been delayed enough these past few weeks dealing with everything in Vegas.

Eventually, I could get this place remodeled. Or I could tear it down and build from scratch. But that would take months. I didn’t have months. So I’d settle for this place. I’d make the gym’s small, one-bedroom apartment livable. And meanwhile, I’d convince Talia to listen to what I had to say.

If there was one thing going for me, it was the element of surprise. Part of the reason I’d bought this shithole was because it was vacant. I’d been able to pay cash with a quick close. That had been only a week ago. Talia had been surprised by the address I’d given her last night, which meant she hadn’t gotten wind of me moving to Quincy.

I was banking on Talia’s natural curiosity to bring her here today. I needed to see her again. I needed to see her a hundred times. Maybe then I’d realize this wasn’t a dream.

Seven years I’d waited for this chance. Seven goddamn years and I couldn’t risk fucking it up.

“Have you talked to Kadence?” Jasper asked.

“Last night.” I walked toward the door open to the apartment.

It was in just as bad of shape as the gym. The bedroom was empty. I counted myself lucky that an animal hadn’t decided to take shelter from the winter weather in the closet. But the carpet was stained and the scent of cat piss clung to the air.

I surveyed the cramped living space and attached kitchen. I hadn’t had the guts to open the fridge yet and see what was growing inside. The bathroom would need a few gallons of bleach before my skin came in contact with the shower or toilet.

On the list of renovations, this apartment was at the top.

“It’s temporary,” I told Jasper. And myself.

“You sure about this?”

“I’m finally free.” I’d been trapped for so long I wasn’t even sure how to act of my own free will. But it was time to build the life I’d missed. The life I’d held in my grasp before I’d fucked it all up.

“I hear you,” Jasper said. “What can I do?”

“Nothing. I’ll figure it out.”

“Do me a favor? Fit in a workout today.”

“Does cleaning count?” To get this place ready, I’d be busting my ass.

“That works,” he said. “How’s your head?”

“Not great,” I admitted.

This was the first time in my life I had no motivation to train. To fight. Now that Arlo was dead and no longer pushing me to win, win, win, I just . . . didn’t care.

I needed to find that motivation because I had a fight the first weekend in March. Maybe Talia could help. If I could get her to listen.

“Don’t worry,” I told Jasper. “I’ll be ready.”

“When should I come?”

I sighed and walked back to the gym, following my own footprints in the dust. “Give me some time.”

“You don’t have time.”

“I know,” I muttered. I didn’t have time to waste cleaning up an old gym and making a crappy apartment livable. Yet here I was.

For Talia.

“Call me soon,” Jasper said.

“If I don’t talk to you, Merry Christmas.”

“Same to you.”

I ended the call and tucked my phone into my jeans pocket. Then I walked toward the ugly-as-fuck orange wall. The color was giving me a migraine but it would have to wait. The first order of business was cleaning the apartment.

I’d made arrangements to have furniture delivered on Friday. There were carpets to rip out and rooms to scour. Then I’d tackle the gym.

My stomach was in a knot as I paced to the opposite end of the space, peering out one of the grimy windows. Would she come today? Had that ring piqued her interest enough?

My palms sweated as I paced the length of the building again. I hadn’t been this nervous in years. My phone rang in my pocket. Vivienne’s ringtone. Jasper had probably called and told her to check in.

“Hey,” I answered. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” she said. “How about you?”

“I’m all right. It’s . . . weird.”

“I know. I was thinking that earlier when I was walking around the house.” Vivienne was the only one in the world who’d understand. Because I wasn’t the only one who’d just been set free. She had too. “But a good weird, you know?”

“Yeah, Vivi. It’s a good weird.”

“How’s Montana?”

“Cold, but I’m glad to be here. I’ll be busy getting the place set up.”

“How is it?”

Awful. “Fine.” I wouldn’t tell her about the actual state of the gym. She’d see it eventually, and if she knew it was bad, she’d worry.

“Will you call later?”

“You bet. Have a nice day.”

“You too. Good luck.”

Next to Jasper, Vivienne was my best friend. She knew why I was in Montana. She knew that Talia had always been in my heart.

Over the years, she’d been the one to keep tabs on Talia. Mostly, Vivienne had done it to save me the heartbreak of seeing photos of Talia with another man. So she’d randomly check Talia’s social media posts. She’d google Talia’s name and see if it had ever changed from Eden.

The fact that Talia wasn’t married had been a miracle. My miracle.

The day Vivienne and I had signed our divorce papers, she’d encouraged me to take this risk. She’d done everything in her power to help me get to Montana.

Here I was. Time to get to work.

“Okay.” I clapped my hands, the sound filling the gym. I’d stopped at the hardware store this morning for a few cleaning supplies, knowing I’d have to do some work. I hadn’t expected this much work and my stash wouldn’t last long, but it would get me started.

I took one step for the door, but it opened. And there she was.

“Talia.” My voice sounded hoarse. “You came.”

She nodded, looking me up and down. Then she held up her hand, the velvet pouch dangling from her fingers. “You knew I would.”

“Hoped.” Yes, I’d baited her with that ring. And I’d do it again.

She tore her gaze away and let the door swing closed behind her. Then she stepped inside and tucked a lock of her dark, silky hair behind an ear. Last night, she’d had it up in a knot. Today, it was curled in waves that hung nearly to her waist.

Fuck, she was beautiful. I would have sworn she couldn’t get more breathtaking, yet she had managed the impossible.

The air rushed from my lungs. My heart beat too fast. Seeing Talia was like being hit in the chest. It had been the same last night. How many times had I wished to see her face, to stand in the same room and breathe the same air, just one more time?

Beneath her black coat, she wore a pair of baby-blue scrubs that brought out her sapphire eyes. A man could find the secret to life in those eyes.

Talia walked to the center of the room, looking everywhere but at me.

“You’re a doctor.” Fuck. Nice, Madden. Way to state the obvious.

“Yes.”

“That was always your dream.” It didn’t surprise me in the slightest that she’d made it come true.

Talia pushed up the sleeve of her coat, tapping her watch. “I’m on a break and need to get back to the hospital. What do you want, Foster?”

You. “I wanted to see you. Tell you I was in town. Thought maybe we could catch up. Go to dinner or something. The restaurant in the hotel is really good. I ate there last night.”

“That’s my brother’s restaurant.” She crossed her arms over her chest, still walking in circles around the gym. “Why did you buy this building?”

“Because I need a training facility. The other gym in town is public. I needed something I could tailor for myself. Put in a ring. Heavy bags. Mats. That sort of thing. Plus it’s got an apartment that will work until I’m able to buy a house.”

Talia’s stunning blue eyes widened. She stopped walking and pointed to the floor. “You’re going to live here? In Quincy?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Wasn’t it obvious? “You always talked about Quincy. About how your family founded the town. How it was a place where roots ran deep. I decided if I was going to relocate, why not Montana? It was time for a change. Time to get out of Vegas.”

“A change.” Her eyes narrowed. “What does Vivienne think about this change?”

“Does it matter? She’s not my wife.”

There was so much to say. So much to explain. But there was a fire in Talia’s eyes, and if she was angry, she wouldn’t hear me out. Maybe she wasn’t ready for what I had to say. And I needed her to hear me. To hear the truth.

“How about dinner tonight?” I asked.

She raised her chin. “How long have you been planning this move?”

“Not long.”

“I’m surprised no one knew.” She scoffed. “Foster Madden moving to Quincy is big news.”

Which was exactly why I’d made sure to keep a lid on the purchase of this building.

“When did you buy this ring?” She held up the pouch again. “Was it hers?”

“No, that was never Vivienne’s.” That ring had always been for Talia.

It had stayed locked away in my safe until I’d finally been able to give it to her last night.

“There’s a lot to talk about. If you’ve got to get back to work, then tonight. What do you say? Dinner?”

Her arms cinched tighter across her chest and she started walking again. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to see you, Foster. I don’t want you in my town.”

“Too late.”

Her nostrils flared.

Shit. I’d always loved Talia’s steady nature. When others would panic, she’d stay calm. It was part of the reason I’d known she’d make an incredible doctor. But every now and then, she’d get mad. And when someone pushed the right buttons, Talia Eden had a temper unmatched.

So before it blew and I really pissed her off, I changed the subject.

“There’s a lot to be done to fix this place up. That orange wall has got to go. But I think the building itself will work. I’m going to set the ring up here.” Marking an outline in the dust, I walked a square in the center of the floor, then pointed around the room as I spoke. “I’ll put mats in that corner. Hang heavy bags from that beam. Bring in a treadmill and stationary bike.”

“You can’t be serious about this.”

“I am. I’ve got a fight in March and am having a hard time focusing in Vegas. A change of scenery should help. Maybe some fresh faces. You were always good at keeping me focused. Maybe I could enlist your help.”

She gave a slight head shake. It was the same look people had after you rang their bell. I had her head spinning. “You’re asking me to help you get ready for a fight?”

No, I was asking her to dinner. “Something like that. We could talk about it tonight.”

“I—what?”

“Dinner, Tally.” It was a mistake to use her nickname. I knew it the moment her expression blanked. Gone was the confusion. Gone was the anger.

She shut me out faster than I could blink.

“Get out of Quincy, Foster.” She marched across the floor. “I don’t want you here.”

The cold air rushed inside as she ripped open the door and stormed outside.

“Fuck.” I dragged a hand over my face. A pop of teal velvet caught my eye.

The ring.

She’d dropped it on the floor.

I walked over and picked it up, holding it in my hand for a long moment.

Was I pushing too hard? Too fast? That was the only way I knew how to go. But it was exactly how I’d lost Talia in the first place.

“Round one.”

Round one was over. And I’d gotten my fucking ass kicked.