Reckless Faith

“So this place offers Pilates and yoga?” Elle asked as she climbed out of the car and looked down the street toward the studio.

Sadie nodded and rounded the car. “Yeah, reformer Pilates and mat yoga. I booked us into a Pilates class today. I hope that’s okay.”

“I haven’t done reformer Pilates before.”

“Me neither. That’s why I thought it would be fun.”

Elle’s lips twitched because although she’d never done a class, she’d heard it could be hard. “It’s a beginner’s class, right?”

“Um, I think so?”

Not reassuring at all.

Sadie bumped her hip. “Tell me what’s going on with you and Jace.”

She bit her bottom lip as they headed toward the studio. It had been a few days since that first night together, and even though they’d spent every night together since, she was still in a state of semi-disbelief.

“We slept together.” The words dropped from her lips without thought.

Sadie stopped and turned. “You slept together?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Her friend’s mouth spread into a smile, then she smothered Elle in a huge bear hug. “That’s amazing! You fit so well together.”

Elle hugged her friend back. “Thank you. I’m just grateful we’ve finally made it here.”

Sadie pulled back. “And here you’ll stay.”

Hopefully. The single word was a whisper in her head.

As they continued toward the studio, Sadie shot her a look. “I hope it’s okay to ask…but I kind of overheard Eastern talking about some guy who came into your café and threatened you?”

“You did?”

“Are you mad?”

“No. Of course not. It’s actually pretty strange. I saw this guy twice. The first time, he made me feel uneasy. The second time, at the café…I was scared. So I called Jace and put him on speaker. The next minute, Jace is in the café, and then they’re throwing punches before the guy pulls a gun.”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah. I haven’t seen him since though, and he dumped the stolen car he was using.” Since then, Eastern and his team hadn’t been able to locate him.

Sadie touched her arm. “I’m so sorry, Elle. Is there anything I can do?”

“You’re already doing it by keeping me distracted with things like Pilates. Plus, I’m on strict instructions not to go anywhere alone, and I go stir-crazy if I spend too much time cooped up in my apartment by myself, so you being with me helps a lot.”

Sadie linked her arm through Elle’s. “Glad to be of service. And great that the guys are meeting us after so we can walk to Sugar and Spice.”

“Yeah, I like that part too, considering I’ll probably need the sugar hit.”

They both laughed as they stopped in front of a small business. Through the glass, Elle could see a line of reformer machines to one side and mats to the other. The place had a Mediterranean feel to it, with beige concrete walls and lots of potted plants.

They stepped inside, and floral essential oils scented the air.

“Wow, this place is beautiful,” Elle whispered. She felt like she was in a spa rather than a workout area.

Sadie leaned into her. “I heard the owner just got back from teaching at retreats in Bali.”

There were five reformer machines, and the end two were already taken. Sadie and Elle moved to the two near the front, Elle taking the one by the window. She’d just slipped off her shoes when a door at the back opened and a beautiful woman with long hair pulled up into a ponytail stepped out. She wore yoga pants and a sports crop.

The woman’s eyes pinged straight to her and Sadie, and she crossed the room. “Hi. I’m Callie Ward.”

“Elle Marshal.”

Sadie smiled. “Sadie Sandler.”

Callie clapped her hands. “Well, welcome to my new studio. Have either of you done reformer Pilates before?”

“No,” Sadie answered. “But we’re super excited to learn.”

“Great. We do bare feet or grip socks. We sell grip socks if you need some. Make sure you have no zippers on your clothes, then take a seat at one of the reformers. This class isn’t easy, but I promise you’ll feel great after.”

Not easy? Said by a woman who had an eight-pack? That did not fill Elle with confidence.

When the door opened and another client stepped in, Callie turned toward her.

Elle glanced at the woman and frowned. She’d seen her before. She was pretty sure she’d come into the café after doing a tour with Jace.

Callie and the lady spoke for a few seconds before the woman nodded. The woman’s gaze landed on Elle for a moment, a strange look coming over her face. She gave her a tight smile and went to the last remaining machine.

Elle was still frowning when Callie stepped in front of the class, introduced herself, and got them started.

The second the warmup was over, Elle couldn’t think about anything but getting through the exercises without dying. Literally dying. Her butt hurt. Her thighs hurt. And when they started the ab exercises, she began to wonder what the heck she’d signed herself up for.

“Uncle Jace?”

Jace glanced down at his niece. She held one of his hands and one of Eastern’s as they walked toward the Pilates studio to pick up Elle and Sadie before they headed to Sugar and Spice.

“Yeah, Ave?”

“Now that you’re dating Elle, will you have babies?”

Who the hell told Avery he was dating Elle? The kid had already admitted to wanting cousins. He looked at Eastern, who was clearly holding back a laugh.

“Not just yet,” he said, looking back to his niece. “People often like to date for a while before having kids.”

Avery frowned. “Okay. So in a couple months?”

He laughed. Who was this young lady, and what had they done with his baby niece?

Immediately, the thought made guilt fill his chest that he hadn’t spent nearly enough time with her over the last eight years. He’d been in active service her entire life and had barely made it back, but the few times he had, the kid showered him in love.

He tightened his hold on her hand. “Maybe not in a few months, but I would love to give you cousins one day.”

She beamed at him as they stopped in front of the studio. He scanned the interior through the glass. “This place looks nice.”

“Do you know who opened it?” Eastern asked.

Jace shook his head. “Should I?” Then his gaze caught on a woman near the front who looked oddly familiar. “Where have I seen her before?”

“Lock’s ex.”

What had her name been? Callie? He’d seen her with his brother when both he and Lock had been home at the same time. From memory, she’d lived here with her father, and Lock had met her on one of his trips home. “They didn’t date for long, did they?”

“No. And I don’t know why they broke up. Lock wouldn’t talk about it. Maybe long distance got too hard. She only saw him a few times a year when he came home or she went up to him. But after they broke up, she left town.”

Jace’s brows flickered. So there was a story there. “Now she’s back.”

“Now she’s back.”

Another woman inside caught his attention. He recognized her from a skywalk tour a couple weeks ago…the woman Ali had encouraged him to talk to. What was her name? Stephanie?

For a few days, he’d wondered if she was Dean’s sister from Charlotte, but Eastern had pulled up the woman’s driver’s license and it wasn’t her.

The door opened, and Elle and Sadie stepped out, both with flushed cheeks. Sadie hugged Avery and kissed Eastern, while Elle fell into his arms. He just caught her.

“Hey. You okay?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m dying. Or maybe I’m already dead. That class killed me. Do I still have legs? I can’t feel them.”

He chuckled. “I can carry you to Sugar and Spice if you want?”

“As tempting as that sounds, it might be less embarrassing to struggle my way down the street.”

He wouldn’t find it embarrassing at all. Still, he slipped an arm around her waist and she leaned into him, allowing him to shoulder a lot of her weight.

“So the class was a good one?” Eastern asked as they started toward Sugar and Spice.

Sadie nodded. “Yeah. It was hard, but I loved the burn.”

Elle groaned.

“This is reminding me of the time I dared you to do a workout with me in high school,” Jace said with a grin.

“Oh my God, I remember that because the pain is ingrained in my soul.” She looked over at Sadie, Eastern and Avery. “I called it the circuit of hell. It involved a million squats, ten million sit-ups, and don’t even get me started on the pull-ups he made me attempt. I say attempt, because I couldn’t do a single one independently.”

Jace remembered that day well because he got to put his hands on her lush hips and assist with those pull-ups.

Avery studied him. “Yeah, Uncle Jace is pretty strong. But Daddy says he’s stronger.”

Jace reached out and punched his brother in the shoulder. “He could only dream of being the gladiator that I am.”

Avery frowned. “What’s a gladiator?”

“You’re looking at him, sweetheart.”

Elle laughed and shook her head. “You’re already making me feel better after that torture session. Thanks.”

They were just nearing Sugar and Spice when three guys rounded the corner across the street. They were laughing and shoving one another’s shoulders.

Jace’s jaw locked. They were three of the guys who’d booked that rappelling session, and one of them was Casper White.

“Casper,” Elle said quietly. “I heard he was back in town for a bit.”

He looked down at Elle. “When was the last time you saw him?”

“Maybe six months ago? He returns a few times a year, and he always makes crude, stupid comments. I heard he got let go at work though, so this stay will probably be longer.”

The muscles in Jace’s arms tightened. “What kind of comments does he make?”

She opened her mouth, only to pause before shaking her head. “Nothing. He’s just an ass. It’s strange how he hasn’t changed at all since high school. Most people experience some growth.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Casper was just about to climb into the back of a blue Corolla when he saw them. He frowned, clearly taking in the way Jace held Elle close. A stupid half grin spread on his face, and even though he was still a distance away, Jace didn’t miss his eye roll.

What the fuck was his deal?

Jace was tempted to go over and ask him just that, but the guys climbed into the car and drove away.

They reached the doors of the bakery, and the women went inside with Avery first. Jace was about to step in when Eastern touched his shoulder. “What was that?”

Of course his older brother noticed. Not only was he a former Navy SEAL, he was the town sheriff; he saw everything. “Just some asshole from high school who never grew up. It’s nothing.”

And it had better stay nothing.