want to.”
“I’ll help you.”
“It’ll ruin my reputation. The bodybuilding circuit is cliquish. They’ll close ranks if I blow them off. I’m under contract.”
He draws me up against him. “I have every faith we will figure it out.”
Anthony pops his head over Max’s shoulder. “And we have lawyers.”
Max nods at him. “Call Ted. There might be a union. If not, some worker’s oversight committee or commission.”
Anthony puts his phone to his ear. “On it.”
The band crashes into its first notes. It’s no sweet romantic tune, but a loud, upbeat American march, like a parade.
Max puts his arm around my waist and leads me through a door in the back. The rest of the Pickles work the crowd, smiling and shaking hands.
Sherman glances up and spots us. If he plans to say something, to tell Max to come be with family, he lets it go. He gives a quick nod and turns back to the table of customers.
As we pass through the kitchen, Nova pops her head up from where she’s watching two men madly punch floury mounds of bread dough. When we aim for the office in the back, she says, “If you’re heading in there, you better lock the door.”
“Why?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I know what happens in the Pickle offices.” Her grin is unmistakable.
“Now that’s a story I want to hear,” Max says.
“Jason doesn’t kiss and tell,” Nova says.
“But do you?” he asks.
She’s part of the family, too. How easily they take in outsiders. I felt it from the beginning, sitting in the audience when they didn’t even know who I was.
Max pulls me through the office door and closes it. After a second, he twists the lock.
I laugh. “What do you think is going to happen in here?”
He steps close. “I don’t know. I keep thinking you’re a mirage or a ghost.” His fingers thread through my hair. “But you’re here.”
“It was Amy’s doing. She tricked me.”
“Then I owe her.”
“I have to go back to work tomorrow. Then Germany. Australia. China.”
“I thought you always wanted to travel.”
I tilt my head up. “I do. But all I get to see is the inside of buses, hotel rooms, and arenas.”
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
I hesitate. “Even if you get me out of the contract, I think we might both be on the outs in the bodybuilding circuit in L.A.”
“I could pose for tips on the street corners of Hollywood Boulevard.”
Now I’m laughing. “You’ll get arrested.”
“You can switch to tanning porn stars.”
Oh, Max. “You’re crazy.”
“Only for you.”
Our eyes lock, and it’s like I always remember feeling. “I heard your speech.”
“I did it for you. Anthony got Grammy to trap you. He made me get up there.”
“I had a feeling she was up to no good.”
“Grammy’s always up to no good.”
“But she’s the reason you feel lucky.”
He touches my nose. “Only one of the reasons.”
I’m wearing the rainbow Converse, which don’t help me one bit with the height differential. Even on tiptoes, I’m not in kissing range.
But Max knows me. And all I have to do is tilt my chin, and he’s there, those miracle lips, that scruffy face I’ll have to shave before I can tan him again.
And for the first time in my life, I feel things I’ve never known.
Faith that everything will work out.
Hope that my future will be easier than my past.
And someone who is completely, unconditionally, mine to love.
39
Max
Six months later.
I pop my head into every prep room along the hall, looking for Camryn.
Clusters of competitors glance my way, getting on their final tan and oil before heading on stage. I’m beginning to think she’s dodged me completely when I head into the last door.
Dahlia sees me first. “It’s the man candy. I’m terribly disappointed that you don’t let me take a lick.”
Camryn glances up from her position on her knees, adding a shadow to Dahlia’s calf. She lets out a gasp. “You’re supposed to be lining up!”
I lean down and kiss the top of her head. “Already done. Only six competitors today.”
“I missed it!” Camryn’s face is anguished as she moves to the other leg.
“It’s all right.”
She sighs. “I hope you kicked their butts.”
I stick my hand inside the front pocket of my sweatshirt and pull out the gold medal.
Camryn rocks back on her heels. “And I missed it! I was headed there as soon as I finished Dahlia.”
“Not a big deal. There’s always next time.”
“I don’t want to miss a single one.”
“It’s all right.” I kiss her head again.
Dahlia steps away and