6. Henry

CHAPTER SIX

henry

It’s been a week since Felix insisted on helping me out and becoming my best friend. I’m still not sure about him. Okay—that’s a lie. I want to be freaked-out by how nice he is and about him helping us. But while I’ve never met anyone like him before, there’s a feeling in my gut telling me he’s genuine.

We’ve worked every shift together at the gym, and on payday, he drove Hazel and me to the grocery store to get a few things. I wasn’t surprised at all to see a car seat in the back of his car for Hazel.

Should have been. But wasn’t at all.

He said it made sense and was important, in case there was an emergency. I’ve never owned a car in my life, so a car seat wasn’t on my radar. Though it makes sense, but I’m adding it to the long list of things owed to this persistent man.

“Are you sure about this?” I hold Hazel, who looks excited as she looks at the gym’s large indoor pool. One of the things Felix had delivered was a cute purple bathing suit with a tutu attached to it.

“Definitely. I looked it up. Babies love water. And it’s totally safe.”

I look at the pool and then back at Felix, who brought me a pair of black swim trunks he said were an old pair of his. Although looking at this large man, I doubt he’s ever worn my size.

“You can swim, right?” he asks, and I crack a smile.

“Yes. I haven’t in a long time, but yeah, I can swim.” No one is in here yet. The pool isn’t open as many hours as the actual gym, but since we’re employees, I guess it’s open for us. It’s early in the morning, and we have a shift later, but Felix thought this would be fun.

Relaxing, he said.

I feel anything but relaxed, though, as he peels his black tank off, showing every bit of his muscled, tan skin. Jesus, it’s clear he uses the gym for more than just a workplace. Every muscle is carved, cut, and defined on his body. He even has that insane V most men dream of having.

“You okay?” He cocks his head to the side, examining me.

Right. Swimming.“I’m fine.” I hold Hazel out to him. “Can you hold her for a minute while I get ready?”

“Of course.” He takes her, and she goes to him happily, flapping her arms and tugging on his hair. He coos at her and bounces her like a pro. He’s held her a few times over the past week, and my girl seems to have an instant connection with him.

No qualms whatsoever.

I slip my shirt off and toss it on a chair, feeling a little self-conscious about my scrawny body compared to his. The dude is a full-on Adonis.

I take Hazel and watch as Felix hops into the pool, instantly dunking under the water and popping back up. He shakes his wet hair out and smiles up at us. “Okay. Come on.”

I cautiously walk into the pool, holding Hazel so her back is to my front as we wade into the water. She takes to it instantly, splashing with her little hands and giggling when the water flies from the impact.

“See? She loves it,” he states the obvious as I go deeper until the water is at her waistline.

“I guess you were right,” I say, watching her splash around and kick her little legs under the water.

“So, how do you like working at the gym?”

“It’s fun,” I answer honestly. I never saw myself working in a gym, but it’s not bad. It’s busy sometimes, but like Ben said, most of the members don’t need anything from us. They’re just there to use the equipment or for the classes Colby teaches.

“Yeah. It’s a good place to work.”

“How long have you worked here?” I’ve been trying to make an effort and get to know him a little, here and there. Talking isn’t my strong suit, but I’m doing my best. If he can put this much effort into helping out total strangers, I can at least try.

“A few years. Started when I was in college. Ben worked around my schedule, and I never left.”

“He seems like a good guy.”

“He is,” he answers easily, reaching out for Hazel. I let him take her as she reaches enthusiastically for him. He glides her around the water, careful not to get her ears wet, but letting her explore. “He liked helping people out before they started Spark of Hope.”

Ah, I was wondering if he would bring up the trauma support group again, but I meant what I said. I don’t have trauma. Not enough to actually need a group meeting anyway. Everyone has some sort of trauma in their lives, I suppose.

I watch Felix as he plays with Hazel, making googly faces and splashing with her. Okay, maybe Felix doesn’t. Because who the hell is that happy?

I like it though.

I can’t deny that.

“Who’s they?”

“Ben.” He looks over at me, keeping a secure hold on Hazel. “And his brother, Roman. He’s a cop. Or was. Now he travels with his camboy boyfriend.”

“Camboy?” I ask because really? A cop and a camboy? How the hell does that work?

He chuckles and lets Hazel lie on her belly and swim through the water while lying on his hands. “Yeah. Well, mostly he just travels now and blogs about that. And then, their friend Andrew, who’s a therapist. I’m pretty sure it was mostly his doing, starting the group.”

“Wow,” I say because I’m not sure what else to say.

“Yeah. They’ve helped a lot of people.”

“I’m sure they have.” I feel his need to push me a little further, to make me talk about why I went to that meeting in the first place. But to his credit, he doesn’t. He just floats Hazel around until it’s time for us to get ready for work.

But I know he’s going to want answers soon.

And God help me, I feel a desire to actually tell him everything.