17. Tracy

17

Tracy

April

I panned the phone around to show Roger the main floor of EverFit, from its pristine exercise equipment to the tables and decorations set up for tonight's grand opening celebration. He let out a low whistle before saying, "Ever never does anything in half-measure, does he? That's the fanciest gym I've ever seen."

"He's absolutely amazing. Can you imagine coming up with a place like this in your imagination, then making it come true?"

"It's quite the feat, no doubt about it. So, what's happening at this fancy party tonight?"

"It's a chance to show off the place to our friends and some VIPs, for the staff to meet everyone, and most importantly, for all of us to celebrate Ever."

I flipped the camera back around, and Roger grinned at me through the screen. "When I first offered Ever the use of my apartment, I was worried you two might hate each other, because you're so different. Imagine my delight when you called me two months ago and told me you'd become a couple! I guess there's truth in the old adage, opposites attract."

I grinned at that. "Apparently."

"So, has either of you said the ‘L' word yet?"

"Not yet. I'm waiting for the right moment."

"My advice is not to wait too long, mate. I know you feel it, and he needs to hear it."

"You're right on both counts."

We chatted for another minute, until he said, "It's late here and Callum is calling me to bed. Let's talk soon, yeah?"

"For sure."

After we ended the call, I pocketed the phone and realized I had the entire fitness center to myself. Ever was working in his office, and the party guests wouldn't start arriving for a couple of hours.

I sat down on the end of a weight bench and took it all in. The racks of free weights were an interesting contrast to a nearby standing-height table, which was covered in a white tablecloth and held orange lilies in a royal blue vase. These tables were dotted all around the ground floor. Banners announcing the grand opening, which was happening on Monday, hung from the high ceiling, amid smaller banners in a rainbow of colors, which designated each workout zone. There were also balloons and flower arrangements everywhere, and up front, dozens of royal blue gift bags with the EverFit logo were neatly arranged on the reception counter.

Ever had spared no expense. He'd also been working tirelessly to make sure the party, the soft opening this weekend, and Monday's grand opening went off without a hitch.

But even with all of that, he'd been making a real effort to spend time with me. He did most of his work during my shifts at the shelter, and he still volunteered there twice a week. We worked out together every morning, and every night when I got home from work, he stopped whatever he was doing and devoted the rest of the evening to us. I appreciated all of that so much.

I was worried about him, though. He was stretched thin with all of his responsibilities, and I knew he was under a huge amount of pressure. I helped out in any way I could and even offered to take a leave of absence from the shelter, but he'd been dead set against it. He'd said my job was far too important to take a back burner to the fitness center, or to anything else. That kind of respect for the work I was doing was just one more reason to love him.

It was funny that Roger had asked about the ‘L' word, as he called it. I'd known for a while now that I was utterly, totally, madly in love with Ever, but somehow I didn't just want to blurt it out. I had this vision of telling him in some special way, possibly involving candlelight and a romantic setting.

It seemed important to get it right. I didn't just want him to hear me say the words, I wanted to show it. And I wanted it to happen when he didn't have a million other things on his mind.

Or maybe that was just what I was telling myself.

Maybe I was afraid to say it first.

I had no doubt in my mind that Ever cared deeply about me. But what if he hadn't gotten to love yet? What if I said it too soon?

So, yes, for all the strides I'd made with my self-confidence, I was still a work in progress. And that was okay. I knew I was changing and growing, and there was no deadline for that.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the buzzing of my phone. It was the caterers, telling me they'd arrived, so I leapt up and hurried to the loading dock to let them in.

Ever had hired my friends River and Cole on my advice. When I opened the back door for them, River grabbed me in a hug and exclaimed, "Tracy, my man, tonight is going to be epic! I'm not gonna lie, your boyfriend's request for healthy appetizers almost threw me for a minute. But you're going to love the menu we came up with. Two words: gazpacho shooters. And that's just one of over twenty delights we have in store for you."

"I'm sure it's going to be amazing," I said, as I propped the door open. "Do you want to set up your staging area back here, or on the second floor?"

His husband Cole answered for him. "This'll work just fine. I see plenty of electrical outlets, and there's more than enough room for all of our prep stations. Plus, it's a short trip back and forth to our catering trucks."

"Can I help you bring stuff in?"

Just then, several assistants began carrying in folding tables, and River told me, "Thanks, but we've got it under control. Go relax! You've got a big night ahead of you."

I left them to it and went to Ever's office. He was entering numbers into a spreadsheet on his computer, but he stopped as soon as he saw me, and his face lit up in a smile. "Hi, baby," he said, as he leaned back and held out his hand. "How's it going?"

"Great. The caterers just got here, and they're setting up in the loading dock. They're very excited about the menu. Even though we asked for a dozen different appetizers, they came up with over twenty."

I took a seat on the corner of his desk, and he took my hand and kissed my knuckles before muttering, "Man, I'm starving."

"Take a break, and come upstairs for a snack."

He ran his free hand up my thigh and grinned. "Is that a euphemism for getting naked with you?"

"We can do that, too. But you barely touched your lunch, and the party's still two hours away. I want to make sure you eat something and take some time to relax."

"I will. I just need to make one phone call, and then I'll meet you upstairs in fifteen minutes."

"Okay. Fifteen minutes. I'm holding you to that." I kissed him before leaving the office.

It really was convenient that home was right upstairs. When I got to our apartment, I prepped all the ingredients for smoothies and then went to check on Phil.

It turned out he was in the highest flower-shaped nest on his cartoonish upholstered cactus, which was positioned in front of one of the living room windows. It was the first time he'd ever used the thing. I snapped a photo with my phone and checked it, then took another. That one was better, so I started to post it to Phil's Instagram.

Since Ever had been so busy, I was trying to help with our famous cat's social media. Sure, it was silly, but it made a lot of people happy, so why not? I typed three different captions before settling on "a purr-fectly prickly perch." Okay, that was ridiculous, but the photo was cute.

I took a seat on our couch and grinned when I caught a glimpse of the items beside me on the end table. Ever had printed and framed a photo of us with fall-colored wreaths on our heads, and it sat beside a cluster of three little succulents in clay pots.

The plants were my doing. For the first time ever, I was living someplace that felt like home. I didn't want the kind of life where all my belongings could be quickly packed into a single bag. I wasn't going anywhere. Neither was Ever. I could put down roots here—very literally, in the case of my growing plant collection.

Ever wanted to buy us a house. Maybe at some point in the future, I'd want that, too. But I was genuinely happy in this sunny apartment with Ever, and Phil, and my plants, and all of Phil's silly shit.

Just then, Ever burst through the front door, ahead of schedule. He was brimming with excitement, and I said, "It looks like your call went well."

"It did. I have some big news. I'm going to announce it at the party, but I want you to hear it first." He sat beside me, and when I pivoted to face him he told me, "The fitness center memberships sold out online in every category, from standard to gold. Not only that, but we currently have a waiting list with over three hundred names on it."

"Oh my god!"

"It's the best scenario we could have hoped for. Not only do we have a safety net, thanks to a huge influx of cash up front, but the monthly membership dues are going to ensure we can meet all of our expenses for at least the next two years."

I threw my arms around him and exclaimed, "That's amazing! And it's all because of you, Ever. You put so much positive energy out into the world on social media, so of course people want to be a part of it."

"I really hope it exceeds their expectations."

"It will. The facility is incredible, and you hired a wonderful staff. They're going to bring your same level of energy and positivity to everyone who walks in that door."

We both sat back, and he said, "Speaking of hiring people, that's the other half of my news. I just got off the phone with Pete Howard. I offered him a job as my general manager, and he accepted."

"Oh, wow! Does that mean he's going to close his boxing gym?"

"No. We're going to treat it like a sister company and run both at the same time. I'm going to buy some additional equipment for it, but we want it to retain its authentic character, so most of it will stay like it is. Pete's great at managing employees and handling day-to-day operations, and he's really excited about this opportunity. We'd talked about working together, but I didn't know if I could afford a GM until I saw that the memberships had sold out."

I studied him closely as I asked, "Are you really okay with letting someone else handle the day-to-day stuff?"

"It'll definitely take some getting used to," he admitted, "because I'm a bit of a control freak. But it's a positive change in so many ways. If I'm not tied up with stuff like scheduling, ordering supplies, and so on, I can focus my time on our members. That's the fun part of my job—talking to people, giving them advice, motivating them."

Ever moved closer and took my hand as he continued, "But I'm even more excited because I'll have a shot at a work week that's closer to forty hours than eighty. It means more time for us, Tracy. You're the most important person in the world to me, and I never want you to feel like you aren't getting the time and attention you deserve."

"I appreciate that so much. I'm also thrilled that some of the weight will be off your shoulders. I was worried about you wearing yourself out."

He moved closer still and kissed me. When it started to heat up, I murmured, "Let's see if I can help you relax a bit before the party." Both of us were grinning as I slid between his legs and reached for his zipper.

About ninety minutes later, after a blow job, a shared shower, and some smoothies, I asked, "How do I look?"

I was dressed in a pink shirt and a deep burgundy suit that we'd had tailored to fit me perfectly. We'd both decided I needed to expand my wardrobe, and because he was inexplicably turned on by me wearing his clothes, we'd gone with resizing some of Ever's suits, instead of buying new ones.

He ran his gaze from my freshly cut hair to my loafers and murmured, "You look so damn sexy. I want to tear that suit off and lick every inch of your body."

I smiled at him as my phone beeped. "Hold that thought." I glanced at the screen and said, "The photographer just arrived. We need to get downstairs."

"Okay, but raincheck on ripping your clothes off. Do I look okay?"

Did he really have to ask? He was wearing a royal blue suit that fit him like a glove, along with a crisp white shirt that was open at the collar, and he was unbelievably sexy. "You're perfect, Ever. My god. I'm stripping you naked as soon as we get back up here, but no one's ripping these suits. They're way too nice for that."

He took my hand and pretended to be exasperated. "Fine. No ripping."

On our way out, we both called goodbye to the cat, and I promised, "We'll be home soon, Phil."

As soon as we got downstairs, we were pulled in opposite directions. The caterers wanted me to sign off on the way they'd set up the drinks and the first round of finger foods, the photographer Ever had hired to document the event wanted guidance on what shots to take, and the DJ and event staff needed last-minute instructions.

Before I knew it, it was time to start the party. I opened the double doors at the front of the building, and the pair of ticket takers we'd hired took their positions. When I spotted Vee and the rest of the Pink Victorian crew out on the sidewalk, I signaled for them to bypass check-in and come inside. "Wow, this is so fancy," Embry gushed, his blue eyes wide as he took it all in.

"And look at you, Mr. Sexy-pants," Vee said, as he gave me a back-slapping hug. "This new, posh lifestyle suits you."

"Damn," Yolanda murmured. She and her wife were dressed to the nines in sparkly red dresses, and they both looked incredible. "How is this a gym? It feels like a high-end hotel."

"It's incredible," JoJo agreed. "It's a bummer though, because we went online to try to buy memberships, but it said they were sold out."

"Vee was supposed to tell you not to spend your money," I said. "All seven of you are family. That means you're permanently on the VIP guest list and can work out here any time you want."

Hal, the fitness nut of the group, perked up at that. "Really?"

"Yup, starting tomorrow. This weekend is just for friends and family. Ever's calling it a soft opening. Then the grand opening is Monday. It's probably going to be crowded, but Ever capped the number of memberships to make sure it wouldn't run over capacity."

Lark and Dylan thanked us, and Embry beamed at me and exclaimed, "I feel so special!"

"You are." I gestured at the reception counter. "Come on in, and be sure to grab a gift bag. Then help yourselves to some drinks and appetizers and look around. I see some more VIPs out front, so I'm going to go say hello. But I'll come find you soon."

Vee slapped my back on the way by and leaned in to tell me, "You're killing this host thing, my friend. I'm proud of you." That was nice to hear.

My second group of VIPs was just as special as the first. I went outside and greeted the kids from the shelter with, "Hey, gang! I'm so glad you made it!"

All but three of the residents had arrived in a group, and their expressions ranged from excited to nervous. "Thanks for inviting us, and for sending the ride shares. We wanted to come out and support you and Ever," Leah, a twenty-year-old with pink hair, said. "But like, we were expecting a party in a gym. This is super fancy."

Shy, eighteen-year-old Joaquin muttered, "I'm not sure we belong here."

"Of course you do," I told him. "You're as good as anybody here. Better, even. And tonight, you're our VIP guests. That means you're the most important people at this party. Now come with me, because Ever and I have some gifts for you." That enticed even the shiest among them to follow me into the lobby.

I stepped behind the reception desk and started pulling out gift bags with each resident's first name on them. As I passed the bags around, I said, "Each of these contains an EverFit T-shirt and sweatshirt in your size, along with a gold-level lifetime membership card with your name on it. Can I give you the bags for our friends who didn't make it?"

Leah nodded. "I'll make sure they get them."

"Thanks. Be sure to take one of the blue bags, too. They contain some fun swag, like water bottles and baseball caps."

The kids eagerly collected a second set of gift bags, and I asked, "Are you hungry? There are plenty of snacks and nonalcoholic drinks. I've heard good things about the gazpacho shooters."

Joaquin frowned and said, "I have no idea what that is."

"Me neither," I said with a smile, as I offered him my arm. "Want to go find out together?" He grinned and linked his arm with mine, and we headed into the party.

Ever joined us a moment later and exclaimed, "I'm so glad you're here! Looks like Tracy got you hooked up with your swag."

Several of the kids thanked him, and then one of them exclaimed, "Look at the tiny, pretty food!"

Ever and I both grinned as all of them hurried to the lavish display of fancy appetizers. Then River came up to us and asked, "How does everything look?"

"Sensational," Ever said, and I nodded in agreement.

I told him, "See those young people with the gold gift bags? They're our special guests. Will you please tell them—and me—what each of those dishes are, including the gazpacho shooters?"

"Totally!" River's face lit up. He loved talking about food.

Ever and I hung out with the kids for a while, and once we were sure they were comfortable, he pulled me aside and squeezed my hand. "I'm so glad they decided to come," he said. "It's like watching my world and yours weave together."

It really felt like that.

A couple of hours later, the party was jumping. The DJ was playing 1980s pop songs, and a lot of people were dancing. I was glad to see all my kids laughing and dancing together in a big group, including Joaquin.

When Vee and I crossed paths, he flashed me a huge smile. "This is the first time I've seen you last longer than fifteen minutes at a party. I'd have expected you to be tucked away in a quiet corner with a book by now."

"Not tonight, because it's all about that beautiful, amazing man, right over there." I gestured at Ever across the room, and he caught my gaze and smiled at me. "He's worked so hard to make this happen, and I plan to be right here supporting him, every step of the way."

Vee said, "It sounds like you're talking about more than just this party."

"I am."

Ever and I met in the center of the room a few minutes later, and he asked, "What's your opinion on PDA?"

"I'm all for public displays of affection, when you're involved."

"Good answer." He pulled me close and kissed me before asking, "Are you having fun?"

"Definitely. Are you?"

"I am. I feel like I can finally take a breath."

The photographer joined us just then and said, "I haven't gotten a photo of you and your boyfriend yet, Ever."

"Thanks for remembering. I really wanted a shot of the two of us. That's just for me, though. Tracy doesn't want his picture on social media."

"No, it's fine," I said, as we turned toward the camera and put our arms around each other. "Go ahead and post it."

Ever glanced at my profile. "Are you sure? That was always a big nope."

"This is important. I'll never be into the whole social media thing like you are, but I understand what it means to you now, and I want to be a part of it."

He whispered, "Thank you," and when he kissed my cheek, the photographer snapped a picture. She took a few more posed shots before heading back into the crowd.

I ran my fingertips along Ever's jawline, and when he smiled at me, it made my heart trip over itself. This was so perfect. In fact, there was really only one thing missing. I said, "So, you're fine with PDA too, right? I mean, like, a lot of PDA, not just a kiss or a hug."

His eyes sparkled with mischief. "What are you suggesting?"

"You'll see. Wait here."

I hurried through the crowd, stepped up onto the stage that held the DJ and his equipment, and made my request. The DJ grinned and handed me a microphone, and then he expertly tapered off the song that was playing.

My heart was thudding like it wanted to break out of my ribcage. I usually hated being the center of attention, but this was something I really needed to do. I held up the mic and tried to keep my voice steady as I said, "Hi, everyone. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Tracy Garcia, and I'm very lucky to call Ever Daley my boyfriend."

There were cheers and whistles from the crowd, and Ever moved closer to the stage and beamed at me. "First of all, I want to thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate. As you can see, Ever has made something truly special here. It's a place where we can gather with our friends, and a place where we can take some time for ourselves. To me, it's a sanctuary dedicated to self-care, and I think that's an important and beautiful thing."

The crowd applauded, and I continued, "This place exists, and all of us are gathered here tonight, because of one extraordinary man, Ever Daley. Let's give him a round of applause." The crowd went wild, and he actually blushed, which was very cute.

I took a deep breath. Now for the scary part. I focused on my boyfriend and tried to forget about the other two hundred people in the room. "On a personal note, Ever, you amaze me every single day with your kindness, your generosity, and your positive energy. I'm so lucky that I get to live this life with you by my side. I think you already know this, but you need to hear it, too. I love you, Ever, with all my heart and soul. I love you more than anything on this earth."

His smile lit up the entire room as he held out his arms to me. I handed the microphone back to the DJ, and the crowd parted for me as I stepped off the stage. I was only vaguely aware that they were cheering, because I was totally focused on Ever.

When I reached him, he grabbed me in an embrace and exclaimed, "You beat me to it! I had a special night planned after the party, with champagne, music, and candlelight. I was going to tell you how I felt."

"I wanted to do the same thing, but I felt like I couldn't go another minute without saying it."

"I'm so glad you did." He kissed me, deeply and passionately. Then he whispered in my ear, "I love you, Tracy. Forever."