Jerk It (Madd CrossFit 2)

“But what’s the big deal about American or not?” she asked. “It’s a brand-new van.”

I used her practically half of the dash backup camera to navigate around my vehicle and my mom’s, then headed to the hospital.

It was a short five-minute drive, but it felt like it took forever because I knew what I was about to be told.

Not good news.

I could feel the change already, and I knew I wasn’t going to like the results from my tests last week.

“You’re not worried right now,” I said as I braked for a small dog that had skipped off his leash. “But in a few years, when you need shit worked on with this van, you’re not going to be able to get the parts cheap.”

“Then I’ll just go to my favorite mechanic,” she batted her eyelashes at me. “Right?”

I felt my throat tighten.

Five years, I hoped that she had a new car, because I wouldn’t be around to fix anything.

And I knew that it didn’t go unnoticed that I didn’t agree with her as I pulled into the parking lot.

“I’m beginning not to like your penchant for not agreeing with me,” she muttered.

I didn’t know what to say.

But then again, my throat was getting thick the closer I got to the hospital.

“Let’s go,” she urged the moment I parked.

I followed her, way more slowly than I would’ve done even a month ago.

Even the short trek across the parking lot had my breathing labored.

This week would mark the last week I ever did a CrossFit workout, too.

I’d finally agreed with my doctor this past week that it wasn’t good for me any longer.

Anything strenuous, even sex, wasn’t going to be easy.

I wasn’t doubting in the least that she hadn’t noticed my state yesterday after we were done.

We were at the front doors when an unexpected person nearly bowled Mavis right over.

“Oh, sorry!” he cried, reaching for her.

I was already there, though, steadying her.

We looked at Jasper together in his uniform, a thick white bandage covering his arm.

“You okay?” I asked warily.

Mavis smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Donating plasma.” Jasper held out his hand to me, then winked at Mavis. “What are y’all doing here?”

Mavis looked at me. “This one has a doctor’s appointment. I wanted to ask some questions.”

Jasper’s eyes went from Mavis to me. “Everything all right?”

Jasper was a good kid.

I’d met him the moment that I’d started at the gym because of his tendency to go to the morning classes before his shift at work.

We’d bonded over many awful workouts, as well as the propensity of his car to break down on him.

But I didn’t want him to know just how ‘bad’ I was.

I didn’t even want Mavis to know that.

But it was time.

“I…” I started to lie and realized I couldn’t. After finally admitting to myself that I was going to have to explain things last night to Mavis, I realized that I was being kind of selfish to everyone in my life. “No.”

Jasper’s eyes narrowed. “I think I might need to bring some donuts over to the shop after a WOD—workout of the day—and figure out what you haven’t been telling me.”

I jerked up my chin as Mavis said, “You’ll have to do it tomorrow. Today is my turn.”

Jasper winked at her, but it didn’t remove the worry from his eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the workout?”

Probably not.

I shrugged. “We’ll see.”

CHAPTER 13

Squat, because nobody writes songs about small asses.

-T-shirt

MAVIS

The doctor’s shrewd eyes took the two of us in as we settled ourselves into the office chairs just beyond his large, mahogany desk.

I felt my heart in my throat when my smile wasn’t returned by either the doctor or Murphy.

“You brought a new friend,” Dr. Battle said.

I looked at Murphy, then back to the doctor.

“I kind of forced my way here,” I admitted.

The doctor gave me a small smile.

Then his gaze flicked to Murphy. “Does she know?”

I watched Murphy swallow hard. “No.”

The doctor looked thoughtful for a long moment, and then he focused solely on me.

I felt my heart react to the sight at the knowledge that I was about to be told something that I didn’t want to know.

“Fifteen years ago, at the age of seventeen, Mr. Romano suffered his first heart attack.”

I felt everything inside of me freeze at those words.

“First?” I asked carefully.

The doctor nodded. “First.”

I closed my eyes as a wave of horror swept over me.

“We think it was due to a lack of nutrients in his diet. Whatever the cause, it exacerbated his childhood myocarditis which led to his heart failure,” Dr. Battle explained, no mercy in his tone whatsoever. “How familiar are you with heart failure?”

I felt my throat thicken.

“Just tell her like you would tell someone brand new,” Murphy grumbled, sitting back in his seat.

We both knew I would ‘know’ with my medical background.