Luck is on my side this time, and I’m in the woods with the clothes in my mouth before anyone even notices. Ducking my head, I let the magic shimmer around my skin, changing me back into the oversized male I am.
As I step into the jeans, I can’t help remembering Mercy’s small body. She was so sexy and beautiful last night. I should look her up if I’m going to be here a while.
No, I shake that thought away. She’s upper class, white bread. Even if we have great chemistry, there is no way in hell a girl like her could even think about spending time with a rogue like me. I have to focus on figuring this place out and then get the hell on the road.
Shoes. I don’t have shoes.
I learned early shoes are pretty vital necessities. I can wear shabby clothes and be a rich man, but no rich man walks around barefoot. In a town this size, I don’t expect to find a Goodwill I can hit up for a pair of used Chucks.
Slipping into an alley, I cling to the side of a strip mall consisting of a real estate office, a twenty-four hour copy shop, and a dry cleaner when I spot my saving grace across the street: Andy’s Gym.
Quickly, I look right then left and skip across to it. People don’t go barefoot to gyms, but short of finding a shoe repair shop, I have to hope somebody wanted to get a workout today before heading to the office.
I’m lucky my feet are average size, but either way, I’ll stuff my toes into whatever I can find to appear somewhat respectable.
“Hey, bro.” A tall, chubby white guy points at me from behind the juice bar.
I pause in making my way to the front. I’m not proud of stealing shoes, but I don’t have a choice in my current situation.
“Hey,” I say, looking down and not stopping.
“You’re new in town.” He’s following right behind me, but I’m still moving quickly toward the exit.
“Just passing through,” I say, even though I know I’ve decided to stay a bit longer.
“I can see you’ve worked in a gym. We need some extra hands. You looking for a job?”
He’s saying the words so fast, I don’t even register his last sentence until my hand is on the door, and I’ve pushed outside. Work at a gym? I stop in my tracks and turn back to doughboy waiting just on the other side of the glass.
Pushing through it, I step back inside in my stolen jeans, tee, and Nikes. “What did you say?”
He looks down and suddenly seems self-conscious. “I wasn’t checking you out, dude. I just noticed you look like you know your way around a gym.”
Glancing down, I own the fact that my arms are ripped, and I still carry the physique of a middleweight boxer. “Yeah, I’ve spent some time in gyms.”
“So I’m Jim. That’s funny, huh?” He pushes a fleshy hand toward my abdomen. I catch it in a strong shake and meet his eyes.
Jumping to conclusions is a dangerous habit. Still, if I had to guess, I’d say our friend Jim isn’t playing with a full deck. He doesn’t even notice that I’m all but limping in the shoes that are a size too small for my feet. Not to mention, I’m ducking in case the owner of said shoes decides to exit the locker room any time in the near future. At least, based on their size, I don’t expect a big guy coming after me.
“Koa,” I say.
“Koa.” His pale eyes roll around a moment. “Sounds… like Hawaii. You from Hawaii, bro?”
“My family was. I grew up in New Jersey.”
Jim nods and returns to his original purpose. “So Andy needs trainers. I’m no good with it on account I never trained nobody, and I don’t really like exercising. But you look like you could fill the spot. How about it? You need a job?”
For a moment I pause, turning the prospect over in my mind. If I’m going to hang around here for a few days, working at a gym would be the perfect cover.
“Okay. What do I need to do? Is there an application or something to fill out?”
Doughboy immediately brightens. He even waddles side to side a bit. “Yeah, bro! I’ll get it for you, and you can fill it out now or bring it back this afternoon. Just be sure you tell Andy I recruited you, okay?”
That seems fair enough. “Sure,” I say with a little laugh, smoothing my hand over my dark hair. I wish I had a cap.
Jim’s eyebrows rise as he watches my actions, and I try not to grin as he straightens slightly and moves a hand across his forehead, pushing his thinning hair back in a manner similar to mine.
“If you could come back around three, Andy will be in to take your application and do an interview.”