Max rubbed his chin in deep thought. “Jessa mentioned that she might start working out. I’ll have to let her know that you’re a member. Maybe she’ll sign up, and you two can work out together.”

“Uh, sure,” Preslee replied. “How has she been? I haven’t seen her lately. Did she like the vintage dessert cart you bought for her grand opening at the restaurant?”

A smile stretched across his face. “She loved it. Thanks again for the suggestion, as well as going out of your way to locate one for me. I never would’ve found it on my own. It was the perfect gift.”

Preslee’s chest swelled with pride. “You’re welcome.”

Adam spoke up. “Sorry to break this up, but we should really get to work.”

“Right. Sorry.” She waved at the other men. “Be sure to tell the girls hello for me.”

They nodded in unison and went back to lifting weights.

Adam led the way through the gym with Preslee following behind him once again until he stopped in front of a large treadmill at the far end of a row. “We’re going to start with cardio, so I thought we’d begin on this treadmill first. Sound good?”

“All right,” she agreed, although she wasn’t sure what was wrong with all the other treadmills they’d passed. This one didn’t look any different. What was so special about it?

But as she stepped onto it and glanced back to see if anyone besides Adam was watching her, she realized exactly why he’d chosen it. It was the only treadmill in the entire gym that was partially hidden from view by a huge support column. Which meant she couldn’t be easily seen—or watched—by others.

Suspecting that Adam had done that on purpose, her heart swelled inside her chest. She’d never met a man who was as kind, considerate, and thoughtful as Adam had proven to be. Actually, he was perfect. Then an errant thought ran through her head so fast that it made her dizzy.

He was perfect all right. For her.

Too bad he’d never know it.

*  *  *

The moment Adam caught Preslee glancing around the gym to see if anyone was watching her, he pulled out a set of black wireless earbuds and held them out to her. Time for a distraction. “Here. Put these on.”

She gazed warily at his outstretched hand, as if he were asking her to pick up a hairy tarantula. “Uh, why?”

“Just do it,” he said, pulling his cellphone from his pocket and thumbing through the screen until he found the playlist he wanted. “If this is too loud, the volume control is on the right side.” He pushed the play button and waited for her response, but she didn’t give him quite the one he’d expected.