“I don’t remember you being so creepy, Peter,” I said, throwing down the bar in my hands. The weights slammed against the padded floor, reverberating through the room. My muscles felt like Jell-O, shaking every time I moved. It was the only thing besides throwing punches that made me feel like I didn’t need to crawl out of my skin.

Peter looked down, revealing his perfect part and side-swept hair. He hadn’t changed much, except for the splashes of white above his ears, not that noticeable against his light brown hair. Unlike most people in his life, I knew him as a boy, as a teenager, and the white hair was different, just like the wrinkles around his eyes when he smiled.

“What happened?” he asked, straightening his tie before he returned his gaze to mine. “Your face.”

“Training,” I said.

“I haven’t seen you since the—”

“Yeah. I know. I’ve been good,” I said, nodding. I didn’t want to talk about the funeral. I didn’t want to talk about Matt to Peter at all. It was a collision of world’s I wasn’t mentally prepared to tackle anytime soon.

“I should have asked you if I could come,” he said, taking a step forward. “If I’d known…”

“It wasn’t about you, Peter.”

Peter frowned, blinking. “Right. Of course. How stupid.” When he couldn’t stand my silence, he spoke again. “Crazy, isn’t it? That we both end up here?”

“You were surprised?” I asked, arching one brow.

“No … well, of course, I found out. Nothing happens here without me knowing about it.”

“You didn’t bring me here?”

“There was a short list. Your team was the most qualified.”

“So you didn’t bring me here?” I repeated.

His lips formed a hard line. “Do you really think it’s up to me in a place like this, Naomi?”

“Yes.”

He chuckled, stepping closer. “Well, it’s not. There are committees, the general, military HR. A lot goes into this.”

I nodded, taking off my lifting gloves. “It was good to see you, Peter.”

I began to walk past him for the showers, but he grabbed my hand, slipping his fingers between mine. I looked down, and he did the same.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Naomi…” he whispered.

“You’re still married,” I said. “And so am I.”

He nodded. My slick skin easily slid from his grasp.