Page 20 of Salto

Mia nodded and looked about to say something else, but then seemed to think better of it and followed after Laney.

Within minutes, the floor began to empty. The team moved to the locker room, where the celebration continued.

Soon it was just me out in the gym. I moved through a conditioning circuit, trying to focus on the burn in my muscles instead of the names that had just been called.

But they kept replaying in my head. Three names. And I hated that it bothered me.

Elite wasn’t even in my plans. It couldn’t be.

“Go home, Scar.”

I looked up.

Caldwell stood near the edge of the floor with his bag slung over one shoulder.

Apparently, I’d completely zoned out because everyone was gone. I couldn’t hear the buzz from the locker room anymore. Even some of the lights in the back of the gym had been turned off. I looked at the clock on the wall and realized forty minutes had passed without me noticing.

“Yes, Coach.”

I grabbed my grip bag and headed for the locker room. After putting my things away, I grabbed my phone and found dozens of messages in the group chat. No doubt it was the team setting up a late-night dinner somewhere on campus to celebrate the girls who had gotten an invite.

I turned off my notifications and changed slowly, pulling on my sweats and stuffing the last of my things into my bag.

By the time I stepped outside, dusk had settled over the parking lot.

Most of the cars were gone, and only a handful remained.

One vehicle immediately caught my attention.

It didn't belong. I'd walked out to this parking lot almost every day for the past three years, and never once had there been a motorcycle waiting outside the gym.

I stilled, coming to a halt in the middle of the sidewalk.

Eero Rove was leaning against the black Yamaha. Ankles loosely hooked, like he had nowhere else to be.

My heart skipped a beat, then another.

And another.

There was no pretending I hadn’t seen him. I’d already looked right at him.

I slowly started toward him.

“Oh, it’s you,” I said lamely.

He looked so nonchalant standing there, leaning against his bike.

Gosh, he was gorgeous.

“Hey, stranger,” he said easily.

The subtle reference to our first meeting sent a shiver down my spine. So I hadn't imagined it. He remembered.

I hesitated, looking around the empty lot.

“Are you… waiting for someone?”

His mouth twitched—like he was amused by something.