Page 104 of Love at First Rep

“No, I did not,” Rafe said as he sped up. “Let’s go!”

Their laughter filled the empty parking lot, and Rafe felt peace and contentment in his bones. This was where he was meant to be.

Not many people had the chance to come back from the dead, but he did.

It wouldn’t be easy, but he wasn’t going to waste a single second of his new life with Garrett by his side, doing their best to be happy every day for the rest of their lives.

Challenge accepted.

Epilogue

One month later…

THE LINE HELD back hundreds of people preparing to attack. Garrett took a deep breath, the anticipation killing him. At the end of this, he’d likely walk away exhausted and bruised, but he was determined not to be beaten. Not here, not ever.

Rafe stood beside him, bouncing on his toes and itching to get started as much as Garrett. Their group had been counting down the days to this mission, and all of them were determined to come out on top.

“You ready for this?” Garrett asked, his tone serious, but Rafe sent him a wide grin in return.

“Baby, I’m gonna leave you in the dust,” he said, shifting his head side to side to crack his neck.

Whoever won would not only be going home with bragging rights, but with a sizable pot of cash. Rafe and Garrett also had their own side wager: a full body massage for the winner. After today, they’d both need it.

“You two don’t think the rest of us can keep up with you?” Cole asked from Garrett’s other side. “Be prepared to lose, old men.”

Garrett glared at Cole and opened his mouth to respond, but he got cut off.

“I’m gonna laugh so hard when they both finish before you,” Thea said to Cole.

“You should be more worried about Thea and me sabotaging you the whole time so you finish an hour after them,” Elena taunted.

Cole gasped, “You wouldn’t!”

Elena and Thea smiled wickedly.

“So glad you’re back home, Thea,” Cole muttered sarcastically, and a hand patted him on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Cole, I’ll look out for ya,” Cole’s best friend Avery said.

Next to Avery, his girlfriend Hailey gave him an adoring smile.

Cole and Elena were part of the Cherry Stems soccer team along with Avery and Hailey. Cole and Avery ran as much as Garrett and Rafe did, so they would be formidable opponents. Really though, Garrett only cared about beating Rafe. Because that was what true love was really about: competing for bragging rights.

They stood at the starting line of a Tough Mudder mud run. They were so far from Center City Garrett didn’t know how it was considered Philly, but he was ready to tackle a bunch of obstacles along the 5K’s course regardless. After their successful mission, everyone decided to stay in town for a bit to tie up loose ends. Signups for the 5K had closed months ago, but the guys from BFS somehow got past that difficulty. It was probably better if Garrett didn’t know how they did it.

Different worlds clashed together, with the Cherry Stems, Rafe’s team and the guys from the gym all in attendance. They were surrounded by a heaving mass of athletic bodies ready to attack the course.

Carson was having an existential crisis with his two worlds slamming together. Garrett figured that would happen when he had two completely different sides to him. He was so much more open with the team than with the guys at the gym. Garrett theorized Carson was in his element in his role as the guy behind the computer. That was where he could be himself.

Maybe Tobias should put a virus on his gym computer so Carson could fix it. Garrett even gave Hunter a tip to see if that could help him win Carson over and maybe get him taken to that wedding Carson needed a date for in June. Only time would tell if Hunter could pull it off.

Inaudible grumbling reached Garrett’s ears, and he turned to see McHugh looking sympathetically at Anatoly, who was pouting.

The scary Russian with the torture tools pouted.

“You okay back there?” Garrett asked.

“Fine,” he snapped, and Rafe chuckled.