10 Gabriel

Sarah

We sit in silence for a while, and I start eating again as a cover for my awkwardness away. He finally loosens up and continues with his food too.

“Do you go to that gym often?” Nate asks, and I brace myself to look at him again.

“Yes, I’m a coach there and take classes as well. I teach krav maga twice a week," I nod, and the memory of last night's encounter surges through my brain. Dante's angry growl, then his puppy eyes, before Nate's confusion.

“That sounds interesting. How did you come to do that?” he puts his forearms on the table, keeping his gaze on me once again. Being his sole focus still makes me squirm in my seat.

“I loved training back in Black River. After I left, I missed the exercise, so I tried a few different sports, and krav maga is something I really enjoy. I became a trainer two years ago.”

His face lights up at my answer, and he dives in with questions about training and teaching. He obviously has much more experience in both but seems interested in