Liam- Just get it over with

The gym had always been my sanctuary, the one place I could let it all out without anyone asking questions. But tonight, even the punching bag wasn’t enough to shake the frustration clawing at me.

It had been building all day—a mix of work stress, a headache that wouldn’t quit, and, of course, my mom’s relentless meddling. She’d called me this morning, cheerful as ever, to inform me she’d set me up on a blind date.

“It’s time you meet someone, Liam,” she’d said in that sing-song tone she always used when she thought she was doing me a favor. “You’re not getting any younger, and I want grandkids someday. She’s a lovely woman. She's smart, successful, and has a good heart. You’ll like her.”

I’d barely managed to swallow my irritation long enough to thank her and hang up. She meant well, I knew that, but she didn’t understand. She didn’t know about the part of me I kept locked away, the part of me that made any kind of normal relationship impossible.

So, yeah, by the time I walked into the gym tonight, I was already on edge.

The boxing bag bore the brunt of it. My fists flew, one after another, until the familiar burn in my shoulders and the sting in my knuckles finally started to take the edge off.

Then Alex stepped in.

I didn’t see him at first, not until his voice cut through the haze in my mind.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

My first instinct was to brush him off, to tell him no, and keep going until I’d worked out every ounce of anger. But something about the way he asked—calm, steady, like he wasn’t trying to push but just… offering—I couldn’t ignore it.

And when he held the bag for me, keeping it steady so I didn’t have to pull my punches, something in me shifted. The fire in my chest dimmed, and for the first time all day, I didn’t feel like I was going to explode.

I kept punching, lighter now, more controlled. Alex’s voice was soothing, his presence steady. It surprised me how much of a difference it made, just having him there.

When he said, "Sometimes it helps to let it out," I almost laughed. He had no idea how true that was for me and how much I needed to let it out sometimes. But not in a way he could ever understand.

“It’s been a long day,” I said instead, keeping it vague.

He didn’t push. Just nodded, like that was enough. And somehow, it was.

But then he asked, "Dangerous how?"

I froze, caught off guard by the question. For a split second, I thought about telling him. About explaining what it meant to be me, to carry this… other side of myself. But the rational part of my brain shut that down immediately. He wouldn’t understand. How could he?

So I gave him the only answer I could: "Forget it. I’m fine."

The disappointment in his eyes hit me harder than I expected. I hadn’t meant to shut him out, but it was better this way. Safer.

I grabbed my bag and headed for the door, I glanced back at him one last time. He was standing there by the boxing rack, watching me with a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite place. Concern, maybe?

I wasn’t sure why that mattered to me, but it did.

By the time I got to my car, my phone buzzed. I groaned, already knowing who it was before I even looked at the screen.

Mom: Don’t forget, tomorrow at 7! Wear something nice.

I let out a low growl, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat.

A blind date. The absolute last thing I needed.

And yet, as I started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, I found my thoughts drifting back to Alex.

The way he’d stood there, calm and unshaken, even with me throwing punches, just inches away. The way his voice had softened when he asked if I wanted to talk. The way he’d stayed, steady and unflinching, until the storm inside me had passed.

I shook my head, gripping the steering wheel tighter.

No. Alex was off-limits. I couldn’t afford to let him get too close, not when he didn’t know the truth about me. Not when he couldn’t know.

But damn, he was making it harder and harder to keep my distance.

The next evening arrived faster than I expected, and as much as I tried to shake off the looming blind date, it was there hanging over me like a dark cloud.

I stood in front of my closet, staring at my clothes like none of them were good enough. Nothing felt right. I wanted to be anywhere but here—anywhere but on this forced date, my mother had set up. But here I was, in my penthouse, standing in a sea of dress shirts and slacks, with the time ticking down.

"Just get it over with," I muttered to myself.

I settled on a dark blue shirt, one that fit just right across my chest and shoulders, and paired it with a black jacket. I wasn’t about to go all out for a date I wasn’t even sure I wanted, but I’d learned long ago that appearances mattered. People didn’t look at the billionaire CEO and see anything but that: a successful, well-put-together man. They didn’t look deeper, and that was just fine with me.

The restaurant was upscale—something my mother would’ve chosen. White linens, fine china, and a host of other things that would have most people on their best behavior.

I arrived early, even though I wasn’t looking forward to this. I wasn’t even sure what I expected from a woman who had been set up by my mom. But the moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the hostess, who led me to a private table near the window.

And then she walked in.

The woman was stunning—tall, with flowing dark hair, flawless skin that could make anyone jealous, and an air of confidence that made the entire room pause. She was everything my mother had promised, and more. But as I watched her approach, something in me stirred, a feeling that was far from the appreciation I’d expected.

Her eyes landed on me, and she smiled—a practiced, perfect smile.

“Liam?” she asked, her voice smooth, almost velvety.

“That’s me,” I said, standing up to greet her, offering my hand.

She took it with a firm shake, her touch soft but confident. “I’m Olivia,” she said, her eyes glinting with something like excitement, maybe even challenge.

I forced a smile. “Nice to meet you.”

She took the seat opposite me, and we both settled into the usual pleasantries. She asked the right questions, smiled at all the right moments, and her conversation flowed effortlessly. But I couldn’t stop myself from comparing her to someone else.

Alex.

The thought hit me like a punch to the gut. Why was I thinking about Alex right now? I barely knew the guy. Hell, I had barely spoken to him outside of gym sessions. And yet, here I was, sitting across from a beautiful woman who checked all the right boxes and all I could think about was how much easier it was to talk to Alex, how his steady presence had made me feel something I hadn’t expected.

Focus, Liam.

I forced myself to turn my attention back to Olivia, but the more she talked, the more I felt like I was just going through the motions. I wasn’t really interested.

There was no spark, no connection. I should’ve been enjoying this. The kind of date every other guy would’ve killed for. But all I wanted was to be somewhere else.

And then, just as I was about to apologize for my distracted behavior, the door to the restaurant opened.

Alex walked in, a little flustered, his gaze scanning the room before his eyes landed on our table. I didn’t know why it caught me off guard, but it did. And there he was—looking effortlessly handsome in his casual outfit, his hair messy but still somehow perfect.

He had on his uniform. The black polo shirt and apron that identified him as one of the waitstaff. But the second I saw him, everything else faded. Olivia's l voice, the soft clink of silverware, the hum of the restaurant—all of it drowned out.

Alex didn’t see me at first, his attention on the menu in his hand when he approached a nearby table. But then, as fate would have it, he glanced my way and froze for a fraction of a second. His eyes widened, and for a split second, I could’ve sworn I saw something flicker in them.

"Excuse me," Olivia said, snapping me back to the present, her voice like a gentle breeze. "Are you okay, Liam?"

I blinked, shaking my head and forcing a smile. "Yeah. Just… lost in thought."

But my mind wasn’t on Olivia, or this date, or the future she’d painted for us. It was on Alex.

I couldn’t explain it. I shouldn’t have felt anything more than a passing curiosity, but there was a pull, a strange connection, every time our eyes met. Even now, while he walked toward our table, his usual confident, almost casual demeanor slipped just slightly when he saw me.

"Good evening," Alex said, his voice steady, but there was a faint tremor in his eyes—almost like he wasn’t sure how to act around me. I didn’t blame him. I had the same damn feeling every time he was near.

"Hey, Alex," I said, leaning back in my chair a little. The way his name came out of my mouth felt like it held more weight than I wanted it to. I shook my head slightly, trying to snap myself out of it.

Olivia smiled at Alex, her attention shifting to him, and she quickly scanned his appearance. "Are you our waiter for the evening?"

Alex gave a polite nod, his eyes shifting to her with a practiced smile, but there was something in the way he glanced at me again. That made my chest tighten.

"Yes, ma’am," he said smoothly. "I’ll be taking care of you tonight."

I watched, and he turned to the menu, giving us both a moment to decide on drinks. I couldn’t stop myself from watching the way his hands moved, how steady and confident he was despite the tension in the air. There was an energy to him, only one I couldn’t ignore, no matter how hard I tried.

Olivia spoke again, and I made myself focus on her, but my mind kept drifting back to Alex. How his presence seemed to fill the space between us, how I felt a strange warmth when he spoke.

There was something unspoken between us, something I couldn’t place. Every time Alex came to the table, it felt like a secret conversation—silent, charged, and full of meaning. Olivia's presence didn’t seem to bother him, though I could tell she was intrigued by his good looks and the easy way he carried himself.

But with each passing moment, I found myself more and more absorbed in the quiet moments when Alex wasn’t speaking, when it was just the two of us existing in the same space.

And then, when dessert arrived, I realized how far gone I was. I was supposed to be on this date with Olivia, supposed to be considering a future with someone like her.

But the only person I could think about was Alex.

Olivia was everything my mother would’ve wanted for me—polished, beautiful, and successful in her own right—but there was no real connection. I couldn’t help but think about Alex again about how effortlessly he’d pulled me from the edge tonight when I felt like I was about to implode.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to be comparing every woman to Alex. Hell, I wasn’t even sure why I was still thinking about him. But it was happening anyway.

I excused myself to the restroom and checked my phone, hoping the night would end soon. I had an early meeting in the morning, and this… whatever this was," needed to be over.

The second I stepped back into the dining area, my phone buzzed again. I looked at the screen. It was a message from my mom.

**Mom:** *Did you have fun? Tell me everything when you get home!*

I smiled bitterly. This was exactly why I avoided relationships. The pressure, the expectations, the never-ending push to fit into some perfect little box.

When I returned to the table, I could tell Olivia was enjoying herself, and I didn’t want to drag things out longer than necessary.

“I think it’s best if I head out,” I said, standing up. “Thank you for tonight, Olivia. It was nice meeting you.”

She looked a little surprised but nodded. “I understand. It’s okay.”

As I left the restaurant, the cool night air hit me like a slap in the face. I felt restless, like I hadn’t been able to shake the weight of everything that had been on my mind.

I climbed into my car and started the engine, the hum of the vehicle, and it offered me a brief moment of silence.

But then my mind went back to Alex.