Page 147 (1/1)

Chapter 1 - Caspian

“You can do this You’re twenty-three, a grown e you,” Caspian told hiram photo of a bodybuilder he followed The bastard had to off his flexed arms, as if he were a tree, and he’d surely eaten Caspian’s daily calorie allowance for breakfast Since everyone went low-carb nowadays, his diet was likely based on nuts—one of the s that could kill Caspian

It seeuy, as if he actually enjoyed several hours of exercise per day and never got bored of grilled chicken Perhaps Caspian was looking for excuses Nobody had blocked his way into the college gys to anyone there terrified him to the point where he never used their facilities despite paying for the membership each year

He’d tried calisthenics and workouts utilizing everyday objects, but neither did anything for hi a ‘healthy’ diet several tiave him nausea Still, those were excuses

So row taller than five-foot-three, but he could ain muscle mass, and exceed the hundred and twelve pounds he’d been stuck at since graduating froatory called undateable while he was at it Despite the dislike for his physique, Caspian could see he wasn’t ugly He did have a good enough face, with pluained weight, his large blue eyes would make him look attractive rather than childlike

Tonight, he would stop holding hiree, chosen a specialization, and returned home to work at Dad’s firm And since he considered this the start of a new life, he was deterer be the nerdy kid who tried to fit in byhumor So he ra the sprawling gym across the street

As soon as he spotted the bulkyin front of the entrance, his instincts screamed for him to hide in the vehicle They told hiht training That he could eat two extra chicken breasts a day instead of putting hirinder

But what he needed wasn’t a workout video on YouTube Only real engage exercise could change things Maybe, just maybe, he’d even meet someone with boyfriend potential, but that wasn’t his priority No This was Caspian staking his clai himself into the man he was meant to be

Fortune favors the bold

“Excusehis way into the gym

Nothing

“Excuse me,” he repeated to no avail “Excuse me?” Caspian tut-tutted in frustration and dared to tap the man in front of him on the arm

The human tank turned his bald head in surprise “Didn’t see you there”

“That’s okay” Caspian lifted his eyebrows expectantly and glanced frouy’s square face to the door

It was only then that the livinga corridor for Caspian Muht lights revealing every detail of his small form He always dressed in layers to create the illusion of more bulk on his upper body, but the LEDs werehi himself

He didn’t like it here Unlike the sleek gyms in the city where he studied, this one seeuy who iene but sported oily hair and wore the saraffiti covered the walls in the exercise space, and the floor had cracks no one had bothered to repair Worst of all, it smelled—of sweat, cheap male deodorant, and dust Hint of mold maybe? But as he to expect of Grit, Ohio?

The woave him a wide smile, which was more professional than he’d expected fro to interact with her in a place where h the door every single day She h his clothes, but there was no hiding the fact that she was taller than him

Caspian endured a brief introduction, signed papers, paid, and accepted a key before hiding in the locker room Relief ht blue tiles on both the floor and walls was erimy At least the faint scent of disinfectant pro athlete's foot Hopefully