“no,you're right." I nodded. "What was I thinking? Yoga would be too hard for you.You're not subtle."I almost cackled aas his lips parted in surprise.Now that I'd discovered Nick's button,it was easy to push! Just challenge him on anything. Tell him he couldn't do something.Press the button and watch him steam in the frigid air.”

“I love saunas,don't you?" he purred,leaning close to my face. "The heat." A lock of his dark hair stuck to my wet cheek. "The steam."My heart knocked so hard against my chest that I could hardly stand it. "The scent of eucalyptus," I suggested before I thought about whether this added to the romance of the situation. "Smells like a bottle of my granddaddy's Old Spice that's been fermenting in his attic since 1969." I cringed.I just couldn't leave it alone and enjoy the moment,could I?Nick pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. He nodded sagely. "I'll never think about this scent quite the same way,that's for sure."But Nick had a one-track mind,and even my lame jokes couldn't distract him. One of his hands still moved on my tummy. The other picked up my hand and moved it to his thigh. Talk about a body like a rock.”

“He let go and stood back,eyeing me.I could tell he didn't want to say anything to destroy my confidence,but he was afraid he'd created a monster."Don't worry.I'm ready to play the game." I nodded solemnly."One more thing," he said. "If you do fall-"I cringed. Some pep talk!"-If something terrible happens,you still won't lose everything.Now you have good friends,and nothing will ever change that.You're not that girl.""Oh,Nick." I threw myself at him,literally. He wrapped me in his arms and brushed my hair aside to kiss my forehead again.I squeezed him hard,then drew away and punched him on his padded arm. "Go ahead,and don't break a leg.”

“Nick looked for his coat on the rack.I snagged mine and shrugged it on without stopping.I swung open the front door of the restaurant.The frigid night wind blew snow into my eyes."Hayden," Nick called me."Close the door," hollered the couples in the booths nearest us.I let go of the door handle, then turned to Nick in the warm room. When he just stood there,staring down at me,I walked back to him."On second thought,"he said, "I don't know about this."I was not going to get dissed again.I said brightly, "Oh,don't be scared.It's easy!" I jerked his puffy parka down from the rack and held it open for him. "Try one arm at a time."Glaring at me,he took the coat and shrugged it on. "Close the door!" shouted the couples around us as we walked outside.”

“Anybody who knows him, even all the girls, will tell you he's a great guy, and they'll do anything for him, right up until they want to kill him.”

“His favorites were the arm curl machine and the abdominal machine, where he would lift hard for long minutes and then fight a few last painful crunches.Not that I made a habit of standing there and staring at him as he worked out.That would be creepy.I watched him on the surveillance cameras behind the reception desk.”

“I gave my dad a thumbs-up.He stared at me. My mom turned to him in the car, asking him, What? What is it? He kept staring at me. My brown hair was an even bigger shock for him than I'd expected.I smiled and waved at him and mouthed, "Welcome home."He put his hand to his eyes. He knew I was finally cured.”