Normal observation. She was really sticking with it, pushing through the suck. You had to respect the grind.

  "Alright, target locked and loaded," Toya whispered, practically vibrating with mischievous energy. James could almost feel her plotting. "Operation: Casual Encounter is a go." Then, like flipping a switch, her voice became bright, cheerful, and about two octaves higher.

  "Hey Dipa! Over here!" she called out, waving enthusiastically.

  Simultaneously, with a move so smooth it had to be practiced, she threaded her arm through James’s, leaning into him slightly and pulling him just a fraction closer. It was a picture-perfect gesture of casual affection, the kind of thing couples did without thinking. James, caught slightly off guard by the sudden physical contact, did a little half-stumble on an uneven patch of grass. Smooth, Miller, real smooth.

  "Fancy meeting you here!" Toya continued, her voice carrying easily across the grass, utterly unfazed by James's minor klutziness. She beamed at Dipa, projecting pure, bubbly friendliness. "James and I just had the craziest craving to get outside and move! Decided to hit the park for a quick workout before grabbing dinner."

  "Looks like great minds think alike, huh?" She gave James’s arm another little squeeze, reinforcing the 'we're a unit' message loud and clear. James just tried to look pleasantly surprised and not like he was being used as a prop.

  Dipa physically jolted at Toya’s loud greeting, her concentration shattering like gss. The lunge she was holding wobbled precariously for a beat before she managed to push herself back to a standing position, breathing heavily. Surprise fshed wide across her sweaty face, her dark eyes blinking rapidly as she registered who was calling her. It melted quickly, though, repced by a slightly weary but definitely genuine smile.

  "Oh! Hey, Toya! Hi, James!"

  She straightened up fully, bringing the back of her hand up to swipe futilely at the sweat dripping down her forehead. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she caught her breath. "Whoa, hey! Seriously didn't expect to see you guys popping up here today. You totally caught me off guard!" Her gaze flicked between them, perhaps noting the linked arms.

  She gave a slightly awkward gesture towards the grass around her, suddenly self-conscious. "Uh, yeah, feel free to join in, I guess? If you want to?" There was a hesitant pause, then a wry, self-deprecating twist curved her lips. "Just, uh, giving you fair warning," she added, shooting a quick, almost nervous gnce specifically at James.

  "My quads were absolutely screaming for two days straight after that st session you showed me." She winced slightly at the memory. "Seriously, killer."

  "Oh, no, no, nothing intense today!" James jumped in, perhaps a little too quickly, a little too defensively. He gave Toya's arm, still firmly attached to his, what he hoped passed for a casual, affectionate squeeze but probably felt more like a nervous twitch. "We're strictly on the easy train today. Just some light jogging, maybe loosen up with some stretches, right... uh..."

  He paused, the dreaded pet name looming like a final boss. "...'honey'?"