~Ben~
“I’m not taking any new one-on-one clients,” I say to Luke as I shuffle papers on my desk. “I have a full schedule and a business to run. I don’t have any extra hours in the week.”
“I’ll pay you one hundred thousand dollars to clear that schedule and work exclusively with Sabrina,” he interjects, and my jaw drops. He can’t be serious. I stare out the glass door to the gym beyond as a couple of guys spar in the ring.
“You’re kidding me.”
“I’m not. I need her in shape for a role within six weeks. Meal plan, exercise regimen, the whole thing. And I want you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re close to the family, and I trust you not to spill a bunch of bullshit to the tabloids. Also, because you’re good at your job. Rich McKenna would never have sold his gym to you if you weren’t.”
I sit back in my chair, still stuck on the notion of a hundred grand. As a new business owner, of course I could use the money. But I’m not someone who cheats my clients.
“That’s too much money, Luke.”
“The studio’s paying it,” he replies easily. “Not me. Besides, we’re asking you to completely rearrange your schedule, shuffle clients to other trainers… It’s an imposition. This is an investment in the talent for the studio. Do you know anything about Sabrina Harrison?”
A sexy brunette vampire hunter is hard to forget. “I mean, I know she used to be an actress. I haven’t seen her in anything in a while. That’s about it. I don’t pay attention to that shit.”
“You just proved my point.”
“When would you need me to start?”
“Monday.”
I sigh and rub a hand down my face. “That’s in four days, Luke.”
“She just took the role last night, man. You were my first call this morning. What do you say?”
A hundred grand.
“I’d better get off the phone so I can shuffle things around and be ready by Monday. But just to warn you, I’ll need at least half a day each week to handle office work at my desk. This place doesn’t run itself.”
“Understood. You’ll have time for that. I’ll have you meet Sabrina at our place on Alki Beach. She’ll be staying in Natalie’s old house while she’s in Seattle.”
“What am I working with here? How much weight does she have to lose?”
“Not much. I’d say it’s mostly sculpting and strength training. She needs to be ready for the role of a kick-ass FBI agent hunting a killer.”
That actually tells me a lot. I make some notes, ideas already taking shape in my head.
“Text me the address, and I’ll be there at eight on Monday morning.”
“Excellent. I’ll have the money wired to you today.”
“You can pay me after the job is done,” I reply. “I haven’t done anything yet.”
“Half now, and half later,” he says. “Thanks, Ben.”
He hangs up, and I pull up my schedule then scowl. I have twenty clients to juggle. Some won’t be pleased that they’re being passed to someone else. By doing this, I run the risk of losing a few. I hope they understand.
Two hours and a migraine later, my schedule is cleared, my trainers are busier than ever, and I only lost two customers.
Not too bad, all in all.
I walk out of the office to the ring and watch as Nate McKenna jabs at his sparring partner. It makes me proud to know that the former owner’s son still comes to work out. That I’ve done something right here.
After knocking the other man down, Nate comes out of the ring and pulls off his gloves. “How’s it going, Ben?”
I walk with him off to the side where no one else can hear and tell him about my new client.
“Congratulations,” Nate says. “That’ll be challenging and something great to add to your resume.”
“Why do I feel like I’m abandoning my gym?”
Nate laughs. “You’re not. You’re bringing in significant money to help the business, and I suspect you’ll be in here working out with her most days. I think it’s a great idea. Now, I’d better get to the office before my wife fires me.”
I laugh and walk Nate to the door.
“She’s crazy about you.”
He grins as he reaches his motorcycle and swings a leg over, settling in the seat.
“I know.” He winks. “Have a good day.”
He waves and pulls out of the parking lot, and I turn to see my first client of the day waiting by the door.
“Hey there, handsomest man in America,” Honey says with a wink. Honey is her given name. She’s forty-eight, married to a man twenty years her senior, and has had more plastic surgery than I can shake a stick at.
She’s the gym bunny cliché, in her tight workout clothes and overbleached hair. She hits on me relentlessly but has never touched me inappropriately. Which means, I haven’t had a good reason to drop her—just general annoyance. But the second she tries something, she’s out of here.
“Good morning, Honey,” I reply and hold the door open for her. She walks ahead of me, putting more sway in her hips than necessary before glancing back to see if I’m watching her. “Before we get started, I have to talk to you. Today is going to be our last day together for a while.”
She frowns and looks down, her eyes sparkling when she raises her gaze to me again. “Are you saying you can’t work with me anymore because your feelings for me are too personal to continue seeing me on a professional level? Because I feel the same way, Ben. I’ve felt the connection for months, and I think it’s absolutely the best if we stop seeing each other this way so we can pursue something more…personal.”
I swallow hard, sigh, and then pinch the bridge of my nose.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings, Honey, but that’s not the reason. I have another job coming up that requires my full attention. Besides, you’re a married woman and clearly out of my league.”
Her eyes narrow. “You won’t make time just for me?”
“I’ve had to shuffle all of my clients to other trainers. I’m happy to do that for you, as well. I just hired Kara, and she’s excellent. She’s been training for five years, and I think she’ll be a great fit for you.”
“I pay for you.”
“You pay to be trained, and you’ll pay the same, no matter who the trainer is.”
Honey’s hands fist, and her face trembles as she clenches her jaw and curls her lip.
She might throw a punch at me. It wouldn’t shock me.
“You can take this hole in the wall and shove it right up your ass. You must be gay to turn me down, you piece of shit.”
“And now you can leave and not come back.”
“I don’t want to have anything to do with this piece of shit place.”
“Out you go, Honey.”
I open the door and wait for her to leave. She glares daggers at me as she walks past, then suddenly presses her ample tits against my chest and pushes her face up toward mine.
It makes me sick to my stomach.
“You’re missing out, Ben. I’m a fantastic fuck.”
“I’m sure your husband thinks so.”
She snarls as she walks away toward her little Mercedes. When she’s sitting inside, she screams.
A blood-curdling scream as if she’s being stabbed to death.
Then, she flips me off and peels out of my parking lot.
“Well,” Kara says from behind me, “I guess I won’t have to work with her.”
“Nope.” I turn to Kara and flash a relieved smile. “None of us do, thank God. Now, let’s go over your new schedule.”
* * * *
Sunrise is my time to get my workouts in. My job is physically demanding, all day long, but it’s not the same as an intense session of my own—which is important to continue fitting into my schedule. I have to maintain a certain look for my career, and I feel better when I’m in top physical condition.
Running along the waterfront is my favorite for cardio. I could use the equipment at Sound Fitness, but I spend all day in there. Getting out into the fresh air is where it’s at, rain or shine.
And in Seattle, there’s more rain than shine.
Running also helps me empty my mind and think clearly.
I’m still not 100% sure that taking Luke’s job offer was the right thing to do, but the gym can use the income, and my employees have promised that they can handle things while I’m mostly gone.
I plan to have the client at Sound Fitness for at least two hours each day anyway. I’ll be able to check in and take care of anything that needs to be handled during that time.
I have a chef on standby, ready to start cooking the meals I request for Miss Harrison. I need to sit down with her first thing on Monday to talk about her goals and current fitness level before hammering out a final menu, but that shouldn’t take long.
I hope she realizes how intense the next few weeks will be. I will approve every bite she puts into her mouth. Her body will ache, and she’ll sometimes whimper in pain. I only hope she’s disciplined enough to endure it without throwing the weights at my head.
I run through town, headed toward my best friend’s bakery. Succulent Sweets has been a mainstay for delicious and designer cupcakes in downtown for well over seven years. Nic is the reason I moved to Seattle. She and I are from the same small town in Wyoming. I’d visited her often over the years, and finally decided to move here full-time a couple of years ago.
And then Sound Fitness fell into my lap when Nate’s dad decided he was ready to sell and retire.
It’s as though everything was meant to be.
It’s early on a Friday, which means Nic is already in her kitchen, baking up the cupcakes for today.
I knock on the back door and then walk right in, the smell of chocolate already hanging in the air.
“Just me,” I call out as I take a second to lean on the door and stretch my legs. When I walk into the kitchen, Nic smiles at me and continues stirring some batter in a bowl. “Don’t you own one of those massive industrial mixers by now?”
“This is my therapy,” she informs me. “Just like ridiculously long runs are yours.”
I cross my arms over my chest and watch her work. “What are you doing this weekend?”
“I believe there is a Montgomery family BBQ to attend on Sunday, and I’m working tomorrow because Bailey is off with the guys on vacation.”
Bailey, one of Nic’s very good friends, has been filling in for Nic on the weekends. She’s also married to two men.
To each their own, and it’s good to see the three of them so happy.
“What about you?” she asks.
“I’ll be working.” I tell her about Luke’s offer and the new client I’ll be working with in just a couple of days.
“I think that’s awesome. You’ve always loved one-on-one work the best. I know you enjoy owning the business, but this will kind of take you back to your roots. And it’s an excellent opportunity for the gym. Good for you.”
“I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that. I felt bad for dumping all of my regulars onto the other trainers.”
“Did they complain?”
“No. It’s giving them extra income, as well.”
“See? It’s a win-win,” she replies as she fills baking tins with batter. “I have to make extra chocolate and lemon today.”
“Why is that?”
“Leo Nash requested them. It’s Sam’s birthday, and he wants to surprise her. It’s sweet.”
She marks something off on a checklist.
“What else is bothering you?” she asks.
“Does something have to be wrong for me to stop in and say hi?”
“That’s usually the case,” she says.
“I can’t put my finger on it,” I reply and push my hand through my sweaty hair. “I’m just restless.”
“The last time you were restless, you moved from Wyoming to Seattle.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not moving. Maybe I’m just anxious to get started on this new job.”
“Maybe you need to get laid.”
I shrug a shoulder. “Who the fuck has time for that?”
“Everyone, if they make time. You could always visit Club Temptation one night. There are plenty of solo women in the club.”
I shake my head. Nic confided in me years ago that she and Matt frequent Club Temptation and that Matt is some kind of master with ropes and bondage. I’ve been curious in the past, but not enough to go.
“I’m good.”
“Maybe you need a vacation.”
I laugh and shake my head. “I don’t need you to solve anything for me, Nic. I just wanted to come by and see you. It’s been a few weeks.”
“You’re always welcome to stop by. Want one of these strawberry champagne cupcakes?”
“Sugar will kill you.”
“Me, yes. Because…diabetes. But you? No.”
“All of us.”
“One cannot survive on chia seeds and kale alone, Ben. Live a little.”
I laugh and walk toward the back door. Just stopping by to see Nic always lifts my mood.
“I’m good with my kale. Have a good day, Nic.”
“Don’t be a stranger!”