“Let’s try something a bit less ...adventurous,” I suggest.
Her eyes dart to mine as if something I said caught her off guard.
Shooting her a lopsided grin, I continue, “How about a break to regroup?”
We walk over to the lounge area and I hand her a St. Mary’s branded water bottle from one of the mini-fridges. Pretty hard to weaponize that unless she plans on throwing it at my head.
“Thanks,” she says, tentatively taking the bottle from me and indulging in a long swig.
My eyes are drawn to the movement, but I shake it away, grabbing one for myself taking a sip.
“So, tell me, what are your fitness goals, Carlie?” I ask, shifting gears and trying to lighten the mood.
Based on her intake sheet, I already know she wants to lose weight and get toned up. But it’s always nice to connect about goals one-on-one. It helps me understand what truly motivates them and comes in handy on those days when the going gets tough.
She shrugs. “To be able to sprint to the fridge during chapter breaks without losing breath.”
I shoot her a confused look.
She grins sheepishly. “Priorities, am I right?”
I’m about to ask her what she means bychapter breakswhen she takes another big gulp. But as she does so, her gaze catches on something over my shoulder.
Distracted, water dribbles down her chin, soaking into the collar of her shirt, and she sputters, coughing as she tries to stem the flow with the back of her hand.
“Good god, I’m just ...I’m a mess,”she says, her voice raw and vulnerable as she looks up at me.
“No, it’s ...refreshing,” I reply before I can censor myself.
“Not as refreshing as I feel right now, let me assure you,” she fires back, tugging on her shirt to pull it away from her skin. She shakes her head and drops her gaze to the floor.
We stand there for a heartbeat, the noise of the gym fading into a backdrop, and I’m aware of nothing but her. For some reason, I really want her to feel better—to not be so self-conscious.
“You’re doing great,” I start, hoping like hell it hits as truth. “Getting used to this place, the movements … Hell, everything, really. It’s all part of the process. Give yourself a little grace as you get used to it.”
“Grace—pretty sure that’s a foreign concept in my world.” She wipes her face with the neckline of her shirt, and as she does, the fabric lifts ever so slightly. My eyes betray me, darting down, searching for that birthmark, but the fabric falls back too quickly.
I check my watch. “Okay, we still have a little time left. How do you feel about treadmills?” I ask, hoping it’s a safer bet and one I can give her a solid win on.
“I feel like they don’t usually fight back, so ...better chances?”Her laugh, bright and unguarded, fills the space between us.
“To better chances it is,” I echo, feeling a smile tug at my lips.
As we walk out of the weight room and approach the wall of treadmills, I show her the basic controls, my hand hovering over the buttons as I explain how to use it.
“Start slow,” I advise, glancing her direction. “We’ll gradually increase the pace. I want to see where you are now so we can gauge your progress.”
She nods, and I can’t help but notice the way her hair has started to escape her knot, framing her face with errant strands that beg to be brushed back. For some insane reason, it’s a challenge to keep my hand from tucking them behind her ear.
“All right, let’s walk.” I set the machine to a gentle pace, and she steps on, albeit a little hesitant at first.
I watch her find her rhythm, the initial awkwardness melting away as she moves. There’s a grace in her steps now, a natural flow that hints at hidden depths and core strength.
“This is a lot easier when there aren’t things in your way to trip over,” she says over her shoulder. Pride filters into her tone and I can’t help but feel a bit of that pride myself.
With each step she takes, I find myself taken aback by the simple motion, the roll from heel to toe that seems both innocent and intoxicating in the gym’s fluorescent lighting.
Her curves are more pronounced than many of the women in here, just like the woman I’m searching for—and my eyes want to take in the way her hips sway.
