Blake turned to me. “Dani, where is the portable speaker?”
“In Studio A.”
“It is not.”
“Then it has begun a new life.”
Blake stared.
“Check Studio C,” I said.
They left.
Rose took a sip of tea. “You enjoy making your employment less secure.”
“Blake loves me.”
“Blake loves your class-retention numbers.”
“Love takes many forms.”
My phone buzzed. A reminder filled the screen.
ENDURANCE CERTIFICATION DEPOSIT DUE MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2025 — 56 DAYS.
I dismissed it. Rose saw. She did not comment. That was worse.
The emergency staff meeting took place on the turf training area while the gym opened around us. There were eight of us: trainers, front desk staff, Rose, the assistant manager, and Blake, who stood in front of a portable display decorated with a digital finish-line banner. Large text read:
IRON & IVY PRESENTS: THE BETTER TOGETHER CHALLENGE
I raised my hand. Blake ignored me.
“I’m thrilled to announce our largest community partnership to date,” they said. “Beginning next month, we will host a twelve-week couples fitness challenge, including a sponsored half-marathon training weekend later in the schedule.”
My stomach tightened at the words Lake City. I shifted my weight and told my body to relax. Blake continued.
“The event will feature weekly partner challenges, social media content, sponsor activations, and audience voting. Performance counts for forty percent, partner communication and judging for thirty, audience response for twenty, and community participation for ten.”
Miguel, one of the other trainers, raised his hand. “Do the couples need to be romantic?”
“Yes. At application and throughout participation.”
“What if they are emotionally committed workout partners?”
“No.”
“Legally married but emotionally hostile?”
Blake considered it. “Potentially excellent content, assuming they certify the application honestly.”
They advanced the slide. Twelve couples would begin. The field would narrow to eight after week four, six after week six, and four finalists after week ten. The sponsored half-marathon weekend fell in week eight. A live community night would close week twelve.
“Materially false eligibility or relationship history information can result in disqualification,” Blake said. “Relationship changes during the challenge do not retroactively cure an ineligible application.”
Rose lifted one eyebrow over the rim of her tumbler. I ignored her. Blake tapped the tablet, changing the display to a list of prizes. The winning couple would receive two Lake City Marathon entries or reimbursement, full running kits from a local sponsor, a weekend hotel package for race weekend, a cash award, and a feature in the gym’s fall advertising campaign.
At the bottom of the slide, in smaller text, was the amount of the cash prize. I sat forward. I could use my savings for the deposit in eight weeks; the prize, awarded later, would restore the emergency fund and cover most of the remaining tuition.
