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Aithan schooled his expression and just grunted in response. Granted, Zel wasn’t a hard-bodied gym rat, but she was far from obese. She was statuesque and curvy, and she definitely wasn’t ugly. She had wild, wavy reddish-brown hair that Aithan wanted to wrap around his fingers. Her smile was broad and bright behind full, sexy lips. And he admired her willingness to kick Tristan out and not waver on that decision. Plus, her voice was out-of-this-world sultry.
“What about her voice?” he asked.
“What?” An edge crept into Tristan’s tone. “Hervoice? Fuck that,” he muttered. “Everyone talks about heramazingvoice.” He jabbed his finger at Aithan. “It ain’t so sexy when it’s bitching at you about every fucking little thing you do wrong.”
“Whoa, man, ease off the accelerator.”
Tristan blew out a long breath. “Sorry. That shit just annoys me. People only hear half the story and jump to conclusions. Zel’s not the angel everyone thinks she is. She can be a real bitch. Trust me and run away. Don’t be seduced by that sexy voice. That and her face are the only things going for her. She’s pretty fucking insecure and self-centered.”
They pulled into Blue Water’s employee parking lot. “No worries,” Aithan said as the security gate rattled closed behind his SUV. “You got your things, so you can move on, right?”
“Yeah. Right.” Tristan got out of the Lexus, slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, and headed for the rear entrance, not bothering to wait for his boss.
Aithan watched the door close between them. Something still didn’t sit right. The woman Tristan described was nothing like the woman he’d met that morning. And Tristan’s lewd comment about her made Aithan uneasy.
“Leave it.” He climbed from the SUV. “If she agrees to coffee, buy her a cup, keep the talk small, and go home. Put the woman out of your head. That’s probably best for everyone in this mess. Don’t get involved with your employee’s ex.”
Blue Water Fitness was Aithan’s baby. He’d bought the failing gym the year before he graduated from college. It’d been a big risk, but he had degrees in business admin and physical therapy, and a master’s in kinesiology. He’d spent more money on hiring great trainers than buying fancy equipment, and word-of-mouth had brought in most of his clients. Now, eight years since opening, BWF was profitable and he was considering expanding into the empty retail space next door.
Blue Water was small. The main room held free weights, pull-up stations, tires and ropes, and six rowing machines. Two additional rooms allowed for private lessons and smaller classes. The walls were white. The mats were blue. Silver lockers took up one wall opposite the management office. Two restrooms were the only spaces for changing.
The first afternoon class was tossing medicine balls high up against the far wall. Catching, resting, and throwing again. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk thumped throughout the room as the members shouted encouragement to each other. These were the hardcores — the people who came to Blue Water to sweat during their lunch hour, eat a sandwich in the car on their way back to work, and do it all with a smile.
Tristan was already on the floor, assisting with spotting and correcting form. He stopped one of the students as she caught a medicine ball. She was red-faced and breathing hard.
“Slow down, Natalie.”
She shook her head and panted. “Five more … to go.”
“Not today. I want you doing half your normal reps. If I canseeyour fatigue, that ain’t good. I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
She peered at him through sweaty bangs and nodded. “Gotcha.”
Aithan high-fived the class instructor, Beth, as well as a few of the regulars as he crossed the gym. Watching Tristan take so much time and care with Natalie left him even more puzzled over the guy’s attitude toward his ex-girlfriend. Obviously, he and Zelda shared a complicated history.
Aithan’s first training session was with a husband and wife. He’d worked with Dennis for over a year, getting the guy into great shape. He was in his mid-sixties and retired from one of Seattle’s big tech companies, making up for the pressures of corporate life. Working out regularly had normalized his blood pressure and cured his pre-diabetes. For their anniversary, he’d bought a six-month private training package. His wife, Judy, was tiny and appeared fragile, but she constantly surprised herself with her own strength and stamina. Aithan loved working with them.
“Get Lucky” came on over the sound system as he entered the smallest private classroom. “Who’s excited about squats?” he asked.
“Me!” Judy raised her hand like a kid.
Dennis pulled her up from the mat where were stretching. He beamed at her. “Three miles yesterday, Aithan. That’s a record for her.”
“What?” Aithan bumped fists with her. “Nice work, lady! I said to run just two miles, remember?”
She shrugged. “I still felt strong when we hit that mark, so we kept going.”
“Were you sore afterward?”
“Nope.” She sounded surprised. “I thought I would be, but you’re so right about stretching beforeandafter. That makes such a big difference.”
“And staying hydrated,” Dennis added. “Judy made sure we did that. She’s killing this whole exercise thing.”
Aithan nodded. “Just like you said she would.”
Judy hugged her husband. “He’s my cheering squad.”
He squeezed her back. “And you keep me alive, wifey.”
