AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not at all. We were just oversharing about the experience of marriage and parenthood,” Kyle said with a shrug. “I’ll buy the next round to make up for it. We have a whole semester ahead of us, new classes and new students, revamped curriculum for some of us, and that’s what we came to discuss. Not our deep insecurities,” he gave a wry chuckle and went to get drinks.
“You’re just sensitive because we know you’re not getting any,” Rick said to me yet again.
“Maybe it’s because he’s bad in bed. I can recommend some library books for you that might help,” Hamilton teased. I rolled my eyes.
“I’m excellent in bed.”
“Let me guess, you never had any complaints? She just never answered your calls the next day?” Drake chimed in. “That means she was faking to get it over with.”
“You’re assuming he tried to call her later,” Rick said, and I laughed at that one.
“I call. I don’t always wait to leave a voicemail, but I call,” I said.
“But do your exes ring you up when they’re between men, for a little friends with benefits action?” Rick asked. “That’s the test, if they look you up to scratch that itch.”
“I make it a policy not to hook up with anyone who has an itch or any other kind of rash,” I said. “I do have standards.” We all laughed at that one.
“Mark my words,” Kyle said, returning with the drinks. “You’re next.”
I shook my head. “Not me, brother,” I said. “You must have me confused with someone else.”
CHAPTER3
LEANNE
My seat in the middle of the auditorium gave me a good view of the presenter without putting myself forward front-row-style for attention, and I had a seat on the center aisle so I wasn’t crowded. I settled in and silenced my phone and glanced over the syllabus on my laptop screen. As students filled the other seats, I scanned the upcoming assigned readings and essays, mentally plugging them into my calendar.
It wasn’t going to be an easy class, but I liked the challenge, as well as the hands-on projects that were part of the curriculum. I always thought writing about exercise was sort of pointless, although the professors in my discipline didn’t seem to share that opinion. I definitely knew more about APA citation format than I expected an exercise physiologist to have to learn.
I heard the stir and twitter of the girls sitting near me, like excitable birds, and I knew that our instructor must have arrived. I rolled my eyes just to myself. I knew from his pictures online that he was going to be hot as hell, but there was no reason to act juvenile about his appearance. He was there to teach a required course to complete our degrees, not to be ogled like he was a backup dancer in Magic Mike 3.
I looked up. Okay. Maybe he wouldn’t be a backup dancer. He’d be the headliner whose name was on the marquee outside, I thought ruefully. Maybe after I took in the full impact of seeing him in person, the sheer magnetic physicality, the handsome face, the powerful body—I decided that the other girls could be forgiven for whispering, giggling and generally acting like fools. He had a movie star quality about him, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Sun-bleached hair and a smooth, even tan from being outdoors, just looking at him made me wonder if he had tan lines or if that alluring, toasty hue covered every inch of him. If I had an ink pen, I’d be biting the cap, I thought. If this were Regency England, I’d fan myself and bat my eyelashes. As it was, I needed to pay attention to what he said, not what he looked like. I admonished myself that it was disrespectful to objectify anyone and especially inappropriate to think of my instructor in that way. He was off limits. I wished for a second that I could take this as an online course, never having to face him. Then I silently called myself a coward.
“Each semester, I accept applications from my advanced class for interns at A+ Fitness, my gym facility. A copy of the application will be posted for the students in this class in your Google Classroom. It’s optional, and involves a serious time commitment, so I encourage you to think critically about your schedule this semester before you apply. If your coursework will suffer as a result of taking on the internship, or if you’re going to have timing conflicts and show up late at the gym, don’t bother signing up for an interview. I’m only interested in working with the most committed students, and this provides valuable work experience. My interns observe the staff and help out with orientation for new members, co teaching fitness classes, assisting with some personal training sessions and learning about the business side of things as well.”
I started taking notes furiously because this was a great opportunity and one I wanted for myself. He paused and gave a tight smile, looking a little tense.
“In addition to the scheduling commitment, internship candidates should expect to work in an inclusive environment. Many of our clients as well as some staff represent both body diversity and different levels of physical and cognitive ability. All classes are integrated, meaning you can’t choose to work with a group that doesn’t include anyone who has a disability needing accommodation or only those with a conventionally fit body type. Exercise physiologists need to know how to adapt movements to the health and ability as well as understanding of all clients. Someone who has been in a car accident and had a broken femur and a TBI needs your help just as much as some gym rat whose life goal is to look like a Hemsworth. It’s your responsibility to serve the population patronizing the gym, and if it’s outside your comfort zone to help someone who’s coming from a homeless shelter or a veteran’s hospital or someone who is healing their relationship with their body after years of abusive dieting, then this isn’t a good fit for you. You can absolutely find a job in the field that suits you, but my gym isn’t that place. I feel passionately about this, and inclusivity is a big part of my mission. I’m not going to argue it or justify it, and I’m not going to tolerate any disrespect toward my clients.” He cleared his throat.
“So, the application’s online, think seriously about what the internship involves before you apply, and treat all your future clients with respect and discretion. Thank you for coming to my TED talk,” he chuckled.
He was riveting. The tension in his body, the light in his eyes, and the conviction in every word he said. He met my eyes and I was struck by the force of his attention, the charismatic pull of his gaze on me. I felt linked to him, connected by a common spirit and goal. Caught up in the current of his speech, I felt swept along, gladly, eagerly, as if I could be a part of it. Everything that he said was exactly what I felt and agreed with. The way he said it, with such intensity, such decisive exclusion of anyone with prejudice against people with disabilities or different body types. I felt a frisson of something like hero worship or the beginning of a crush.
When class was over, I approached the professor and extended my hand. “I’m Leanne Mays. I’ve researched your gym and I think it sounds like an excellent fit for me given my background and interests. I’d like to apply for the internship,” I said with a smile. He shook my hand perfunctorily and handed me a sheet of paper. I looked at it—a copy of the application, and when I looked at him, he was doing something on his laptop, ignoring me completely.
I found it jarring that he didn’t even speak to me or ask about the background I mentioned. He showed zero interest in me as a potential intern even though I took the step of introducing myself after class instead of relying solely on the online application to represent me.
So much for going the extra mile, I thought, feeling like I’d been dismissed out of hand. He might be handsome as the devil, but he didn’t exactly impress me with his manners.
CHAPTER4
AARON
Of course, I noticed her. I saw her right away. I had heard the giggles and whispers of about half the class when I entered. I was used to it and managed not to roll my eyes. I used to announce that while I was flattered by the attention, my measurements wouldn’t be on the midterm, and I had no interest in flouting university personnel policy by entertaining a student crush.
Now, since some of my close friends had actually married their former students, I felt that making sarcastic remarks about the female student frenzy surrounding my appearance was tacky. I didn’t want to seem to be throwing shade at Kyle, Drake, Hamilton, or Rick by making flippant comments about professors and students having personal relationships. I also didn’t want to refer to the indiscretion of women in their twenties acting like they were preteens at a Harry Styles show. So, I tried to rise above and ignore the ruckus they made.
