Chapter 6
After hurrying to get ready because my phone alarm didn’t go off, I slipped on my sneakers and rushed out of the apartment.
Thankfully, my reflexes were sharp, because in my haste to get to the gym, I stumbled over my own feet, catching the railing in the nick of time and saving myself from a nasty fall.
Explaining to my new boss that I had to stop off at the hospital first because I was a klutz wouldn’t make a good impression.
A plethora of thoughts bombarded me as my fingers encircled the doorknob that led into the gym.
Would I lose this job before I had a chance to prove what a hard worker I was?
Would Jackson demand Lance fire me as soon as he saw me?
Did Lance even tell him about the change in job title for me?
Was this really the fresh start I’d been looking for since I left my husband?
Had I made a mistake deciding to end my five-year marriage?
As soon as the last thought formed, I brushed it aside, acknowledging that if I didn’t leave Mitch when I had, dire circumstances were the only ones waiting for me.
As I pushed open the heavy door, a wave of stale sweat and cleaner assaulted my nostrils.
The rubberized floor bounced beneath my sneakers as I made my way across the room.
The first person I saw was Jackson. He wore only a pair of shorts as he sparred with another man, his grunts echoing off the walls.
Every punch he threw at the leaner man made me flinch.
When Jackson’s left leg came up off the floor and connected with his opponent’s side, I heard a crunching sound, then a vibrating thud as the man hit the ground.
A barrage of expletives flew out of Lance’s mouth seconds later as he rushed into the ring and tended to the injured opponent.
“What is wrong with you?” Lance shouted. “You’re only supposed to be sparring. You probably broke his rib.”
“Ribs,” the other guy groaned, clutching his side as his body folded in pain.
Jackson responded with a lazy shrug, as if the man’s injury didn’t bother him.
As I stood there, unsure of how to react to what I’d witnessed, Jackson turned in my direction.
Before I had the good sense to look away, our gazes collided, his intense stare making my heart skip a beat.
My lungs froze mid breath when he hopped out of the ring and headed straight for me.
I silently screamed for Lance to look my way, but his focus remained on the man who’d been hurt.
The intensity of the situation sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins, making my hands tremble ever so slightly. My legs threatened to give way beneath me at any moment, my mind racing for the right words that would diffuse this uncomfortable situation.
Jackson’s lengthy strides propelled him across the gym floor, and he was in front of me seconds later.
I grappled with indecision. Should I escape?
Should I hold my ground? In the end, uncertainty rendered me immobile.
Did I think he would harm me? No. However, did I believe he might be unpredictable? Absolutely.
He removed his mouth guard and gripped it with his fist. “What are you doing here?” His gruff voice pricked the hairs on the back of my neck.
His chest repeatedly expanded and deflated, while a glistening layer of sweat coated his arms and chest. A droplet dripped down from his throat, making its way between his well-defined pectoral muscles.
Apparently, Lance never told him he hired me to oversee the gym.
“I… um… I was hired to work here.”
It’d been some time since I’d been so flustered.
I despised the bout of nerves slithering through me, causing me to stammer over my words.
All I wanted to do was shout at him to back up and allow me some breathing room, but no more words fell from my lips.
Instead, I stood there, counting the seconds until he spoke again.
Or Lance came over to save me from this encounter.
“I told Lance I don’t want you here,” he said, his stare traveling over me from head to toe, the corner of his lip curling after his assessment.
“He didn’t give me the job as your therapist,” I quickly clarified when he narrowed his eyes. “He hired me to oversee the daily running of the gym. Bookkeeping, cleaning, ordering supplies. That type of stuff.”
“And you accepted?” The scar near the corner of his eye puckered with the scrunching of his face.
“Yes.”
“Humph,” he grunted, giving me an additional once-over before he stalked back toward the ring. I was left bewildered. What the hell just happened? Was his grunt a sign of approval, or was he planning to convince Lance to fire me from this new position as well?
I had my answer a minute later when the man who took a chance on me rushed over. Lance’s brows were drawn inward, and the strain of his muscles was evident in the arch of his shoulders.
“I didn’t get a chance to tell him I hired you for another position. I tried to last night after you left, but he disappeared for hours and wouldn’t answer his phone. What did he say to you?”
“He asked me why I was here, saying that he had already told you he didn't want me around.” Lance flinched with the blunt recall of Jackson’s words.
“I told him I’m not his therapist. That I’m here to oversee the running of the gym.
He made some noise and walked away. I’m not exactly sure what that meant. ”
“Sorry about that. I’ll talk to him.”
Against my better judgment, I said, “I don’t want to cause any issues between you and him. Maybe I should just go.”
“Nonsense. I’ll work on him.” A rush of air left his lips. “I’m the one who talks sense into him, remember?” His tight grin barely helped to put me at ease.
“I do.”
“Good. Now let me show you what you’ll be responsible for.”
For the amount of money I was going to be paid, I didn’t complain once when Lance ran through my list of duties.
They included washing and restocking the towels as well as cleaning the shower rooms, bathrooms, and even the ring after training was complete.
While I wasn’t looking forward to mopping up blood, I’d do whatever was necessary to keep this job.
We stopped by the office, and he showed me the computer software they used for keeping the gym’s financials in order. After I assured him I was a fast learner and had some knowledge of accounting, he led me toward one of the back rooms to show me where the cleaning supplies were stored.
“What time does the gym open for those who have a membership?” It was after nine, and the only people present, besides the two of us, Jackson and the guy he sparred with were the two men I’d seen the other day, who I assumed were part of Jackson’s team.
“Monday through Saturday, Jackson trains from six to ten. We need him to focus, so the gym doesn’t open to the public until after he’s finished.
And we close at eleven p.m. But we have night staff who come in to clean up after our members who prefer to get their workout in later.
Sunday is the only day we’re closed to members.
Jackson trains double time on that day, taking a short break in between. ”
“He doesn’t take a day off to rest?”
“He’s supposed to, but that rarely happens.”
Another question popped into my head, one I internally smacked myself for not having asked when my job title had been switched.
“With the job change, what are my hours now? What days am I supposed to work?”
“You can pick your own hours during the week. As long as all your work gets done, I don’t care what time you start and stop.
You’ll get a feel for how long everything takes once you start.
As for your days off, those will be Saturday and Sunday.
Once I convince Jackson to take you on as his therapist, we’ll reevaluate your schedule as needed. ”
“Okay.”
“One more thing,” he said, looking me up and down, frowning at my outfit choice of jeans and a knit short-sleeve sweater. “What you have on probably isn’t the best choice, as you’ll get dirty. Wear something more casual, less constrictive.”
“So, like a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt?”
“Sure, that’ll work.”
After excusing myself to go change, I returned to the gym soon afterward, wiping down all the exercise equipment in the main part of the gym. I finished moments before Lance opened the doors to the public, at least twenty people filtering in to get their daily workout in.
Every now and again, I’d glance toward the ring and catch Jackson looking in my direction. I smiled the first time our eyes met, but he shook his head and looked away. Needless to say, I wasn’t as friendly the following times.
After cleaning the bathrooms, I headed into the men’s showers.
Confident no one would be in here yet, as most of the customers arrived less than forty-five minutes ago, I turned up the song playing in my earbuds and rounded the corner.
Paying attention should’ve been high on my list because as it turned out, there was someone in here with me, and I didn’t notice him until the last second.
Jackson’s fingers disappeared beneath the waistband of his shorts, and as he started to yank them down, I ripped my earbud out and made a weird noise in my throat.
It was part cough, part shout, part plea.
The memory of him naked flashed through my mind, and although I wouldn’t mind feasting my eyes on all his gloriousness a second time, I reminded myself that this man wasn’t someone to lust after.
He was a man to be avoided, possibly even feared.
“You gonna stand there staring at me all day?” The roughness in his tone zapped away my wandering thoughts, and a wave of embarrassment rushed through me at my blatantness.
“I didn’t know anyone was in here.”
“Pay more attention.”