4. 4
4
Ava’s curtains yanked open. Sunlight flashed into the room, blinding her. Batting her eyes furiously, she finally made out a shape.
“Get up, Dingus. We’re going to the gym.”
“The hell I am,” Ava groaned as she rolled over.
“Oh, yes, you are,” Madison growled, grabbing Ava’s bare feet. “Are you gonna walk there, or am I gonna have to drag your ass there?”
“There’s no way out of this, right?” Ava asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes, desperate to focus.
“I mean, nothing short of assault.”
“I’m not putting on makeup. You get me au natural or not at all.”
“You can go in boxers and a sombrero for all I care, as long as you get your flat ass moving.”
“Fine!” Ava tossed back the blanket and stormed toward the en suite bathroom. “By the way, I hate you. ”
Madison chewed her hangnail, gnawing it like a rodent. “You’ll hate me more if you don’t hurry the hell up.”
The duo wove their way through gym equipment. The scent of s, body odor, and bleach stung Ava’s nostrils. She trailed behind Madison with a look of disinterest mixed with mild disgust. The bright overhead lights made the dark circles under her eyes pop, and her rat’s nest of auburn hair was held in an untidy ponytail with a lavender Scrunchie. A purple sports bra hung out from the stretched collar of her sweatshirt, which read: Not today, Satan.
Large aquarium-like windows framed the perfect scene of Jackson Hole just beyond the treadmill-filled cardio area. Late morning sun glinted across rolling hills, illuminating the landscape like something from a postcard. The gargantuan mountains in the distance, ones Jackson Hole was so notorious for, were dusted with freshly fallen snow beckoning skiers, summoning snowmobile owners, and granting steady work to the ever-ready plows that hibernated in sheds during the warmer months.
Madison spotted the leg press beyond a gathering of gym rats, all engulfed in deep conversation. She signaled for Ava to follow.
Ava didn’t budge .
Madison slammed a fist into the hip of her painfully bright, lime-green yoga pants. Most of her outfits were the colors of the highlighter spectrum, bold and visually irritating, and this ensemble was no exception. “So help me God, part of my workout can be dragging your ass from machine to machine if I have to.”
“Ugh!” Ava’s shoulders slumped. She looked around self-consciously at the undulating sea of spandex around her.
Madison slapped her hard on the ass, sprinting ahead of her, beating her to the machine without competition. Clad in a neon green sports bra and hot-pink mesh tank, she patted one of the machines, signaling for Ava to take a seat.
“We’re getting you back on the dating scene. If you’re at rock bottom, then, by God , you could at least have a rock-hard bottom .”
“You have such a way with words.” Ava laughed, begrudgingly taking a seat on the leg press.
“You need to get laid . How long’s it been?”
“It’s been… a while ,” Ava mumbled, her cheeks blushing with embarrassment.
“What’s ‘a while?’” Madison asked with an arch of an eyebrow.
“I don’t know,” Ava mumbled, giving an awkward nod to one of the muscle-bound attractive men who walked past. “Over a year-and-a-half maybe.”
“Wait. I thought you and Dan only divorced a few months ago.”
“We did. But the months before that, he just was never, you know, in the mood. ” She shook her head and chuckled. “Well, turned out he was in the mood, just not with me .”
Saying the words felt like a punch to the stomach.
“We’ll get you through this shit. It sucks. You know I’ve been where you are. That’s why I’m not gonna let you get away with anything.” Madison grabbed Ava’s legs and put them into place. “Now, you’re going to act like you give a damn and do some fucking leg presses.”
“Fine, ten presses, and we go home,” Ava grumbled.
“No. Let’s try fifty, and then I’ll take it easy on you at the next machine.”
“How about fifteen , and I don’t lose my shit on you?”
“Thirty.”
“Fine. Deal. Twenty it is.” Slowly, a smile crept onto Ava’s face.
Madison stacked some small weights on the machine. Meanwhile, Ava took a look around.
That’s when she spotted him .
Those electric-blue eyes. The ones that seemed to bore right through her.
They were staring now, crinkled in the corners above that knee-weakening grin across his stubbled face.
It was the maid.
What was his name?
Will?
He removed one of his earbuds and walked toward them. “Hey! Remember me?”
An intoxicating mix of sweat and spiced cologne wafted by her. Though part of her melted into jelly, her insides turned into a sudden jumble of nerves.
“Yeah, you’re the guy who saw me get fired,” she chuckled, though it wasn’t funny.
“Yeah, about that, I feel like a good bit of that might have been my fault. I hope you know that it wasn’t my intention to distract or frustrate you. In retrospect, it was just really bad timing. I should’ve just come back another time. I’m sorry for how all that went down and any part I played in it.”
She smirked. “Mmmm. I appreciate that.”
Madison wrapped her arm around Will and asked, “How’s Starla?”
“She’s good! Before long, she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with, you can tell. Kids are still pickin’ on her, but her comebacks are gettin’ quicker and funnier every day.”
Ava’s eyes met Will’s, and for a second, she felt dumbstruck. Quickly regaining her composure, she smiled, “It’s nice to see you, Will.”
“Yeah, nice to see you, too. You ladies have a good workout.”
“No such thing,” Ava fired back, followed by a laugh.
Will laughed and shook his head, returning the earbud to his ear and walking back to the lateral pull-down bar several yards away. Madison looked from Ava to Will, then back to Ava.
“What?”
“You should bang him,” Madison whispered loud enough for those around them to stop and stare. “You can totally tell there is something there.”
“Shhhhh!” Ava was mortified. “Shut the hell up. Everyone can hear you.”
“No, he’s got earbuds in. Look, Ava, from what I have heard, he gets around, and he’s a damn good lay. Look at him. He’s a single D.I.L.F.”
“A what?”
“Oh Lord, you are rustier than I thought.” Madison leaned in. “ Dad, I’d Like to F－ ”
“I got it,” Ava interrupted.
“So… go ask him out!”
“ Him?! ” Ava was in shock. “Naw! I don’t know if I’m ready. I’m bringing all of this,” she waved from her unkempt hair to her dingy shorts, “nonsense into a new relationship. That’s not fair to anyone. I need to get my life straightened out first.”
In a display of uncharacteristic seriousness, Madison said lowly, “Life is messy. You deserve to move on. I’m not saying you have to marry him. Just… maybe go have a drink? You gotta get out of that house and go do something.”
“I hear you… but, no, I can’t do that. I’m not ready.”
Madison placed her hand on Ava’s arm, “Sack up, girly. You got this. Go.”
Ava knew she’d have to listen to Madison goad her the whole time if she didn’t. She was nothing if not annoyingly persistent.
“Fine. I’ll go ask, but once he shoots me down, I’m only doing ten leg presses.”
“Whatever. Deal.”
The bargain had been struck. Now, Ava felt a flush rise from her neck through her cheeks. She stood from the press and walked toward Will. He was seated, tugging on the pull-down bar. She hesitated, studying his rock-hard body in the wall of mirrors before finally tapping him on the shoulder. He set down his weights and turned to face her.
“Oh, hey! What’s up?” he asked, removing his earbud again.
“Thanks for what you said back there. We kinda got off on the wrong foot.”
“Nah, you were busy. I didn’t take any offense.”
“Thanks.” Ava’s heart pattered her chest like a drummer at a rock concert.
Will nodded and held eye contact with her for a beat.
“Maybe we should start this over. You know, clean slate. Ava Quinn.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m an unemployed dog mom who abhors working out. Or, in simpler terms, a real catch,” she joked, feeling beads of sweat form on the nape of her neck.
Will stifled a laugh and held out his hand. “Will Jessup. I dress up in too-small Halloween costumes and scrub the mildew out of rich people’s showers.”
She laughed aloud as they shook and then clasped a hand over her mouth before she could do something embarrassing like snort. She wasn’t sure what it was about him. For a woman who regularly stood in front of large groups of men, gave training demonstrations, and guest lectured at symposiums all around the country, she suddenly felt tongue-tied.
“Would you,” her lips twitched as she decided whether or not to finish the question, “like to grab a drink sometime?”
“I’m sorry.” He sighed, chiseled face serious. “I have a rule. I don’t date clients.” His eyes showed how pained he felt uttering the words.
“No sweat. Doesn’t hurt to ask.” Her shoulders slumped with a mix of defeat and relief. At least the deed was done. Even if she’d gotten the answer she expected. “Although, for the record, technically , I’m not your client. Madison hired you.”
“Gettin’ off on a technicality, huh?” He grinned.
Ava felt her knees start to buckle and tried to force away the smirk forming on her lips.
Finally, Will spoke again. “You have a dog, right? What’s his name again?”
“Kuda.”
“Oh, yes,” he snickered, “that’s right. Barry-Kuda.” He wagged a finger at her. “That’s punny.”
“I try.” She shrugged playfully.
Will found his eyes settling on the spandex pattern practically painted on her shapely legs .
“Well, I suppose I don’t see the harm.” He rose from the bench and stepped closer, leaning a glistening arm against the back of the machine next to her.
Ava looked around nervously, anxious to break his gaze. She felt tugged into some sort of gravitational pull, powerless to pry herself away from him even if she wanted to.
“Do you know where Morad Park is,” he finally asked.
With his body this close, she could feel his warmth radiating through her clothes like a space heater, penetrating her skin and warming her to the core. She watched a bead of sweat run down the side of Will’s neck, traveling down onto his chest. She subconsciously bit her lip. Something about a sweaty man made her want to make him even more sweaty .
It was there.
She felt it.
The spark.
“I think so. That’s the place on 12 th , right?”
“Yep. It’s the dog-friendly walking path around the river. Ever been?
“No, actually, I haven’t.”
“Good.” Will smiled and leaned ever-so-slightly closer. “I can pop your cherry, then.”
Suddenly, Ava’s cheeks felt like they were being roasted with a torch at the comment .
Uh… say what?
“You free tomorrow?” He toweled his biceps and shoulders, bulging from the fierce workout.
Ava never wanted to be a piece of cloth so much in her life .
“Y-yeah,” she stuttered. “Let me just check my work sched… ha-ha, just kidding, I’m totally free, like, indefinitely .” Ava felt like a mess, stumbling over her words and joking about being unemployed. She felt hyper-aware of the nervous butterflies—no, raptors —clawing at her stomach.
“Great. Meet you there at one o’clock? I always take Gremlin there after lunch on days I’m off.”
“Gremlin. Cute . I like the name.”
“Great.” Will stood straight and smiled.
Ava weakened at the sight of his perfect teeth. “Y-yeah. See you then.” She turned, tripped on her own feet, and caught herself on an outstretched arm just before she fell.
Will had reflexively grabbed her. “You good?”
“Yeah, I, uh... clumsy feet.” His touch sent a chill up her spine. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t. I’d like to completely scrub that from my internal hard drive. That’s what I get for drinking martinis right before I hit the gym.”
He stared at her for a moment, trying to decide whether she was serious or not.
“I’m kidding, Will.”
Will looked relieved.
“Stone-cold sober. Just a klutz. Honestly, I’m fine.”
Ava turned away, eyes bulging at Madison across the gym with a look of pure mortification.
Once she was a foot away, she whispered, wondering if she might puke right there in public. She clutched Madison’s hands. “Oh, God , Maddy, what did I just do ? I don’t even remember what I said !”
“...And you tripped, you graceful little ballerina.”
“And I tripped!” Ava pinched the bridge of her nose and scrunched her eyes closed.
“It’s fine. He seemed unfazed.” Madison grabbed Ava’s shoulders. “Hey. Bitch. You’re a hottie. Don’t beat yourself up over one little rejection. You’re smart and a hard worker. You’re a catch . Stop acting like prey and be the fucking lion .”
“You’re right. I… got this,” Ava repeated softly.
“What the fuck was that? Try again. ”
“I got this .” This time, with more conviction.
“Give it more balls.”
“ I… got… this! ” Ava growled.
“You’re damn right, you do. Now start acting like it!”
Ava’s eyes widened into two huge moss-green orbs. “ Oh !”
Madison chuckled. “You look like you just got electrocuted .”
“Maddy, he didn’t turn me down.”
“What?”
“He didn’t turn me down. We are meeting tomorrow at some park.”
“Alright!” She high-fived Ava and watched Will make his way into the locker room. Madison’s head snapped back comically. “Girl, get on that machine this instant. We gotta get that ass toned so it can get pounded .”
“Good Lord, you are foul,” Ava laughed.