Page 40 of Taste Me Daddy

‘I moved to soon,’ Michael muttered, walking over to his espresso machine. ‘I should have held out on meeting Phillip until I had a clearer plan. I was arrogant. I should have done my due diligence better.’

Michael angrily thumped his fist down on the kitchen work surface, the loud thudding noise echoing around the room. Growing up, Michael had struggled with acting too impulsively. There had been a few incidents during his time at Princeford where Michael had been very lucky not to be kicked out after reacting too strongly to a situation or letting his emotion get the better of him.

It was through the help of a wise old professor on campus that Michael had gradually learned to control his emotions and work out the answer to a problem first before diving in and causing havoc.

And over the course of his business career, Michael had managed to curtail the impulsive side of his personality further still and become a far more controlled, clear thinker. This had been great for his bank balance, even if it did mean that his life outside of work became less fun.

Michael knew that Korben wasn’t to blame whatsoever for what happened with Phillip, but Michael couldn’t help but think that he acted impulsively with Phillip at Slice Bar because he was generally feeling more like his impulsive, fun-loving self from back in the day.

This is nothing to do with Korben, or our relationship.

I’m old enough to separate work from pleasure.

I made a mistake – and now it’s time to set it right…

With a piping hot espresso chugging and dripping out of the coffee machine, Michael saw his phone flashing. Sadly, it wasn’t a message from his darling Korben. However, the message did offer some hope…

Michael, I had to message you. Louie has been in touch with Korben – don’t worry, he’s safe. I think what you need is a good, hard workout with me at the gym. And not your fancy millionaire’s gym either. You’re coming downtown to hang out at my gym. We’re going to lift some seriously heavy weights and work out what the next move is. I won’t take no for an answer, so don’t even try and bullshit me. See you in thirty minutes. Max.

Michael knew that Max was right.

A break from thinking and going over and over the situation in his head would probably help. Even if Michael didn’t leave the workout with Max armed with a solution, he was of no doubt that it was better than stewing at home and ending up feeling more lost than he did currently.

With that, Michael took his small espresso cup and downed the hot java in one gulp.

It was time to head downtown to Max’s rough and ready gym and work up the kind of sweat that would hopefully make him feel better – and ideally even prompt Michael’s brain into coming up with a solution that would allow him to kick Phillip out of his, and Korben’s, life for good.

The sound of the heavy metal music blaring over the speakers was balanced out by the grunts and groans of the heavy set men lifting titanic volumes of weight – and Michael was all there for it.

‘Fuck. That’s how many PBs we just smashed?’ Michael asked, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.

‘I lost count after the deadlift PB,’ Max grinned, his shoulders looking immensely strong in his grey workout vest. ‘I told you a workout was what you needed. Don’t ever doubt that I know my shit…’

‘As if I would,’ Michael laughed. ‘How about we finish with some pullups?’

‘Okay, but let’s make it interesting,’ Max smiled, the pair of them walking over to the pullup bar. ‘Weighted pullups.’

Michael grimaced, but he knew that completing a set of weighted pullups would be the perfect finale to the workout.

Neither Michael nor Max ever did anything at anything less than full tilt, and Michael didn’t want to start falling into bad habits now. The weighted pullups would be tough, but getting through them would make him dig in and fight. And right now, a fighting spirit was exactly what Michael needed.

As Max began to assemble the weights to attach to the weight belt, Michael thought back to how he used to work out in the most basic, down to earth gyms – just like the one he was currently in. At some point in his life, around the time that money started coming in, Michael had moved onto the far more luxurious setting of health club gyms. He was still in great shape, but the workouts just didn’t hit the same.

Despite the fact that he had a ton of shit going on in his life, Michael had truly enjoyed working out with Max and knew that from this point onward he would be making the effort to work out at this gym far more often than the pampered environment of his health club.

But before Michael could even start planning for his future workout regimen, he knew that it was time to refocus his mind on more pressing matters. Namely, Phillip Crane.

‘You’re looking seriously strong,’ Max said, putting the pullup belt around Michael’s waist. ‘Strong in body, and you’re strong in mind too. You’re one lucky SOB.’

Michael smiled as Max attached the weights to the weight belt ahead of his first set of pullups. And Max’s words played over Michael’s mind again.

Strong in body, and strong in mind.

I’ve got big arms and powerful thighs.

But my biggest muscle has always been my brain…

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Michael’s head. When Michael had initially begun to court Japanese investors over a decade ago, one of the big takeaways he had learned was just how much Japanese businesspeople valued traditional values of honesty, politeness, and good manners.

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