Page 14 of Resistance Training
Which is crazy. Right? I don’t know her anymore. I only knew her for a handful of years. This is just an inherent human need to connect with something. It’s just my mind telling me I need to reconnect withher. Every self-help book I’ve ever read has taught me that what I really have to do is let myself feel lonely. Move through it. Sit with it. She’s a mirror. A lesson. Not the answer.
But fuck.
She stops writing, looks up at me, and hands the clipboard and pen back to me. “All done.Sir.” She gives me a saucy littlesmirk. “Do I call you sir in this situation? I’ve never had a personal trainer before.”
Yes. God, yes, I want you to call me sir. I want to push you up against the wall, wrap that ponytail around my fist, make you gasp, and then spank that ass when you call me Bradley instead of sir.“I’m not your drill sergeant. As long as you don’t call me Brad or Bradley when we’re at the gym, we’re good.”
She leans forward. “Does that mean we’ll be seeing each other outside of the gym, Mitch?”
This familiarity, the way she’s talking to me, these spanking thoughts—they won’t do. The way she’s leaning in and not wearing a bra—that really won’t do. “That is not what it means, no.”
“And this is your gym? You own it? You started this business?”
“I did.”
“That’s amazing. I really love what I’ve seen so far. I mean—the parking situation isn’t great, but that’s true for ninety percent of Portland. Your parents must be so proud of you.”
“They are.”
“How are they? I’ve missed them.”
“They’re good—thanks.” She doesn’t need to know how often they’ve asked me about her. How anguished my mom was when I made her change her number and promise to cut ties with everyone from the Sparks family after we left Mercer Island.
“Do you make your parents call you Mitch too?”
“No.”
“And your wife, or girlfriend? Do you make her call you Mitch?”
I look her straight in the eye and say “I’m unattached, Vivian” as I flip the clipboard around so I can read her answers on the form. “Let’s see how you’re feeling about things, Ms. Sparks.”
Shit. It sounds like I’m flirting with her. Fuck.
I clear my throat and frown at the paper. Her handwriting hasn’t changed. I used to always tease her about her girly handwriting, which was dumb, because she was a girl. And she teased me about my excellent penmanship, which was also dumb, because why shouldn’t a guy have excellent penmanship? And now I’m just mad because she didn’t take the questions on my form seriously. Of course she didn’t.
What is your ultimate goal for these personal-training sessions?To get you and the lady at the front desk to smile at me.
Why?Because I’m awesome and it’s polite to smile at people who are being awesome to you.
How much water did you drink today?Not enough, thanks! How much water didyoudrink today?
What are your strengths?I am determined. Organized. Efficient. A clear communicator. Reliable. Not at all tone deaf. Very good at writing and responding to texts and emails. Forgiving. Highly forgivable. Hilarious. Enthusiastic reader. Sensational cat mom. Healthy head of hair. Excellent consumer of pastries.
I tap at the wordscat mom. I want to ask. I also don’t want to know. But I have to know. “How’s Hairy Styles?” I hold my breath and brace myself for news of his death.
Vivian’s face lights up. “He’s still alive! He’s great.”
I exhale. Thank God. That cat hated me, but I was with her when she adopted him. “Good.”
She pouts and makes that girlyawwwsound. I refuse to look at her protruding lower lip. “You remembered.”
“Give him my best,” I mutter, staring down at the paper. She doesn’t need to know that every time I hear a Harry Styles orOne Direction song I think about that damn cat. “Weaknesses,” I grunt, reading aloud.
What are your weaknesses?Possibly too good at consuming pastries lately. Sometimes excessively hilarious. Overly likable, which can be frustrating for people who don’t want to forgive me for being human. Pie. Pie is a weakness. My hair is occasionally a little too soft and shiny. Too punctual, even when traffic is terrible.
How do you rate your body on a scale of 1 to 10?Depends on what I’m doing with my body at the time.
How do you rate your energy level on a scale of 1 to 10?7.2567
