Page 27 of Fragile Kiss (Fragile 2)
What would happen if I went back? I know I could make it happen again between us. Moving back would show her that I’m not going anywhere. The thought distracted him from the killer headache for a few minutes as he envisioned just how he was going to win Lillian’s heart again. If they were in the same place, next door to each other, it would be easier to be together again.
I want to fix this. He couldn’t help but harbor some guilt over their breakup. If he’d just been more straightforward with Janine from the beginning that he would only be gone for, say, three months maximum, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.
Checking the time, he was relieved to find that he still had plenty of time before his morning engagement. Janine had arranged for a few of Los Angeles’ top personal trainers—all recommended to her by word of mouth from other millionaires and big-wigs—to come to her gym today and interview with Cayden. After she had told him yesterday about meeting with them, he walked with his chin higher and with a little more swagger than he usually did.
He didn’t feel like he could walk with any swagger right now, especially since he didn’t have Lillian’s lap to lie on while she scratched his head. He closed his eyes and could almost feel her fingernails gently raking his scalp.
His cell phone beeped just as he began to
nod off again. It must be Janine. No one else texted him before 9:00 am. Picking up the phone, he was surprised to see Katharina’s name pop up on the screen.
What are you doing later, Handsome?
Part of him loved the fact that “Handsome” was her nickname for him—he was pretty damn handsome, after all, and he knew it just as well as anyone else did—but the other part of him cringed every time she said it. He couldn’t get Lillian out of his mind when he was with Katharina, and hearing her call him something flirty felt wrong even after he had been clearly instructed to see other people. He felt like he was becoming his mother, who cheated on his father, and then his ex-girlfriend, who cheated on him. Anything close to infidelity was a huge trigger for him.
Still drowsy, Cayden blinked a few times to clear the blurriness from his eyes. His reply took twice as long to type as it should have because his clumsy, sleepy fingers kept hitting the wrong letters. I have something this morning, but I’m free this afternoon. He was glad Janine was out again today. It was rare for her to miss two days in a row of workouts, but today was not a day he wanted to exert himself.
He didn’t expect her to respond so quickly, but it came in no time. I desperately need a workout after last night. My body feels like jelly. Could you come?
What time? he texted.
Perhaps around one. I also have something to do this morning.
One is fine. I’ll see you then. Thinking their conversation was over he put down his phone, but it promptly beeped again.
What is your something?
Cayden smiled. It was just like her to be nosy and ask everything he was doing. I’m interviewing some trainers for Janine after I go back home.
Oh, you can’t go home. I need you here. I have so many people who want to hire you.
The prospect sounded great. If his heart wasn’t tied somewhere else with someone else, getting established so quickly here was a dream come true. He was already thriving career-wise, but it didn’t feel right without Lillian.
We’ll see, was the only thing he could think of to reply. What’s your something?
I’m organizing my house at last! She sent a photo of herself smiling widely, the tip of her tongue lightly touching her teeth. She looked as seductive as ever. He examined the photo a long time. Katharina was definitely the total package, but he just couldn’t make himself unwrap it. Not when Lillian was out there.
His stomach began to twist itself up in hunger. Have fun! he messaged back, hoping she didn’t try to start another conversation, and sure enough there was no reply.
Unable to focus his mind on anything else besides shoving a huge, protein-packed diner breakfast down his throat, he pulled on the first clothes he could find that didn’t reek of last night’s tequila shots. Downing another glass of water, he hurried out in search of the hearty meal that would make him feel more alive again.
“THANKS, MAN. LOOK FORWARD to talking with you more.” Cayden reached his arm out to shake the trainer’s hand.
“Absolutely. Good to meet you, Cayden.” With a firm shake and strong eye contact, the other trainer flashed a smile and went out the door of the gym. Cayden watched him walk down the street, climb into his car, and drive off.
The way a person walks tells a lot about them, he thought, and I like the way that guy walks. He held himself not in a haughty way, but with confidence and openness. When he arrived for the interview, he wasn’t nervous by any means; he was laid-back, but professional and very friendly.
Not to mention, he did know his stuff about nutrition and training. Perhaps even more than Cayden did—which made him dislike the guy just a microscopic bit, but he knew that meant something good for the future. Janine would be very impressed. She hadn’t met any of the trainers contacted for the interview; she’d only ordered her personal assistant to call them and inquire whether they were interested or not.
Cayden had to admit that the instant he met this guy, a surge of hope ran through him. He’s the one, were the first words that came into his mind as they sat down to begin their discussion. The more he learned about the trainer, the more he knew that he was about to make the right decision. The guy had experience, knowledge, personality, and dark and exotic good looks.
Yes, Janine would definitely love him, and she more than likely wouldn’t be complaining about workouts anymore. She might not even miss Cayden as much as she thought she would. Part of him wasn’t upset about that, because finding the perfect trainer for her so quickly meant one thing for him: being able to go back home. And home meant getting Lillian back. And having Lillian back meant that he fixed what he had messed up.
He knew that it wasn’t everyone who could get established so quickly here in Los Angeles; things had happened all at the right times for him. People wanted him—wanted to hire him as their trainer, of course, but people also wanted him in other ways. He would definitely be able to thrive here.
But Lillian wasn’t here. And since he hadn’t even had a chance to get her back yet, his passion for training people was slowly decreasing.
I’ve got to get home. He hadn’t expected to be so excited about finding a replacement for himself, but here he was. Leaning against one of Janine’s few ellipticals, all of which had cost thousands of dollars, he opened his phone and called her. While it rang, he wondered why the heck Janine and her husband had two ellipticals for each of them.
