Page 20 of The Innovator

“Yup. Her office worked on my cavity last month. She’s a pediatric dentist, so I don’t qualify to be treated by her.”

“I think she opened her practice a year ago.”

Relief settled in when the discussion turned to Vivian’s occupation instead of the “deets” Michelle wanted to know. That discussion could lead to things I wasn’t ready to entertain yet. It was also the reason I needed the workout. The events of today confused me. Grayson made me want and hate him. How could that be possible? How could I have opposite emotions pulling at me? I’d never experienced it before, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

I needed clarity to focus on the one reason I was in Providence: to find out the truth about why Dad had bought me The Prism and if he had an affair. If so, who was this woman?

Vivian entered the room, wearing her loose cotton pants and a fitted knit top. She had a beautifully toned figure, which resulted from hard work and dedication.

She came up to us, offering a group hug.“Thanks for coming tonight, girls.”

“We wouldn’t miss your special class,” Kiera said.

“I’m excited to see what you have planned for us,” Michelle added.

“Make us sweat!” I twisted from side to side.

“Do you guys want to get drinks after class?” Audri pointed outside. “We could try out that new bubble tea place in the plaza. It’s Gisele’s new shop. I heard great things about it.”

“Grayson’s ex, Gisele?” Kiera asked.

“Apparently, she wanted her own business.” Audri lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t get that when they were together. But I didn’t know her well.”

“I’m game,” Michelle said.

“Sorry, I’ve got to pass. I have a private session after this class. Next time, I promise.” Vivian tightened her ponytail and walked up to the front of the room.

I wouldn’t miss the chance for a peek at his ex-girlfriend.

We all spread out on the wooden floor, making sure there was enough space between us. Vivian stood in the front of the classroom, and I saw my reflection in the mirror behind her. I’d taken her class before, and she was a fantastic instructor. She knew techniques that catered to women’s needs.

“Thank you for coming tonight, ladies! We’re going to sweat! You’ll be sore tomorrow, but the pain will be worth it. I promise. We’re training your muscles and sharpening your good reflexes. Let’s begin.”

She started us out with an easy warmup of stretches and running in place.

“Muscle memory is important. We need to help the body remember what to do so it doesn’t freeze up in tense moments.” Vivian threw out a punch, and everyone followed.

After the warmup, I spent the next thirty minutes kicking, punching, and learning techniques from the various animal poses. The tiger stance was fun, allowing meto visualize clawing out my enemy’s eyes.

Grayson appeared in my mind. I envisioned my hand connecting with his face,erasing that taunting smirk. Maybe I could create a dimple on the other side of his face. But that would probably make him more irresistible. Too dangerous. Dimple or no dimple, Grayson stepped on my nerves today and I had to force him out of my system.

I punched to the right.Stop making me think about you!

I kicked to the left.Stop making me yearn for your lips on mine!

I curled my fingers into sharp claws.Stop thinking about his nickname for me! I’m not his buttercup! I’m not his joy!

Sweat streamed down my face and neck. My heart hammered as I continued mimicking Vivian’s moves. How come she wasn’t sweating like me?

I had to stop this attraction to Grayson. Why was I even entertaining that there could be anything between us? All we did was argue when we were together. That wasn’t the relationship I dreamed of. How was I going to survive working with him? I needed to keep a suitable distance between us for my well-being. The closer I stayed, the more difficult it would be to not want him.

Mimicking Vivian’s powerful moves, I imagined Grayson lying on the floor, surrendering to me and begging me to release him from his misery.

A smile crept onto my face, making me feel a lot better. He said he liked to win, and I enjoyed seeing the look of defeat on his face. What would it be like to spar with him? I’d probably lose in no time, but it was still nice to imagine I’d beat him.

I had a long way to go before I could actually beat anyone. Not that I wanted to, but I needed to ensure I could react appropriately if my enemies attacked.Huffing, I took a quick break and toweled my face before finishing my bottle of water.

Despite the workout, nerves still churned in my stomach. I couldn’t tell if they were from anxiety over my family situation, my false identity at work, or my hesitation about working with Grayson. Maybe it was a combination of everything. I felt like I was walking through a maze strewn with booby traps that could explode at any moment, killing me.

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