Shiny New Toy

Hannah

“Shit,” I exclaimed as I realized who he was.

“I guess my reputation precedes me.” He burst out laughing, and my face flamed. I hadn’t meant to blurt that out.

“No... I’m... uh...”

I held myself back from apologizing again, but the smirk on his face told me that he was more amused than offended.

“It’s okay, you can tell me what you’ve heard. I’m well aware of what people call me.”

“I actually haven’t heard that much,” I told him honestly. “The nurse at my doctor’s office loves you, and you’re my coach for the challenge. That’s about all I know.”

He leaned in close, and I felt myself tense up at the proximity of his body. Despite being all sweaty, he still smelled good. That same manly scent from before, just amplified by all the sweat.

“I guess at least I’m not a fire-breathing dragon. It could be worse.”

My mouth dropped open, and my head swiveled toward the glass wall that looked out at the main desk. I was going to kill that bastard. He promised he wouldn't tell.

“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me,” he whispered lowly, noticing my displeasure at Ty telling him what Parker and I called Mallory.

“He’s a dead man…” I growled under my breath as I watched Ty typing on the computer at the desk.

“Ah, take it easy on the poor guy.”

“He told me that he’d give Parker credit for that nickname.”

Jordan tilted his head to the side. “Parker?”

“My workout partner,” I responded.

“And where is this workout partner tonight? You’ve been alone the last two classes,” Jordan said curiously.

“Were you paying attention to me last week?” I teased.

He laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, I was worried about the grip on that poor treadmill. I had to keep an eye on you.”

I wanted to swat at Parker for that smartass comment, but I wasn’t sure how Coach Jordan would react if I smacked him in the stomach with the back of my hand.

Based on his pictures, it seemed like Coach Jordan's stomach would be much firmer than when I hit Parker.

“I thought you were supposed to be encouraging,” I responded with a raised eyebrow.

“My job is to keep you motivated and prevent you from getting hurt... and to protect my equipment.”

~Keep teasing me, and I’ll damage your equipment.~

“Parker is my best friend.”

He squinted at my awkward change of subject, but I couldn't stop talking.

“He lives down the hall from me. He's working on a project deadline, so he left me behind.”

He looked like he was about to say something, but I was on a roll.

“He’s gay. Like super gay, but Ty thought he was my boyfriend. He signed me up for the challenge without my knowledge,” I continued, taking a short breath.

“He’s making me eat healthily. He’s on the Dragon’s team. Ty wanted me to ask to trade to his team, but I let him down gently.”

His eyes widened at my word vomit, but he continued to indulge me.

“Are you done?”

I bit my lip to keep my mouth shut and nodded.

“I look forward to meeting Parker. Sometimes we need friends to push us out of our comfort zone.”

“He gave me a kick down a flight of stairs.” I laughed. “But not like a real flight of stairs... a metaphorical one. I was just saying that he did something more dramatic than a push. Oh my God. Please tell me to shut up now.”

His face morphed into a wide grin, and I was stunned by how attractive I found him. If I thought Ty was going to be trouble, Jordan had the potential to be a disaster.

“Well, speaking of stairs…” His grin started to look a little calculating, and my eyes widened.

“No…” My eyes widened.

“No?” he asked curiously.

“I’m not running stairs.”

“I never said you had to run,” he clarified.

“There aren’t even stairs near the studio,” I argued.

“But there is a nice set at the public library.”

“I’m busy,” I quickly responded. The stairs he was referring to were long and steep.

“I haven’t even told you the details for the team-building exercise.”

Oh no. He was making us work together outside of the studio. That meant that I had to interact with people... I was not a fan of interacting with others.

“I’m assuming you’ll post the details to the Facebook page.”

He nodded.

“I expect my team to at least make some effort to make themselves available for the few extra team activities,” he explained. “If you genuinely can’t make it, I’ll understand. But I want you to try.”

Ugh... way to lay on the guilt. This was when I wished that Parker was on my team. He was so much better at interacting with strangers than I was.

A loud knock sounded from the glass wall of the studio, and I jumped a little, my shoulder ramming into Jordan’s chest.

“You really enjoy running into me, don’t you?” he laughed as he rubbed where I’d hit him.

“I’m so...”

“Nope,” he cut me off.

“Clumsy?” I asked, biting the corner of my mouth.

“I gathered that,” he chuckled.

His gaze cast over my shoulder, and I turned slightly to see both Ty and Mallory standing next to the desk with their coats on.

“Looks like the Dragon is ready to get her beauty sleep. Probably Ty too,” he sighed.

“Oh my God, stop calling her that. She’s going to hear you, and then she’s going to find out that Parker and I called her that. She’ll make my life hell,” I rambled, and that damn cocky grin reappeared.

“She already doesn’t like me.”

His gaze turned curious. “Why do you think she doesn’t like you?”

Another knock sounded on the glass, and she was standing there, tapping on her fancy Apple Watch.

“We need to go.” I turned and reached down to pick up my water bottle.

His large hand grasped my elbow, and I turned back to look at him.

“Don’t avoid the question. Why do you think she doesn’t like you?” he asked again.

“Uh…”

“Hannah…” He sighed as he released his grip. I reflexively stretched my arm out. It wasn’t because he hurt me, but because his touch jolted something in my system.

“If one of my staff is having issues with clients, I need to know.”

I shook my head and took a step back from him.

“What happened?”

“I’m probably just sensitive because this has happened to me before... it’s not a big deal,” I told him quietly.

“It’s obviously a big enough deal to have upset you.”

“She’s an employee, I’ve been to three classes,” I pleaded. “Really, don’t worry about it.”

“I want you to feel comfortable enough to talk to me if you need to. I’ll let it slide... for now, but if she’s doing something that makes you feel like you’re being targeted…” He trailed off as he looked over my shoulder.

“I will. I promise. We should go. They’re ready to go home.”

“Hey, gorgeous. You had some pretty solid stats there, girly.” Ty held his fist out for me to bump as I stepped through the studio door into the reception area. “You sure you don’t want to jump ship?”

I glanced back at Jordan, and he rolled his eyes. He was obviously used to Ty’s antics.

“I think I’m good with the team that I’m on.”

Jordan placed his hand in the middle of my back as he stepped around me and toward the lockers. He’d gotten awfully quiet once Ty started talking to me.

“I don’t know. Not sure that old man over there should take home the winning title another year in a row,” Ty teased.

“I’m hardly going to win.” I laughed as I followed a few steps behind Jordan and opened my own locker.

“If you keep hustling like you did tonight, you’ve got a solid shot at it. Don’t rule yourself out so early in the game,” Ty told me.

“Ty, leave it be,” Jordan called out from behind me.

My head swiveled between the two of them. Then I glanced past Ty toward where Mal was leaning against the desk.

She was typing something rapidly into her phone, but she looked up and locked eyes with me for just a second. She didn’t look angry, just annoyed. I was still convinced she just didn’t like me.

I didn’t need everyone to like me. I wasn’t one of those kinds of people... but she didn’t even know me.

“Really, I’m good with the team assignments,” I explained to Ty honestly.

“All right, I’ll let it drop. But you can always come to see me during my personal training hours if you feel like J over there isn’t cutting it.”

“Ty…” He sighed; his voice was directly over my shoulder.

When I tilted my head back, J was right there. His olive-green eyes searched mine for a fraction of a second and then looked away.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I responded, returning my gaze to Ty.

“Come on. I’ve put up with the obsessive flirting long enough.” Mallory sighed loudly. “Can you two stop playing with the shiny new toy so we can get out of here?”

My mouth dropped open a little bit, and my face heated up as I tried to avoid eye contact with either man.

I clenched my belongings in my hand and didn’t even bother to change out my shoes as I stepped around Ty and headed for the door.

“Hannah?” Jordan questioned from behind me, but I didn’t turn around. My feet carried me to the door and through it, the fresh air in the parking lot shocking me.

“What the hell, Mallory? You’ve got to cool it on the attitude,” he scolded her as I quickly moved away from them.

“We should have left ten minutes ago,” she complained.

The door closed behind me, and I briskly walked off towards my car, not hearing any more of their conversation.

When I climbed inside, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before starting it. The three trainers were coming out of the door as I pulled away.

Ty threw up a wave. Jordan stood there with an indecipherable look on his face as Mallory locked the entrance to the studio.

As I stopped at the entrance to the parking lot, I noticed Jordan and Mallory climbing into the same Jeep through my rearview mirror.

There hadn’t been any indication that the two of them were involved, but I guess looks could be deceiving.

I blasted my stereo on the ride home to try to clear my head, singing along with Lizzo’s lyrics like I was an empowered woman.

Parker

how was class?

Parker texted me as I was coming off the elevator.

Hannah

fine

Parker

what happened?

Hannah

I met my coach.

Parker

is he hot?

I blew out a breath as I unlocked my door and dropped my things on the bench just inside.

My protein shake was waiting for me in the fridge. I unscrewed the cap, took a healthy swig before I responded.

Hannah

yes

Parker

pic or it didn’t happen

Hannah

I’m not taking random pictures of him without his knowledge.

Parker

girl, you need to learn how to take the ‘I’m just texting close to my chest’ sneaky picture.

Hannah

or you can just take one of his classes and find out for yourself.

Parker

maybe I will

Hannah

you do that.

Parker

you sure you’re ok?

Hannah

I’m fine

Parker

quit saying you’re fine. That word should only be used to describe hot men

Hannah

fine

Parker

you cooking me dinner tomorrow?

I leaned back against the counter and took several more healthy sips of the thick liquid.

Hannah

send me a recipe

Parker

bitch please…I already emailed you one.

Hannah

I’ll see you at six-thirty

Parker

my dinner better be on the table, woman

Hannah

you’d make a terrible husband from the 1950s

Parker

don’t say that dirty word to me

Parker

you know I’ll never be tied down.

I rolled my eyes and threw my empty bottle into the recycling.

Hannah

I’m going to shower now. Then pass out.

Parker

it’s nine pm

Hannah

thank you Mr. Obvious

Parker

see you tomorrow

Hannah

k ILY night

Parker

LY2

As the warm water beat down on my sore muscles, I tried to forget most of what had happened tonight. I was going to focus on the fact that I had killed that workout.

The unnecessary drama could stay far away. I wasn’t interested.