I'm scrubbing the tables down with soap and a sponge when Gale walks over to me, holding a clipboard.
"Baker," she calls out, addressing me by my last name. I immediately look up at her and she inches her finger at me to come over.
I nervously make my way in her direction. She's 4-foot-9 but a ball of sassy energy, and to say that she's intimidating would be an understatement.
"Hi, Gale," I greet her once I'm standing in front of her.
"You're being transferred over to the fitness center."
"What? Why?" She's looking down at the clipboard, scribbling something down on the piece of paper that's attached to it. "Gale, if this is about the other day, I'm truly sorry. It won't happen it again, I promise."
She drops her shoulders down and sighs. "Relax, Baker, that's not what this is about."
"Oh," I say, changing my tone to something more calming. "Then why the sudden move? If you don't mind me asking."
"Peter, the Assistant Studio Manager, quit out of nowhere, so they're currently understaffed and need someone ASAP. We have more than enough people working the restaurant, so I suggested you for the role."
"Thanks?" I say more like a question. I'm bummed. I was just getting the hang of how things worked here.
"We'll need you to hang up this uniform and change into your new one pronto."
"Okay," I relent. Maybe this change won't be so bad. I mean, Jimmy does love to workout. And who am I to complain about seeing him and his muscles on full display?
Once I'm done talking with Gale, I make my way to the locker room to change into black slacks and the same green and white striped collared button-down that they had me wearing at the restaurant. I slick my hair back into a tight pony and use some of the expensive bottled hand lotion to moisturize my skin.
Jill, the Studio Manager, shows me around the gym and explains my responsibilities as her assistant: wiping down the machines, answering the phone and any emails, greeting members, and restocking the fridge with eucalyptus oil infused cold towels and water bottles.
It's not until the next day that I officially start my new job, and I can't believe how many people are up at 8 am to work out.
By 12 pm, though, the gym clears; only filled with a few young guys that look around my age.
Before I know it, Jimmy is strolling in holding a reusable water bottle in one hand and an AirPods case in the other.
"Hey, Rem," he's first to greet me this time.
"Hey, Jimmy," I say with a wide smile.
"What are you doing here?" he asks, removing the AirPods from his ear.
"They transferred me over from the restaurant."
"Oh, wow. You good with the switch?"
"Yeah," I shrug. "I'm not mad about it."
"Neither am I," he says. "Rather have you checking me out than someone else."
And, just like that, he walks away, leaving me to stand there with my jaw dropped open.
What just happened?
***
I'm lucky that Jill stepped out for a meeting because if she were around right now, she'd probably fire me for spending the last 30 minutes watching Jimmy lift weights. I'm so entranced by everything about him that I almost miss the annoying sound of an all too familiar voice in my ear.
"You're drooling."
I turn to my side to find Brooks standing next to me. He's dressed in a matching gray Alo set, and he smells divine.
"Stupid me," I sarcastically state, hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand, "I actually thought that I could make it past 2 hours of my day without you invading my personal space."
"In my defense, this isn't your personal space, it's your professional one. Shouldn't you be working and not...gawking, anyhow?"
"Brooks," I blink, crossing my arms together. "What do you want?"
"It's a gym, Red. To work out," he states in a patronizing way and I glide my hand in the air.
"Please, by all means. Don't let me stop you."
"You see," he winces, "that's kinda hard to do when you're standing in front of the treadmill."
I side-step to the left, giving him the space that he needs.
"Happy?" I ask.
"Thrilled," he says.
He steps onto the machine as I stand behind him, but then he turns around before pressing the 'Start' button.
"I'm down for you to stare at my ass while I run 5 miles, but aren't you scared that you're going to make your boy Jimmy jealous?" he mocks.
I cross my arms and scoff. "I rather bang my head against the wall 100 times than stare at your ass," I huff before walking away.
YOU ARE READING
Under the Stars (Sequel to Across the Pond)
Romance*The sequel to Across the Pond* Brooks Caldwell is the bane of my existence. Has been ever since I've known him. And, of course, luck would have it that I'm forced to spend my entire summer in his presence when I'm offered a job at the posh country...
