Page 112 of Just One Night Together
Nate plannedhis day at F5F with the precision of an invasion.
This was his best foreseeable chance to meet women and he was going to make it count.
He reasoned that women of his age would have jobs, so he chose a Saturday.
He thought about going when Damon was back from Boston, but couldn’t wait that long. He’d go in alone and it would be fine.
He pored over the class descriptions posted on the F5F website, seeking the ones most likely to have women enrolled. Pilates. Zumba. Spin. Aquafit. Yoga in all its variations: hatha, ashtanga, moksha, anusara, kundalini, bikram, and more. Maybe beginner would be better for him. He was drawn to the lap swim and the rock climbing wall, but figured it would be hard to talk to women in either. He was sure the weight rooms would be so well equipped that he’d think he’d died and gone to heaven, but they were divided by gender at F5F. He debated the merit of running the track. He studied the schedule of classes on the app, determined to make the most of every moment at the club.
It hadn’t been easy to get a Saturday off at the store, but his uncle finally relented.
Nate was still adjusting his plan for the day as he rode the subway downtown. He was wearing the prosthesis that people found less troubling, the one that looked like the hand of a window mannequin. He didn’t find it as useful as would be ideal, so he’d packed the one he called The Hook. He’d need it if he wanted to do any serious work-out, but Nate knew from experience that it terrified women.
Trish hadn’t been able to run fast enough.
Cassie was teaching the first yoga class that Nate took and she greeted him warmly.
“First time?” asked the cute little redhead beside him.
“Yes. I thought it would be good for me.”
“It is great though seems impossible at first. Don’t get discouraged,” she said and gave him a smile of encouragement. That worked for Nate in a big way.
When Cassie realized it was his first time, she invited him up to the front to help him with his poses. Nate had the undivided attention of twenty-five women, but it would have been better if he’d aced even one pose.
“A big hand of applause for my teaching assistant,” Cassie said at the end of the class and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“You were great,” the little redhead said as they were leaving the class. “It’ll be easier next time.”
“Thanks!” Nate said, but she was hurrying away. She waved at him, then ducked into the women’s change room.
“Melanie swims laps next,” someone said and Nate turned to find Kyle beside him. The other man grinned. “They all have their routines.”
“Maybe I need to swim some laps,” Nate said but Kyle stepped into his path.
“I know that look,” he said, his voice a low murmur and his gaze steady.
“What look?”
“Women,” Kyle said, then made a purring sound beneath his breath. He watched two women go into the yoga room and Nate did the same. They sighed simultaneously in admiration and the women giggled.
“Women,” Nate agreed, knowing that he’d found a kindred spirit. “I don’t meet a lot of them at work.”
“What do you do?”
“I help out in my uncle’s hunting goods store.” He raised a hand. “It’s a good job. Pays well enough. Lots of hours.”
“But no eye candy.”
Nate shook his head.
Kyle nodded in sympathy. “So, you want to make your day here count in a big way.”
“Well, that was the plan.”
“You really want to be the clown in the yoga class who doesn’t have the moves?”
“It’s better than pity.”
