Peter hit the wall, water splashed over the edge it was lap thirty, he was feeling good. He dunked under the water and let the water glide he ran his hands over his hair, stood up and walked out of the pool he grabbed his towel from the bench and towel dried himself, he changed into his gym gear.
She watched him from the reception area, she watched him everyday he was so good looking, so buffed, as far as she knew he was single, he pretty much kept to himself, he walked with a slight limp but other than that he was perfect, Zoe knew him only as Peter.
After finishing his set he noted on the community notices board that the gymnasium was looking for instructors, he thought how he would love a job like that, over the past year he had worked so hard getting to where he was, maybe he would apply.
He ripped off the tiny strip that had the number typed on it, it would be his first job since the accident, this would be something that he could do, he would be free from disability pension, the thought of it bought an immense smile to his face.
He headed home and took a shower before calling the number.
“Hi my name is Peter, I’m calling about the job as a gym instructor”
“Hi Peter, my name is Jason. Do you have any experience?”
Peter went on to explain what had happened to him over the years and his determination during the past year to shed weight and wanting to help others do the same.
Jason recognised Peter and knew of his story and had watched him and helped him in the gym, although he would prefer someone with training or expertise but he was confident that Peter could be an asset to his staff.
“Come on in to see me tomorrow after you’ve had your swim and we’ll see what we can do.”
“Fantastic Jason, I’ll see you then” as Peter hung up the phone he did a dance similar to the dancing baby that was so popular so long ago.
The following morning he went for his swim and went along to see Jason who had offered him a part-time job as a part of their weight loss team.
Peter was excited but kept his cool in front of Jason, he wanted to hug the man but he thought that might not be a good idea.
“Come on I’ll show you the team while we’re here.”
They walked into a staff office that smelled of lemons, two walls were covered in posters of the human muscular system and various posters of varying exercises, along one wall sat a desk and three filing cabinets which he knew each clients details were kept, chairs, scales and tape measures and a height measure were kept in one area, off to the right was a doorway that connected to a staffroom that also connected to the main reception area and another staff office.
“Jeremy, this is Peter, he will be starting with us on Monday as an inclusion to our weight loss team.”
“Welcome aboard, I’ve seen you around haven’t I?”
“Yeah you have, nice to meet you Jeremy.”
Peter followed Jason into the other connecting staffroom.
“Peter this is more of our gang, this is Karen, Taylor, Cassandra, David and Sharon. Guys Peter will be joining us on Monday as a member of our weight loss team, Peter you will be working with Karen and Sharon mostly.”
In unison they all said hi and Peter continued to follow Jason to the reception area.
“Zoe I want to introduce you to Peter who will be starting with us on Monday as a part of our weight loss team, Peter you would have had met Zoe on numerous occasions coming and going through the gym.”
“Yeah I have nice to finally put a name to the face.”
Zoe could all but smile.
“Peter this is Nikki she too works here in reception which I believe she is due to knock off til later this afternoon.”
Nikki held out her hand “yep nice to meet you, welcome aboard. I’ll see you later Jase.”
Peter barely had time to acknowledge Nikki before she was off.
“Peter I’ve got a client that I am due to see, Zoe will help you out with the paperwork and I’ll see you later. Welcome aboard.”
Peter shook Jason’s hand and thanked him for the opportunity, he walked home and couldn’t wait to tell Cindy.
Cindy over the past five years had been a blessing to him but it was the past year that he had grown especially fond of her, they kissed only one time and neither of them mentioned it or made a move again, for Peter it was out of sheer terror, he hadn’t been with a woman for so long and the only woman in the past almost thirty years had been his wife. He felt comfortable around Cindy like she was his best friend but he had the unmistakeable attraction toward her, he never worked on it or moved on her not since that kiss anyway. Cindy only came once a week and had been for the past four months, they still met on Wednesday’s but he walked to the café and she drove him home but he no longer asked her in for a coffee, it was better that way.
Tonight he was meeting her at the café again, he was excited with the news he was going to tell her.
Walking into the café he looked at where they usually sat but tonight he was going to sit in the booth along with his jeans that for the first time he was going to wear, he looked good tonight or at least he felt good, in fact he felt on top of the world. Nothing could spoil it tonight, nothing.
She saw him sitting in the booth and wondered why he was sitting there and not in their usual seat but she went over to greet him anyway, he spotted her and stood up and seen the surprise in her face, it warmed his heart. He smiled
“hi”
“Oh Wow! Look at you you’re in jeans that is so fantastic.”
“Yeah I’ve got more good news.”
He gestured for her to sit and waited as she sat, he poured her a glass of water “I applied for a job at the local gym earlier this week.”
“Oh that’s great and….”
“I got the job.” he beamed
“Oh Peter that’s fantastic” she put her hand on his “I’m so proud of you.”
He smiled at her and knew it was what he wanted to hear he looked down at her hand, why did he feel so uncomfortable at the slightest intimacy from her yet at the same time it feel so right.
She kept her hand on his and she knew that he felt uncomfortable about any form of intimacy since they shared a kiss all those months back, anytime she had tried to get close to Peter he backed away, shied from or ignored any forward attempts of Cindy, she thought they were great together and the memory of the kiss told her that they had something special there too, she liked him, no, that wasn’t right she was in love with him. She wanted more.
He pulled his hand away and looked around.
She couldn’t stand it anymore “Peter, are you ashamed of me”
“No, why do you say that”
"Well you just pulled away from me and you’ve done it before." She put her hand on the table reaching out to him and looked into his face his eyes averted from hers “I know we’ve been friends a while Peter but I want more and I think you want it too.”
“Cindy, you wouldn’t understand.” he hung his head, he may look good on the outside and he may feel good physically but there was still that something that didn’t feel right.
“Understand what Peter? I’m a woman, you’re a man and I like you.”
“Yeah I..I..” How could he tell her that he was afraid to get intimate with her because he liked her too much, he didn’t want to destroy anything that was between them. “I thought we were just friends”
She choked back the tears that began to burn her eyes and clamp down her heart that began to squeeze. She took a big breath and tried to smile “I would have liked more, but..” she retreated her hand and hung her head choking back the tears “friends.” She nodded and drank some water to try and wash away her heavy heart.
The rest of the evening was the longest she had ever endured she always felt awkward around guys never really knowing what to say or how to be forward, so many women she knew were straight up and extremely straight forward and very frank in asking and taking what they wanted from life but she couldn’t, it wasn’t in her nature, she wish she knew, she wish she knew how. She felt comfortable with Peter and over the past few years had grown to care for him and eventually love him, she couldn’t tell him, what if he didn’t feel the same and she made a fool of herself besides he had said they were friends, somewhere in her heart she knew they couldn’t be just friends because she wanted more.
The band finished and Cindy informed Peter that she was tired had a headache and would like to go home.
The drive back to his place felt awkward, he thought it was going to be a great night and he could not have been further from the truth, somewhere and somehow things between him and Cindy had grown tense, she said she had a headache and was tired but he sensed something else, ‘women’ he thought, he had obviously done something to upset her, but what? He knew that if he asked she would say ‘nothing’ but she would think that he should know. Why couldn’t women just say what was bothering them? But what if she did have a headache and was tired? The easiest thing for him to do, would be to act as if nothing was wrong.
She pulled up in the driveway.
“Would you like to come in for a coffee?”
“no I better get going." came her curt reply.
He had obviously upset her, better to let it slide, she would get over it, he thought.
Hopefully another chapter tomorrow
til next time
Happy Reading
Valissa
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