we’re getting off the subject.”
“You mean about me going with you?”
“Right. Jeremy—”
“Kathy, we’d be living a lie,” he reminded her very politely, as if explaining ethics to a stubborn child.
“It will not be a long trip—you just can’t imagine how hard it would be to go back there alone!”
“Your daughters will be there,” he reminded her stubbornly. “I consider them my friends as well. And they will know the truth about you and me.”
“I know they won’t say anything.”
“He’s their father.”
“Right. And they’re protective of both of us. Since he’s the one really dating the gorgeous, sweet young thing—”
“Does that mean you’re calling me a sweet young thing, too?”
She grinned. “Muscleman.”
“What?”
“Never mind. I’m not sure you can really understand this, but I know Bren and Alex and they’ll always hope their father and I will get back together. Naturally, they’ll think Jordan will find me more appealing if I’m on the arm of a very handsome, younger man; so they’ll encourage his belief that we’re having a hot and heavy affair, but not one that embodies everlasting love!” she assured him.
“Kathy, you read too much.”
“That’s human nature,” she assured him. “Don’t we all tend to want something someone else has?”
“Does Tara have him?”
“Maybe no one really has Jordan,” she murmured.
“I can’t salvage your heart, Kathy.”
“My heart doesn’t need salvaging, but my ego can really use the booster. Jeremy, please, if I am going to go back, I need help.”
“Help her,” said a third voice, a rich, smooth, masculine voice.
Kathy missed a step. She and Jeremy both turned around, startled.
Tony Grant, another one of the instructors at the gym, had come over and stood grinning ear to ear behind them. He was about Jeremy’s age, blond and tanned, and becoming a popular model in his spare time, though he loved being a personal trainer and had no intention of leaving the field even if he became an even more popular model. He liked people too much, working with them, helping them live their lives in a more healthful fashion.
“How loudly were we talking?” Kathy asked, feeling a mortified blush settling into her cheeks, and whispering now, though she was aware she was probably doing so just a little too late.
Tony shook his head. “I didn’t really hear much. Don’t look so panicked! Jeremy told me about your ex-husband’s arrival and what that ex-husband assumed was going on between you and him last night.”
“I probably should have been discussing this with you both,” she said sheepishly. “Would you mind—?”
“You’ve stopped stepping,” Jeremy said.
“What?”
“You’re on a stair machine, young woman! Start stepping!”
“I’ve been on this thing long enough to have climbed the damned Rockies!” She groaned, stepping off the machine completely and drying her face with the small towel she had cast around her shoulders.
“Kathy, this is not a proper workout,” Jeremy said firmly.
“Jeremy, I will work my little butt off if you’ll just help me.”
“The object is to work your butt off anyway!” he announced sternly.
“Kathy, don’t pay any attention to him. He’ll do it. He’ll be delighted to do it,” Tony said.
“I will?” Jeremy asked.
Tony lifted his arms. “I’d do it! I’d do it in an instant. What’s the matter with you? They’re going to be making history down there! Besides, what are friends for if they don’t help each other out?”
Kathy gave Tony an impulsive hug. “Whoops, sorry about the sweat!” she said.
“Job hazard,” he said lightly.
“I’m the one going,” Jeremy reminded her. “And he’s already soaked up the sweat. You may show gratitude and appreciation to me, as well.”
She laughed and hugged him, too, then looked at them both. “Thanks guys, really. I know it’s childish, but I was married a long time. And he’s got a
“You mean about me going with you?”
“Right. Jeremy—”
“Kathy, we’d be living a lie,” he reminded her very politely, as if explaining ethics to a stubborn child.
“It will not be a long trip—you just can’t imagine how hard it would be to go back there alone!”
“Your daughters will be there,” he reminded her stubbornly. “I consider them my friends as well. And they will know the truth about you and me.”
“I know they won’t say anything.”
“He’s their father.”
“Right. And they’re protective of both of us. Since he’s the one really dating the gorgeous, sweet young thing—”
“Does that mean you’re calling me a sweet young thing, too?”
She grinned. “Muscleman.”
“What?”
“Never mind. I’m not sure you can really understand this, but I know Bren and Alex and they’ll always hope their father and I will get back together. Naturally, they’ll think Jordan will find me more appealing if I’m on the arm of a very handsome, younger man; so they’ll encourage his belief that we’re having a hot and heavy affair, but not one that embodies everlasting love!” she assured him.
“Kathy, you read too much.”
“That’s human nature,” she assured him. “Don’t we all tend to want something someone else has?”
“Does Tara have him?”
“Maybe no one really has Jordan,” she murmured.
“I can’t salvage your heart, Kathy.”
“My heart doesn’t need salvaging, but my ego can really use the booster. Jeremy, please, if I am going to go back, I need help.”
“Help her,” said a third voice, a rich, smooth, masculine voice.
Kathy missed a step. She and Jeremy both turned around, startled.
Tony Grant, another one of the instructors at the gym, had come over and stood grinning ear to ear behind them. He was about Jeremy’s age, blond and tanned, and becoming a popular model in his spare time, though he loved being a personal trainer and had no intention of leaving the field even if he became an even more popular model. He liked people too much, working with them, helping them live their lives in a more healthful fashion.
“How loudly were we talking?” Kathy asked, feeling a mortified blush settling into her cheeks, and whispering now, though she was aware she was probably doing so just a little too late.
Tony shook his head. “I didn’t really hear much. Don’t look so panicked! Jeremy told me about your ex-husband’s arrival and what that ex-husband assumed was going on between you and him last night.”
“I probably should have been discussing this with you both,” she said sheepishly. “Would you mind—?”
“You’ve stopped stepping,” Jeremy said.
“What?”
“You’re on a stair machine, young woman! Start stepping!”
“I’ve been on this thing long enough to have climbed the damned Rockies!” She groaned, stepping off the machine completely and drying her face with the small towel she had cast around her shoulders.
“Kathy, this is not a proper workout,” Jeremy said firmly.
“Jeremy, I will work my little butt off if you’ll just help me.”
“The object is to work your butt off anyway!” he announced sternly.
“Kathy, don’t pay any attention to him. He’ll do it. He’ll be delighted to do it,” Tony said.
“I will?” Jeremy asked.
Tony lifted his arms. “I’d do it! I’d do it in an instant. What’s the matter with you? They’re going to be making history down there! Besides, what are friends for if they don’t help each other out?”
Kathy gave Tony an impulsive hug. “Whoops, sorry about the sweat!” she said.
“Job hazard,” he said lightly.
“I’m the one going,” Jeremy reminded her. “And he’s already soaked up the sweat. You may show gratitude and appreciation to me, as well.”
She laughed and hugged him, too, then looked at them both. “Thanks guys, really. I know it’s childish, but I was married a long time. And he’s got a
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