“Thank you very much,” she told the housekeeper, who had let her in on her way out the door She started to make her way down the stairs to the basement. She inhaled deeply and smiled at the piney smell probably coming from the big Christmas tree she caught a glance of, in the living room, as she made her way into the hallway that led to the stairs.  

She walked down the carpeted stairs making her sneakered feet more silent. She reached the bottom and looked over at the closed door to her right. She knew exactly what was inside that room, or at least she imagined what stood there, she had never actually been in the room. But she imagined big and wide leather couches, a huge board full of buttons and levers, the soundproofed booth with a big microphone. And most importantly she could totally imagine him in there, creating music. She smiled and shook her head slightly as she turned to her left and into the room he was waiting for her in. She could hear the treadmill going and his every step as his feet hit the belt. She walked in slowly, his eyes fixated on his reflection on the mirror as he huffed and puffed.

She assumed this room was not a home gym originally as it was now. The pretty hardwood floors from wall to wall, now half of them covered in foamy flooring to protect it from the machines, one of the walls covered in mirrors. She always assumed this had been a small dance rehearsal space originally but never really dared to ask. She approached the man running on the treadmill and he smiled as he notice her, pressing the buttons on the machine until his pace was slowed down to a fast walk. He took an earbud out. “Hey Ericka! Just got a head start, I know how you like me all warmed up,” he said flashing her a million-dollar smile.

She felt herself blushing a little at his obvious pun and smiled wide at him, and then quickly looked away looking for a place to set down the small gym bag she had been carrying.

He stopped the treadmill and stepped down, wiping his face with the towel hanging from the machine.

“Hey JC,” she said and stood in front of him with her arms crossed. “Ready?”

It had been almost two months of three sessions a week. He had never hired a personal trainer before but the trainer he usually worked out with had cancelled all her classes because of maternity leave and she had recommended Ericka. So, he gave it a shot, and it had worked out pretty great.

“I thought we’d finish up our sessions with a full body work out, what do ya think?” she asked him as she unzipped her hoodie and took it off.

“Sounds good to me, you’re just gonna kick my ass anyway,” he replied and winked. Ericka felt her heart sinking in her chest and just smiled at him as they got ready to begin the work out.

“So, let’s start with some dynamic stretching, I’ll join you, here.” She placed herself beside him and faced the mirror. They started their usual warm up stretches and light banter.

She loved their sessions. He was so easy to talk to and always so happy and energetic. He loved their sessions, as well. He never thought he’d feel this comfortable having a woman looking over him while he worked out. And she was tough.

“Ok, just one more,” she said as she counted reps in her head. “Keep the knees bent, great job.” She admired his toned back as he lifted the dumbbell and exhaled. She walked around him as her eyes landed on his shoulders and traveled down his arms and cursed at the mirror because his gaze followed her all around the room and she was certain he had caught her checking him out more than once. Of course, he was too much of a gentleman to say anything.

“Ok, ouch,” he said as he straightened up. “That burns.” She giggled a little.

“Stop complaining, you were the one that wanted to get… what was that word you used?”

JC chuckled and blushed a little. “Nsnatched,” he whispered embarrassed.

Ericka burst out laughing and covered her mouth with her hand almost immediately. “What the hell man?”

“It’s something these girls used in a podcast… about… us,” he said now more embarrassed, wiping at the back of his neck with his towel.

“You listen to podcasts about your band?”

“No!” JC said defensively. “Autumn told me about it and showed me a couple episodes, it was funny.”

Ericka chuckled again. “I’m gonna have to listen to that. Do they cover your solo stuff, too?”

He raised both eyebrows. “You’re a fan?”

“Well yeah, I like awesome music,” she said smiling. “Yours is very awesome mister.” She bent down to adjust the weight on the adjustable dumbbells, JC felt relieved that she did not see the bright crimson tone his cheeks turned when he heard her say that.

“Ok, next up a couple of Deadlifts, all right?”

“Ok, boss,” his eyes travelled from her eyes to her mouth as her lips curled up in a half smirk, he bit his lower lip instinctively and quickly looked away. He bent down and picked up the heavy weights Ericka had made ready.

“Ok let’s do eight,” she put her hand on his lower back and put a little pressure on it to guide him into the motion.

“Speaking of awesome music,” JC said trying to hold back a grunt. “How’d you like that concert you invited me last week to?”

“Oh yeah… it was all right.”

“Did your boyfriend like it?” he asked, nonchalantly, looking away from her reflection on the mirror down to the weights in his hands, the memory of the feeling he had when he saw her arrive with another man rushing back, it could only be described as jealousy.

“My boyfriend? Oh! No, no, no, no, no, no, no. The guy I was with is NOT my boyfriend. Just a very good friend,” she said almost regretting the amount of no’s she had used. But she just wanted to make sure he knew she wasn’t taken. JC smiled and then grunted as he tried to lift the weights one more time.

“Let’s drop a couple pounds,” Erick said frowning a little when she saw him struggling.

“No, no I got this,” JC grunted again.

“No use lifting all that weight if you’re losing your form, and your arching your lower back a little,” she said running her hand down his spine to the small of his back. He shivered and dropped one of the dumbbells. It made a loud thump sound and they both jumped up.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said embarrassed and picked up the dumbbell to set it on the stand to lower the weight.

“That’s fine, are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine,” he told her, “So, not your boyfriend, huh?”

She smiled sheepishly and shook her head.

“Good to know” and he resumed his reps.

“Well that was amazing, man. I’m super proud of you! Allie said you were an animal but I didn’t really believe her,” Ericka said jokingly.

“Well it’s actually easier to fool her when we are in a room full of people taking the same class, but with you it’s been a challenge, just you and me, one on one… But a challenge I’ve enjoyed very much.”

She never knew what to make of comments like that. Is he flirting? Was a thought that crossed her mind repeatedly during their sessions. She really would have liked to know because she did flirt back, or so she thought.

“Ok, let’s cool down and stretch,” she placed herself beside him again as they began their usual cooldown.

“Ok, now let’s progress to downward dog,” she stood up and positioned herself behind him. “Right here, keep the head down, bend the knees if the hamstring is too tight,” her hand traveled from the back of his knee up his thigh to the lower part of his glutes while the other hand applied a little pressure to his back. JC felt a shiver travel up his spine and tried his best to keep his cool. It killed him when she touched him like that, and always tried to tell himself it was just her job and try not to read too much into it.

They finished up and went upstairs as they usually did after a session. Ericka was leaning against the kitchen island while JC took two water bottles out of the fridge. He opened one and handed it to her. She took a sip while he opened the other one and chugged almost half of it.

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” JC started the conversation. She nodded with a smile urging him to go on. “How come you never asked me for a picture for your insta-tweet or whatever? Like, I know I’m not a hot shot anymore but, people can hardly wait to ask for stuff like that, you know?” Ericka almost choked.

“What do you mean you’re not a hot shot anymore Mr. Hot shot writer slash producer?” JC chuckled slightly at her comment.

“You know what I mean.”

“Well,” she started. “I don’t actually like all that Beach bod frenzy, before and after BS you see on the socials. So, I don’t really advertise there… plus I know you’re not really into all that flash.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, Allie kinda mentioned when she gave you my info.”

“Oh, ok… thanks I guess.”

“Yeah, and you know I’m not really into this line of work just to get people looking good. I mean, it’s cool when you have clients like you that do look amazing, but I do it mostly to help people be healthy,” She blushed when she realized what she had said and JC smiled proudly at the compliment but decided to let it slide as to not embarrass Ericka.

“Go on,” he said.

“Well, my dad used to be super unhealthy, like, bad diet super sedentary, so when he got diagnosed with diabetes I was just starting out college so I decided I would help him and went the fitness and health route, we all did. And now he’s off the meds, 50lbs lighter, healthy and happy.”

“That’s awesome!”

“Yeah, I’m actually just about to get my degree in nutrition coaching so I can back up whatever I tell my clients. I don’t wanna be like any other Fitness influencer out there just hyping up the latest fad diet. I’m also taking courses in Sports medicine, it’s not like I’ll be a doctor but I’ll know some stuff.”  

“Fitness influencer,” JC repeated with a little laugh.

“Yeah, whatever that means.” Ericka laughed along. The room felt silent for a little while.

“So, any plans for the holidays?” she asked trying to end the uncomfortable silence.

“Yeah I’m actually flying to my folks’ place the day after tomorrow for Christmas and then off to Miami with a couple of friends for New Years’”

“Oh,” she said. “I thought you were staying here; the house is so beautifully decorated.” She said stretching her neck to glance into the living room where most of the decorations hung.

JC chuckled, “Yeah, that would be my mom’s doing. She flew out here a couple weeks ago to make sure I got a tree and everything because she says she would’ve been depressed thinking about me all alone in the house with no Christmas spirit.”

“She sounds lovely.”

“She is… How about you?”

“I usually go to San Francisco for Christmas to spend with my parents and will be back here for a lame LA New Year’s Eve party.” They smiled at each other. Silence again, but this time it didn’t feel so awkward.

“So, I should go,” Ericka said regretfully. “I have a class at the studio in an hour and you know, LA traffic.”

JC walked her to the door, opening it so she could walk out. But they both stood there without moving.

“So,” she started, looking down at her sneakers. “I don’t wanna get all sappy… but I just wanted to thank you for taking a chance with me. It’s been really fun. And I know Allie is coming back in January and that this was our last session”

“Hey,” he put his hand on her arm, grabbing it softly. “It was truly great. Thank you.” They stood there looking into each other’s eyes for a couple minutes, no words, his fingers burning her skin.

“So now that we won’t be working together…” JC said shyly, his other hand on the back of his head, “Maybe you’d like to get coffee or a drink with me sometime?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” she said above a whisper, smiling widely as she stepped closer to him, her heart racing and without thinking about it her eyes shot up to the mistletoe hanging over them and instinctively bit her lower lip. JC’s eyes followed her gaze and immediately went back to her face with a playful smile on his face when he realized they had been standing under the mistletoe. He stepped closer, looking at her lips, he closed the space between them and leaned into Ericka who closed her eyes and welcomed JC’s lips on hers.