Workout

“How was I supposed to know you were talking about actual breakfast?” Stella asks Cassie who was teasing her for her mistake this morning during breakfast.

“Just admit you had his dick on your brain.” Cassie continued teasing.

“Yeah. So? Like you didn’t. Don’t act like you weren’t asking him to go to the bathroom for some fun before I showed up.” Stella fires back.

“Okay, you girls need to focus on your workouts.” Brooke tells them.

“Also, can you please ease up on the sex talk in public?” you ask them, before you start doing your set of push ups.

“Yeah, Cass. We wouldn’t want to summon that supernatural waitress again.” Stella jokes, making Cassie laugh. Stella and Cassie playfully stick their tongue outs at each other, smiling afterwards, before acting like nothing happened and going back to doing bicep curls.

You and the girls went to Brooke’s gym after breakfast and after doing some housekeeping. As promised, Brooke’s training you now during your M-W-F schedule of gym days with the girls. She also suggested that maybe on certain days you could drop by at night so you and Tanya could have a joint workout, with Brooke training both of you; which you agreed to initially, but said you’d have to speak with Tanya about it first.

“Okay, take a rest.” Brooke instructs you after your tenth push-up, while checking her watch. You take deep breaths and sips of water as you do. “What’re your plans for your date with Stella later?” Brooke suddenly asks you.

“Don’t spoil it! I want to be surprised!” Stella reacts upon hearing the question.

“Oh, sorry. I thought you would have already discussed it.” Brooke apologizes.

“I want to hear about your plans for your date with Brooke instead.” Cassie teases, and Brooke gives her a knowing smile.

“I actually had a suggestion about that.” Brooke tells you, a little excited.

“Okay, next set of ten. Go.” Brooke instructs you, going back to coach mode, and you unenthusiastically go to a push up position to oblige.

“I hope push-ups weren’t the suggestion. They’re great for a workout, but bad for a date.” you joke.

“Har-har, funny man. Start working.” Brooke instructs you. “Anyway, coincidentally, there’s an indy wrestling show this Saturday, and I was wondering if you want to watch it with me?” Brooke asks you.

“I’d… ugh… love… ugh… too” you answer in between grunts from push ups. Brooke’s mini shriek of excitement was enough of an indicator that she was happy with your answer as you really can’t see her while you’re staring at the mat beneath you as sweat pours from your forehead.

“Ten!” you grunt out before struggling to get up in a standing position.

“Okay. Good. Ninety seconds rest while I get a medicine ball for our next exercise. After ninety seconds and I’m not back, do some jumping jacks to keep your blood pumping. Don’t worry about the tickets for the show also. I’ll take care of that.” Brooke instructs in a bit of a rush of excitement, while your brain barely processes any of it as you breathe heavily from the amount of exercise Brooke has put you through already. “Cool.” was the only thing you could reply, but Brooke smiled wide upon hearing it, before hesitating to give you a hug and just excusing herself to get the medicine balls she said you’ll use for your next workout.

As soon as Brooke left, you were surprisingly approached by another gym goer.

“Hey, bro.” Chad greets you. You reactively look at your girlfriends and wonder how you should handle it, but they’re just as surprised as you are that he approached you and not them.

“Hey~, Chad. What’s up?” You ask him.

“Uh, couldn’t help but overhear…” Chad starts, and you think it’s his way of openly admitting that he was eavesdropping on your conversation with the girls. “... Are you and Brooke going to a wrestling show this Saturday?” Chad asks you.

“Uh~, yeah. We’re going on a date on Saturday. Why’d you ask?” you ask him in a polite and curious tone, not really sure what Chad’s intent is in asking about it.

“Oh. Cool, bro. Brooke’s an awesome chick. Plus, I bet she’s really good in the—” Chad continues talking, and you cut him off before he could continue his most likely rude thought.

“Yeah-uh, Chad, did you need something from me?” you ask him, a bit agitated after his observation about Brooke.

“It’s been ninety seconds, Dad.” Stella says to remind you, so you start doing jumping jacks in front of Chad.

“Bro, that’s your daughter? Nice!” Chad reacts before offering you a fist bump. You awkwardly return it just so that he stops offering it while you do jumping jacks.

“Anyway, I was just wondering, since you’re going out with Brooke on Saturday, does that mean that you’re no longer banging that hottie over there?” Chad asks you, pointing at Cassie.

“Oh, no. She’s still my girlfriend.” you answer him nonchalantly, getting more impatient as his bro-ness is beginning to sound more and more rude every time he opens his mouth.

“Oh! Does Brooke know?” Chad asks you, nothing but genuine concern in his voice now, and this sincere concern for Brooke takes you aback a bit.

“Oh, of course!” you answer immediately, not wanting him to grow in worry.

Chad turns to Cassie and Stella for confirmation and Cassie answers him, “Brooke knows, Chad.” Cassie tells him with an appreciative smile on her face.

“What is it that I know?” Brooke asks as she walks up to your group, carrying a medicine ball.

“I was just making sure everything’s cool with your date, and he’s not going to hurt you like the others.” Chad replies to Brooke, and you’re finally getting what Tanya meant when she said he may just be really bad at first impressions, but he’s not a bad guy overall.

“Thanks for looking out, Chad.” Brooke responds, tapping him in his massive delts as a show of her appreciation. Brooke asks Chad to give you and the girls some space to continue your workout again, which he does.

“Wow, we didn’t know you and Chad were close.” Stella says in surprise.

“I wouldn’t say close. He’s my business partner’s brother. That’s why he has a longer leash than most other clients.” Brooke replies, before handing you the medicine ball and instructing you to lay on your back with your knees bent for a sit-up medicine ball toss.

“It still doesn’t explain why he’s protective of you though.” Stella points out to Brooke, insinuating something. You immediately think it’s not far-fetched that Chad might like Brooke, and Brooke just doesn’t know it.

Brooke takes the position opposite you, and the two of you begin to toss the medicine ball to each other. “Well, I wouldn’t call it protective… more like, guilty.” Brooke answers with ease as she throws the medicine ball back and forth with you. “My business partner’s my ex.” Brooke explains further, taking you by surprise. Since you weren’t focusing, the medicine ball hit you right in the chest, making you grunt in surprise and fall on your back.

“Jay!”, “Dad!” The three girls react as you get the wind knocked out of you by the medicine ball, and you fall flat on your back.

“I’m so sorry!” Brooke shouts after standing back up.

“I’m fine. Just took me by surprise, that’s all.” you reassure her.

“Can you get up?” Brooke asks you, offering you a hand to help you stand.

“No~, I think I’ll just lay here for a while.” you tell her.

In a move of solidarity, Brooke lies on her back next to you. “How’d it take you by surprise if you knew I was throwing it to you?” Brooke asks with an amused smile, as she looks at you deeply.

“Your business partner’s your ex? I thought you had bad experiences with all of them?” you ask Brooke.

“I did, but Brad was only a bad experience since he hid from me that he was gay.” Brooke reveals.

“Ohhh~” you react. “I mean… Oh. That doesn’t mean he still didn’t hurt you Brooke.” you tell her.

“That’s true. Unlike the rest though, he was the only one who wanted to make amends and apologize. It’s been years since then, and I’ve forgiven him. Especially after going as far as partnering with me for this business. He knew it was something I’ve been saving up for, and he helped me achieve it just to say sorry, and without further agenda. As getting hurt goes, it was easy to forgive him.” Brooke tells you.

“Doesn’t it get awkward though?” Cassie asks her.

“More importantly, their parents named them Brad and Chad?” Stella asks jokingly, making Brooke laugh, but Stella still gets a nudge from Cassie for making the joke.

“It does get awkward sometimes, yes. Hearing my ex-boyfriend discuss how hot a guy is, is unnerving at first, but I got used to it.” Brooke answers.

“Why would Chad be guilty though?” Cassie asks.

“Well~ Brad, at the time, hadn’t come out to his family yet; but Chad always kinda knew. When I finally found out, Chad apologized immensely too for not telling me despite his intuition that his brother was gay. I couldn’t really blame him for it since it wasn’t his secret to reveal, nor was it something he was sure of. Still, he feels guilty for not warning me.” Brooke explains.

“You gotta give him credit, though. Maybe it is out of guilt, but he still cares for you, Brooke.” Stella points out.

“Yeah, he’s a good guy when he’s not creeping out our clientele.” Brooke jokes.

“Anyway~, you mister, have rested more than enough. We need to get your blood pumping again!”