12 Days of Forever(7)

“Xander, this is Yvie, Harrison’s sister. Yvie, this is Xander. He’s owns the gym and is Jimmy’s trainer.”

“Well, I train all of you, don’t I?” I wink at Katelyn and offer my hand to Yvie. When our hands meet, I hope for that spark, that electricity that everyone talks about when they meet someone they’re attracted to, but it’s not there. And I want it to be. I’ve seen a lot of women in my life, but none more beautiful than her. I don’t know if it’s the way her dark hair contrasts with her emerald eyes or the fact that I can picture her standing next to me at parties and in my kitchen as we make dinner together. I haven’t felt the need to get to know a woman just by standing next to her. Her small hand is dwarfed by my much larger one, and I’m shocked to feel just how dainty she is. “It’s nice to meet you,” I say, as I pull my hand away from hers. I feel as if we lingered in our handshake maybe a little longer than necessary. None of it should mean anything, except that I feel like it does. Do I need a shock or that electrical current? Can’t I just know? “So, Yvie, what would you like to work on?”

She immediately looks down without making eye contact, which tells me that she has low self-esteem, and for the life of me I can’t understand why. Yvie mumbles her answer without looking at me.

“I’m sorry, the music is too loud; could you please say it again?”

Yvie looks at Katelyn and sighs. Her eyes barely reach mine when she speaks. “My ass is too big.”

I do what any self-respecting personal trainer would do: I lean to the side and take a good hard look at her much-too-big ass that doesn’t freaking exist.

“Excuse me, and I don’t mean to be rude, but your ass is fine.” I want to smile, but I also don’t want to come off as creepy.

Her head shakes slowly. “My producer says it’s too big.”

“Katelyn, go ahead and get started on your ab routine. I want to talk to Yvie for a few more minutes.” I never leave my clients to start their routines without me, but I’m a little confused over Yvie’s confession and need to know where she’s at if I’m going to offer assistance. Hell, I may be jumping the gun here, but Katelyn brought her in as a plus one so that leads me to believe she wants help. I just don’t know how or where I can help her. I signal for Yvie to follow me so Katelyn can get started.

“What do you do for work?” I ask, as I lean against the window. Yvie stands off to the side with her arms crossed over her chest. She doesn’t carry that defiant look, as if she’s in trouble. She’s comes off as if she’s protecting herself from something or someone. I study her more, taking in her high cheekbones and her plump lips. I never looked at her photos in true depth before and now I’m kicking myself.

“I’m a dancer, ballet mostly.” My guess was athlete, but I noticed something different by the way she walked. I thought it was just me looking for something to sway me from finding her beautiful, but no. She has a reason to walk the way she does, to prance. It’s engrained into her system to always be poised.

“That explains your flexibility, but why are you concerned with your….” minutes ago I had no issue saying “ass” but in this moment I’m at a loss for the most appropriate word. I don’t want to come off as crass, but then again she does hang out with rockers from time to time.

“Ass, you can say it. You already did over there.”

She’s sassy. I like her more and more already.

“All right, tell me why you aren’t happy with your ass?”

“Like I said, my producer says it’s too big.”

“He’s a moron,” I say before I can catch myself. “I’m sorry that was wrong.” I run my hand over my hair in slight frustration. Why men insist on being like this toward women I’ll never understand.

“It’s fine. I agree, but it’s my job to look my best, and with Christmas in a few days I know I’ll eat my fair share of junk so I don’t want too much of a challenge when I get home.”

“And where’s home?”

“New York City.”

And that’s why I didn’t feel a spark. I already knew she was off limits with her being Harrison’s sister, and now I know she’s out of my league.

“Well, let’s get started on those glutes of yours.”





Katelyn and I spend the remainder of the day shopping for Christmas presents while the kids are in school and Harrison is in the studio accomplishing nothing. He spent the majority of the day asking where we were and when we were coming home. He kept telling Katelyn that his baby sister was in town and that she was monopolizing my time. Spending time with Katelyn doesn’t bother me though. I want to get to know her and feel a bond with her and her girls. They’re important to Harrison, and I take my role as a sister and auntie very seriously.