Free Trouble In Bloom by Heather Webber Page A

muffin."
    "Don't skimp on the carbs in the morning. You need your energy if you're going to work with me." He stood, hands behind his back, feet spread shoulder width apart, military style. Put the man in cammos and he would scare the pee out of any new recruit. "Get your protein too."
    I didn't realize I was clenching my fists until my palms started to ache. Little half-moon fingernail impressions marred my skin.
    Inhaling, I reminded myself there was nothing wrong with change, with trying something new. It wasn't scary— it was just unexplored.
    What was scary was Duke.
    Duke was a crew-cut Mack truck, and I sensed he was about to roll over me. Splat.
    "We'll start with taking some measurements, do some stretching, and then move to the treadmill to see what's in you," he said.
    "Um, the treadmill? Really? There's a reason I don't use escalators."
    "No excuses."
    I think the muscles in his face had muscles. His cheeks didn't wobble when he talked, and he'd either had Botox or his forehead was made of granite.
    I leaned toward granite.
    As he measured, weighed me, and wrote everything down for posterity, I couldn't help but think about Sherry Cochran and Willie Sala. Together. Last night.
    I shuddered.
    Duke barked out a laugh. "Don't worry. You'll be warmed up in no time."
    I wondered how Kit knew Duke, and if Kit secretly hated me.
    As we stretched muscles I never knew I had, my mind went back to Sherry and how she'd stood me up last night. I'd waited nearly half an hour in Thad's office for her to show. She never did.
    I had a good idea where she might have been, but I wasn't going there looking for her. No way. No how. I had a weak stomach.
    It was nearly impossible not to think about the death threats and whether they were real. If so, they could be related to the whole love quadrangle going on over at HoD. Or to Jessica Ayers.
    Odds were, however, they had been faked.
    I sat on the floor in my baggy tee and saggy shorts, my legs stretched out in a V shape. I tried to touch the toe of my left foot, but my back cramped.
    "Now the other side," Duke ordered, touching his toe with ease. "Stretch it, stretch it. Bend with your waist, don't strain your neck."
    Ana—who hadn't gone home with Carson last night, but did have a date after tonight's taping—had speculated that Thad and Sherry and Willie and Genevieve were swingers.
    I supposed it was possible, but I didn't believe it. The meeting between Willie and Sherry had seemed too clandestine, and the timing . . . when everyone else was on the set? What better time to sneak away?
    "Now put your feet together and reach."
    Yep, Kit hated me.
    Now that I knew Willie was in fact the cheating type, I wouldn't put sexual harassment beyond him, but had he actually harassed Jessica? Or had she trumped up this charge as revenge for being bumped off the show by Willie's new wife?
    I hated that I'd been sucked into this situation. My mind couldn't just leave things be. My nosiness had taken over, and I wanted answers.
    Not your business, my inner voice reminded me. That voice had been fairly quiet since I ventured into selfdiscovery. I'd missed it.
    Duke led me to the treadmill.
    Exercising had seemed so desirable yesterday, but now I wasn't as gung-ho. Perhaps self-acceptance was what I truly needed to learn. Over time I could get used to my tummy roll. "I'm not so sure about this, Duke. Mr. Duke? Sir?"
    Duke placed his hands on his hips. Muscles fl exed. His tone brooked no argument. "I'm sure."
    I argued anyway. "Really. I don't do well with objects in motion."
    "Get on. Now."
    I quickly jumped onto the treadmill and wondered why I paid Duke so much just to be bossed around—I could get that from my sister Maria for free. He clipped a lead line onto me. "For safety." He pressed the On button. The treadmill hummed, and I started walking.
    Okay, this wasn't so bad. Change wasn't hard at all! Why was I so worried? Self-discovery was good! I was walking my way to a firmer, fitter