Free Alex Reid (Rich & Single #1) by Lexy Timms Page B

then and walked out to the taxi, loading their carry-ons in and waving before they slid onto the seat and closed the door. Alex lifted one hand in an answering wave, then headed back inside to get his phone and go out through the garage to his own car.
     
    *  *
     
    His phone reminded him again about the meeting with Parker at three. Alex arrived home at ten ‘til to find a car he didn’t recognize sitting in his driveway. He was prompt, then; Alex liked that. He pulled into the garage, then went to open the door.
    Parker was waiting on the other side.
    Alex caught himself staring, and forced the polite smile he used when he met with business associates. “Good afternoon. Parker, yes?”
    “That’s my name. And a good afternoon to you, too, Mr. Reid.”
    “Please, come in.” Alex stepped back to let the man pass.
    He was huge. Alex was fit, but not like that, all bulging muscle even under the t-shirt he was wearing, which had the logo of his company, Fitness and Health Sports Club, blazoned across the front. He was also tattooed. Liberally. Alex supposed he should have expected it. What else was someone who made their living whipping other people into shape supposed to look like?
    It was intimidating in a way that most of the high-powered businessmen Alex met with weren’t. Not, of course, that he was intimidated. There was no one who intimidated him.
    “Would you like anything before we get started? A drink of water?”
    Parker shook his head. “I’m good, thanks. Let’s take a look at the room you want to renovate, if you’re ready?”
    “Quite ready.”
    Alex led Parker down the hall to the end of the house. It was a rather long walk. As they went, he could almost feel the man’s eyes moving over everything. Surely he’d seen houses like this before with his clientele?
    “Okay,” Alex said as he led him down the stairs and opened the door to the unused room. It was spacious, with windows that let in plenty of light. “This is the room I want renovated. As you can see, there isn’t too much that needs to be done to it. I’ve already had the furniture moved out.”
    Parker was already pacing the edges of the room, nodding to himself as he went. “You’ll need to have the carpet ripped up, of course. Hardwood will be good flooring for the room if you’re going for appearances, although you’ll need to be careful moving gym machines around so you don’t scratch it. We’ll put mirrors in on all the walls.” He gestured as he spoke, sweeping one large hand out to indicate the room. “Unless you’d rather not?”
    “Oh no. I have no objection. If that’s what’s usual, we’ll go with that. The only time the machines should be moved is when they’re moved in, so that doesn’t concern me.”
    “What kind of machines are you wanting to look at?”
    “I’ll need weights. Probably a chest press. Leg press. Plenty of machines for working the upper body and lower body both. I couldn’t tell you most of them by name, though. Plus cardio stuff as well. New, high-tech stuff. Big screen TV somewhere so I can take care of business if I have to and catch a few hockey games and sports while I’m running.”
    Parker listened, nodding again.
    “We can do all that. We’ll add a treadmill or two, of course. Do you think you’ll have more than one person in here at a time?”
    “Right now I’m the only one who lives in the house, but I may be installing apartments for a personal assistant. So let’s assume there might be at least two people working out in the room at once.”
    “There usually are. That’s easy enough to set up.” He turned to look at Alex. “A basic gym set up is, well, basic. So there’s nothing really complicated we’re doing in here. I would say we can have the equipment picked out and ready within a week, assuming that you want us to pick the equipment?”
    “You know more about it than I do.” Alex stood just inside the frame of the door, arms crossed over his chest.