Just One Night Together (Flatiron Five Fitness #3) - Deborah Cooke Page 0,71
though. Damon wasn’t irresponsible, even with his own care. He would have wanted to solve the issue.
“So, when I came home, I joined a gym just down the way. Not a fancy place, but they had good equipment and it wasn’t too expensive. I liked that the owner had a weakness for kids, especially kids who were being bullied or who showed an interest in training. He had them come after school and he taught them for free for a month or two. He spotted for them and gave them tips. Most of them didn’t last long, but there were a few who really got into it. He asked me to help.” Damon smiled a little. “Maybe he thought I needed something different to think about after my thousandth push-up of the day.”
“You like kids?”
Damon nodded. “I had no idea until then, but I did like them. And I liked teaching them. Eventually, there were a few who wanted to stay on, even if they had to pay to learn more. Zeke let them be my students, so I had a kind of coaching thing going on. It wasn’t a lot of money, because these kids often didn’t have much. Zeke insisted that they pay something, to teach them the value of getting what you want. Of working for it. Some of them paid for their lessons by doing errands for me or for my mom. There was one who delivered her groceries every week from the store to here.”
“Sounds nice. A community thing.”
“It was. I went back to school, too, determined to get the degree I hadn’t finished because I signed up. I changed majors so it took a bit longer, but by the time I’d finished, I’d met Kyle at work. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was going around to all the clubs in New York, doing a survey in advance of opening F5F. He’d join the ones he heard good things about, see what they were doing right and what they might be doing wrong, as well as keeping an eye out for good people. I couldn’t believe my luck when he asked if I wanted a job at a new fitness club opening in the city.”
“But you’re a partner.”
Damon nodded. “Initially, I was hired to coach in the weight room. But then I went down there and looked at the construction, and I thought they had some design elements wrong. I knew I couldn’t explain it well, so I came back here and basically put together a presentation arguing my case. A week later, I took it to the partners, fully expecting them to say thanks, maybe act on it or maybe not, maybe give me some cash if they did. Instead, they were really excited and asked me to join the partnership.” He shook his head. “It was like a dream come true. These four people who knew each other and met at college, then me, son of a carpenter and ex-military, too.” He raised his brows. “One of these things is not like the others.”
Haley smiled, again because she knew he expected it. “Is that why you didn’t confide in them about your mom?”
“Probably. I didn’t really think about it. I just didn’t want to lose F5F. I know it’s going to be what gives me purpose.”
Haley nodded in understanding. “What about the local gym?”
“Oh, it closed when Zeke died. I gave him a full membership at F5F. I bought it for him with my first pay check, but I think he only came down there once. He said it was too fancy for him.” Damon smiled in recollection and Haley’s heart squeezed. “I still went back to help coach the kids two nights a week until he passed away.” He shrugged. “I’d still be doing it if the club was there.”
Haley believed it. “Sounds like he died young.”
Damon nodded. “It was tragic. Car accident. You know, all those kids over the years came out to honor him.”
Haley gave him a skeptical look. “And you forgot how powerful that was?”
Damon looked sheepish. “I try not to think about funerals. It makes me remember other things.” He got up then and took the dishes to the sink. Instead of loading the dishwasher, he started to wash them and Haley went to help. She didn’t know what to say, so she just dried plates and put them away, feeling all the while that Damon was watching her.