fighter

“Well, definitely a guy…” June started, a small laugh escaping her lips. “But I have no idea.” She gratefully accepted her pink smoothie as it was offered to her, bringing it to her lips and taking a long sip. “That guy- the beast, over there!” She said finally, pointing to a large male lifting weights who vaguely resembled a lion.

“Yeah, but- people look at the mothers different when they’re walkin’ round, single with kids. Maybe it’s messed up, but it’s the truth, ya know? An’ Rosie ain’t old enough’ta pass off as my little sister. Especially since my fans know I was adopted when I was fourteen,” Holly hummed, a small sigh escaping her. “If Roman likes you, you can do no wrong. It’s gotten him in’ta a lot of trouble in the past. He puts people on pedestals, an’ they can do no wrong. I’ve seen him get really hurt because of it, actually.” The blonde smiled as she took his hand. “Holly Kennington. Pleasure’ta meet ya.”

“Hey, I’m only human!” June gasped dramatically, bright smile on her face. “I need to get my eye candy in somehow, don’t I?” Her cheeks turned pink, but she did her best to ignore it. “Well aren’t you a gentleman. Thank you.” She turned her head, asking for a strawberry smoothie before turning back to him. “So. You’re a personal trainer, you have a daughter, and your name is Liam. What else should I know about you?”

Sean blinked at the man, looking a little lost. His face read: I might have just made a terrible mistake. “I’m not looking for anything crazy,” he assured him, holding up his palms as though in defense. “Nothing more than two or three times a week. It’s just that I run everyday, but I don’t do much else, so I figured that wasn’t healthy.” Perhaps his stay on this island didn’t just have to be about maintaining the life he worked so hard to get back. Maybe he could return feeling better than before. “Might as well start a good habit while I’m here and have the time.”

“Running is fine,” Liam agreed, “but adding something to that can really take your training to the next level.” At least, he thought, the other man seemed to be somewhat... apologetic... even without apologizing. Liam had to assume that he’d gotten the point across. Done. “You’ve come to the right place.” He offered his hand to the other man with a grin. “Liam. I’ll be your new trainer. We’ve run out of time to do a whole lot other than warm you up, but at least we can try that. Cool?”

“It’s nice to meet you Liam,” June laughed lightly, shaking her head as a small smile spread across her lips. “Cheaper, yes. But these taste the best. And I’m not as concerned with the price, as long as it tastes good, you know? Plus, it gives me an excuse to lurk around and watch cute guys work out.”

“I guess,” Holly sighed, puffing out her cheeks slightly. “He’s been tellin’ me’ta lose weight since before I got pregnant, so I don’t really think that’s part of it. He’s just… Bein’ careful about my image. I’m supposed’ta be America’s sweetheart country star, and here I am, only twenty an’ two essentially two kids, without a boyfriend or nothin’. I can’t say I make his job easy for him, ya know? Maybe Rosie an’ this baby have the same daddy, an’ he’s the only person I’ve ever even kissed, but it don’t look that way’ta the public unless I go out there an’ tell them ‘bout it. An’ I don’t wanna invade my ex’s privacy like that.” She glanced down slightly before shrugging once again. “Roman is delicate. You can’t work him too hard, because he’s…-” She paused. “He’s anorexic. And an insomniac. If he works too hard he gets weaker, because I’m currently strugglin’ta keep him on a steady eatin’ schedule. Trainin’ him ain’t gonna be just pointin’ him towards a machine an’ makin’ him do fifty reps.”

“No, I haven’t,” June grinned, shaking her head as a small laugh escaped her lips. “It’s irregular for me, though.” She offered her hand to the male. “I”m June, by the way. And if you’re sure…” She trailed off, spinning on her heel and making her way through the gym towards the back, where the smoothie bar was located. “Honestly, I only got a membership here so I could get smoothies. And I’m not sorry about that.”

“Keeping up appearances? What, you don’t read tabloids? There’s always one bar fight or another I’m getting in trouble for. Or an angry ex popping up out of the blue to tell a reporter about how many times I cheated on them, or how terrible I was,” Lukas snorted, shaking his head slightly. “I didn’t even want you here, dude. If you want to leave, go ahead- I’ll work out on my own, I really don’t care. I’m a valuable enough player that my coach will roll over if I don’t do what he wants. They don’t want to risk losing me.”

“I’m tempted. Trust me, I am, an’ my publicist would love ya, because she’s always tellin’ me I need’ta lose weight just cuz I ain’t a little twig like everyone else, but-” The singer let out a small laugh as she shook her head and gestured over her shoulder to where her almost-two-year-old was sitting on a nearby bench, eating Cheerios from a little baggie. “Between raisin’ her, bein’ pregnant, an’ workin’ on my next album, I don’t know if I have the time’ta work out. Plus, since you’re so strict ‘bout bein’ on time, I don’t think I can do that. Little ones don’t exactly make it easy for that sorta thin’.” She paused a heartbeat. “It’s fine for me, I can take it. But he’s… delicate. He gets nervous easily, he can barely lift five pounds without thinkin’ its heavy, and he’ll cry if someone gets upset with him. An’ I’ve taken it upon myself’ta take care’a him.”

“I take my smoothies very seriously,” June hummed, nodding her head firmly before grinning easily. “Personal trainer, though? That’s- kind of crazy. I’ve never met one before. Granted, I’ve never set foot in a gym before finding the smoothie bar in this one…” She trailed off, tilting her head to the side in silent question. “Well, if you don’t think they’re going to come, you could always come grab a smoothie with me, ya know.”

“Kids?” Lukas couldn’t help but snort. “I’m twenty seven, the highest paid player in the NFL, have five Superbowl rings, and I’ve never lost a game in the entire ten years I’ve been playing. If you ask me, you should be training the rest of my team back home, so maybe I won’t have to carry them on my back during the games. Like I said. I don’t need your help working out- I can do it on my own. You’re here to make sure I don’t overwork myself, since I have a tendency to get up at eight, go to the gym, and then not leave until eight at night. Me being your client can’t do anything but help your reputation.”

Dakota: Have you ever seen sulfur combust?

Dakota: Because I kinda wanna blow stuff up today

Liam: At least wait until I'm out of the room.

Liam: Wrong number.

Lukas’ chest puffed out unconsciously as his eyes raked over the other male. “Let’s get one thing straight,” the football player said slowly. “You’re being employed, because my coach says that I’m not allowed to train on my own. Apparently working out for six straight hours, six days a week is a bad idea when you’re playing professional football. You stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of yours, and you get your paycheck.”

“Are you… seriously talking to me?” June questioned, raising an eyebrow at him as she tilted her head. “My idea of working out is getting up to go get food, go to the bathroom, or having really great sex. I don’t ‘work out’. I’m not that kind of person.” She tilted her head slightly. “What are you doing, anyway? Like- I only came here because there’s a smoothie bar in the back that makes great strawberry smoothies. Is personal training a thing that happens here now?”

Holly raised an eyebrow at the male as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, here’s the deal,” the singer started, eyebrows raising slightly. “This ain’t for me. I can’t even work out safely like this.” Her fingers pointed dramatically to the growing baby bump on her stomach, rolling her eyes. “Second, I was comin’ta meet ya ‘bout trainin’ my cousin, but he’s delicate, an’ that sorta attitude just ain’t gonna work on him, so now I’m second guessing my decision.”