Carolina Days: Yesterday's Half Truths Part 17

"You didn't want to see the take?" Frankie asks, once we're alone.

"Was I supposed to?" I glance back toward the door we came out.

"Most of the other guest trainers I've been paired up with wanted to make sure they looked good in each shot," he explains.

I shrug. "Not sure how I'd fix it if I did look bad."

He laughs. "You haven't taken any acting lessons?"

Shaking my head, I raise a brow. "Was I supposed to?"

His eyes rest on mine for a beat before ignoring my question. Then he asks, "What's your goal for coming onto to the show?"

"Build my client base back home. Learn what I can while I'm at it."

He nods. "Where's home?"

"Raleigh, North Carolina."

His jaw drops.

It takes a moment for him to recover. "I was expecting you to say Los Angeles."

"Why would you think that?"

"Most of the guest trainers who come on this show do it to try to launch their acting careers. They go from one reality show to the next, season after season."

"I don't watch much TV unless it's college basketball," I admit.

"Tell me more about your background." He motions me toward a table with two chairs. "What did you do before personal training?"

"During college, I waited tables and did yard work till I got my degree. After that, once I got a job at a local gym, I stopped landscaping but kept waiting tables while I built up my client base. I'm also a nutritionist."

"Is that what you went to school for?"

I nod. "Yes, sir. My mom's still ticked I didn't stay pre-med."

He laughs. "So you aren't here trying to get famous?"

My expression seems to be answer enough for him.

He punches me in the shoulder. "Stick close to me kid. I'll keep the vultures away."

Our conversation dies once Gigi and Jarrett join us on the deck. So, it seems Hector and Vivica will be the final pair up.

I can't help but laugh after we hear Gigi ask Jarrett if she looked all right during their take. Glancing at Frankie is a bad idea. His eyes are wide as his expression says, 'told you.'

It's not long before we're all on the back deck, and then moved to a gra.s.sy part of the yard in front of the gym for a group shot with our host. Jarrett and Hector seem to be in a staring contest, which is funny considering how hard Gigi is trying to get Jarrett's attention. Once the group shot is done, we're taken to meet our teams.

Since we're joining halfway into the season, the contestants are down from twenty-two to eleven. Vivica's team and Frankie's team each have four members left and Jarrett's has three. It's embarra.s.sing, but after meeting so many new people today, I struggle to remember the names of the contestants in my group.

There are three women, two brunettes and one with gray hair, and a bald man. Prior to the show, they had never met, but you can tell just by their body language how close they have become. They stand close together, no one talks over or interrupts the other, and they make eye contact while they speak.

"You're gorgeous," the gray haired woman gushes. "I'm going to need a lot of hands on a.s.sistance from this one," she adds to Frankie.

He wags his finger at her. "No s.e.xual hara.s.sing the new trainer."

She lifts her hands innocently and winks at me.

We all head toward the gym where Frankie breaks down the regimen he has each of them on, and then explains to them that I'm a nutritionist in addition to being a trainer, so together we would possibly revamp their diets while I was there. All of this was done on camera.

As I sneak glimpses at the other trainers in the gym, one thing that strikes me is how frequently they speak to the camera. Frankie ignores it altogether and has his focus solely on the contestants.

After an hour of hanging out in the gym, they are done with us and we can go back to our rooms. I'm exhausted and it's too late to call anyone on the east coast, so I crash.

I don't sleep as long as I'd like, my internal alarm clock kicking in and waking me before the sun. It's four am on the west coast; so knowing my mom will be up, I call her first.

"Hey, Ma."

"How are you, honey? You sound tired."

"Yesterday was a long day. I thought we'd have a day to settle in before they started filming, but I was wrong. I'm also adjusting to the time difference."

"Don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't. I promise."

After also promising to call or text when I can, we hang up. I'd like to call Lindsay but I don't know if it's too early so I send her a text instead.

Just woke up. I plan to find out about Wi-Fi for our web sessions today. There's a TV in my room so it might work.

I can't help but grin when my phone starts buzzing with an incoming call from her.

"Hey."

"How was your flight? Have you met any of the trainers or contestants yet? What's the ranch like?"

"Whoa, slow down," he laughs.

I blush, relieved he can't see me. "Sorry. It's exciting."

"I didn't know you were a fan of the show."

Trying to rein in my fangirling, I reply, "I haven't watched every season, but I think it's inspiring, the results the contestants have had over the years."

"Fair enough. I met some people yesterday, but I'm not allowed to talk about any specifics until after it has aired."

"Oh, that makes sense."

After a moment of silence, we both start talking.

Laughing he says, "You go."

"It's silly. I wondered what it was like."

"What, what was like?"

I pause. "Everything, the plane ride, Los Angeles, the ranch."

"Have you ever flown before?"

Not that he can see me, I still shake my head. "Never. Have you flown before this trip?"

"I have a couple times. I flew to Florida when we were younger to go to Disney World, and then again during college to spend spring break in New England with a roommate."

"What's flying like?"

"Before take-off, I always get nervous. I guess that goes away for people who fly all the time, but I don't, so I still get nervous."

"Are you afraid of crashing?"

"Yes, no, more nervous that I'm not in control. Before the plane takes off you hear the engines turn on and they are loud. You move down the runway but that feels like driving in a car, a big plane shaped car."

As Luke talks, I sink until I'm sitting on my bed and let his words wash over me. Closing my eyes, I try to imagine he's sitting right next to me and we're flying somewhere together.

"What does turbulence feel like?"

"Have you ever been on a rollercoaster?" he answers my question with one of his own.

"Once, a long time ago."

"Do you remember your stomach lifting and falling when you crest the first hill?"

"I don't. It was so long ago."

"Did you like it; do you remember?"

I lie back, turning onto my side and reach out to stroke Coco. "I think I did."

"Would you ever want to go on one again?"

I laugh, startling Coco and she jumps off the bed as I sit back up. "We both know I'll never ride one again."

"You don't know that," he argues. "You've already done so much."

I don't want to argue, not while he's so far away. When we disagree, sometimes I hang up on him and he drives out to my house to make me see his way. He's too far to do that now.

Is that why I do it, to see him?

"I should go; I have to work," I say, instead.

"I'll text you once I figure out if my tablet can connect to this TV the same way it did at home."

"Okay. That sounds good."

"Bye, Lindsay."

I pause, not ready to end the call, even though my words prompted it. "Bye."

Whether from my hand or the call, my phone is warm. I press it to my cheek before setting it on my bedside table. I had walked in here for a sweater when Luke texted. I still need to take a couple pics for a post I have planned. It's hard to concentrate. It's silly I miss Luke as much as I do. He's become my only true connection to the world outside of my computer.

If something were to happen to him, so far away, on the other side of the country, I don't know what I would do. He's so much more than a trainer now. He's become my friend. He's the only reason the world outside my door seems less scary.

I still haven't moved when my phone buzzes with an incoming text.

I think it may work. Do you have time to test the connection out?

He's never seen me in anything but workout clothes. I have full hair and makeup happening right now for the pics I was working on.

I can't work out right now.

Not a workout. Only to test the connection so we can schedule future sessions.

Phone in hand I pace out to my living room to make sure it's clean. That action in itself is wasted. Unless Coco does something, my house is always clean.

Okay. Right now?

I start attaching my tablet to the TV as I wait for his response.

Yes. Let me know when I can connect.

I turn everything on and text him back.

All set.

Within moments, I get the notification he wants to connect. Pressing the b.u.t.ton, I quickly step back so I'm not filling up the screen and wave.

"Hi."

Luke's hair is tousled from sleep, I guess. His unmade bed is behind him on the screen. Gulping, I try not to stare at where he slept. I'm affected by it though. I'm imagining myself there with him, in his bed.

"You look so different."

Blushing, I look down at my four-inch, short leather boots. All this working out and healthy eating has made my legs look amazing. Even I can see the difference in them. That plus the heels I am currently rocking make my calves look even better. Was different good or bad?

The black and white checkered skirt I'm wearing is on the short side. It didn't feel short since I have black tights on until I saw the way Luke was looking at my legs. Nervously, I tug at the skirt in an effort to cover more thigh.

Mid-way bending forward to do that I remember how loose the neck is of the top I'm wearing. There is a ninety-five percent chance Luke just saw down my shirt. Gulping, I straighten, pressing my shirt to my chest on the way up.