Alex- New trainer

The second I walked into the dining area and saw Liam sitting at a table with a woman, I felt something twist in my chest.

Jealousy, maybe?

No, that couldn’t be it. I barely knew him. He was just a guy from the gym, someone I had a good rapport with. Someone who’d looked like he needed a friend a few times, and I’d stepped up. That was it.

But still, seeing him with her. The way she leaned in close and her perfect smile directed at him; hit me harder than I expected. My stomach churned when I approached their table, and I hated myself for feeling this way. I didn’t even have a right to be jealous.

When I got closer, I forced my face into a neutral expression. This was my job, after all. I was here to work, not to overthink what was going on between Liam and his date. But when I stepped up to their table, my heart skipped a beat when Liam’s eyes met mine.

“Good evening,” I said, keeping my tone professional, even while I felt the weight of his gaze.

“Hey, Alex,” he said, his voice softer than I expected. There was something in the way he said my name, like it held more weight than it should’ve. It caught me off guard, but I pushed the thought aside.

The woman—Olivia, as she introduced herself—was gorgeous, elegant, and confident in a way that made me feel a little out of place. She was everything someone like Liam deserved. And while I took their drink orders and walked away, I made a decision: whatever was going on in my head, I needed to shut it down.

Clearly, I’d misread things with Liam. I’d assumed, maybe because of the way he looked at me sometimes or the way we clicked, that he was into men. But now, seeing him with Olivia, it was obvious he wasn’t. And that was fine. It had to be fine.

I focused on my work, keeping everything professional. Each time I returned to their table, I kept my interactions polite and brief, refusing to linger or let myself get caught up in Liam’s gaze.

But it wasn’t easy. Every time I looked at him, I saw something in his eyes—something that made it harder to keep my walls up.

There was a tension in his expression, like he wasn’t completely comfortable. And when Olivia would laugh or touch his hand, his smile looked forced, like he was just going through the motions.

It didn’t make sense. If he wasn’t happy to be here, why was he?

I tried not to dwell on it, but the thoughts kept creeping in. By the time dessert came, I’d convinced myself of one thing: whatever spark I thought we had, it was one-sided. I needed to move on to stop letting myself imagine something that wasn’t there.

By the end of their meal, Liam stood and said something to Olivia before heading toward the restroom. I watched him go, my chest tightening even though I told myself to let it go.

When he left the restaurant a few minutes later without saying goodbye, I felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment. Relief because I wouldn’t have to keep pretending I was fine. Disappointment because, deep down, a small part of me had hoped for something more.

The night went on, and the restaurant grew quieter, I replayed the encounter in my head, trying to make sense of the jealousy I’d felt.

Maybe it wasn’t jealousy. Maybe it was just... frustration. I thought Liam was different. I thought we had a connection. But now that I knew he was into women, it didn’t matter.

Whatever chemistry we had, I’d make sure to keep it professional from now on.

At least, that’s what I told myself. I finished my shift and walked out into the cool night air, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Liam had looked at me tonight.

Like maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling this pull between us.

The next day at the gym, I was determined to keep my distance from Liam. After last night, I’d decided the best thing to do was to create some space both physically and emotionally.

I started the morning with back-to-back clients, keeping myself busy enough that I didn’t have time to think about Liam.

The gym was bustling as usual, the hum of treadmills and the clank of weights filling the air. I’d even arranged for one of the newer trainers, Brandon, to take over Liam’s sessions. It wasn’t hard to justify. I told Brandon it was an opportunity to work with a high-profile client, and he jumped at the chance.

By the time Liam walked in, I was halfway through a stretching session with one of my regulars. I didn’t look up when the door chimed, but I felt his presence almost immediately. It was like the air shifted, the energy in the room pulling my attention toward him even though I tried to resist.

Through the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of him scanning the room. His tall, commanding frame stood out easily in the crowd, and he had on his usual gym gear: a fitted black T-shirt that hugged his muscular torso and gray joggers that showed off his powerful legs. But it was his expression that caught me off guard—he looked… confused. Maybe even annoyed.

I didn’t stop what I was doing. I stayed focused on my client, guiding her through a proper hamstring stretch and talking her through her form. Even when I felt Liam’s gaze on me, I didn’t look up.

"Brandon’s over there," I heard myself say to no one in particular, hoping he’d take the hint.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Brandon approach him, clipboard in hand, and a bright smile on his face. Liam gave him a curt nod, but his eyes kept darting back toward me.

My heart sank. I knew this was the right decision, but it didn’t make it any easier.

The session with my client ended, and I headed toward the water station to refill my bottle. I kept my head down, avoiding any chance of running into Liam. But when I turned to head back to the floor, I nearly collided with him.

"Alex," he said, his voice low but steady.

I froze, clutching my water bottle a little tighter. "Liam," I replied, forcing a polite smile.

"Is there a reason Brandon’s working with me now?" he asked, cutting straight to the point. His tone wasn’t angry, but there was an edge to it, like he was trying to figure me out.

I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "I thought you might want a fresh perspective. Brandon’s a great trainer. He knows his stuff."

Liam’s brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn’t ask for a new trainer."

I sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "Look, it’s nothing personal. Brandon’s excited to work with you, and I thought it’d be a good fit. That’s all."

Liam didn’t look convinced. His piercing gold eyes locked onto mine, and I felt like he could see straight through the bullshit excuse I’d just given him.

"Is that really the reason?" he asked, his voice softer now, almost challenging.

I hesitated, my resolve wavering under his gaze. But I couldn’t let him in. Not when I knew where this was headed. "It’s better this way," I said, keeping my voice calm and measured. "Trust me."

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just studied me, his jaw tightening slightly. Then he stepped back, his expression unreadable.

"Fine," he said, his tone clipped. "If that’s what you think is best."

He turned and walked back toward Brandon, leaving me standing there with a knot in my chest.

For the rest of the day, I tried to focus on my other clients, but my mind kept drifting back to that brief exchange. The look in Liam’s eyes, the way he’d said my name. It stuck with me, no matter how much I tried to shake it off.

This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? To keep things professional? To avoid the messy, complicated feelings that had been stirring between us?