In Her Corner. Vicki Essex

to two people who walked in. Two. And that was only because Liz was in the bathroom and they were standing there, looking lost. I didn’t see any of the guys rushing out to greet them, so I said hello. Now you’re telling me that’s wrong?”

      “You should’ve gotten a senior staff member. But that’s not the only thing.” He took a deep breath and plunged forward. “You’re too friendly with the guys. Some of them might get the wrong idea.”

      He only realized how bad it sounded after the words left his mouth.

      Her voice pitched down an octave. “Excuse me?”

      “This is a gym full of guys, and some clients get it in their heads that... Well, see, there was this one guy who tried to ask Liz out, but she wouldn’t date him...”

      “And you blame Liz for that?”

      “No!” He massaged his scalp. He was making a mess of this. “All I’m saying is, you’re a...a woman, and if you act friendly...”

      She slowly leaned forward in her seat. “I’m friendly because I’m actually a nice person. I talk to clients because I want them to get the most out of their time here. That’s how a Fiore gym is run. We learn from having lots of different trainers, lots of variety and techniques. We don’t isolate every single student and tell them they’re only allowed to work with one person. We certainly don’t isolate the women from the men because we don’t trust what they’ll do to each other.”

      “Look, it came out totally wrong, and I apologize. Of course we want diversity in our trainers and clientele. That’s half the reason you’re here. But this is a professional gym. Some of the guys work on hourly fees, and they can’t risk losing a client. I’d just appreciate it if you stepped back a bit.”

      She sat back and rolled her eyes. “No wonder you’re losing customers.”

      He flinched as though she’d slapped him. “You need to remember—” your place “—that you’re a guest trainer here. Temporary. Just because you’ve been doing this a long time at your family’s studio doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing here.”

      She studied him coolly, glass-green eyes slicing him to ribbons. “You don’t want me here, do you?”

      A hard lump formed in his throat. “That’s not it.”

      “You obviously don’t like me.”

      “That’s not true.” And it wasn’t. He simply didn’t know how to handle her. Her temperament, her energy, her drive—they were all good things professionally speaking, but they were nothing he was prepared to deal with. And that was what really bothered him.

      Bella’s words were as sharp and precise as a scalpel. Her composure was unexpected and it threw him off balance even more. “I came here to train with you, Kyle. Not with your staff, not in your gym. I came for you. But if you can’t work with me, then all you have to do is say so, and I won’t waste any more of my time or yours.”

      “That’s not what I want.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath. “I’ve really messed this up.”

      She waited expectantly.

      His chair creaked as he swung it to the left, tilting back with a long sigh. “I don’t want you to go. I do have a lot to teach you, and I think you have a lot to teach our clients. You’re a talented fighter, and you can bring a lot to this gym. I wouldn’t have agreed to have you here otherwise.”

      “Except that I’m a Fiore.”

      “I won’t lie to you. Your family name and reputation does have some draw. Since we posted that picture of you up on our website, we’ve had twice as many cold calls from guys who want to train here.”

      “And still you think I’m only here to flirt with your employees and steal clients?”

      He grimaced. “I didn’t mean for it to sound that way.”

      She didn’t look impressed. “Answer me this. Will you or won’t you make time to train me?”

      He wiped a damp palm over his mouth. “I can spare you two hours this afternoon.”

      She nodded stiffly. “All right. Are we done?”

      For now. “Yeah.”

      Her chair scraped back loudly, and she marched out of his office. The knot in Kyle’s gut loosened. That had not gone the way he’d hoped. And he’d come off sounding like a complete asshole.

      You let a girl push you around, his father’s voice mocked from the back of his mind.

      Kyle ground his teeth and pressed his thumbs against his closed eyelids. Whatever his issues, he couldn’t afford to have Bella leaving with a negative impression of what Payette’s had to offer.

      He’d work with her. His job depended on it.

      His sanity, however, was another matter.

      * * *

      LIZ’S JAW DROPPED. “He said that?”

      “Maybe I’m making it sound like more than what he meant, and for his part, he did apologize, but I’m pretty sure he meant to tell me he didn’t want me talking to, like, anyone.” Bella sipped her iced tea, trying to wash away the bitterness Kyle’s words had left behind. Liz had invited her out for after-work drinks. They were at The Spot, the gastropub she’d visited on Monday night. The other trainers were currently shooting pool, giving the girls a chance to chat. Kyle wasn’t among the group.

      “For the record, I don’t have any problem with you talking to clients. I think everyone should take more initiative like you did,” Liz said, and gave a disgruntled sigh. “So Kyle finally worked with you this afternoon?”

      “He did, but mostly, he had me doing conditioning exercises. We never got around to any mat work.” He’d been a taskmaster when it came to those endurance drills. They nearly had her puking a couple times, but she’d held it together.

      “He does tend to go heavy on the endurance and strength training, but that’s the way he works. I’m sure he’ll get you wrestling soon.”

      Bella hoped so. After today’s talk, she wasn’t sure Payette’s—or Kyle—was a good fit for her.

      Neal, the bartender, set a plate of onion rings on the table in front of them. “For you ladies, on the house.”

      “Careful, Neal, or I’m going to start getting ideas.” Bella winked at him, and Liz laughed as they reached for the plate.

      He grinned. “I’ll admit I came with an ulterior motive.” They invited him to sit, and he took a chair. “A friend of mine runs a center for at-risk youth not too far from Payette’s. She’s looking for someone to come in and give her kids self-defense classes. I thought of you and said I’d ask if you’re interested.”

      Bella hesitated. “I’d love to...but it’s not my call to make. I’ll have to ask Kyle.” She looked to Liz, who gave her an affirming nod. “There are insurance questions and a whole lot of other issues he’d have to deal with.”

      “Here’s my friend’s card. You two can hash it out. I hope you’ll do it, though—I read up on some of the stuff your family’s done. I think you’d be perfect for this.”

      No pressure or anything, she thought as she pocketed the business card, and Neal headed back for the bar. She’d never stop being a Fiore, it seemed. But then, she’d never been able to turn down a call for help. If she could improve a few lives even just a little bit through martial arts, then there was no reason to deny this request.

      The guys finished their pool game and joined the ladies, then ordered food. Tito and Orville sat on Bella’s right in the semicircular booth, while Wayne perched on a tiny-looking bistro chair on the other side of the table. She liked the old boxer. His upturned smile and the lone furrow on his broad brow bracketed his cheerful