Jonathan

Just coming out of a break-up made it very hard for me to find enjoyment in what I do. It left me with plenty of time to beef up my physique to forget her and wipe away the fact that I had given a sincere amount of time into the relationship.

It wasn’t like me at all. I enjoyed the freedom and roaming around in my thirty-thousand mazda mx-five to keep it a little more low-brow on the women that I tried to acquire. Taylor was low-brow, lived locally, and I tried to keep from her the fact that my overnight success had literally taken off by me signing a deal.

But my name and fitness go together, and when she learned that I had the money she tried to entrap with a child. Then spend all I have with blackmail over things that never happened. And then accuse me of cheating when I can’t accept that as true. But the child angle was a new one for me. I had to stop my car and ask her to please leave? And she did get out. And texted me that I was an ass for not wanting to get her pregnant.

I texted back: how much would it cost to have this baby?” And she had the audacity to tell me eight-hundred grand. I ended it there. And now she texts me every day claiming we were in love and money shouldn’t come between us. Hmm. Just hmm. Now it’s all taking off with me having to separate my attachment.

And never did I think it would come so soon. I waltzed into that single mother fitness programme that I knew very little about but agreed to do it because I weirdly thought of Taylor having something to sell if the public knew that I wasn’t a major fan of kids. But single mothers … there was one in there who caught my eye only when I got close enough.

It was just the fact that nothing was there at first. No interest or linkage that could make me smile beyond politeness. But when we had to face each other, and the guy wanted me to ask a few questions to get the ball rolling, I found that a bomb going off in the room next door wouldn’t be able to break the eye-contact that kept on replacing the hazelnuts that Taylor had. And the vision of her naked body underneath my regularly changed sheets could now be rehoused to another.

The girl, who’s name was Sandy, had hair to match with yellowish skin. Pearl shaped eyes, and a very precise mouth that looked kissable when she moved them. Her skin was softer than butter. And I felt bad for thinking of what she would look like without the feathery white v-neck she wore with some semi-short skirt and see-through tights. I was sold when she flirted … or pretended to be clumsy.

But I awaited to see if she would accept my invitation after I had gotten to know the staff and programme, and then headed back to the lowest level to speak with Jennifer.

Jennifer walked with me to my mazda, and the camera crew made their way to the van to follow to my next destination. “What did she say?”

“No”

I stood in shock and shut my car door which was just opened. “You’re kidding?”

“No. She said she can’t come because she has to collect her daughter. I say take me.”

“She has a daughter?”

“Yes. It is a single mother unit.”

“Oh yeah. Funny how things can just leave your mind when it’s a few yards away from you.”

“Yes. But take me?”

“Maybe I should offer her a couple of grand”

“I’ll get naked for you right now!” Jennifer began pull-down her reflective yellow leggings. It occurred to me that I should make her stop. And I think she thought I was more of a gentleman. How wrong she was? But I couldn’t reduce her to public nudity.

“Stop.” I didn’t put that much effort, but she was grateful. “I think it’s best if I ask her myself.”

“It’s the yellow, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m not remotely attracted to you. It’s the yellow that keeps me underground.”

“I’ll wear purple next time.”

“That will work for me.” And then I went back inside to find Sandy. Who actually saved me the effort when she came out with those legs … I mean face … legs … face … I kept switching between both because they had me contemplating at what would be the most appropriate to stare at? “I’d like to take you for a ride in my mazda?”

Sandy gazed upon it with a few steps.  “I can get the bus.”

“My mazda is faster. Quicker. And in the end, you’ll get a whiff of what it feels like to sit in an expensive ride.”

“Who says that’s what I want to do? I like buses. That give me less reason to wake up with a tree on my head. And the wheels of a tire leaving their mark upon me.

“I’m a careful driver” -

“I see the learner tag on there.” Sandy walks to the station that is directly next to the building.

“No.” Oh, she’s winding me up with that. I had to check. Not a good look. “Where do you need to go, I’ll drop ya?”

“Home. That’s all. And I don’t rightly want you to know that.”

“Wow.”

“What?” Her friend Claire came over but took her time on purpose.

“I’ve never had a woman treat me as if I’m some guy begging to get her number.”

“Money makes you aim a little higher.”

“Maybe. But for me I like to keep things regular. If you give me a google you’ll see that I try to keep my money second, and personal interests first.”
 

“Jonathan, my bus is coming. Now, I really must thank you for this single mom opportunity, but I think we aren’t that compatible.”

 

“Step in my mazda and we’ll find out.”

“I” –

 

“I’ll see you later, Sandy. I’ll collect your daughter.” She gave me a smile to warm for children to see. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Mains.”

 

I’d forgotten her name, oops, but the bus arrived, and she got on with Sandy superglued and unable to understand that her friend had just placed her in my hands. “I think your next bus doesn’t come for the next twenty minutes, so I think by then we could have a little chat.”

…

 

I never pushed a conversation in the mazda. I drove, and Sandy sat afraid to move encase she might damage the silver leather or bruise the headrest. The car was only one-of-two that I had. I preferred to keep it reasonable and drive within range of what still was considered cheapish.

 

Blowing money wasn’t my style. But I did love this part: getting a lovely woman into my car and driving with the window down and no stereo on because I had to try and read what she tangoed with in the moment. Sandy was no Taylor, even with the happy sulk, that was on the horizon if she allowed me to show her that I could be a regular guy to relate to. I tried to waste as much time as possible: checking my petrol meter and zooming with no direction.

 

“Is there anywhere you would like to see?”

 

“Moving a little fast there aren’t ya?” That came out stiff like her entire posture.

“I see no point in wasting time. My lifestyle has me on the go. Meetings, training, interviews, coming to see what the heck I signed without properly knowing. It’s how I need to be.”

“And I suppose that’s what the women you involve yourself with expect?”

 

I scratched my head to think on that one. Did they expect that? “Jeeze. I never thought about expectations. I mean, what do you expect, being with a guy like me?”

 

“Batmobile stored away somewhere … Butler and maids. Private Island.”

“You got that all from google?”

“It has everything on there about you.”

 

“Everything? I doubt it knows my deepest and darkest secrets.” I joked to relax her demeanour.

Sandy typed in Jonathan Mains darkest and deepest secrets … “says you don’t wash”

 

“What!” I took the phone from her to check. “I wear …” I balanced the phone in one hand. “It says I wear the same boxers for more than three days. And have a hairy ass. Confession of an ex-girlfriend.” I had no idea which one, as it claimed more than two could back up that nonsense.

 

Sandy found was amused and dimly trying not to laugh. “Is that the best they could come up with?” Her body simmered and settled against the seat as I drove her around.

“The price I have to pay for not spending enough on their lavish habits.” I went quiet and Sandy gained more confidence.

 

“Is that common for you to deal with?”

“Ninety-percent of the time. And God help me if I end up falling for her.”

 

“And how high is that percentage?”

“Low. Real low. I know what to expect now.”

 

“Jonathan. Some girls might actually find you handsome”

“Like you? Do you find me handsome?” I exchanged glances between her and the road. But Sandy always won that. And I could see her hands tensing against her thighs. It was bubbling again: what we had experienced during our first real eye-to-eye encounter. It dropped and rose. Rose, then dropped. And I blamed Sandy for going hot and cold. When it should be me fighting the lurgies to keep my hands to myself.

 

But I stopped in the car park of one of my gyms, it was closed. And I waited to see if there was any chance that I had read her correctly. I never pursued unless there was a real reason to. And my ego did my best to have my money as the confidence booster. It helped. No rich man can’t say it doesn’t add a few inches to any aspect of what could mean.

 

“Do you want to go inside, and I could give you a tour?

“Jonathan, as a man who likes to move fast. What are you expecting to happen?”

“For us to go to my office and have a glass of wine.”

“And …”

“That’s it.”

 

“Sure. But I will get out this car because I need to stretch my legs. You’ve been driving me around for at least two hours.”

 

“You sized me up already Sandy.” She got out and I locked my mazda. “But you should give me a chance. I might surprise you better than you think.”

“We’ll see how you put it down when we get up there.”