Chapter Twenty-Three - Lucas

Samantha won’t take my calls, and she’s not responding to any of my text messages. I can’t get through to her at all. I’ve thought about just going over to the center, but I don’t think she’ll let me explain in person if she won’t even pick up the phone.

I don’t think taking a yoga class is going to fix this one.

I miss her. I miss her and I can’t let it end like this. I can’t let her leave my life over a misunderstanding. I still think we could make it work. I still think what we have is worth saving. I want Samantha back in my life. It’s only been two days, but my whole world feels emptier without her. It feels hollow, like I’ve lost something important.

I have to do something to make her see I wasn’t trying to buy her out. I know why she thought I was. We really are similar, and I think about back to when I’d only had one gym. Before we’d even expanded it, when I’d just been a small operation, people were always trying to pay me off or get me to close down.

I get it. I should have led with the plan itself, not vague things about us coming together. She’d jumped to conclusions, but honestly, sitting in her place, I might have done the same. I also shouldn’t have thrown that I could always use my money to make her center go away in her face. Not the best move if I want her to think I’m less of an asshole than when we’d first met. We are both defensive about our businesses. I’m a huge reason her business is getting into trouble. I know that. I know that coming from me, any idea about combining our businesses sounds like a plan to ruin hers. So, I need to reframe my proposal.

My proposal hadn’t been completed, so I’ve spent the past few days completing it. I’ve been going over plans in my office, looking at numbers and budgets. I’ve been researching everything I can find about the benefits of classes like hers. I’ve been focusing on looking for information or studies on how it can work in conjunction with weight training and intense cardio.

Paul’s been working with me on it, too. He’s got the front desk staff asking our clients as they leave if they currently take any classes as part of their fitness plan and if they’d be interested in taking them if they don’t. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’ve only been asking for three days. I know we can make this work if I can get Samantha to just talk to me.

“I’ve got more numbers for you,” Paul says, sticking his head in my office.

“Great, thanks,” I say. Paul’s been bringing me numbers at the end of every shift so I can update the information I’m putting together.

“It’s still looking like something people are really interested in,” Paul says.

“I had a feeling it would be,” I say, nodding and calculating the new percentages.

“You know, you can tell me if this is more than just a good business plan now,” Paul says, studying me. I’ve told him as much as I can without going into detail about my relationship with Samantha or my feelings for her.

“It is good business,” I say.

“Oh, I agree. I’ve just known you since we were eighteen, man. So, this is mostly about that Samantha woman, right?” Paul asks.

I look up from my numbers and sigh. If everything works out, it will be obvious to Paul he was right anyway, so I guess there’s no point in hiding it.

“I’ve been seeing her,” I admit. Paul doesn’t look at all surprised. “And I don’t want a business rivalry to ruin it. I’m afraid it already has.”

“Is it serious?” Paul asks, sitting down across from me.

“I think it could be,” I say.

Paul claps a hand on my shoulder. “Then I’m happy for you,” he says. “It would do you good to have someone in your life. You don’t need to be alone with your money all the time. It’s going to turn you into an old weirdo.”

“You can be happy for me when I get her back,” I say. I don’t want to talk about Samantha, at least not about any future with her, until she’s speaking to me again.

Paul shakes his head. “I will be. Do I get to finally meet her then, too?” he asks.

“I hope so,” I say.

Paul leans back and watches me. “You know Molly is going to want to double date all the time,” he says with a laugh. I’m sure he’s right. Molly is going to want to be Samantha’s friend if this all works out. I actually think they’ll probably like each other very much. But I can’t think about that yet.

“That’s several steps beyond where I am right now,” I say, looking back down at my numbers and data.

“How else can I help?” Paul asks.

For the rest of the afternoon, Paul and I pore over the numbers together, putting together a precise plan of just how the fitness center and my third gym location could work perfectly together. I’m glad to have him on board with the plan, and I’m even more glad to have his support behind my feelings for Samantha. Paul has had such success in his own life, and his marriage to Molly makes them both so genuinely happy. His support makes me feel like, in spite of everything, continuing to pursue Samantha is the right choice.

I put it all together in a package with a note for Samantha on top. It’s the complete plans for Invigoration Club Blue. I’ve decided to go with the color names, and blue seems fitting for the new location, with the water and all. The inside of the studios at Samantha’s center also has blue walls. I’m hoping that can also be part of why the new location is Club Blue. My original is going to be Invigoration Club Green since it was the starting point. My second location is going to be Invigoration Club Yellow since it’s off the highway in a dryer location that gets a lot of sun.

I ask Paul to drop it off for me. I don’t think I should go to the center myself right now. I do call Cheryl, though, and let her know a friend of mine is dropping off some information for Samantha.

I hope Samantha reads it. I hope she sees my real intentions. I hope we can get back on track when she does.