“I don’t think so,” Jacquie began.
“Where are you moving to?” Kyle, one of the partners, asked Jacquie as he entered the office, proving that there were few secrets at F5F. He lived in California with his wife Lauren, where he ran Flatiron Five Fitness West, although they still returned to the east coast at intervals.
Jacquie was amazed by the change in Kyle over the past few years. He was tall and blond, ripped and handsome. He’d been the playboy of the club until he’d connected with Lauren. He was still cocky and confident as ever, but was the most attentive dad she’d seen in a while. He and Ariel, his daughter with Lauren, had a mutual admiration society that kept getting stronger. She wasn’t quite a year old yet, but was adorable and possibly the most cheerful child ever.
Kyle looked as if he’d just come from the airport and had a diaper bag slung over his shoulder. He carried Ariel and was flying her into the office as if she was an airplane, lots of support beneath her. She had her arms stretched out and was giggling.
“I don’t know. Somewhere closer to my kids.” Jacquie shrugged. “Maybe California.”
“Make it San Francisco and I’ll love you forever,” Kyle said. “We could totally use your mad coordination skills with the team out there, Jax.”
“Go on,” Meesha urged. “Make her an offer she can’t refuse.”
“I haven’t decided yet!” Jacquie protested with a laugh. “It was just a thought.”
“Right. You need time to establish me as your lost-and-found love child.” Meesha grinned.
“Wait. There’s a story I want to hear,” Kyle said.
“It’s safer for all of us when you two are separated by a couple of thousand miles,” Jacquie said with a shake of her head, while Kyle and Meesha laughed together.
Kyle swooped Ariel high, dove her low, then spun and set her on her feet. She wobbled a little, her balance precarious, laughing up at him, and he held her hands to steady her before she abruptly fell on her bum.
“Mo’,” she said, tugging at his hands.
“She’s talking now?” Jacquie asked.
Kyle nodded. “But not the word I’m waiting to hear.”
“You’re Mo now?” Meesha asked.
“I think that’s a request for more,” Jacquie said, bending to take off Ariel’s hat. The little girl smiled at Jacquie, as confident of her own charm as her dad.
Kyle squatted down in front of her and made a face. “Daddy’s got to work now. We’ll take to the skies again afterward. Promise.” He winked as Lauren came into the office. She was pulling a wheeled carry-on bag and parked it just inside the door.
Ariel immediately stretched her hands out to Lauren and said “Ma ma ma ma ma.”
“See?” Kyle asked. “No d’s in the land of Ariel.” He gave an elaborate sigh but his eyes were twinkling.
“It’ll come,” Jacquie said. “Give her a chance.”
“I know, I know.” Kyle turned to Lauren. “Okay?” he asked her.
“I just stopped to talk to Shannyn. Ty’s on his way in.” Lauren waved to Meesha and took Ariel’s hat from Jacquie. “Hi, everyone.” There was a chorus of greeting and a lot of admiration for Ariel. Lauren removed Ariel’s coat, then picked her up.
Meesha faced Kyle with her hands on her hips, looking stern. “You’d better be in town for the reason I think you’re in town,” she said.
He pretended to think hard. “I think there’s a party or something, maybe at the dance club that was my idea in the first place. Hmm.”
“You’d better believe there’s a party, and it’s going to be the best party of 2020.”
“Early days yet,” Lauren noted with a smile.
Meesha ignored her. “You all have to be there.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Kyle said and Meesha smiled.
She pointed at Ariel. “Not our target demographic, though.”
“All solved,” Lauren said. “My mom is in heaven, just planning to have two grandchildren to herself for a day and a night.”
“It’s a diabolical plan to get more grandchildren,” Kyle said in a stage whisper and they all laughed.
“I thought we’d go to the mom-and-tots swim class now,” Lauren told Kyle. “Shannyn suggested it. She’s going with Mike.”
Shannyn was married to Tyler, the partner who managed the finances of the club, who was also Lauren’s brother. Their son, Mike, was the oldest of what Jacquie liked to call the next generation and had turned two in the fall. He’d been born at the wedding of Cassie—the sole female partner on the team—and Reid. Their son, Martin, was just three months old and they lived in the penthouse condo in the building that contained the club.
Lauren was Tyler’s sister, so Mike had to be the second grandchild that her mom would be spoiling on Friday night.
“Great idea. When does the class start, Jax?” Kyle immediately stepped up and got out swimsuits, rearranging the diaper bag so Lauren had what she needed.
“There’s one at five. Usually a smaller class, so joining in will be no trouble.”
“Great, I’ve got ten minutes to change,” Lauren said.
“Shallow end of the big pool,” Jacquie told Lauren who nodded. “Where the Aquafit classes are held.”
“See?” Kyle demanded. “Your skills are what we need at F5F West, Jax.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’m on my way to class. Behave yourself,” Lauren said to Kyle, who feigned innocence, then kissed her thoroughly.
“Get a room,” Tyler protested with a smile as he strode into the office. As usual, Ty was impeccably attired in a dark suit and tie. Jacquie knew she wasn’t the only one who appreciated the view.
“Got to love a sharp dressed man,” Meesha murmured, proving that to be true.
Ty gave her a look, proof that he’d overheard and she surveyed him openly.
“Mmm, hmm,” she said.
He smiled and Meesha grinned, unrepentant.
“Oh yes,” she continued as Theo arrived, shedding his coat and giving it a shake. He was the partner who arranged invitations to celebrities and worked on keeping the
