“Calm down. From what she said, I’m pretty sure it was a onetime thing. The episode she had earlier scared her, and I explained the consequences of crash dieting. I advised her not to do it again, and I’m certain she isn’t going to.”

“She shouldn’t have done it the first time. It’s dangerous.” Adam rubbed at the back of his neck. “If I had any idea she was doing something so stupid, I would’ve said something. But there were just no signs that anything was wrong.”

Michael shook his head. “Bullshit. There were signs. You just didn’t see them.”

Adam gaped at his brother. “Gee, thanks for making me feel better.”

“I’m not trying to comfort you,” his brother stated. “I’m trying to point out what you missed.”

Adam scowled. Had he missed something over the past week? After all, it was his job to be in tune with what his client’s body needed. Thinking back, he’d noticed that she had been dragging a little during their workouts. She had also looked tired. Maybe even a little on edge. At the time, he’d thought it was because they were pushing her beyond her regular limitations. So he hadn’t spoken up.

Now he knew better.

He’d apparently created a monster. One who’d done something harmful to her health in order to fast-track her weight loss. And while he knew he was not to blame for her actions, there was still guilt on his part. Because it ripped his heart in two to know that she hadn’t trusted him enough to come to him about it. If a trainer didn’t have his client’s trust, then he didn’t have anything.

Adam swallowed his anger. “I guess there were things I noticed. I didn’t say anything because I’d intensified her workouts and thought I was just pushing her harder. I was trying to prepare her for the mud run so she wouldn’t struggle during it.” He sighed, although annoyance still hummed in his veins. “I’ll talk to her about this when she wakes up.”

Michael nodded. “Okay. But I don’t think you getting mad at her is the best way to approach this.”

He shook his head. “I’m not mad at her. I’m mad at myself. You’re right. When I noticed something was off with her, I should’ve spoken up. I regret not doing so.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Adam.”

“How can I not?” Adam asked, rubbing a shaky hand over his face. “You don’t get it. When Preslee collapsed, I didn’t know what was wrong. I couldn’t…do anything.”

“You felt helpless.”