As he continued pounding along the rubber belt, absorbing every twinge and throb that pulsed throughout his body, something changed. Instead of concentrating on the pain, Jamar used it as fuel, knowing that each step brought him closer to his goal. He closed his eyes and imagined himself back in the training facility in Lake Forest, Illinois, with its orange and navy blue walls. He heard the roar of the crowd at Soldier Field, felt their energy thrumming in his blood.

When Taylor reached for the display after five minutes had passed, he blocked her hand. He shook his head and returned his focus to that sweet spot he’d found.

It felt like home.

He ran for another ten minutes, until his legs threatened to give out on him. Sucking in shallow breaths, he decreased the speed on the treadmill to 2.5 mph. Every fiber in his body hummed like a tuning fork.

Taylor crossed her arms over her chest. “Well. That was impressive.”

“That felt good,” he huffed out. “That felt so fucking good. Excuse my language,” he quickly added.

She waved off his apology. “I like fuck. Sometimes it’s the only word that fits.” She tipped her chin toward his knee. “How does it feel?”

Jamar bent his knee, testing the joint. “Better than ever.”

He waited for a twinge or some kind of pinch, but he only felt the satisfying ache that came with rigorous exercise. A sense of calm washed over him even as excitement exploded in his head.

He could do this. He could get back in playing form. He refused to renege on the promise he’d made to his best friend.

“How about we take five minutes for you to come down from that runner’s high, then move on to the next test?” Taylor asked. “I’d planned to work solely on cardiorespiratory endurance today, but this caught my eye,” she said, turning to the machine with the inverted seat. “This is for both leg presses and squats, right?” She ran her hand along the brown leather backrest. “Now that I’ve seen all the fun toys we have to play with, I’m going to have to rethink my game plan.”

After Jamar had caught his breath and gotten some water, Taylor gave the backrest of the machine a firm pat. “Hop on. Let’s see if those quads are as strong as they look.”

“Strongest quads you’ve ever come across,” Jamar said as he slid into position.

She looked down at him, amusement shimmering in her eyes. “You sure are sure of yourself,” she said. “Don’t take it personally when I do my best to break you. I do it with all my clients. It builds character.” She winked. “Give me twenty reps.”