“That’s great, man.” A boat would be cool. I wonder if Olivia would like one of the boat cruise things on Lake Austin. It’s then that I realize what Jay just said. “Wait, what’d you say?”

Jay finishes his jump on one foot and then lets out a howl of laughter, his broad shoulders shaking as he does. Jay Daniels is a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He tore his Achilles tendon earlier in the year and had to have surgery. I’ve been working with him for the past eight months, and he’s about ready to return to the game. Though he’ll miss the game against the Packers in a couple weeks—and I know he’s upset about that—I have no doubt that he’ll be ready when they take on the 49ers in January. He’s one of my favorite clients, the other being none other than Olivia.

“Bruh, you got me over here playing hopscotch and shit and you’re not even paying attention. I’m talking about being a fisherman and you ain’t cracked not one joke. Only thing that could have you that distracted is a woman.”

He’s not wrong. I’ve had him doing plyometric exercises for longer than I normally would and yet I can’t recall a single moment of it. I’m off my game. I can’t focus on anything but getting back to the beautiful woman waiting for me at home.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I dismiss him with a smile.

“Yeah, aight,” he says as I lead him to the treatment table to do some stretches. “So, who is she?”

“Still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh shit, I tell you about all the women in my life…”

“Against my will,” I interject. I don’t need to know about all the women who want to play nurse with him.

He continues like I never said a word. “And you can’t tell me about this one? She must be the real deal then.”

Not wanting to expose my relationship with Olivia before she’s ready, but also not wanting to deny how much she means to me, I give him the best answer I can. “She really is.” Jay nods in approval then lets me continue his stretches. “So are you really gonna be a fisherman whenever you retire?”

“Fuck no, bro. I don’t do open water like that.” Laughter rises up from my chest and bubbles out, and it’s not long before Jay joins me.

Once I finish with Jay, I have to get through two more client sessions before I’m able to get back to Olivia. When I walk in, she’s filling a glass of water, wearing nothing but a T-shirt and panties.