Twenty-Four Days

by Janet Albert

  Jamie held the palm of her hand up. "Please. Say no more. I wouldn't want you to blow a fuse or anything. I'm used to people making those assumptions about me. It usually doesn't bother me."

  "Listen," Miranda said, relieved to be let off the hook so easily even though she didn't deserve to be. "Once you set me up with an exercise program, I can come in anytime and work out by myself, right? You know my schedule is unpredictable and I won't have a lot of time to work with you."

  "You don't have to work with me if you don't want to. I'll write up your workout routine in a journal so you can do it on your own. Once in a while, I'll check on you or work out with you to see how you're progressing, but I won't hover over you or pester you, if that's what you're worried about."

  "I'm not worried about a thing." Miranda heard defensiveness in her voice fueled by a growing impatience. She glanced at her watch. "I've been here way too long. I have to get back to the clinic." She turned to leave and as before, she turned around after having taken only a few steps. "I forgot to ask. Do you get a fee for your services?"

  "From the passengers, yes, but not from you, Doctor. For you, it's on the house."

  Miranda swallowed hard while Jamie's warm smile melted her frozen insides. She drew in a slow steadying breath and managed to utter a quick thank you. Jamie's unwavering gaze cut into her as if Jamie's eyes were lasers and the beams had penetrated the deepest parts of her, threatening to split her defenses wide open. "I get a commission for treating passengers, but not for taking care of the staff, so I can't repay you in that way. Maybe I can pay you back some other way."

  "Maybe you can, Doctor." Jamie grinned. "Maybe you can."

  "Well, I've really got to go now." Miranda took one step backward.

  "So do I. I've got some work to do and later I have a dinner date." Jamie took one step closer to Miranda, still grinning.

  I'll bet you do. "Don't let me keep you." Miranda took one more step backward. No doubt, Jamie had an endless supply of dates and sexual partners standing in a long line waiting for a chance to spend some time with her. She probably only had one problem and that was finding enough days in the week to squeeze them all in. Miranda would never stand in line for any woman, especially some self-centered fitness type.

  "Hope I see you soon. Have a good evening, sweetie." Jamie took two steps forward and closed the gap Miranda had created between them. She opened her arms as if inviting Miranda in for a hug.

  Sweetie? Good grief. Does she hug everyone? Not knowing what else to do, Miranda grasped Jamie's shoulders with her hands and leaned in awkwardly, giving her an embrace so brief it was over before any parts of their bodies actually touched, other than their cheeks and arms. Slightly breathless and more than slightly annoyed, Miranda broke away, turned and left without another word or so much as a backward glance.

  Chapter Five

  "BUST, 36 INCHES," Jamie said as she faced away from Miranda and bent over her desk to record the measurements she'd obtained in a notebook. "I'm glad you finally got in here so we could get your fitness assessment done." A few days had passed since the doctor's first visit to the fitness center and Jamie had begun to wonder if she would ever return. When Miranda called earlier that morning to see if Jamie could fit her in, Jamie was quite surprised. The doctor had seemed reluctant to go through with the assessment process and painfully uncomfortable with everything in general. Jamie fully expected not to see her any time soon, if at all.

  Miranda looked at the art work hanging on the walls while she waited for Jamie to finish. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. The first couple of days after a new cruise starts are always so hectic and I'm new to the ship and we had to do all those emergency and safety drills with the passengers and well...you know how it is."

  "I do. It's pretty hectic in here too. We get bombarded the first two days."

  "So do we. A lot of passengers come to the clinic because they forgot to pack their medication or because they want to let us know they have a medical condition or something along those lines."

  For a moment, Jamie remained bent over her desk. She held perfectly still and closed her eyes as she tried to regain her composure and tame her trembling hands. She'd performed hundreds of fitness assessments, and yet, while doing Miranda's, she'd found herself acutely aware of the placement of her fingers and hands. That was something that had never happened to her before. She'd had to make a conscious effort not to brush against Miranda's soft breasts or let her fingers graze the hardened nipples visible through her sports bra. Although she'd somehow managed not to do either of those things, she was now left with the size, shape and softness of those lovely breasts imprinted on her mind forever.

  "I'm not going to be able to stay here too much longer. I have to be back for afternoon clinic hours." Miranda said.

  Jamie made a few more quick entries in her notebook and turned to face Miranda. She leaned back against the desk. Her heart skipped a beat when she met the doctor's intense dark eyes. She'd rarely experienced such a strong, physical reaction to anyone in her life and certainly not this soon after meeting them. "Now, how are you holding up?"

  "Are we just about done with this?" Miranda asked, the tension vibrating in her tight voice. "I find this a little uncomfortable. No, make that a lot uncomfortable if you want to know the truth. Can't we just set my program up and get started?"

  "We're almost done." Jamie heard the edge in Miranda's tone and tried to make her feel better. "I'm sorry this is making you uncomfortable." She should have known Miranda wouldn't like to be touched and given the once over based on how she had reacted to their casual hug the other day.

  "I guess I'm not used to being scrutinized. I feel like a specimen under the microscope and I can't help but wonder what you think of me...from a fitness standpoint, that is."

  "Most people have a hard time with this and I'm not thinking anything about you." Except that you're stunning and you make my knees weak. "I just want to set up the best fitness program for you. We don't have to do these measurements often, or ever again if you feel that strongly about it."

  "That's a relief." Miranda let out a quivery little laugh.

  "Tell you what. Let's skip the fat analysis. It isn't that accurate or all that important in your case. I think I already know what kind of exercise program we need to set up for you, so why don't we get on with it?"

  "That would be great. Thanks," Miranda said. "I was thinking that maybe this isn't even worth doing. I won't be on the ship that long."

  "It'll be worth it. I'll give you a copy of everything and you can use the program when you get back home. When is your contract up?" Jamie hoped it wasn't any time soon.

  "As soon as these two cruises are over, when we reach Barcelona. My sister's meeting me there and after we tour Spain together, I'll be going home with her."

  "But you just got here." Jamie's heart fell to her knees.

  "I know, but I'm just filling in, temporarily, as a special favor."

  "I didn't know that and I'm sorry to hear it. I thought you'd be staying on board with us for a long time." Jamie attempted to mask her disappointment by moving on to another topic but she still felt the sting of Miranda's announcement. She wondered why she even cared how long the doctor would be on the ship. "It's a shame you haven't had any time to work out yet."

  "I know, but I think I can get back on track after today. Besides the beginning of the cruise craziness, we had some problems we had to deal with in the clinic."

  "Like what?"

  "You're actually interested?"

  "Yeah, I'm interested." I'm interested in anything about you.

  "For one thing, the cruise had no sooner gotten started when we had a mini-outbreak of a sexually transmitted disease among some of the crew members. Now, we'll have to set up classes and give out condoms."

  "I hear there's a lot of sexual activity among the staff. Is that true?"

  "Yes, way too much," Miranda answered. "I'm sure you already know that."

 
"Actually, I do and I'm not that shocked. Will they use the condoms?"

  "That's the problem. It's not easy dealing with so many different cultures and religions. They refuse to use them for some very bizarre reasons."

  "I'll bet," Jamie said, scrunching up her face as if imagining the possibilities. "Spare me the details. I think I can imagine some of them."

  "Yeah, enough about that." Miranda mirrored Jamie's face. "I can't believe I even brought it up. So, tell me, how did I do on my assessment?"

  "You're in better shape than most people. You'd benefit from strength training and I think you need more aerobics, just like I had predicted. That's all I'd recommend."

  "I guess I can do that. As I said, I've never consulted a trainer before."

  "Then why did you agree to one now?" Jamie asked as if reading her mind. She assumed Miranda was thinking why in hell had she consulted one this time?

  "I haven't the slightest idea," Miranda answered. She waited through an awkward silence and then she continued talking. "I used to go to the gym regularly and work out at home, before I took this job."

  Jamie used her arms to hoist herself up onto the edge of her desk and pointed to the chair next to her. She wanted to talk to Miranda and spend time with her. "Have a seat." After Miranda complied, Jamie asked, "Where did you live back in the real world."

  "I used to live in North Carolina, but then I moved to Washington, DC to be closer to my sister. In fact, I was staying with her until I could find a place of my own, but before I could even find one I started working on the cruise ships. Just before I came on this ship, I took a break and flew home to look at a house and to make a long story short, I bought it. When I get back, I'll be making settlement and moving in. "What about you? Where are you from?"

  "I lived in Baltimore. I put that in the past tense because I don't really live anywhere right now. After my last girlfriend and I split, I put all my stuff in storage and stayed with a friend until I took this job. My girlfriend called our break-up a trial separation, but I knew it was over. In retrospect, I'm not sure why we were even together. I wasn't really in love with her. Never had been." Jamie shrugged. "I guess I'll go back to Baltimore to settle my affairs, but I don't know if I want to stay there."

  "What made you decide to work on the ships?" Miranda asked.

  "One day, I went to visit an old college friend who also happens to be the owner of Maiden Voyages and she thought working on the ships would be a good opportunity for me and that's how I ended up here."

  Miranda moved to the edge of the chair and sat up straighter. "You know the owner of Maiden Voyages? That's amazing. My sister is good friends with Eve."

  "I'm not Eve Kincaid's friend. Well, that's not true because I guess I am now, but it was Gina, her lover who was my best friend in college. They both own Maiden Voyages. I never saw them that much after I moved to Baltimore. We were all so busy."

  "What a small world."

  "Do you know them?" Jamie asked.

  "I know of them, but I've never met either one. I just talked to Eve on the phone after my sister came up with the shocking notion that I should work on the cruise ships. Eve convinced me it would do me good and I liked the pay and the perks."

  "Do you good? In what way?"

  "Uh, let's just say I needed to get away for a while." Miranda immediately changed the subject. "How long do you plan on doing this?"

  Jamie went along with Miranda's abrupt attempt to divert her attention away from the question Jamie had just asked her. That was all she was going to get in the way of an explanation and she knew it. "After we dock in Barcelona, I'll have another three months to go. In a way, I'm kind of anxious to be finished with this. I've enjoyed it but I want to get on with my life."

  Miranda nodded. "I feel the same way. What are you planning on doing after you get back to the real world?"

  "My dream is to open my own fitness center."

  "That takes a lot of money, doesn't it?"

  "I know, but like I said, it's a dream and I like to dream big. My aunt left me some money and I'm saving almost everything I earn here. I'll still have to borrow a lot, but I think I can swing it."

  "I hope your dreams come true. We should all have dreams." Miranda smiled. "Where would you open this fitness center?"

  "I don't know. Right now I don't live anywhere so I guess I could go wherever I wanted. I've got friends scattered here and there and options galore. It needs to be a place with a fairly young population, the kind of people who make a lot of money in sedentary jobs and need someone like me to guide them along the path to health and a buff body." Jamie laughed softly. "If I'm good enough and people like working with me, I'll be able to charge a substantial fee for my services someday."

  "Who wouldn't like working with you?"

  "Thanks. I hope you're right. Otherwise I'll be sunk."

  "I can't imagine why someone like you wouldn't succeed. You look like you're all about success to me," Miranda said. "Where did you go to college?"

  "I went to George Washington University. That's where I met Gina. I lived in Washington, DC for over six years and sometimes I wish I'd never left. It's a great city, isn't it?"

  "I don't really know. I only lived there for a few months before I started doing this."

  "Well, I hope you like it when you get to know it better. It's quite a coincidence--us being from the same place almost."

  "We could have been from anywhere in the world." Miranda shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. "I'm impressed that you went to George Washington University. I didn't know a place like that had programs in your field."

  "I hope they did, because I took them." Jamie gave her a curious look. Why would Miranda say a thing like that? Just when they seemed to be getting along, she had to say something thoughtless. "I enjoyed the years I spent there. How about you? Where did you go to med school?"

  "Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina."

  "Wow. Now I'm impressed."

  "Well, don't be. Obviously, we're both intelligent women."

  "Thank you for including me in the same category as yourself." Jamie's comment was tinged with a speck of sarcasm. She knew that, but she couldn't help herself. It was high time Miranda acknowledged the fact that she might have a few brain cells in her head and maybe a synapse or two now and then. For the second time, she ignored the remark and moved on. "Where did you live before you moved to DC?"

  "Right there in Raleigh." Miranda scowled and shook her head. She didn't say anything more after that.

  "What's the matter? You left for a minute there."

  "Nothing, I'm fine. I was just thinking. Uh...so, what do you think about me, in terms of fitness, I mean?" Miranda asked. "I'm sorry, you already told me didn't you?"

  For the second time, Jamie looked at her strangely, but then she smiled. "I did, but I don't think I told you how good you look and I don't have to measure you to know that. You've got a nice body and your weight is fine for your height."

  "You're lucky." After a short period of silence, Jamie said, "Here's what I recommend for you--thirty to forty minutes of aerobics four or five times a week and strength training three times a week, no more than four. I don't want you to weight train any two days in a row. Your muscles need to rest between workouts."

  "That sounds fine, but I can't always be consistent due to my work."

  "Do the best you can. Now, let's go see how you do on the machines."

  AFTERWARD, JAMIE LED Miranda back into her office. "You did well," Jamie remarked as she handed Miranda her workout journal. "Here's your routine, the amount of weight you should use, the reps and all the rest of it. You should be able to handle it, but let me know if you have trouble."

  "I will." Miranda took the journal and studied it.

  "One last word of advice before you go. Don't do the same exercise routine all the time. It gets boring real fast and boring does not spell success. Do something different once in a while, like running on the outdoor track, or swimming
in the staff pool. I go to the pool at least twice a week."

  Miranda heard only half of Jamie's advice because as soon as Jamie mentioned going to the pool, an image of her body clad only in a bathing suit seized control of Miranda's mind. Her physical reaction shocked her into getting a grip on herself before she sent out the wrong signals to a woman she had no intention of becoming involved with. She hadn't failed to notice how flirtatious Jamie had been during the assessment, but she tried not to take it seriously. Jamie probably flirted casually with everyone and Miranda was certain it meant nothing. She really was hot and she was definitely sexy. Anyone who lived and breathed would think so. Miranda's heart raced even more when she remembered how Jamie's well-proportioned and extremely firm butt had looked when she'd bent over her desk to write in her notebook.

  She had also noticed the subtle way in which Jamie had revealed her sexuality even though she was proud that she'd refrained from asking any questions about Jamie's ex. And she was also proud that she'd had the presence of mind to divert Jamie's attention before she asked any more questions about her past.

  If Jamie wanted to know about her sexual orientation she'd have to ask and if she wanted to make assumptions, let her. Miranda wasn't about to out herself at this point. Why invite trouble? As long as things remained casual between her and Jamie and she maintained the proper distance what harm could come from engaging in a little small talk? Small talk was Jamie's specialty, no doubt.

  Miranda had enjoyed talking with Jamie even though Jamie had a way of making her reveal more than she wanted to and share far too much. She would have to be more careful in the future. She had to keep this impersonal.

  She thought about Ellen, how strong her attraction to Ellen had been the very first time they'd met and how hard she'd fallen for her. If only she'd known then where it would lead she might have been more cautious. Somewhere off in the distance she heard Jamie's voice again.