Chapter 1

Welcome To Flab Busters

My car currently smells like Twinkies and beef jerky. Oh, and diet Coke. And as much as I would like to revel in my own pity party I know that I need to get this shit over with. It isn't like I haven't done it before. I did, and I was successful at it. Unfortunately, it only lasted six months. When my ex- left me all that hard work, restraint and success went hopping, skipping, and hauling ass right out the window.

It is what it is, and it absolutely is all my fault. Had I not let Mike's leaving me for his much younger secretary affect me the way it had I wouldn't be sitting in front of this place right now. With my last physical an epic failure, this is what my life's boiled down to.

Looking down at the glorious, golden sponge cake, I pull in a deep breath and prepare myself mentally for the brutal abuse my body is about to endure.

"Well, twinks, looks like our love affair has to end," I say to the creamy filled sweet treat right before I shove the rest of it in my mouth and savor every last, sugary morsel. "Yep, I'm gonna miss you."

I swallow the last of the yellow sponge cake and slide, almost literally, out of my car with my oversized bag slung over my shoulder. The last time I stepped into one of these torture chambers was nearly ten years ago when my body was tight and bangin'. Now everything's loose and sagging. Pathetic, really. I should've never allowed myself to get this bad. But it is what it is. Getting this way was easy. Now comes the hard part.

"Fucking fabulous," I say to no one around as I stare up at the dreadful sign and cringe. "This is not going to turn out well."

Flab Busters Gym

"Melting Flab One Pinch At A Time"

Great.

I blow out a breath, straighten my back and head toward the front entrance. Before I start to open the door I begin to have a mini panic attack. Through the windows I spy several women dressed in nearly nothing bending, stretching, and other forms of bodily torture that have me curling my lip as I look down at my outfit.

"You are an idiot," I huff out, looking at my bright pink leg and wrist warmers, taking a quick glance up at the glass and nearly laugh my ass off. "You look like goddamned Rainbow Bright."

"Nice outfit." I cut my eyes to the trio of twenty-something blondes as they walk past me and head into the building. I try to give my best stare down and fail epically when another one tosses her two cents in. "Yeah. Looks like you jumped out of a bad Jane Fonda workout video. Pathetic."

The band of idiots cackle as they head inside, leaving me standing there rocking out at my own pity party. It isn't enough that I have to do this but when you get to a point in life where you feel like the walls are closing in and it's becoming unbearable to think, move, or breathe, you know that without a doubt you absolutely need to take life by the balls and make some changes. If I was any other normal person I'd jump on the bandwagon without any complaint. But this me? The real me? The me that's nearing an atomic meltdown has no interest in any of this horse shit.

When I finally admit self-defeat and decide it's time to bite the bullet, I swing open the door and immediately regret it.

I am so screwed…

"Welcome to Flab Busters! Melting flab one pinch at a time!" I stare wide-eyed at the perky sprite of a woman behind the counter as she erratically pops her gum. "How can I help you, sweetie?"

I don't want help. I just want to shove my head up my own ass and live there with a box of Twinkies and a pound of beef jerky while I dive into a Son's of Anarchy binge on repeat, feeling sorry for myself.

"We're you interested in a membership, hun?"

No. No, I am not. "Yeah. I guess."

"Well, we have some amazing packages. We've got monthly or daily, and we also have our guest membership that is a three day trial for a limited time." The perky sprite squeals her excitement. "So what'll it be, sweetie? You look like a gal that might be interested in our monthly package."

I cock a brow at the young woman. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

A sweet smile reaches the young woman's eyes. "Nothing meant by it, hun," she says, and I swear I just saw a twinkling fire off in her eye as she tosses me a wink with the other. "You just look like a woman who's ready to get down to business, and I've got just the person to get you started."

Before I can spout off an opposing remark, the young woman links her arm with mine and begins to haul me off toward the other end of the gym. She reminds me of a cockroach, fast and furious and could probably last through the apocalypse.

"So, over there we have the ellipticals and over there are the weights. Off to the right over there in that room is where they hold yoga classes, and here they do pilates. But that class is hard to get into. You'll have to go on the waitlist for that one, hun."

As the woman continues to put me through information overload, I notice a room off to the right as she hurls me along.

"What's in there?"

"Oh," the young woman responds, pointing through the open door. "This room is for private sessions with our personal trainer. We only have one."

"One?"

"Yeah, he's right over there," she points out, making some weird facial expression. "Son of a sucker, isn't he the finest specimen on two legs you've ever seen?"

I squint my eyes a few times trying to see what the young woman is talking about when I finally spot him. She's right. He's fine. Gorgeous to be exact. I haven't seen something that delicious since that piece of cherry cheesecake I had over Thanksgiving and that's saying a whole hell of a lot.

"Here, let me introduce you." I almost have a mini freak out as the young woman drags me through the door. "Hey, handsome, we got a newbie here."

I cut my eyes at the young woman and will the proverbial eye daggers to stab her in the back of the head, and she clearly needs a Xanax.

"Hey, Jake," the young woman swoons, clearly not giving a crap that her proverbial lady boner for the dude is showing. I shake my head when she pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth. "Whatcha doing?"

"Getting ready for the day, Alice." As soon the man speaks, my gaze shoots up. His voice is deep and rough. Raspy, and I can't help the way it's makes my skin pebble with goosebumps as he continues. "And who do you have here?"

The sexy grin that spreads across Jake's mouth is enough to set my panties on fire…if I were wearing any. And before you cock a brow at me, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am wearing undergarments. However, they look more like granny panties. They weren't my first choice but after gaining some extra fluff, choice clearly isn't on the table.

"Hey, hun, what's your name?" I look over at Alice when she taps me on my forearm. "I forgot to ask you your name, sweetpea."

"Um… Isabella," I say, swallowing hard when Jake looks over at me. "But my friends call me Bella."

"Love it! Super pretty name." Alice's excitement has me literally second-guessing my choice of gyms. "Hey, listen. I gotta get back up to the front desk but if you have any questions or concerns you know where to find me, or Jake here can answer them too. You're in really good hands, hun."

Feeling completely vulnerable, I run my palms up and down my arms unsure of what to do next. The last time I was in this sort of situation I was a junior in high school. It was the weekend of Jessica Stanley's sweet sixteen party. Anyhow, she decided to thrust a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven at us and I just so happened to end up with Edward Cullen. Edward was the hottest Senior on campus. He had the perfect smile and smelled amazing. He was also the captain of the football team, so nailing him down would've made that lucky girl high school royalty. But, only after two minutes in Jessica's closet with Edward's lips just centimeters away from mine had me dry heaving like a mofo. Not only did I dry heave, but I also did the unthinkable. I was a headgear wearing idiot that when we tried to seal the deal, my braces cut his lip all to shit. Needless to say, I became a social pariah, spending the rest of my time in junior high school and even on through to my senior year a laughing stock. And Edward? Well, he recovered just fine but not before he made sure that he stayed about fifty feet away from me until graduation.

"Lost in thought?"

I snap out of my trip down memory lane and take in a deep breath. God, he's gorgeous. And young. Further inspection of the yummy exercise Adonis and I definitely see a huge age gap. He's got to be like twenty-five, maybe rounding thirty. No. He's definitely about twenty-five.

"So, you interested in some personal training?" My mind immediately goes straight in the gutter. Seeing as though I haven't had sex since Mike and I separated, I have no doubt that this man would have the capability to disintegrate my bloomers with another sexy grin. With one swift movement, Jake pulls his shirt over his head and winks. "So, how 'bout it? Interested in getting that body worked over?"

For fuck's sake. If this is any indicator of what's to come over my time here, I think I just might end up with a whole new outlook on my current situation.

I swallow hard and nod my head like a blooming idiot.

"Good," he says with another wink. "Go home get some rest and tomorrow we'll get to work. Sound good?"

I nod my head because anything that involves me, this young man, and a sweaty situation has my full attention.

"You busy later?"

Is this guy about to ask me out on a date? Is he serious? I smell like onions and beef. NO, he can't be serious.

"I'm heading to Dane's Sporting Goods when I get off work and thought, if you want to, we could meet up there and find you a little something to work out in. I was just thinking that you might be a little more comfortable in just a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt." I look down at my outfit as heat and embarrassment start to crawl up my cheeks. "Oh, no. You look great but the sweatbands…well."

My obvious embarrassment is blatant when Jake's eyes go wide and his expression changes.

"I mean, the sweatbands are kinda sexy in a nineteen eighties bright pink leotard kinda way, but…oh, hell, wear em' if you want. They're fine, and now I sound like a complete douche. I'm sorry. I'll just…I'll see you tomorrow at ten, okay?"

Oh my god, his lips are amazing, full and juicy. Describing his lips as juicy is still a thing, right? Whatever. I can totally see myself jumping on this dude's face and riding his mouth like I was in the goddamned Kentucky derby, racing for the finish line in my nineteen-eighties pink leotard and funky sweatbands.

Shut the hell up, bitch, you're old and saggy and probably old enough to be this guy's mother.

And for some reason, that huge dose of reality doesn't even faze me.

I blink away the thought when I see Jake walk toward the back of the building and my mouth moves before my brain has time to argue.

"Sure! Yes! I could totally ride you at Dane's later!" My eyes go wide when his feet abruptly stop and I realize what just came out of my mouth. When he slowly turns around, heat flushes my face. A slow lazy grin tugs at the corners of his mouth, and I instantly want to die. "I mean, I can meet you at Dane's when you get off of work. Sure, I can do that."

"Good," he says, that grin still on his face. "See ya at six."

And with that, I watch Jake disappear inside one of the rooms and I scurry my ass out of the building and to my car, wondering just how many times my mother dropped me on my head when I was a baby.

When I finally reach my car, my guts begin to growl and twist. Shit. Now is not the time to be fucking hungry. I literally just walked my heavy ass out of my first day at the gym and all I can think about is a double bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles.

I close my eyes and remember what's more important.

Fifteen minutes later…

"So, how'd it go? Your titties firm yet or still saggy like Mrs. Jensen's second neck?"

Mrs. Jensen was our fifth-grade teacher. And what my best friend, Rosalie, is referring to is the woman's neck. Every time she'd move, her neck would wobble and shake like a damn turkey's neck. It was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever seen, and it was hilarious as hell when she'd get mad. That thing would move around like it had a mind of its own when she'd shake her finger at us.

"I'm not going for my tits, asshole," I quip, staring at the half-eaten double bacon cheeseburger sitting in my lap.

"Oh, that's right. You're going because the doctor told you that you're chubby and need to lose weight." Rosalie fakes a cough. "But I bet you're getting ready to shove your entire pie hole with a thousand calories instead. Right?"

Guilty, I look down at my cheeseburger. "How do you even know that?"

I nearly climb out of my own skin when a parade of knuckles start banging against the driver's side window of my car, causing that beautiful cheeseburger to go flying across the front seat.

"Release the burger! Release it, Bella, or I'm calling your doctor." Instinctively, my hands go up in the air and my heart starts pounding in my chest. When I cut my eyes to the left, Rosalie is holding a large, bright yellow banana in her hand, pointing it at me like she's sticking up a liquor store. "Step. Away. From. The. Burger."

"I'm away! I'm away, and you're fucking crazy!"

Rosalie makes a 'roll down the window' motion with her finger.

The crazy blonde and I have been friends since the third grade. We met in the sandbox on our first day of school. While I was trying to make pretty sandcastles, failing miserably, Rosalie was chasing Jessica Stanley with a stick, claiming Jessica thwacked her in the head with a rock. I called bullshit then and I call bullshit now because there were absolutely no rocks around. It took ten years for Rosalie to tell me what really happened that day.

"Remember Jessica Stanley?"

I nodded my head. "The girl you almost decapitated with a stick?"

"Yeah, that one." Rosalie pursed her lips. "Well, I didn't give you the whole story back then. Wanna hear it?"

"I guess," I replied, skimming through my History book during lunch, trying to finish an assignment before class started.

"Well, she didn't throw a rock at me."

I nodded my head without looking up as I continued to get my paper done.

"Bella!" My eyes go wide when Rosalie snatches the book from my hands. "Are you listening to me? I need to tell you what happened so pay attention."

"Fine," I said. "Go on."

"Asshole." Rosalie's jaw clenches as she closes her eyes right before she speaks. "The little tart kissed me."

"What?" Curiosity seriously piqued. "She what?"

"She fucking kissed me! It was friggin' disgusting. And the little hoe bag used her tongue. I wasn't having any of it. None. Of. It. So I chased her ass with a stick."

A smile stretched across my face. "It was third grade. Get over it."

"Dude! It was my…" she started to say something, looking around for unwanted ears. "It was my first kiss. That ain't right."

"And what are you going to do about it now, idiot? Nothing. That's what."

"You're right," Rosalie shrugs. "I'm not gonna do anything about it now. But I sure as shit got that little tart in the back of the legs when she rounded the corner of that swing set. I nailed her ass with that fuckin' stick so hard she went flying face first in a pile of cat shit."

"So, you gonna tell me why you're harboring a double cheeseburger in your car and not inside that building," Rosalie demands, pointing over to Flab Busters. "And really, dude. Did you just come out of that place and seriously go get greasy fast food to eat right here in the same parking lot?"

"It's a double bacon cheeseburger, and do not judge me," I reply, flinging a piece of lettuce off my lap. "I don't judge you for being a bitch. Do not judge me for being fat."

"Oh, I'm not judging. I'm just sayin'. You're never going to get healthier just sitting here wolfing down a burger and not in there shaving off some inches."

"Maybe I don't want to shave off some inches. Ya ever think about that?" I reply with the overwhelming feeling of defeat clearly present. "Maybe I want to be a chunky dunk for the rest of my life. Or maybe, just maybe, I want to live the way I want to live, for the first time in my adult life, without anyone dictating the way I do so. Do you know how long it's been since I've been able to actually do that?"

When Rosalie places her hand on mine I begin to sob. "Yes, I do. But I also know that you wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't let that fucking asshole run all over you. You're better than this, Bella, and you're clearly better than him and what he put you through."

I angrily wipe the tears away with the back of my hand and take a deep breath. I'm a loser and Rosalie's right. If I hadn't let my ex- rule the roost solo I'd probably be in a better place in my life than I am right now, but I loved him and I thought he loved me. I was wrong, and it pissed me off so much that it took me five years and fifty added pounds later to figure it out when my best friend already knew.

"I gotta go," I reply and start my car. "I have to go home and shower. I'm meeting my trainer tonight."

"Wait," Rosalie squeezes my forearm and starts to squeal her words. "You have a date?"

"Bitch, please. I'm old enough to be his mother and too fat for him to look at twice." I huff out my frustration. "We're meeting up at Dane's Sporting Goods to find me some "comfortable" attire."

The full-on cackle that barrels out of Rosalie's lips has her going into a coughing fit. "He wasn't impressed with your choice of workout gear?"

"Don't be a hag," I reply not so lovingly to my friend. "He simply suggested and I agreed."

"Right," Rosalie drawls the word out slowly as she gives me a wide-eyed once over. "If Richard Simmons and Rainbow Brite had a baby, you'd be the product of that weird-ass conception. You look utterly ridiculous, by the way."

"And you look like a horse's ass."

Before Rosalie can hit me with a clever comeback, I quickly roll the window up, start my car and pull out of the parking space as she mouths the words, "Get em' girl!"

Until Next Time...

OzellaMarie