The Ghost Groom

by Jennifer Youngblood

  “I think you might be interested in this, Ms. Sanchez,” came Amanda’s brisk reply. Before Ariana could respond, she continued. “Mr. Knight will pay one hundred grand to you and one hundred grand to the charity of your choice.”

  Ariana gulped out a laugh. “Are you serious? He’s willing to pay that much for me to spar with Rennen?” This was ludicrous! She clutched her neck. A hundred grand would go far in gym renovations and upgrades. She could hire another full-time instructor. And, it would be life-changing to some charities she could think of. She’d probably pick one that helped Down syndrome children because of Gracie.

  “Is this agreeable to you, Ms. Sanchez?”

  Ariana’s head began to spin. Would Ace freak out if she did a rematch with Rennen? Probably no more than he was freaking out already that she’d fought him to start with. Of course, when Ariana and Rennen squared off on the practice field, she had no idea the match would be plastered all over the Internet. “When?”

  “In two or three weeks. We’ll do a big media campaign surrounding it.”

  It was already annoying to have the press lurking around. Ariana couldn’t imagine what it would be like when they got wind of a rematch. Still, she could put up with a lot of things for a hundred grand. It was on the tip of her tongue to say yes. But then she remembered something Ace had said. Never take the first offer. If James Knight was willing to pay two hundred grand for a rematch off the cuff, he’d probably pay a lot more. Ariana could really use the money. It cost a lot to staff the classes and programs, leaving little for upgrades. A swanky new gym had opened a mere two miles from her gym a few months prior, hurting her enrollment. To stay at the top of her game, Ariana needed new equipment and maybe a lap pool. If she shot down the offer and demanded more, she ran the risk of losing this opportunity. She chewed on her inner cheek, trying to decide what to do.

  “Tell him I’ll do it for two hundred grand. That is, two hundred to me and two hundred to the charity of my choice.”

  “I’m not sure Mr. Knight will go for that. That’s a lot of money.”

  Ariana grunted. “Yeah, it’s a lot of money for you and me, but not for Mr. Knight.”

  “I’m only authorized to offer a hundred grand to each entity.”

  “I won’t do it for a penny less than two hundred grand.”

  Long pause. “I’ll have to talk to Mr. Knight and get back to you.”

  She’d probably just thrown away a hundred grand because of her stubbornness. But it wasn’t in Ariana to retreat. All in or nothing. “You know where to find me. Goodbye,” she said curtly, ending the call. When she handed it back to Beth, her hand was shaking.

  “What was that about?”

  Beth’s mouth nearly dropped onto the floor when Ariana repeated the conversation. “He was gonna pay you a hundred grand to knock Rennen Bradley on his butt again, and you turned him down?”

  Ariana rolled her eyes. “I know, crazy, right?” She waved a hand. “I’d knock him on his butt again for free,” she joked. Secretly, she’d do it just so she’d have an excuse to see Rennen again, but she wasn’t about to admit that.

  Beth gave her an incredulous look. “I can’t believe you turned that down. Do you know what amazing publicity that would be for the gym? I’ve had a dozen calls or more over the past couple days from women wanting to sign up for your self-defense class.”

  The corners of Ariana’s lips turned down. “I hadn’t thought about that.” They were making plans to add another class to accommodate interest.

  “Maybe you should call the lady back and accept the offer.”

  It only took a second for Ariana to make up her mind. “Nope, I don’t think so. Rennen’s a hot topic right now and James Knight’s all about the publicity. You mark my word. He’ll pay the two hundred grand.”

  Beth’s eyebrows shot up, causing her forehead to wrinkle. “You mean four hundred grand? Two to you and two to charity?”

  Ariana winced inwardly. Those were large amounts, even for James Knight. She’d probably made a huge mistake by not taking the offer right off. While she didn’t relish the idea of putting on a circus performance for the media, the money would be awesome. And it was a simple match that would last all of five minutes. Easy peasy. Rennen had all but challenged her to a rematch on national television. A thrill shot down her spine as she thought of the prospect.

  “Oh, my gosh!” Beth sat back in her seat, her eyes rounder than pancakes.

  “What now?” Ariana grumbled. “Another reporter?”

  “Not exactly.”

  Ariana’s back was to the door. She turned to see what Beth was gawking at. Her own jaw went slack as he strolled in, a large smile on his face.

  “Hey,” Rennen began.

  For an instant no words would come. Ariana just stood there, looking at him.

  Rennen stepped up to the counter and glanced around. “Nice place.”

  Beth gave Ariana an odd look, which prompted her to action. “Thanks,” she sputtered. Rennen was wearing athletic shorts and a fitted shirt that showed every ripple of his defined torso. Her gaze flickered over his rugged features, settling on the tantalizing scruff along his jaw. A few of the gym members in the weight area stopped working out and were staring in their direction. Sheesh. Rennen’s presence was more distracting than the reporters.

  Ariana drew her eyebrows together. “What’re you doing here?”

  “Joining your gym.”

  Her tongue seemed to cut off her windpipe as she gurgled. “What? You can’t just waltz in here and join my gym!”

  A trace of amusement lit his eyes, which looked more golden today than green. “Why not?” He leaned in, lowering his voice. “You’re not discriminating against me because I’m white, are you?”

  Beth sniggered, then put a hand over her mouth when she saw Ariana’s blistering expression.

  Ariana straightened her shoulders, glaring at Rennen. “Is this all some big joke to you?”

  Rennen’s smile vanished, but his lips quivered like he was trying not to laugh. “Absolutely not. I just want to get a workout.”

  She put her hands on her hips, assessing him. He had her over a barrel. Ariana had no choice but to let him join. She couldn’t refuse service to anyone, no matter how much she wanted to. “This won’t land you a date, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  An indiscernible expression came over his features. “That’s a little presumptive. I didn’t mention anything about a date.”

  Heat flamed her face. He was really pushing her buttons. “Uh, huh. I know what you’re doing. And it won’t work.”

  He held up his hands. “I just wanna get a workout.”

  She turned to Beth whose eyes were shining with adoration as she looked at Rennen.

  “Beth,” Ariana barked.

  Beth jumped, coming out of her daze. “Yes?”

  “Can you get Rennen signed up?”

  “You bet,” she said quickly, a smile filling her face.

  It was disgusting how the girls fell over Rennen. Even Beth was falling over him, and she wasn’t easily impressed. Why in the heck is Rennen so determined to pursue me? Ariana wondered.

  Tina, one of the instructors, rushed up to the front desk. She stopped in her tracks, a stupid grin curving her lips when she saw Rennen. “Hi.”

  He smiled. “Hi.”

  A dart of jealousy shot though Ariana. Tina was a fabulous instructor but loved to flirt with every guy who stepped foot in the gym. She’d be stuck to Rennen like glue.

  Tina looked Rennen up and down with open admiration. “You look bigger in real life.” She touched his arm. “Great biceps.”

  “Thanks,” he said.

  Ariana couldn’t tell if he was pleased with Tina’s compliment.

  “So, what’re you doing here?” Tina asked.

  “I’m joining.”

  Tina’s eyes lit up like she’d won the lottery. “That’s fabulous,” she gushed. She gave him a hopeful look. “You’ll have to take one o
f my classes.”

  “Sure.”

  Ariana had all of this she could stand. Next, Tina would be prostrating herself at Rennen’s feet, begging him to take her out on a date. She cleared her throat. “Tina, did you come up here for a reason?”

  “Oh, yeah. Is Bart here? He normally helps me set up the bikes for my spin class.”

  “No, he’s not coming in today.” Ariana sighed, the weight of the situation settling on her. “I’ll have to put up a sign saying Bart’s class is cancelled. How many extra bikes do you have? Maybe a few of his people can join your class.”

  “Normally, I have four or five slots open,” Tina said.

  Not as many as Ariana hoped, but it would help. “Okay, we’ll offer your class as an option. A few can join my class as well.” Unfortunately, Ariana only had about three extra spaces. That left twenty or more people in Bart’s class who’d have no place to go.

  “What class does Bart teach?” Rennen asked.

  Ariana was about to say that was none of his concern, but Tina spoke first. “Circuit training.”

  “I can teach the class,” Rennen offered.

  Ariana couldn’t stop the brittle laugh from leaving her throat. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” Rennen said offhandedly, like it was no big deal.

  There was no way Ariana was going to allow Rennen to teach a class. She pulled at her shirt. Things were getting way too complicated where he was concerned. If Ace got wind that Rennen was teaching at the gym, he’d go berserk. She felt like a big enough traitor as it was for having feelings for Rennen. She didn’t want to keep adding insult to injury. Maybe it was a good thing she’d turned down Mr. Knight’s offer. Just being around Rennen muddled her thinking. “Absolutely not. You’re not certified.”

  “Come on,” Tina urged, shooting Rennen an admiring look. “He’s an NFL player. Circuit training is his life. How much more training does a person need?”

  Rennen grinned. “She makes a good point.”

  “It would be good not to have to cancel Bart’s class,” Beth added timidly.

  Ariana groaned. “Not you too.”

  She looked at Rennen. “Everything’s crazy enough as it is with the press breathing down our necks. Do you really want to add this to it?”

  The corners of his lips turned down. “Has the press been after you too?”

  The concern in his eyes shot straight to her heart. He cared about her, a lot. She could see it in his face. Which is why she couldn’t allow things to progress. She waved a hand. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “It’s been like a zoo here the past few days,” Beth admitted.

  Rennen pulled a face. “I’m sorry.”

  Ariana lifted her chin, attempting a smile. She wondered if he knew about the offer James Knight had made her. “Like I said, I’ve got it under control. I do,” she snapped when she saw the silent exchange between Beth and Rennen.

  Beth gave her a steely look. “You can get mad at me if you want, but I think you should let Rennen teach. The clients will love it. I mean, how often do people get to take a class from an NFL player? He’s trying to do something nice for you. I think you should let him.”

  “Beth’s right,” Tina piped in, flashing Rennen a sultry smile like she could eat him in a single bite. She slipped her arm through Rennen’s. “Come on, I’ll show you the classroom.”

  “This is not a good idea,” Ariana said, but her words fell on deaf ears as Tina led Rennen away. She spun around, her eyes blazing. “Why did you do that?”

  Beth’s face turned red. “I—I was only trying to help. You needed an instructor and he came in.”

  “I know what happened,” she spat. She threaded her fingers through her hair, gripping her scalp. “This whole thing’s getting out of control.”

  “Take it easy, it’s one class.”

  She threw her hands in the air. “It’s a lot more than that, I promise you.”

  “You like him.”

  She jerked. “What?”

  Beth eyed her, not backing down. “You do. It’s written all over your face.”

  “You’re delusional,” she countered, knowing Beth was right. She was pathetic … weak. Her loyalty should be to Ace, at all costs. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I’ve got to get ready for my class,” she muttered. She’d spent too much time worrying about Rennen Bradley.

  The phone rang and Beth answered. “Total Body Fitness. How may I help you?” Her eyes bulged. “Yes, she’s right here.” She put a hand over the receiver. “It’s James Knight,” she whispered.

  The floor seemed to give way as Ariana fought to steady herself.

  “Here.” Beth handed her the phone.

  She drew in a breath. “Ariana Sanchez,” she said as professionally as she could.

  “Hello, Ariana. This is James Knight.” His voice was warm like they were old friends. “How’ve ya been?”

  “Okay.”

  “I understand you spoke with my assistant Amanda.”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Then the rematch is a go.”

  “What? No, I told her I’d do it if you paid me two hundred grand and my charity the same.” She felt like a money grubber. But she wasn’t going to be bulldozed into this without being well compensated.

  He laughed. “Of course. The money’s no problem.”

  She swallowed. “So, you’re willing to pay my price?”

  “Yes.”

  She gave Beth a thumbs up. Beth jumped up and down, squealing.

  “Provided that you agree to one condition.”

  Her heart dropped. Ariana should’ve known this was too good to be true. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m listening,” she said dryly.

  “We want you to go on a date with Rennen.”

  She coughed, nearly choking on her own saliva. “W-what? Are you nuts?” Had the whole world gone crazy? “That’s absurd.”

  He laughed. “Just kidding. Rennen asked me to say that to you when I called. He thought you’d get a kick out of it.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Rennen knows about the rematch?”

  “Of course. I spoke to him this morning … err … rather his PR firm. They think a rematch is a splendid idea, especially in light of Rennen’s interview with Katie Moss.”

  Ariana drew her lips together in a tight line. It cut to think this was all a big PR stunt for him. Then again, she was doing it for the money. How could she fault Rennen for doing it for the publicity? On the upside, knowing this would keep things straight in her head, dispelling any illusions she had about Rennen’s intentions.

  “Good, it sounds like we’re in agreement. You’ll do the rematch,” he confirmed.

  “Yes. What about my payment?”

  “Amanda will be in touch with you about the details. Typically, in these types of situations, we write you a check upon completion of the assignment.”

  Assignment. The word sounded so sterile. How many types of situations like this arose? Probably a lot. “Okay.”

  “Thanks. Have a nice day.” He ended the call before she could respond.

  “The rematch is on,” Beth beamed, bringing her hands together.

  “Yep, it looks that way.”

  7

  Teaching a class was harder than he’d thought it would be. The trick was making sure not to push the students too hard but still making sure they got a good workout. Rennen glanced at the clock. Class ended on the hour, meaning he only had another seven minutes. Thankfully. He couldn’t wait to get done with this so he could talk to Ariana. She was a hard nut to crack, but so darn sexy. He couldn’t help but smile thinking about her feisty attitude. On the day of the Tiny Titans Football Camp he’d promised himself that he’d forget about her. Then when he realized she was at the camp, a surge of adrenaline spiked through him, all he could think about was getting out on the field with her. She was determined to shut him out of her life, at least that’s what she kept saying. But her expressive eyes said otherwise. He
could tell she liked him. It was crazy that he was so caught up in her. The all-consuming attraction made little sense, but he couldn’t deny how he felt. Heck, he’d joined her gym and taught this class just so he could be next to her. Pathetic, he knew. But he couldn’t seem to help himself.

  He took the class through a series of stretching and breathing activities to cool them off. Finally, when the minute hand reached the blessed hour mark, he smiled. “And that’s a wrap, folks. It was a pleasure being here today.”

  He was surprised when everyone clapped.

  “That was fantastic,” a peppy blonde said, a gigantic smile on her face. “My husband won’t believe it when I tell him you taught the class.”

  “Will you be here next time?” a woman asked.

  “I was just filling in for the instructor today.”

  A twinkle lit the woman’s eyes. “Are you and Ariana an item?”

  Briefly, he thought about saying yes, but Ariana would kill him. “No, just friends.”

  A few chuckles rippled through the room. “Sure you are,” a woman in the back said with a wink.

  Rennen just smiled. As the students filed out, he strode over to the bench along the wall and reached for the water bottle Tina had given him. He opened it and took a long swig. He set the bottle down, then placed his phone and car keys back in his pocket.

  “How did it go?”

  He jumped slightly as Ariana entered the room. Like him, she was sweaty from her workout. His eyes ran along the lines of her sculpted figure, slender shoulders, cut biceps, tapered waist, lean, muscular legs. “Pretty good, I think. The students seemed to enjoy it.”

  “I’ll bet,” she mumbled.

  He cocked his head, a smile sliding over his lips. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She was ready to fight him at every turn. He wondered how she’d react if he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her. No doubt she’d have him on the floor faster than he could draw a breath, but it would be worth it.

  She frowned. “What’s so funny?”

  “You.”

  She cocked a sculpted eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  Rennen wondered how she could look so glamorous after a workout. She was wearing spandex shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Without her heels, she came to his chest. Her hair was wet where it touched her face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, giving him a glimpse of her diamond stud earring. He shook his head. “You know, a simple thanks would suffice.”