Awakenings - SF1 (14 page)

"Umm, there's kind of a term for people who just sleep together."

"What's the term?" Jamie persisted.

"Ahh...fuck buddies?" Ryan finally revealed.

"Fuck buddies, huh? I must admit I've never heard that one. Do you have a fuck buddy, Ryan?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes completely enjoying the discomfort in her friend's posture.

"Yeeeah, I have a couple of people that I see occasionally for um..."

"Sex?" Jamie helpfully supplied.

"More or less," she admitted.

"So these are women who feel like you do about relationships?"

"Exactly. They want the same thing that I do, occasional sex and nothing more."

"Do you see these people very often?"

"It depends. I guess I usually see each of them 3 or 4 times a year. But I see my friend Ally more than that. We might see each other 3 or 4 times in a two week period, then we might not see each other for 3 or 4 months. I really like her and we get along great in bed, but we're both really clear that we couldn't ever have a real emotional connection. I think we're too much alike," she admitted.

"But you're missing so much, by never letting anyone get close Ryan," she continued to argue.

"Like what?" she replied, sounding truly curious.

"Like intimacy, and caring, and a depth of feeling that you can't get from casual dating." Jamie was beginning to get frustrated again.

"There's nothing casual about the way I date," Ryan said with a little leer.

"Do you really not understand what I'm getting at?" Jamie moaned as she dropped her head into her hands.

"No, I think I do
,
Jamie," she reassured her. "I want all those things, too. Just not now. And given that I don't feel that I can commit to one woman, what would you have me do?"

"I don't know, Ryan. It just seems unfair to the women who want more of you and to yourself."

"On one level you may be right,
" she replied thoughtfully. "But I don't feel that I'm going to be ready for another couple of years. Are you really suggesting that I should be celibate for that long?"

"How long have you gone?" Jamie teased.

"Does it count when I had broken ribs?" she asked hopefully.

"No. I want the able bodied record."

"Hmmm, I guess about 2 weeks or so during finals," she finally replied.

"Two weeks! Do you mean to tell me you have not gone without female companionship for more than two weeks in your adult life?" Jamie was truly floored.

"I love women, Jamie. I
really
love women. I love meeting them. I love talking to them. I love the chase. I love it when they want to play the game as much as I do. I love pleasing them. I love having someone new all the time. I am never, ever bored," she confessed. "How many women can say that?" she asked in a plaintive challenge.

"I agree that your sex life is exciting Ryan. But who do you confide in? Who do you feel completely comfortable with? Who do you know will always be there for you?"

"Um, well, ahh, you, Jamie," she said with a completely open and trusting expression on her face. "I feel comfortable with you. I confide in you. I know you'll be there for me. I don't have to have sex with you to feel that, do I?" she asked innocently.

"Oh Ryan, that is so sweet," she said as she threw her arms around her neck and gave her a firm hug. "You never cease to surprise me."

"That's just one of my many skills," she replied with a grin as she reached out and affectionately tousled Jamie's hair.

After her last class Jamie walked home and grabbed a salad. She spent an hour preparing for Tuesday's classes then she hopped in her car and drove to the bike shop.

Bill was glad to see her and greeted her warmly. "You are going to love your new wheels," he enthused. As he spoke he weaved his way through the maze of bikes, finally stopping to grasp one and lift it over his head. "Here she is," he said proudly.

Jamie was very pleased. Her new bike was a sleek, shocking day-glo orange. "It even looks fast," she said with delight. The components were top quality, but not the most expensive available. She felt very satisfied about her choices. Bill spent a good ‡ hour going over all of the components and handing her the little instruction booklets for each. He finally had her sit on the bike while it was on a trainer. He adjusted the seat carefully as well as the pedals. He showed her how to clip her new racing shoes into the pedals and had her practice unlocking them a few times.

Next she had to decide on what type of bike rack to buy. They discussed all of the available options before choosing a light, collapsible model that rested on the trunk and rear bumper of her car.

"How can I protect my new beauty from theft?" she inquired.

"Only one way I know of," he replied sagely. "Keep your butt on the seat!" he barked out a laugh as he said this.

"Don't any of those locks work?" she pointed at the array of cumbersome locks on the wall.

"They work very well if you are protecting your bike from someone who doesn't really want it," he flatly stated.

"I really want to be able to take it to campus. I think the only way I'll get all my training in is to ride everywhere," she lamented.

"I might have a solution for you," he said. "I got a nice light mountain bike in as a trade the other day. It's a good bike and I think it would fit you perfectly. It cost about $1800 when new but I can let you have it for $200. It's about 5 years old and the paint is a little scratched up, but I put new tires and brake pads on it. And," he added knowledgeably, "one good thing about doing some of your training on a heavier bike is that your road bike will feel like air. You could also tag along on some of Ryan's night time rides up on Mt. Tam."

"I didn't know she rode up there," she admitted.

"Oh, it's quite a scene," he laughed, "you've got to get her to take you, but bring some band aids. It's a tough group," he said with a wink.

Jamie and Bill loaded both bikes onto the new carrier. She drove home and immediately hopped on her road bike and took it for a spin. She loved the freedom she felt from being able to speed along the streets of Berkeley.
I really think I'm going to like this,
she thought to herself with a contented smile.

After a pleasant hour riding her road bike Jamie went home to change into her workout clothes. She tossed sweats over her Lycra and headed to the gym.

As she was checking in, she spotted the manager that she had spoken with when she first visited the gym. "Hi," she said in her usual friendly manner. "Remember me?"

"Yes, I sure do," the woman responded. "Did you decide to join?"

"Yeah I did. I really like it here. My trainer was also very impressed."

"I didn't know you had your own trainer," she replied.

"Yeah, she's working at a gym in the City now, but she's looking for a change. She's getting more women clients in the East Bay and I think she'd prefer to work over here now," she embellished.

"Have her look me up the next time she's in," the woman responded. "Maybe we could make her an offer to join us."

"Actually, I'm her business manager," she said confidently as the embellishment switched to outright lies. "What kind of a deal would you cut her," she demanded, getting right down to business.

They moved into the manager's office, where Jamie casually took a chair. "Our standard deal is that independent trainers pay us $200 a month to be able to use the facilities. There is no additional charge when they work with a member but when they have an outside client they or the client pay us $10 per hour."

"Hmm, how many hours a week do most of your trainers book?" she asked.

"Not a lot, probably 5 or so. Some book up to 10."

"So if my trainer booked 15-20 hours a week, what could you do for her?"

"I could reduce the monthly fee," she offered.

"By how much?" Jamie inquired.

"Half?" she replied a bit tentatively.

"That's fair," Jamie agreed. "But I'd like her to get some benefit from the new members she will bring in to the club. The monthly fee for a member is $85 a month right?"

"Right."

"And Ryan would pay you $100 to use the facilities if she worked 15 hours a week, right?"

"Right again."

"Would you agree to waive her fee altogether if she brought in 5 new members?"

The manager thought about that for a moment before she said, "Yes, I would. We make most of our money off the monthly fee anyway, so that would help both of us," she admitted.

"Do you need any more trainers on staff right now?" Jamie decided she might as well go for broke.

"Only the really unattractive hours, like 6 a.m.," she offered tentatively.

"How much per hour?" Jamie sensed a weakness.

"$15?" she replied hopefully.

"Nope," Jamie was unmoved. "I couldn't let her work those hours for less than $25 per hour."

"How many hours is she available?" the woman asked.

Jamie looked at her appointment book thoughtfully. Absolutely nothing about Ryan's schedule was written there, but she thought she remembered that she was free until 8 a.m. "She's available from 5:30-7:30 Monday through Friday," she stated confidently.

"You have a deal," the woman replied as she extended her hand, breathing a sigh of relief that Jamie was not selling life insurance, or swamp land for that matter.

After she left the office Jamie rubbed her hands together as she scouted the gym. "Ahh, potential patsies," she enthused. She watched each of the women carefully from her position on a treadmill. Finally she spotted one woman who looked both well off and clueless. Jamie hopped off the treadmill and positioned herself next to the confused woman. "Do you need help?" she asked gently.

"Oh, yeah, I guess I do," the woman agreed. "I had someone explain this machine to me last week, but now I've forgotten how to adjust it."

"I get confused too," Jamie admitted. "That's why I've started to work with a trainer," she said conspiratorially.

"A trainer, huh? They tried to get me to sign up with one when I first came here, but I didn't really like the woman who works here at this time of day," she said regretfully.

"Why don't you try mine?" Jamie inquired casually. "I'm certain you would like her. Everyone does. She's normally down on the Peninsula, but she's devoting a few days a week to her clients in the East Bay now. She is simply fabulous." She uttered this last statement as she produced Ryan's business card, which she had stolen when Ryan wasn't looking.

"Is she really expensive? I don't want to spend a lot," she replied.

"Oh she's terribly expensive!" Jamie moaned. "It's absolutely highway robbery! But she's so wonderful that she can get away with it." If there was one thing Jamie was sure of it was that rich people loved to moan about how much things cost. But they also loved to overpay for everything that was trendy. "She charges me $125 but I heard that her rates are going up again! I'm going to have to hock my Porsche if she charges me much more. I see her 3 times a week, now, and it really adds up."

"Wow, that really is a lot. Do you really think it's worth it?"

Jamie leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "I went to a benefit last week in a sleek little Dolce and Gabana sheath. I got more attention in that dress than I knew how to handle. My entire body has changed since I started to work with Ryan. I think she's worth 3 times what I pay her," she confided. "But don't tell her that!" she said with a hearty laugh.

"I have my 15 year college reunion coming up this spring. If she could get me in shape for that I'd be eternally grateful."

"That's the attitude!" Jamie enthused. "Your classmates will think you've found the fountain of youth! Why don't you give me your number and I'll have Ryan call you," she said with a wink.

After two more visits to the club Jamie had filled all of Ryan's afternoon time slots. Now all that was left was to tell Ryan that she had a new job.

After class on Friday they sat at their usual spot and sipped their juice. "Um Ryan," she started nervously, "I've been interfering in your personal life." She glanced down at the ground, seemingly in shame.

"You didn't find me a steady girlfriend, did you?" she asked with a mock scowl.

"No, nothing like that. Remember when you said you would rather work on this side of the Bay?" she asked with a hopeful little smile.

"Yeaaah," Ryan slowly drawled.

"Did you mean that?" another little smile.

"Yeaaah."

"Well, I kind of got you a job," she finally admitted.

"You got me a what?!" Ryan asked in shock.

"I got you a job?" she restated hesitantly.

Ryan's face broke into an indulgent smile. "Do I get to learn the details, or do I just show up and get my uniform? I don't mind flipping burgers but I hate to cook French fries. It's too hard to get the oil out of my hair."

"No silly," she laughed as she slapped her lightly on the shoulder. "I got you a job at 'Women Power' and I think you're really going to like it."