Page 4 of Hargrave Health Kick
She made the quick drive into Brookwell proper and was soon walking on the beach trying to trade her gloomy, unsettled thoughts for something more inspired. She wasn’t sure why thisentire week bothered her so much. It wasn’t as if the content she was building was hindered significantly by being on call for the guests at the Hideaway. Her client notes were up to date, she was making her appointments, and she was ahead of schedule on her video content.
And yet something felt significantly off lately.
It shouldn’t. Which made it feel so much worse. The B&B was good. The whole house rental system had taken a load off all the sisters, especially Celeste. They could still provide the signature Hargrave hospitality without being on hand constantly.
Her own business was going well, though she sensed room for growth. Just as soon as she pinpointed how to get there. Maybe she was simply being impatient, expecting too much from herself too soon.
Hearing the fast pattern of footsteps behind her, she braced for a runner to pass by. And he did. Shirtless, his tanned skin glowed with sweat in the afternoon sun. As his long stride carried him away from her, she noticed the way his muscles moved, and admired that he was diligent about keeping his line just outside of the tide. Those micro adjustments as his feet landed in the wet sand would be a good workout for all the muscles no one ever thought to train specifically.
There were times when she really should turn off her job brain. There wasn’t anyone nearby who could mistake her focus as ogling him, specifically. He was, after all, running while in her line of sight. The only way to not see him would be to turn around.
She wasn’t quite ready to do that yet. She took note of the landmarks, almost wishing she had taken the time to grab her own running gear. She really should film some fresh b-roll out here. One of these days, she needed to enlist Natalie’s help to record some workouts here at the beach or near the Hideaway when they didn’t have guests.
She wasn’t making the most of what made this area special. Most of her videos were set in her own backyard or studio space in the house. She had a few walking and standing sequences, but they were old. Still helpful, but fresh content was better.
Maybe she should do a daily yoga challenge. Letting the idea sprout, she could envision a series of videos with the backdrop of the sunrise, the pulse of the tide. Plenty of fitness experts had done similar stuff, but she could put her spin on the concept.
She sat down in the sand as more ideas started trickling in until they were flowing like a current. She could add some nutrition videos to the rotation on her channel. She could see her audience getting excited about easy recipes to improve recovery or boost energy without an excess of added sugar.
And she didn’t need a collaboration with someone like Susannah to make that happen. The videos would take off or they wouldn’t. Either way, they would be assests she could share with her followers and her clients.
Too bad she didn’t have her phone with her to make some notes, but she trusted the ideas to be there when she could jot them down. Implementing these small, key shifts to the plan was smart. The fresh-take would help her feel current and connected to the folks who followed her.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the man approaching until his shadow fell across her feet. Running shoes and a t-shirt dropped to the sand beside him. “Veronica Hargrave. It is you. Good grief. How long has it been?”
The familiar voice rumbled at a deeper register than she remembered. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she peered up into the face of one of her best friends. “Holy cow.” She popped to her feet. “Brayden Leggett? Is this sunstroke? I must be hallucinating.”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “You’re still not funny.”
“Only because you still haven’t found a sense of humor.” She didn’t recall her best friend from high school having any ties to this island. Back in the day, the two of them would complain about being separated over summer breaks, seeing each other only at training camps for their various sports.
He pulled her into a big hug. The difference gave her a jolt. He’d matured, of course. That’s what time did. She recognized his masculine scent, though it had never caused this kind of flutter low in her belly before. The warmth and strength of his arms was the same. It took some willpower to step back rather than cuddle closer. She chalked up her reaction to the shock of him being right here, in a place they had never been together.
“Can’t handle the sweat?” he teased as she stepped out of the embrace.
She smacked his shoulder. “Where’s your shirt?”
“We’re on a beach.” He ran a hand down his chest. “Is it distracting?”
Yes. But admitting it would only pump up his already oversized ego. Although he had valid reason to be proud of his physique. “Shut up,” she scolded. “What are you doing here? The last time I saw you was at the reunion.”
He swore. “Wasn’t that a mess?”
“Absolutely.” She laughed. “Are you still in the military?”
“I’ve been out for about a year.” He planted his hands on his hips. “We really don’t talk enough. Where’s your phone? I’ll put my number in.”
She jerked her thumb toward the parking lot. “Back in the car.”
His brow dipped low over a nose with quite a bit of character since he’d taken a baseball to the face in their junior year. “Roni? You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She waved off his concern.
“I’m shocked,” he said, clearly joking. “Who would believe I found online sensation Veronica Hargrave without her phone?”
“Stop it,” she complained. “I’m not that bad.”
He huffed. “The only thing you post is professional content,” he said. “I haven’t seen anything of a personal nature since you guys started the B&B.”
