Within This Frame Read Online Free PDF

anything, Maggie focused on her sister. “Why Lance Denton? Out of anyone you could have sent, why was it him?”
    Nora shifted uncomfortably. “All the other trainers are booked for months. And . . . he’s freelance, so he can work with anyone.”
    “He isn’t the only trainer like that.”
    “No. But he was the first one I thought of, the one I know—”
    “And he doesn’t even live in Iowa!” Maggie interrupted, frustrated with her sister, and Lance, and herself. “He lives in, I don’t know, Florida, or Italy, or something. The whole thing makes no sense.”
    “He lives in Ohio. He moved there after the divorce was finalized a few months ago.”
    Maggie frowned. Lance let her think he didn’t have a home, or that the home was in Florida, or—he let her think all kinds of things. He wasn’t obligated to correct what she did or did not choose to believe. He didn’t owe her explanations.
    “How do you know all this?”
    Nora rolled her eyes. “Come on, Maggie. You’ve kept tabs on him. I guess I just kept better ones.”
    Maggie studied Nora. There was more to the situation than what she was being told, but she decided to leave it alone for the time being.
    “He flew in early this morning to see you.” She locked her eyes on Maggie. “You’re right, I could have asked someone else, but I know he’ll get you to work, if for no other reason than to prove to him you can. You don’t have the motivation to do this on your own.”
    Maggie opened her mouth to argue that.
    “You don’t, or you wouldn’t look like you do. You’re either too thin or overweight. There is no happy medium for you. Lance can help you find it.”
    “Thanks a lot,” she mumbled, knowing it was true.
    Nora shrugged. “He’ll get you in shape, and that’s what you want, right? So go get in shape—the right way. I have to start my next class. We’ll talk soon.” She spun on her heel and flounced away, hair bouncing as she moved.
    Maggie waved to her parents with a weak smile on her face and headed out the door. It was a sunny day, the periodic breeze cool and nice. She walked to her car, not expecting to see Lance posed against the side of the Camry, relaxed and confident. With a glance at the building to see if her parents were aware of her visitor, she continued the steps it took to reach him. He’d changed into a shirt the same blue as his eyes, sleeves cut out to better show off his muscled arms, and loose gray shorts with neon yellow tennis shoes—the shoes especially were a cry for attention.
    “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “And how did you know this was my car?”
    “You know, after all this time, you still smell like oranges. How is that possible?” he said in a low voice. The expression on his face was closed, but the heat in his eyes was alive with unspoken emotions.
    Mouth going dry, she swallowed, and swallowed again, tearing her eyes from his.
    He reached out a hand, taking the car keys clutched inside her palm, and traced a finger over the faded glittery pink ‘M’ keychain. Her face burned, but Lance never said anything, the past vibrating around them like an undeniable heartbeat. Lance’s dark head didn’t raise until he slowly gave the keys back.
    “I thought you got rid of everything.”
    “I didn’t realize I still had this until after I moved back to Iowa.” And then she’d kept the keychain anyway.
    A thoughtful look passed over his features, one she didn’t care to dissect. Lance smiled. “The license plate of this white Camry matches the one on the white Camry that was in your driveway this morning. It wasn’t that hard to figure out.”
    “Oh.” Maggie looked down the street. Lane Gym was located in a strip mall four miles from her house, shoppers going in and out of the stores on either side of it at a nonstop pace. “And why are you here?”
    “I have to talk to your sister about some things.” His tone said that was all he was going to say on the