Dirty Gyms And Fame Announcements; Date Day Two
Day 162 of The Andie Chronicles
The gym, the holy grail Cooper spoke zealously of, was only marginally cleaner than the converted scout hall.
This, according to my talented wrestler, was a bodybuilder’s gym. And that’s where most of the wrestlers felt most at home away from the ring. No pretension. No fuss. Just the equipment, a bathroom and mirrors to observe your form.
“Everyone here has the same philosophy about nutrition and exercise. This is their life. It’s how they live. We don’t believe in fads, only hard work, you know?”
I could have listened to Cooper describe his commitment all day even though I had listened to him talk all the night before.
We swapped stories of how he broke into the wrestling business and I told him about my friends in Melbourne. I described our fashion business, leaving nothing of my saga off the table.
Poor Cooper, I pondered.
Here doesn’t want to hear about the farce that is my life.
Yet, he listened to me with such content, asking me questions, even requesting I show him photos so he could accurately visualise who I was talking about.
It was unquestionable that this stranger was interested in me, my life, even the ugly bits.
And at the end of the date, as he kissed me on the cheek goodnight, he inquired whether I would have any interest in sharing in his life. First hand. An invitation to the gym he called his second home on the Gold Coast.
“Yeah I get it,” I said, prancing past the vast weights room to the wrestling ring nestled at the back of the gym. I couldn’t help but stare at the posters for GCWW littered across the entire gym, most of them with Cooper front and centre.
Yet, one didn’t seem like it belonged with the rest. Manoeuvring past two weight benches, I noticed this poster wasn’t labelled GCWW logo; it had other initials on it, ones I knew from television.
“Hey, is this you?”
“Oh yeah, that’s when I worked in the States. This was the pay-per-view I won the World Heavyweight title at.”
He said it so casually like working for the biggest wrestling promotion in the world was another day at the office. “You were on TV? And you were the world champ?”
“I was on TV for about ten years in the end. I came back here to help Chris set up GCWW.”
He pointed to a short, stocky man by the edge of the ring, wearing a matching Adidas tracksuit from the early 90s. Navy with white stripes, which only seemed to emphasise he wasn’t built like a wrestler. Nor was he as young as the proteges who surrounded him.
Despite his diminutive size, the wrestlers in the ring listened to him with intent, some furiously scribbling down every word he barked at them.
“GCWW has obviously done well. I mean, you’re champion, and there was so much buzz last night.”
“It’s been ok. A grind. But we get bigger as every week passes. Chris is one of those old-school business minds. He is all about the grind, you know. Stick to your plans, stay true to your ethos, and everything will work out.”
Cooper approached the edge of the ring and sprung onto the apron as if it were nothing. He then turned to me. I felt so minuscule as he stood above me, but I didn’t mind. Seeing him like this, about to dive head-first into his element, was a joy to watch.
“You know, I should introduce you to Chris. I don’t think he would hate you picking his brain if that’s something you wanted to do. Only if you want to, no pressure.”
“I would love that. Thank you.” If Cooper hadn’t been so far up I would have pulled him into me and kissed him.
“Chris, buddy, you got a sec?” Oh wow, it was happening now. “This is my friend, Andie.”
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
By the way, this all started when Andie turned thirty-five, and her then-boyfriend didn’t call her.
Or the day after that.
Or the day after that, too.
Everything started to unravel when her BFFs got into bed with her ex, too… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
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A little lost on what’s happening at 1 Lovelock Drive?
Well, you see, Andie’s break-up started back in February and so much has happened since then. These stories will help you catch right up! xx
