The Heart of the Matter Read Online Free

first, but you’ll get the hang of it, then you’ll really like it. And the ladies are great. They tend to pamper guys who come. And except for our basketball games, or running, there’s no other exercise program in town.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” Jason had already decided he was going. He’d made the commitment to change, and he was a man of his word. Well, at least until it started to hurt. “I’m going just to prove to you when you do get back to it that I’ll have all the ladies’ attention and they won’t even notice you.”
    Barry made a scornful sound. “Yeah, right. You forget that I’m a doctor. They all want me for my six-figure income.”
    “I have a six-figure income.”
    “But I can get them free health insurance.”
    “I bow to your superior appeal.”
    Barry laughed. “I’ll come over for breakfast tomorrow and you can tell me how it went.”
    “Great. You bring the doughnuts.”
    “Ah…Jase?”
    “Oh, right.” Jason expelled a breath as he remembered that doughnuts and double mochas for breakfast had nowbeen replaced by egg substitute, whole wheat toast and fruit. “Mrs. Fregoza will be here. I’ll ask her to cook. See you.”
    The boys were shooting hoops in the driveway when Jason let himself out the door. They grouped around him in concern.
    “You sure this is a good idea?” Eric asked. He had the basketball in the crook of his arm. “What if you faint again?”
    “He didn’t faint,” Adam corrected him, taking exception to the word. “Girls faint. He…what did you do, Dad?”
    “I think I tripped and hit my head. Your uncle Barry maintains that I collapsed. But I’m fine, and according to Ms. Price, more regular exercise is going to be good for me. So, you remember the rules?” He looked from face to face.
    “Adam’s in charge,” Matt replied. “We don’t leave the house, and you’ll be back in an hour and a half. And if we need you, the church hall where the class is is right downtown, across from the post office. The number’s on the ‘fridgerator.”
    “Good.” Jason ruffled Matt’s hair and high-fived Adam and Eric. “And stay out of my sugar-free Popsicles. It’s the only pleasure I have left”
    “Got your towel?” Eric asked.
    “Yep.”
    Adam studied him doubtfully. “And your water bottle?”
    “Yep.” He grinned and waved as he headed down the walk, thinking he’d liked it better when the boys had considered him invincible. It made him feel that he’d somehow failed them when he saw worry for him in their eyes.
    “Aren’t you taking the car?” Adam called after Jason when he started on foot down the street.
    “I’m walking to warm up,” he called back.
    Jason arrived at the hall of the Community Fellowship Church in a very light sweat and feeling good. Loud music blared from the open doors, and as he drew closer, he heard the high-pitched sound of female conversation.
    From the doorway he saw about a dozen women in all shapes and sizes. There were young women, middle-aged women and a gray-haired woman in a pink leotard and tights who had a figure that could still grace the centerfold of Playboy. She wore a pink headband, soft wrist weights, and as he watched, she stretched one leg back behind her and leaned forward on the other bent knee. He winced just watching her.
    There were women in sweats, in tights and T-shirts, and in coordinated outfits like the white-haired woman wore.
    Then one woman noticed him standing in the doorway and pointed in his direction, and conversation stopped as the women turned in a body to stare at him. As loud music his sons would probably recognize thrummed from the tape player on the stage, he began to wonder why he’d thought this was a good idea.
    Because it meant his health, he remembered, and renewed confidence in him from his boys.
    He took a step into the room, smiled at the ladies and was about to head for the other side of the room when a figure in black tights and a black-and-yellow leotard emerged from