by Lee Rose
“I’ve thought about what you said and I guess you’re right, Royce. Things are so awkward between us now because of one night. We should have talked about where we saw us going before we jumped into bed with each other. I wish you would have told me about Trina and your beliefs in settling down from day one. All we can do now is move forward. I can’t promise to hang out with you like before, maybe in time. I want us to at least be civil with each other.” Her voice was scratchy and all he wanted to do was hug her and take care of her until she was her usual outgoing self. That showed him that he needed her as a friend not a lover. Right? He never wanted to take care of any of his past lovers.
“I hope someday we get past these hurt feelings and can act like friends again,” he told her with honesty. Things would have been so much easier if she was the casual one-night-stand type of girl. “I really like you, Jessy. We get along great and if we tried and things didn’t work out between us I don’t want you to hate me. Hell, Sam and Blake already threatened to kick my ass if I made you cry.”
She looked sad and he felt horrible for putting that look on her face. It was better to be honest and not play games with her. Jared had been right about that. Jessy deserved good things, not a man who didn’t know what he wanted or couldn’t give her a solid commitment.
“Those two are like big brothers to me. I’m sorry things couldn’t have worked between us, but you are right. Life will go on.” She gathered her purse and briefcase in her hands, as if anxious to get away from him. He didn’t blame her. He knew he disappointed her with his answer, but it was for the best. If he disappointed her down the road it would only hurt more. She gave him a remorseful glance before shaking her head sadly. “Thanks for the ride, friend.”
He waited until she went inside and drove away. He wondered why he felt like he lost something important.
Chapter 7
Jessy accompanied Adam again to his next appearance at the Manhattan Beach Pier two days later. There was a summer festival going on and they were setting up a booth with flyers promoting the gym and the fighters. She was actually looking forward to getting out of her office for a bit, and who could complain about working at the beach?
Physically, the rest had done her good. She had slept the day away trying to forget Royce’s hurtful words. She had to be glad he was honest when he could have just strung her along like so many guys would have. She would just have to learn to hide her feelings for him as they worked side by side. Luckily he had been too busy helping Gabe plan a workout routine to notice her sadness. The young teen showed an interest in learning how to fight and Royce loved to help young people enter into a career where they could make money and improve their lives. His friend Chico hadn’t liked the idea of spending his time working out when he could be hanging out with friends. He hadn’t stuck around long.
Jessy needed a boost to her self-confidence. She chose a cute ruffled pink-and-white skirt that showed off her tanned legs and a white fitted tank top. She left her hair long and loose. She noticed a few men giving her smiles and it made her feel good. It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies, and she refused to spend it moping over a man who didn’t return her feelings. It would be hard but she would move on.
The Daniels Camp had set up a booth with flyers promoting the gym and pictures of the fighters. Adam wasn’t the only fighter here doing promotions. A few men from the opposite team had also set up a stand to give out flyers and autographed posters.
“We should have brought one of the guys. Maybe that new guy, Jackson, he is huge.” Adam looked serious but Jessy could hear the amusement in his voice. He kept his cool and Jessy was glad for that. “Look at Jonesy and Slade over there, giving us hard looks as if they could intimidate us.” The two blond fighters were giving them challenging looks but Jessy didn’t let it bother her. It was all part of the game they were competing in.
Jessy crossed her arms across her chest, imitating Adam’s stance. He turned and winked at her, making her lose her “tough” look when she giggled. “They can try but we won’t let them. We don’t need the guys. We got this.”
Adam laughed and put his arm around her shoulder. “That’s right. I’ll meet Jonesy in the ring next month and I’ll be doing all the intimidating.”
Sam showed up half an hour later with lunch in his hands. “Fish and chips anyone?”
Jessy raised her hand quickly with a laugh and Sam handed her a cardboard box from a popular fast-food restaurant. She sat down in the lawn chair they had brought with them and her stomach rumbled with hunger.
“How’s it going?” Sam asked, sitting next to her. He looked her up and down and frowned at her pretty outfit. “Anybody bothering you, Jess? You look hot in that outfit. You should have worn a loose T-shirt and sweatpants.”
Jessy rolled her eyes and ate her fish. She was hungry. Breakfast had consisted of coffee. She was used to Blake and Sam being overprotective where she was concerned. They were the first two fighters her dad recruited and she knew them both well. They had formed an unbreakable friendship.
“Unfortunately, hanging out with you bozos makes men not want to approach me,” she told Sam.
“Good. My job here is done. We failed once on the job already. We should have took Royce aside and told him to stop flirting with you if he wasn’t serious. We were too busy being starstruck, but don’t you worry. Blake had a talk with him.” Sam smiled and she threw a fry at him. She didn’t need defending. She was a grown woman.
“I heard. I’m a big girl, Sam. I should have known some famous ex-champion fighter like him wouldn’t take anything seriously. I take the blame,” she said honestly. What made her think Royce would ever take her seriously? He was a lot older than her and way more experienced. She had a few relationships in the past but nothing that ever lasted for long or had gotten too deep.
Adam put a French fry in his mouth. He was used to the interaction between them. He listened quietly as he finished his food.
“We got a few hard looks from the opposition,” he told Sam when he got up to throw his trash away. “We gave them some of our own hard looks back.”
Sam laughed. “They want to intimidate you before the fight, mess with your head.”
Adam agreed and they started talking shop.
Jessy took the opportunity to take a walk along the pier. She left Adam and Sam talking about Adam’s fight.
She leaned against the wooden rails and watched a few surfers taking on the waves. She loved the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves. This is exactly what she needed. Seagulls flew around, looking for scraps to pick up. She watched them, feeling more relaxed being out here and not stuck in a metal building.
A day away from the gym and Royce was good for her heart. She felt like she wasted a whole year chasing after Royce for nothing. He flirted back with her all the time and she had assumed he felt the same for her. When she had walked in and seen him with another woman, her heart had dropped to her toes and her vision blurred. For a second she had thought she would pass out. It hurt, it still hurt, but if Royce wasn’t interested in a monogamous relationship then she had to forget about him. Kyle had been a stupid attempt to forget Royce. She would get back into the dating field, she would just be wiser next time. Royce could not be the only man who set her body on fire.
Jessy sighed as she walked along the long boardwalk. Finally when she was tired she went back to the booth to find Adam alone.
“Sam went to the gym,” he explained, and she nodded and sat down. Her sandals were cute but not made for long walks. She took them off for a while.
“You’re not worried about the fight, are you, Adam? Because I know you have the talent,” she asked him when she noticed his mind was far away.
“I’ve been working hard for this for years, Jess. My parents are so proud of me and they’ll be there to watch. That just makes me more determined to win. I want to use some of the money to offer them a dream vacation,” he replied with confidence. “They have done nothing but
encourage me when I announced what I wanted to do. Most parents would freak out and tell their kids no, that getting beat up by another fighter is a stupid dream.”
“True. My dad said his own dad looked at him like he lost his mind. After he won his first fight his dad admitted he had been wrong. He could see the passion my dad had for the sport. It’s evolved over the years but it still takes sacrifice and sweat to reach the top,” Jessy commented. She was sincerely touched by Adam’s attitude for his parents. She heard a lot of guys brag about buying material things. “Do you have any brothers and sisters?”
“One sister. She is married and lives in San Francisco,” he answered happily. “I have a five-year-old nephew, Rory, and he is my number one fan.”
“Are they coming too?” She was glad he had the love and support of his family. Sam had been raised by his grandmother, who passed away a few years back. Blake had parents but he never spoke to them. He was very bitter for the harsh way he had grown up. He always said Jessy and Jared were his family and that’s all he needed.
“Not this time, but they’ll watch it on TV with friends. They’re having a big party. My sister says if I win she’ll claim me and if I lose she’ll pretend she doesn’t know me.” He laughed, letting her know he hadn’t taken his sister’s comments seriously.
“I always wanted brothers and sisters but it never happened,” she said sadly, wishing once again her mom was here to give out advice on how to handle a broken heart.
He reached across and squeezed her hand. “Hey, no sadness. The sun is out and we’re not stuck in a metal building that smells like Sam’s sweaty socks.”
Jessy laughed. “Not a good image to put in my head after eating, but you’re right, Adam. Let’s enjoy this day on the beach. Maybe we can swim, too?”
Adam leaned back in his chair and put his hand over his heart and groaned. “Me and my big mouth.”
* * * *
Royce was helping Gabe use the punching bag when he heard laughter. He looked over at the door and saw Adam and Jessy walking in looking happy together. He ignored the feeling of jealousy that rose up. Friends didn’t get jealous, he reminded himself. After all, he was the one who insisted on friendship. Jessy’s hair was windblown and messy and his first thought was that Adam had been kissing her. His gut twisted at that idea. He growled under his breath.
“Huh?” Gabe said, stopping with his fist in midair. “Am I doing it right?”
Royce reluctantly focused his attention on Gabe again and nodded. The kid was light on his feet and quick with his hands. In this rough neighborhood those were probably good traits to have. Jared offered to let Gabe do chores around the gym in order to work out free. Royce was willing to help him. Gabe didn’t seem as hard as some of the other boys in this neighborhood but he still had a lot of built-up anger inside of him. He told Royce his dad walked out on him and his mom four years ago and never bothered staying in touch.
Maybe there was still a chance to lead him down the right path. “Yeah, you’re turning into a pro, kid. Let’s take a break.”
Gabe nodded and went to get some water. Royce walked up to the laughing couple. “How did it go?”
Jessy stopped laughing at whatever Adam had been saying and looked at Royce with nothing but politeness. He didn’t like it. He wanted to see her pretty green eyes light up with joy the way they once did, not look at him as if he was a stranger. He couldn’t remember a time he had felt such a deep desire for one woman.
“It went great,” she said with a polite smile, and Royce was tempted to grab her by her neck and pull her in for a heated kiss. Then maybe her eyes would be soft and shiny again.
“Jonesy tried to meanball us but we didn’t fall for it,” Adam admitted, giving Jessy a playful wink.
“Good,” Royce agreed, trying hard not to glare at Adam for being so flirty with Jessy. She was a beautiful, energetic woman. Who wouldn’t want to flirt with her? “It’s all part of the trick to make you lose confident. Was it an all-day event?”
Adam chuckled. “Nah. We hung out, a day on the beach. Piece of advice, Royce. Never challenge this girl to a swimming race. I think she is part fish.”
Jessy laughed and playfully punched his arm. “You had fun with me, admit it, Mad Dog.”
Adam kissed her cheek softly. “I did, you’re all right for a girl. See you tomorrow, Jess.”
“Bye.” She smiled and watched Adam leave. By the time she turned back to look at Royce he plastered a polite smile on his face and hid his emotions from her.
“You made a conquest there,” he stated, hoping he didn’t sound as jealous as he felt.
“Adam is a nice guy. I had fun today. So did I miss anything here?” she asked with a casual smile, looking around the gym. Before she would have linked her arm through his and flirted with him. Now he was lucky if he got her to smile at him.
Royce swallowed down his urge to questions her further. They were friends and that’s all. Sometimes it was hard to remember. She looked delicious enough to eat. He forced his mind not to go there. It couldn’t go there, not when he insisted they be friends. “I was helping Gabe. He’s a really good kid and he has potential. If he can learn to fuel his anger into determination he might just get somewhere.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Let me go and say hi.” She walked over to where Gabe was standing by the vending machine. Royce noticed how sexy she looked in her short skirt and snug sleeveless shirt and he felt like dunking himself in a bucket of cold water. She made Gabe laugh at something she said. The kid was usually so stoic and sad looking, but with Jessy the regular teenager came out and he turned into a different kid.
He couldn’t fault Gabe for that. Hadn’t he always sought out her company when dark thoughts and memories threatened to consume him? He missed Jessy even though he saw her every day.
Chapter 8
On the next public appearance for Adam, Royce offered to be the driver. He didn’t like feeling jealous because he had an easygoing friendship with Adam and the others. He knew he didn’t have the right to deny Jessy from moving on with someone else. He couldn’t expect her to sit around waiting for him to work through his mixed emotions. Part of him wanted to hold her in his arms and demand she not even look at another man. Then he heard that small voice in his head telling him that path led to pain and headaches.
“I think we’ll be fine, Royce.” Jessy looked a little bewildered. “You have such a busy schedule.”
He shrugged carelessly, hoping he looked casual. “I’ve been cooped up in this building all week. I could use some fresh air.”
“Okay,” she said, and looked at her watch. “Adam has another radio spot to do. We should go.”
“With Destiny?” Adam perked up and Jessy pushed him. “Behave. You’re training, mister. No romance for you.”
Adam looked crestfallen.
So they weren’t getting romantically involved? Royce couldn’t understand why he felt such a big sense of relief. He tried to convince himself he was just glad Adam was concentrating on his fight, but he knew he was lying to himself. He turned to Tom. “Yo, Tom. You’re in charge.”
Tom grinned and cracked his knuckles. “Hear that, peasants?”
Blake and Sam looked at Jessy with puppy-dog eyes. “Can we go with you?”
“No.” She laughed. “Help Gabe with his workout if he comes in.”
The young man had been coming in as often as possible. He was a good kid and her dad thought he had potential, too. She was glad. If only one kid got off the street that was an accomplishment.
The radio appearance went smoothly. Although Destiny wasn’t the interviewer, she did come to cheer Adam on. He couldn’t hide his pleased smile. There was one tense moment when the deejay repeated some trash-talking Jonesy had been doing. Adam handled it well with grace and Jessy gave him a thumbs-up. Soon the interview was over and Destiny greeted him in the hallway. They stood together talking in low voices.
“I think she likes him,” Jessy whispered with
a smile, leaning toward Royce. “She’s cute.”
“He doesn’t need to be distracted right now, especially by cuteness.” He frowned and she rolled her eyes and leaned back against her chair. He thought he heard her mutter “men are stupid” but he wasn’t sure.
Sitting next to Jessy and smelling her fresh soapy scent was messing with his concentration. He barely heard the interview. Instead he was thinking of that night with her when she had boldly stripped her clothes off in front of him and he had felt so filled with lust he was surprised he had been able to take his time with her. He had loved her slowly until she was writhing uncontrollably underneath his body. Shit, now he was feeling hot and his body ached in rebellion at his self-imposed abstinence. He wasn’t even sure why he hadn’t picked up anyone else. He went to the clubs with Sam and Blake and each time he went home alone. He told himself he just wanted to concentrate on work but he wasn’t sure he believed it.
“I hope you’re not getting sick, Royce, you look like you’re sweating.” She gave him a worried look and frowned at him. His cell phone started buzzing, saving him from having to think of a lie.
He looked at the incoming text and muttered under his breath. “Shit, Jessy, we need to go now.”
She looked at him with fear, her green eyes filed with apprehension. She grabbed on to his arm and he hugged her. She was upset and as a friend he was allowed to hug her. “What is it? My dad?”
“No, sweetheart. Sorry, there’s a problem with Gabe,” he explained, soothing her back with small circles. It felt so good to have her in his arms. He would gladly have stood here for another few minutes if the text had not been so urgent.