by Naomi Niles
“Oh?” he said, in surprise. “You called to talk about something specific?”
“Kind of,” I nodded hesitantly. “See… There’s this girl-”
“What!” Sam yelled, overreacting just like I knew he would.
“Oh, calm the fuck down,” I said impatiently. “It’s not like that.”
“It’s not like that?” he repeated. “So you’re not sleeping with her?”
I hesitated.
“I knew it,” Sam said, and I could practically see the goofball grin on his face.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sleeping with her, but… It’s all casual, okay? There’s nothing serious going on.”
“You’ve slept with her on multiple occasions?”
“Umm…”
“Ah ha!”
“You’re making me regret calling you,” I warned.
He laughed. “Oh come on, I never thought I’d see the day. Let me enjoy this.”
“Yup,” I said. “Definitely regretting this.”
Sam kept laughing. “Okay, okay… Now tell me, there’s this girl…”
“Her name is Brittany, and she’s a waitress at this local diner I go to for breakfast each morning,” I explained. “We’ve been spending some time together.”
“Naked time together?”
“I would have thought fatherhood might have matured you a little.”
“It hasn’t,” Sam said immediately. “Especially not when I’m hanging out with my brothers alone.”
“Lucky us.”
“I would say so.”
I rolled my eyes and continued. “Anyway, she’s… She’s a really good person. She’s a really hardworking person, but I can see her struggling to make ends meet.”
“Oh, you mean money issues?”
“Yeah,” I replied. “I want to help her out, but I don’t want to insult her, either. Money is a sensitive issue, and she’s had a rough few days.”
“Why have they been rough?”
“She asked her bastard of a father for money,” I explained. “And he turned her down point blank.”
“Whoa…cold.”
“You have no idea,” I said. “It was brutal to watch.”
“You were there?”
“Uh… I went with her for moral support.”
“Damn,” Sam breathed, in obvious awe. “This is more serious than I thought.”
“It’s not serious,” I insisted harshly. “I was just lending some support to a friend.”
“A friend you’re sleeping with?”
“Haven’t you ever had friends like that?”
“Not really,” he said.
“Are you actually going to give me advice or do I have to call another brother?” I demanded impatiently.
I could almost hear Sam’s silent laughter on the other end. “Like you would,” he said, and then his tone turned slightly more serious. “Listen, you’ve been in the same position she is now, right?”
“Not so long ago,” I agreed. “Which is exactly why I sympathize.”
“Okay, so when you were in her position, what would you have appreciated?” Sam asked sagely.
“I… I honestly don’t know.”
“Well think about it,” he said. “Listen… Going through money problems is bad enough. Feeling like you have no one to rely on is altogether worse.”
I nodded. “You’re right.”
“Always am,” Sam replied smugly. “So, how’d I do with the advice, little bro?”
“Surprisingly good,” I admitted.
“Ha!” he said. “I am on fire lately…no pun intended.”
“You are such a loser,” I laughed. “I don’t know why Mia stays with you.”
“Because I’m an animal in bed.”
“Urgh…hanging up now.”
“Okay, I’ll save the details for when I see you face to face,” Sam said.
“Please don’t.”
“It’s a date,” he said quickly before hanging up.
I shook my head at the phone, but the call really had helped. I knew what I wanted to do now and I felt good about it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Brittany
“So you have no qualifications?” she looked up at me through her round glasses.
“I… Umm… No,” I finished lamely.
“And, your work experience is limited to waitressing?”
“Yes…”
“Do you have any experience with Power Point, Excel, Microsoft, E-Design?”
“Uh…no, but I’m a fast learner,” I said, trying to sound confident. “Exceptionally fast… I was top of my class in all my subjects in high school.”
“You don’t have a high school diploma,” she pointed out, running her hand through her silky brown hair.
“No…. I… Uh…dropped out before my graduation.”
“Shame,” she said, with a disinterested sigh. “It would have made a difference.”
I felt my heart plummet and knew what she was going to say before she said it. I gritted my teeth and waited for the axe to fall. And, she certainly didn’t disappoint.
“I’m very sorry,” she said. “But I just don’t think you have the right skill set for this company. We need an experienced secretary, and I’m afraid you just don’t meet our requirements.”
It was the third no I’d received that day, and I realized that I had reached my limit for rejection. I swallowed down my disappointment and nodded. “Thank you for your time,” I said woodenly.
We shook hands stiffly, and then I left her immaculate little office. I walked outside onto the street and headed home in a fog of dejection. It had been a hard day, and all I wanted was to get back home, put my feet up, and stare at the ceiling till the disappointment lifted.
It was a forty-minute walk back home, but I didn’t mind. I had come to enjoy walking, jogging, and running, and the idea of the winter marathon had genuinely started to excite me.
Even Lacey was a little more enthusiastic with the idea than she had been at the beginning. I focused on that for a moment and told myself that I had something to look forward to, at least. On the heels of that thought came an image of Talen, and I felt a little shiver run down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
He had become something of a fixture in my life of late and I was starting to realize how important he was becoming to me. I hadn’t seen him at all today and actually missed him. He had been so sweet and supportive of me yesterday, too. He had helped me get through the emotional beating I had taken from my father. Even talking to him felt easy and natural, as though we had known each other for years.
I turned the corner to my building and headed down the drive. I paused suddenly, realizing that a small blue car had taken the place of my crappy third-hand one. I stared at it with wide eyes, trying to figure out what had happened. If a parking spot was empty, it was common for other people to use it – but my car had been parked right there this morning. Had it been towed?
I walked around to the front of the car and noticed a little envelope wedged in underneath one of the windshield wipers. To my surprise, it had my name on it. I grabbed it, realizing that it was slightly heavy. As I ripped open the top and looked into the envelope, I saw that there was a key wedged in between the folds of a letter. I left the keys and unfolded the letter inside.
“I know you’ve been going through a tough time lately, and I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing, especially since I am in a position to help. I hope I haven’t overstepped my bounds, but I replaced your old car with this one. It’s not new, but I checked it out thoroughly and it’s still in great condition. And, it will get you where you need to go.
“The car has been bought and paid for, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. The keys are in the envelope, so you should be able to start using it immediately. I wish I could have stayed to explain all this to you in person, but I just got word that I need to be in Las Vegas tomorrow. I’ll be away for a week, but I should be back on Sunday. So I
hope to see you then. Talen.”
I stared at the letter for a moment before finally looking up at the car in front of me. He had actually bought me a car. I was in shock; no one had ever bought me anything so outrageously expensive before. I was aware that it was second hand, but even a second hand car these days cost a significant amount.
I shook my head at the car as though it could offer me an explanation. Then I drew out the keys inside the envelope. “This is crazy,” I murmured to myself.
I stood there for a moment longer and then I got into the driver’s seat, taking my time and looking around at the car’s interior. It was still in impeccable condition, and as I checked out its features, I realized that everything was working beautifully. I started the engine and eased out of my spot in front of the building. Then I made a left the curb and headed for Lacey’s apartment, excited to share the news with her.
I parked right outside her window and then I walked up to her floor and knocked hard. She answered in gray sweats and a tight pink tank top that clashed glaringly with her short red hair.
“Hi you,” she greeted. “I didn’t expect you to drop by today. You look happy…”
“I am happy,” I smiled.
Lacey raised her eyebrows. “Did you get a job?” she asked, clapping her hands together.
“Ha, no!” I said, walking into her place without an invitation.
“Umm…you’re happy that you didn’t get a job?” she asked in obvious confusion.
“It was a horrific day,” I said. “I had three separate interviews and they all turned me down.”
“Uh-huh… I think I’m missing something,” Lacey said.
I laughed. “I had a present waiting for me when I got back home from my awful day of rejection.”
“Oh?” she asked with interest.
“Where is it?”
“Come over here,” I told her, gesturing over to the window.
She came to stand next to me and then I pointed down at the blue car parked on the curb. “Check that out,” I said.
“It’s a car,” she said, looking at me as though I had lost it.
“I know that,” I nodded. “What do you think of it?”
“Umm…it’s pretty ordinary,” she said. “Hell of a lot better than yours, though.”
“That is my car,” I said.
“What?” Lacey asked, turning back to the car in amazement. “No, it’s not.”
I laughed. “Well, no, obviously it’s not the car I had. But it is mine now… That’s the gift I was talking about.”
Her eyes went wide. “Who would gift you with a car? Wait… Don’t tell me your father actually-”
“No,” I cut her off before she could even finish the sentence. “It wasn’t him.”
“Then who?” she asked with a puzzled expression on her face.
I smiled. “Believe it or not, it was Talen.”
“Talen? No way.”
I nodded.
“He bought you a car?”
“He bought me a car,” I nodded.
“Fuck.”
“Yeah…”
“That’s a huge gesture,” she said, looking down at the car with awe.
“I know,” I nodded. “But in all honesty, I can’t afford to turn him down.”
“Why should you turn him down?” she demanded. “You didn’t ask him for anything, did you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then don’t feel bad,” Lacey said. “He did this because he wanted to – you shouldn’t feel guilty about accepting.”
I smiled. “I can’t believe it. I actually have a working car.”
“You know what this means, don’t you?”
“What?”
“You don’t have to find another job,” she said.
I laughed. “True,” I nodded. “I can focus on the one I already have.”
I saw her smile falter a little. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly, trying to cover it up.
“No, tell me.”
She sighed. “It’s just that… Sometimes I wonder if our lives are going to amount to anything more, you know? Like, am I really going to be a waitress for the rest of my life?”
I sighed. “I think about that, too, you know,” I said. “And sometimes…it honestly keeps me up at night. I was seriously considering going back and finishing my high school diploma.”
“What will that do?”
“It’ll be a stepping stone. I can enrol in a few community college courses and maybe eventually, I can actually get myself a degree.”
“We tried doing a few online courses, remember?” Lacey reminded me. “We didn’t have enough cash to pay our bills and our course fees.”
“I remember,” I nodded. “But this time, we’ll be better prepared. We might have to work longer hours and be a little thriftier, but we can save enough to pay for the course before we even start it. That way we don’t have to stop halfway through.”
“I suppose that’s one option,” she sighed. “Seems like a lot of work, though.”
“I don’t think anything in life is going to come easily,” I said. “Well, except maybe my new car.”
Lacey laughed. “Why are we talking about depressing stuff when you just got a freaking car?” she demanded. “We should be celebrating… We should be celebrating with Talen. Where is he?”
“He’s flying out tonight,” I said. “He has his fight in Las Vegas, remember?”
“Oh shit, yeah,” she nodded. “When’s he going to be back?”
“In a week’s time, I think,” I replied. “I’ll have to thank him properly then.”
“Let’s throw him a party!” Lacey said excitedly. “We can throw him a party at the diner.”
“Umm… I don’t think he’s the party type.”
“Too bad,” she said, without concern. “He’ll learn to love it. And, you’ll have to be prepared, too.”
“Me?” I asked. “For what?”
“To screw his brains out,” she laughed, giving me a suggestive wink. “It’s really the least you can do. And let’s face it, it’s the best way to say thank you.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Is that really the best way to say thank you to a guy?”
“Of course,” Lacey nodded. “Especially to a guy. You better start stretching…”
“Geez,” I said, shaking my head at her. “How about you let me worry about how I’m going to thank him.”
“If I left it up to you, he’d be bored.”
“Bite your tongue.”
She laughed. “Maybe I should make a few subtle hints in Ryan’s direction… See if I can get myself a new car, too.”
I laughed. “I don’t know if Ryan is well versed in the art of subtlety,” I said. “You might have to come right out and ask.”
Lacey sighed. “You’re probably right. Geez…some girls have all the luck.”
“Are you referring to me?”
“Umm, who out of the two of us was just gifted a fully-functioning car?”
I smiled. “Fair point,” I nodded. “Feels kind of surreal, though… I’ve never received a gift like this before in my entire life.”
“Can you imagine what kind of gifts you’ll get if Talen actually makes it as a big time professional MMA fighter? You’re going to be rolling in cash.”
I shook my head at her. “Talen’s going to be rolling in cash. That has nothing to do with me. We’re not even…exclusive.”
“Exclusive?” Lacey repeated, raising an eyebrow at me. “He gave you a fucking car. You can’t get more exclusive than that, darling.”
I wanted to argue, but I wasn’t sure I had any valid arguments to throw at her. So, I just kept my mouth shut and smiled. I decided that for the moment, I wasn’t going to over think things. I’d just enjoy my new car and look forward to seeing Talen in a week’s time.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Talen
Training in the Las Vegas practice rings was an altog
ether different experience than training back in Quebec. There was urgency in the air, as though every fighter knew what was at stake if he didn’t give it his all. Steven and Ryan had flown down with me, and Steven had cranked up his training technique a notch. He pushed me harder, he yelled louder, and he asked more of me than he had ever asked before.
I understood why he was doing it, and I appreciated the reason. He didn’t want me to fail. Neither did Ryan. I could see it in their eyes every time they looked at me. I barely had time for anything other than eating, sleeping, and training. I had received a few texts from Brittany over the past week, thanking me effusively for the car, and all I had managed to send her in return was a weak reply that was only a few sentences long.
I knew she would understand, however; this fight was going to take all my strength and all my concentration. I couldn’t afford to let anything distract me – especially a beautiful dark-haired waitress with an hourglass figure.
I was obligated to sit at a press conference the night before the fight and answer questions from a number of reporters from different sports magazines and online publications. Much like the photo shoot, it was out of my comfort zone, but I had resigned myself to the task already. Steven had helped me choose the appropriate attire – black pants, a white shirt, and a navy blue tie. I had just adjusted the tie around my neck, when the door opened and Steven poked his head in.
“They’re ready for you,” he told me.
He was dressed similarly to me, except that his tie was a sober burgundy. I took a deep breath and followed him outside. The fight would be held in a proper arena tomorrow, but the press conference was taking place at the hotel I was staying at. I had been informed that Kendrick Conner was hosting a press conference of his own tonight at his own hotel.
“Now remember…be polite, be honest, and make an impression,” Steven said as we walked down the corridors of the hotel.
“Make an impression?” I repeated. “How the hell do I do that?”
“Keep them engaged,” he replied. “Wendell was right – you have garnered a significant amount of interest. People are keen to hear about the newbie from the underground. Answer their questions and keep a poker face on.”
“Why would a poker face be necessary?”