by Ellie Danes
She said a quick goodbye and with that, she was gone. A trick she’d learned from Tristan, I was sure. She had a habit of talking until she was done, then simply saying bye and hanging up. I didn't mind it. It was actually refreshing. She said what she needed and then was done. When we had a conversation, it was fun and light, but that was only when she got sidetracked.
The rest of the day was spent lounging with Ryder, cuddled up on the couch, except for the hour we were watching film of his competitor. After that, we met his father for a quick dinner and then headed back to his place.
We curled up in bed for our last night together until he was in New York. I didn't want to leave. There was nothing really keeping me in New York. I could easily find a job around here until I got the clothing line off the ground. And after these last two days, I felt even stronger about wanting to be near Ryder. I just didn’t know if it was the right move to make yet. Plus, I didn't want to bring it up until after the fight. He needed to be focused. Part of me wasn’t even sure I should have come to visit, but I’d needed to see him. I needed to feel him, even if I was being super selfish. And tonight, I was going to be as selfish as I could.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Zoey
The phone only rang a couple of times before Ryder answered. I looked at the clock to catch the time—he was still at the gym. Crap. I didn’t want to pester him, but I needed feedback.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you going to surprise me? I’m looking around the gym, but you’re not here.”
“No, I’m not there. Still in New York.” I sighed. “I had questions about the shorts. How are they?”
“I don't know…” Ryder said.
“Well, do you like the fit? Are they too tight? Is the material okay?”
“Honestly, the material feels a little…girly,” he whispered the last word.
I chuckled. “I do need for you to be honest! I need you to let me know what you don't like, not just what you do like,” I said again for the twentieth time this week.
“I like that it's absorbent as fuck, but it still feels like panties, and that makes me think about you, and then my workouts go to shit.” He sighed.
I giggled. I couldn't help it.
“It’s not funny, but I'm glad you're amused.”
“It's not funny,” I agreed. “Okay, maybe it is a little funny.” The laugh broke through before I could pull the phone away.
“I like the design and the way it fits, but the material is weird. I guess I can continue to wear it and see.”
“Maybe it’ll be different once we get it doubled up,” I said. I knew he was trying hard to stay focused, and I tried to talk only when we were both in bed at night. Our relationship had become a texting marathon. But I needed some feedback on the trunks.
“We have a set of trunks in black and red with your branding on it. The material has been doubled up. I'm going to send them over to you. We had them made for the fight, but only if you like them.”
“I'll wear them because you designed them,” he said in a rush.
“I don't want you to do that. They have to be comfortable and you need to be able to move freely in them.”
“I’m sure they’ll be great. Plus, if I win and they get popular, people will buy them. I mean, you have seen these people pay a hundred bucks for a hoodie? It's a freakin’ hoodie,” he said.
I could hear his feet hitting the platform of the treadmill. How he wasn’t breathing heavy was beyond me.
“Call me later, okay?” I asked. “I know you’re still at the gym, I just wanted an update before we move forward.”
“M’kay. Love ya, babe,” he said.
“Love you, too.”
I hung up the phone and pulled out my tablet and started working again. I also got on the phone with the fabric manufacturer and gave them the few concerns that Ryder had. Apparently, a few other men had the same concern. He said he would send the new fabric sample overnight and as long as the material was approved, he only needed four days to get the trunks ready before the fight.
“Awesome, I'll be in touch.” I hung up and immediately called Amy.
“Hello?” Amy answered. I was calling from my office phone which I never did, so I'm sure she had no idea who I was.
“What up, homey!” I tried to disguise my voice, but I started to laugh.
Amy sounded like she was stifling her laughter. “Zoey, what in the world?” A second passed. “Excuse me,” she said in a muffled voice then I heard shuffling as she was walking. After another couple of seconds, she said, “I was in a meeting and busted out laughing in the middle of a presentation.”
“Oops, sorry.”
“No worries, it was a boring presentation. Needed a little life, anyway. What’s up?”
“Ryder is worried about the material. It seems that it feeling like panties is a distraction.”
I heard her laugh. “Well, we’ve had this discussion. It kinda does, but functionality should trump that.”
“I know, but he said it interrupts his workouts.”
“What does?”
“The material.”
“We can have the cuts adjusted to fit better and maybe even make it a bit lighter.”
“It's not the cut.”
“Then what is it? Does he not like the color or the design?”
I tried not to laugh as I explained. “He said that when he feels them it makes him think of me, and then he can't stop thinking about my panties, and then his workouts suck.”
I had to hold the phone away from my ear. She was howling with laughter, and I heard Tristan talking over her trying to figure out what she was laughing so hard at. “Ryder,” she managed to get out, then the following words came between bouts of laughter and her trying to catch her breath enough to talk.
“Oh my god—Ryder—Panties—Distractions—”
“What in the hell is going on?” Tristan’s voice came across the phone. He’d given up on getting any explanation from Amy and taken the phone from her.
“It's nothing serious, just Ryder’s input on the clothing line,” I explained.
“Why is he messing with that before his fight?”
“Chill out, Tristan. He was wearing it while he worked out to make sure it would be comfortable during the fight and giving us feedback. You wouldn’t want him fidgeting with his trunks in the big fight, would you? It’s not a big deal.”
“Well, keep it that way,” he snapped and was gone, and Amy was back on the phone. I heard her say something to Tristan and he was leaving the room, and then I heard her swoony voice come across the line.
“What was that all about?”
“Nothing, except I told Tristan he wouldn't be able to work out either if he felt like he was wearing my undies.” She giggled and then we returned to business, talking about the Italian factory again.
Ryder had expressed the desire to keep the retail costs at a minimum. While his father had never struggled to pay bills, there was never a ton left over to spend on expensive name brand clothes. He saw this with so many kids that came to the gym, and he wanted to make sure that everyone could be a part of his team. We wanted a product that everyone could afford, but we didn't want a cheap product. So, production costs were a factor.
The logo brand was an R shaped like a mountain. It was a play on the nickname the media had given Ryder—the Mountain. He didn't like it but was rolling with it anyway.
Amy and I finished our conversation and I went about my day completing the last few things I had to do before I finished up. I didn't want to go home. Annette and her boyfriend had been on the brink of breaking up for days, and it was like walking into a cat fight every afternoon. I knew I needed to have a conversation with Annette, but I didn't want to stick my nose where it didn't belong. She loved him but he was a snake, and I had told her as much multiple times. She just didn't see it. Sometimes love really is blind.
Every time I brought any of it up, she immediately brought up Ryder and his past with
other women. What she missed was that all of the pictures that were posted were before me and there had been nothing since. Unlike what her current boyfriend was guilty of. I wasn't going to let my insecurities get the best of me. Ryder had done nothing but love me and prove over and over again that he was in this.
Personally, I had a hard time not just thinking about the sex, but I also wanted to make sure that he knew I wanted him for more than that. I wanted it all. The husband, the two point five kids, and the white picket fence. He had sent me a picture of some property that he was thinking about buying after the fight and asked my thoughts on it. It was beautiful and it made me feel important that he was sharing his future plans with me. We hadn't talked about the future in that way specifically, but I had a really good feeling we were both on the same page.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ryder
“I don't know how to get under that jab. He’s a bit taller than me, and if I move this way, he’ll hit me here.” I moved and then placed Bret’s hand against my cheek.
“I see that, but you have to move and maybe take the hit to get the advantage.”
“I’m a little concerned about taking that hit from him and staying on my feet.”
“Well, if you don't, there’s nothing you can do to get the positioning you want. I'm sure he’s studied you as much as you have him and him not expecting you to take it would be an advantage for you.”
I understood what Bret was saying, but at the same time, I wasn't so sure that he was right. If I took a jab to the face at just the right angle from someone who can hit as hard this guy could, it could be lights out for me. I didn't want to go out on a TKO in my first title fight. I had never been knocked out, and I didn't want to start now. Not only would it change my chances, it would also possibly knock me out of contention for a while if I got a concussion.
“Let's work this over again. Steve, get in here and do this move,” Bret called out over his shoulder.
I was dripping sweat and wiping at my forehead when I heard Tristan’s voice. I didn't have time to talk to him, nor did I want to. I was working hard to stay in the zone and not think about Zoey, and then he popped up with Amy in tow. I knew they had a meeting with Zoey tomorrow. I guessed they grabbed the train to come out and check on me.
I thought about Zoey and it was all over. I pulled back and stepped toward the ropes and leaned over them, looking down at Tristan. Amy smiled and waved. I dipped my chin and smiled. Tristan was talking on the phone, I assumed to Drake by the conversation. Drake was a little needy at times, it seemed.
“Yes, it's all handled,” Tristan said. “All you have to do is show up. Your tux needs to be fitted again since you gained that extra weight, but that should only take about an hour. Don't thank me, thank Amy since you use her as your personal assistant.” He paused, listening. “Yeah, next time ask Peyton. She’s your wife for Pete’s sake. I'll be in touch in a few days. Bye.” I watched as he looked over his phone, completely oblivious that I had stopped and was watching him.
“Amy, did you make sure—”
“Yes.” She answered before he finished his sentence. I’d noticed before that she rarely let him finish a sentence because she already had everything done, sometimes before he even asked her to do it. It was amusing, and even though they thought no one really knew about them, I was fairly certain that everybody did. Everyone let them keep believing their relationship was on the down-low, but once you had sex with someone, you couldn't help but be different around each other.
Tristan continued to look down at his phone until he realized that everyone was quiet. He looked up and then shoved his phone in his pocket.
“Good morning, Ryder. How is everything going?”
“Good.”
“Do you have a little time today that we can sit down and chat?”
“I'll be done here around noon, and then I'll have some time.” I pushed between the ropes, hopping down in front of him. Tristan was a formidable man, but he was still smaller than me. I looked down at him, and he took some paperwork out of Amy’s hand and handed it to me.
“Take a look at this and make sure it’s all doable. There are some things that the Pay-per-view people want you to do beforehand, and I think most of it can be done but I'm not fully aware of your schedule, so I need you to check it out.”
“Okay, I’ll call my dad and have him meet me at the restaurant. Is that all?”
“Yeah. We’ll leave you to it,” Tristan said, extending his hand.
I took it and then released it and patted Amy on the arm. “It was good to see you,” I said before turning and jumping back into the ring. I laid the paperwork on the corner before returning to face my sparring partner.
We worked for another hour, and then I hit the shower and got cleaned up. I texted Dad so he’d know to meet me and Tristan at the restaurant. A little while later, we were all there.
“It's good to see you, Tristan,” my father said as they shook hands. Dad winked at Amy, and I moved toward the front to give them my name.
“When are you going to see that this man isn't the one for you?” Dad started in on Amy. “I have this beautiful home that needs a beautiful woman.”
I laughed. “Don't worry, Tristan, he asks Zoey to marry him every time he sees her.” I jabbed Tristan in the arm.
He laughed. “There is no way in hell that I would ever let her move out here. I need her too much.” Tristan pulled Amy away from my dad and under his arm.
I smirked at my dad.
“It's worth a shot. Good quality women are hard to find,” Dad chided.
They called my name and Tristan put his hand on Amy’s back as they led us toward a table. It made me miss Zoey even more. I already had given a lot of thought to asking Zoey to move here. I knew it was quick, but I didn't care. I needed her with me.
It was a strange feeling when I needed someone more than I wanted them. All the women before had been a passing want. But Zoey was a want a straightforward need. The feeling had blindsided me, and at first, it scared me. But when I actually let go of the fear, I had totally let the warm fuzzies fly.
Dad had been relentless with the teasing but let me know that he’d done the exact same thing with my mother. I knew they’d had a real, tangible love and I wanted that—more than anything. I’d thought my main goal was the title, but that had become the means to an end for me. Fighting was my job and a way for me to take care of the family I hadn’t even realized I’d wanted until recently—a family with Zoey. Feeling those goals change was weird, to say the least.
“You there?” Tristan’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Yeah,” I grumbled.
“Leave him alone, he was thinking about Zoey,” Amy smiled at me.
I gave her a strange look.
She explained, “You went all starry-eyed, so I assumed.”
Tristan cleared his throat impatiently. “So, here’s the deal. We need to shoot three different commercials. “They’ll be used in advertisements for the fight. I have set those up, and they’ll be filming your parts here in the afternoons next week.” He turned to Amy. “Can you have the shorts he’ll be wearing for the fight ready by then?”
“Yes. They should be delivered Monday.”
“Okay, so make sure you have those with you for the shoot. They’ll film first and then do the stills. There’ll be a crew here, so try to make sure the gym is closed down for a few hours. The fewer eyes, the better. You might want to make sure Zoey’s here for the day, too.” He stopped and looked at me. “But I need you focused as we are getting to the wire here. I’ve been talking to Bret, and he has your workout schedule set for the next few weeks.”
“You know I can do all these things, but I’m thankful that you’re so invested,” I told him.
“I’m here to make sure you get the things you want and deserve. It's my job. Your dad has been an intricate part in making all of this happen and has approved multiple things that I couldn't get through you.”
>
My dad beamed with pride.
Tristan continued, “We’ve discussed payment, and if all goes well, you’ll receive high six figures, maybe even seven when you win.”
I knew there was big money in my future as a fighter, but I wasn't expecting it to happen this fast. I could do all the things I needed to do, and there was still the clothing line that we would get money from. It was all surreal to see all of my hard work paying off.
The conversation went from subject to subject, but wasn't really about the fight. It was nice to simply have dinner with people and not have to worry about anything. Tristan had everything taken care of, and all I had to do was show up. It seemed to be the way things would always be. He was more than I had expected, and with Amy and Zoey being friends, it was even better than I had imagined. Without Amy, Zoey wouldn't be in this. But Amy had seen Zoey’s talent and had made a job for her that could launch her career. There was nothing that I could do to thank Amy enough for that.
We finished up, and Tristan and Amy went on their way. I offered to take them to the train station, but they’d already made arrangements for a ride.
As they drove off, Dad threw his arm over my shoulder and said, “I think you signing with Tristan’s firm was the best decision you ever made.”
“I think you might be right.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Zoey
The shorts for Ryder’s shoot were lost in the mail somewhere. No one could tell me where they were and no matter how much yelling I did, the answers didn't change. I was in full panic mode. Ryder had told me an hour ago not to worry and that hopefully they would show up by tomorrow, but I wasn't so certain. Antonio had assured me they had been mailed and that he had put another pair in with priority shipping and, hopefully, they would make it as well. He said that the second pair was only for pictures as he hadn't had time to reinforce the stitching. Overnight from Italy was a crapshoot and not really even possible in my mind, but he assured me it had been done before.