by Hadley Quinn
She pulled away from him and noticed he was looking at all of her parents’ ridiculous décor. “Are you kidding?” she chuckled. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Really?”
“Really. And besides, it’s going to be our lifestyle, not just yours.”
He smiled and nodded his agreement. “You’re right. And I know you have your heart set on giving the apartment a little makeover, don’t you.”
She laughed but had to agree. But she told him she didn’t want to take over too much of his “style.”
“I don’t have any style,” he said. “I’ll leave that up to you. But there is the issue of whether or not you want to stay at Jefferson, or in New Jersey, even. Dani, if you’d rather live somewhere else—”
“I think we’re okay, don’t you? We’ll have plenty of time to talk about it.”
“Okay. But we have a lot of options, babe. Just so you know that. Maybe it would be a good thing to move out of Jersey…” He truly wanted to know if that was her desire, and even though Dani had thought about it several times, for now she just wanted to be with Van.
“Maybe,” she replied, making him sit down with her. “But for now things might be okay.”
She didn’t want to talk about Brian, but she ended up going over some of the legal steps that were being taken to keep him out of her life. According to her father’s lawyer, the private investigator couldn’t find him and he believed Brian skipped town.
She definitely didn’t want to talk about that night with Quincy, but she broke down and told Van anyways. She didn’t want anything standing between them so she felt it was best to get everything out in the open. She knew that Van was furious, and he had a hard time dealing with it.
Van then realized that she didn’t know Quincy’s role in the whole thing. It killed him to tell her, but he also wanted everything out in the open. He didn’t know how she would react, but he was surprised that she hardly reacted at all. He could tell it affected her, but she just sat on the couch and seemed to think about it. Dani was actually remembering everything that Quincy did that night to get her in that apartment, and it almost made her cry again. She was angry at the same time, wondering how someone could be so deceitful. It made her feel like trash, like she was unimportant, but she didn’t admit that to Van. It was over with, and there was nothing she could do to change things.
“I’m ready to go home,” Dani said, laying her head against Van’s shoulder.
“I’m ready to take you home,” he replied.
Chapter Sixteen
Their lives changed permanently a few weeks later. June 5 was the happiest day of Van’s life. He married the girl of his dreams and took her to the Bahamas for a weeklong honeymoon.
Dani felt more secure than ever. They had money in the bank, a place to live, and most importantly, she was married to Donavan Kemp. Her parents helped Simon sell his house and find an apartment in LA, which was where he was now working permanently. Dani was still working at Flegal Design and she enjoyed it, but one weekend a month she worked for her parents. Because Simone and Dominic were afraid to lose their daughter again, there wasn’t the pressure and stress like there was before, and Dani actually enjoyed the simple photo shoots. Life couldn’t get any better for her and she counted her blessings everyday.
The only thing that was still unsettled was Brian. Unfortunately he was right when he said he was a step ahead of her. He’d already “moved” by the time he’d tricked her into seeing him, and there was even plenty of “evidence” that said he was in Atlanta that night. He’d given his notice at work two weeks prior, there was no proof that he’d sent Dani the text message, and there was no proof that anyone had seen him in New Jersey that week.
Except Quincy. But he wanted nothing to do with the investigation and wouldn’t keep his story straight. Van didn’t want anything to do with him in the first place, but when Q wouldn’t even come through for them to back up Dani’s side of the story, Van was through with him. He forced him to move out of the apartment complex—everyone did—and when Quincy finally came to move his stuff out, Cody had to hold Van back when he saw him in the hallway.
It broke Dani’s heart to have a friendship ruined because of her, but after everything that had happened, she felt better knowing that Van wasn’t friends with such a shady character in the first place. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
***
“Do you even like your job at Flegal?” Jaime asked Dani. It was three days after Dani had returned from her honeymoon, a Saturday, and they were having lunch at McDonald’s with Jacob and Naomi.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you spend forty hours a week there and make less than you do working one weekend for mom or dad. Wouldn’t you like to have all of that time? Maybe you should quit your fulltime job and just work part time. Then you’d have more time with Van.”
Dani had considered that, especially since Van was at the gym six hours a day, plus another two studying video footage of previous fights. Also, he’d already fought in two matches at the end of May.
“I’m afraid to make any changes right now,” Dani admitted. “If I quit Flegal, I don’t think it would be easy to get a reference from them in the future.”
“You’ve got your savings back, you can make a few grand a month just working a weekend with mom and dad, Van’s getting paid to, um, kick someone’s ass, I guess—” That made Dani laugh. “—It was just an idea,” Jaime finished.
“I know, but… I’m afraid to make changes. This past year has been a rollercoaster with work. I’m thankful to have a job again, and I don’t ever want to be without one. And I never thought I would step foot in modeling again, especially with Mom and Dad, but it’s been…different this time. I’ll see how it goes for a while before I decide anything like that. And Van’s fights are usually on Fridays, so if I go in an hour early, I can get out an hour early.”
“What about doing some design on your own?”
Dani studied her sister for a few seconds. “What is it with you trying to get me away from Flegal?”
She sighed. “I’m not, it’s just… I don’t know. I love how happy you guys are. I think if Steve and I had more time together in the beginning, maybe we would have lasted. We just grew apart. And I was talking to your friend Marnie at the wedding. She kind of offered her condolences about my divorce, and then we just started talking about stuff. She said that her and Paul aren’t as close as they used to be.”
“Yeah, I know,” Dani said sadly.
“And she said they’d probably be split up too if either one of them could make it on their own. Right now they just kind of help each other along. But it makes me sad, you know? I just think people focus on so many things instead of thinking about what’s important. Sure you have to make a living, but can’t it be done as you put your marriage first? I mean Steve never did that. It was work, work, work. And when he was with us, he was so used to being in that work mindset that he couldn’t shift over to family time.”
“But of course there are negative effects of less work,” Dani pointed out.
“Depending on the job. Steve was salaried. I think he could have adjusted a few things, but he chose not to. I just hope you guys know how to balance it all.”
“We’re doing pretty well. He works when I work, and we have evenings and weekends together. But I do wish we had more time together because I miss him during the day.”
“Then go on your own. You like variety. Do some photography, do some design on the side, do some modeling… You’re a triple threat. Mix it up a bit and make your own hours.”
Jaime really had her thinking after that. It wasn’t that Dani hadn’t considered it already, but to hear someone else encourage her same ideas felt a little empowering. Van had also encouraged her to go any direction that she wanted to, and she knew she could do anything with his support.
The four of them walked a few blocks to the Divehouse after lunch to see Van. Jacob was r
eally obsessed with mixed martial arts lately, especially after seeing Van’s last match. Dani had kind of discouraged it, but Jaime had no problem letting her kids see an MMA fight. Naomi liked the gym too, but she liked all of the equipment she could punch and kick.
Jacob liked full contact with another human being, and since an eleven-year-old couldn’t possibly hurt Van, he let the kid go to town on him. The mood shifted, however, when the two of them were playing around in the ring and Quincy walked through the door. Dani saw the change on Van’s face, but even while he was staring at his traitorous friend, he was able to stop Jacob’s fist from punching him at the same time.
“Oh great,” Dani said, jumping up from her chair. Van had already left the mat, leaving Jacob standing there confused by his sudden departure, but Dani made it to her husband in time to step in front of him. “There are kids in here,” she told him quietly, even though Quincy pointed at him and said, “Stay the fuck away from me, Van!”
Cody had been nearby and he came over quickly to monitor the situation. Scotty and Gary left what they were doing to wander over to the two, and so did Mickey, who told Quincy he wasn’t welcome there anymore.
“I came to get my shit,” Quincy said, and he brushed by Mickey and headed for the locker room.
Van took a deep breath and slowly released it. Dani was looking at him to make sure he was going to leave Quincy alone and he held up his hands and said, “No worries.”
“Stay away from the locker room,” she warned him with a smile.
He lightly laughed and said, “Yes, ma’am,” and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I think I’d rather spend the rest of the day with you, though. I’m done here.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
***
Quincy was glad they were gone when he came out. He didn’t like the looks the other guys gave him, but Van was the only one he was truly afraid of. Out of all the guys he could have pissed off, he wished it wasn’t Van. But it was too late to use common sense now, and he was still paying the price for his mistakes.
He left the Divehouse with an armful of gear and threw it with his bag into the back of his car. If his friends were going to forsake him, he was now on his own.
He decided to disappear after that. He couldn’t face any of them anymore.
***
Van had a fight the next Friday. Dani left work at four, got home and changed her clothes, and headed down to Trenton with Marnie. Van was already there with Paul, Cody, Mickey, and the rest of the guys that had fights that night, and she met up with him before the event started.
“Are you nervous again, or is it getting better?” Van asked her with a smile.
“I’m always nervous. I don’t know if it will get any better.”
“Nah, don’t say that. You’ll get over it.”
“Maybe. I’m toughening up, trust me. I just worry about you. I mean I enjoy watching you win, so as long as you keep winning, I should be fine.”
He chuckled and said, “Well, that’s usually the plan. Come here for a sec,” he said, motioning for her to give him a hug. She stepped into his arms and he held her close. His bare skin was still dry because he hadn’t even warmed up yet, so she wrapped her arms around him and enjoyed his touch.
“You’re so sexy,” she told him. “It’s the only reason I like watching this sport.”
He smiled and said, “Well, you might like my opponent tonight. He’s pretty popular with the ladies, I hear.”
That made her smile but she answered, “The only thing I like about your opponents is when they lose. That’s all I care about.”
“Well, tonight could be a tough one,” he decided to warn her.
“Ugh, don’t tell me that.”
“I’m getting tougher matches, D. It’s the way it goes. I’m moving back up the ladder again.”
She sighed, but she was grateful for his honesty.
“Jonny, you’re up,” Mickey called to a welterweight that had been warming up in the next room.
“Well, I have to let you go,” Van said reluctantly. “I need to get ready.”
“Okay. I’ll be cheering for you, even if you can’t hear me.”
“I hear you right here,” he replied, tapping his chest.
She smiled and said, “Aw, you’re so sweet.”
“What?” Mickey overheard. “I don’t wanna hear that crap!” He motioned for Van to get his hands taped and winked at Dani.
“Okay, my love,” she said to Van. “Knock him down.”
“Sure thing, baby,” he grinned. He kissed her goodbye and watched her leave, and then he met Andre in the other room for a tape-up.
“Does this seriously get any easier?” Dani asked Marnie as they found their seats.
“Yeah, I think it did. Of course I’d been around it with my brothers for a couple of years already. I met Paul after I’d seen him fight a few fights. We didn’t start dating until a few months later. I guess I was used to it by then.”
Dani took a deep breath and let it out. Cody’s family was to her right and she talked to them for a minute before Jonny’s fight was announced. Jonny ended up losing in the second round by tapout, and then Cody’s middleweight match was announced next. Paul was in his corner that night with Mickey. He’d been taking on fights recently, but just not that night since he was in the same weight class as Cody, and Cody was deemed a better fit for that night’s middleweight match. The match was a close one, but Cody ended up winning by tapout in the third round. Dani’s adrenaline was already pumping because of Cody’s match, so when Van’s light heavyweight match was announced, she felt pretty tense.
“Ooh, Van was right,” Marnie said to her. “Gavin Morrison is pretty hot.”
Dani glanced over her husband’s opponent that had entered the ring, but she shook her head with a smile. “No way, he’s got nothing on my baby. And he’s gonna lose tonight. Totally cancels out the hotness factor.”
Marnie laughed with agreement, but as Dani stood to cheer Van’s entrance to the ring, something caught her eye across the room. It was Brian, she was sure of it. Even with a hat on he was unmistakable, especially when he caught her gaze and smiled back.
“Oh my God, Brian’s here,” she said to Marnie.
“Where?” she growled automatically.
“Other side of the room to the right side, eight rows up.”
Marnie took a few seconds to locate him and said, “What a shit face. What the hell is he doing here? He’s breaking the restraining order, right? Call the cops,” she said, pulling out her phone.
“Nope,” Dani said. “He’s fifty feet away. I bet he even measured it out.” Dani had to look away by then; he was the last person on earth she wanted to see and her stomach felt sick. But why was he here? He’d never been into MMA before.
She focused her attention on Van, which was a good thing because he looked her way at that moment. If Van knew that Brian was in the room, he would have left the cage without a thought and ripped him apart. Maybe Brian was hoping for that. She didn’t doubt it. With a room full of people there was no way Van could do much to him, and if he did, he’d have dozens of witnesses.
The only thing Dani could do was remain where she was. She was safe, and Van was occupied in the cage. When the match started, she subtly used her phone to take a picture from her lap, just in case she ever had to prove that Brian had been there. Then she texted her parents to let them know, and her father replied that he’d call someone to look into it. After that she focused on Van’s match that lasted only one round, ending with the knockout of Gavin Morrison.
“So much for good looks getting you anywhere,” Marnie mumbled.
Dani smiled as she cheered for her husband’s victory. She glanced to her right to keep an eye on Brian, but he was already gone. The trainers were still working on getting Gavin to come to, and when he did, the crowd applauded for him. Dani watched Van’s exit with Mickey and Paul, and then she and Marnie left their seats a few minutes
later to join them.
Mickey was cleaning up a tiny cut by Van’s eye when Dani entered the room. She liked his smile and she gave him a fist pound to congratulate his win. He dried his face again with the towel that was around his neck and asked, “Well? How’d you do?”
She smiled and replied, “Um, just fine. You did great.”
“ ‘Um, just fine?’ ” he teased, mimicking her. When she took a deep breath he recognized something else was bothering her. “What’s the matter?”
“You stay sitting right there?” she asked.
He gave her a curious look, but Dani could tell that Marnie had already told Paul, and he was at Van’s side to help if it was needed.
“Brian was here,” she told Van.
“What?” he growled, popping up from the table.
“Hey,” Mickey warned him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Paul stepped in front of him to make sure he didn’t make a break for the exit.
“I think he left though,” Dani said quickly. “But he was there, watching your fight.”
Van contemplated silently. He was angry, but he remained angry to himself. He began stripping the tape from his hands. “You’re not going to be anywhere without me, okay?” he finally said.
“I know,” she replied with a nod. “And my dad called Trist; I’m sure he’ll be tracking him down.”
Van wasn’t going to count on a private investigator, but he only nodded his head.
Mickey had to leave for the cage with Nate for his heavyweight match, so he gave Andre a look to keep an eye on Van as he motioned for Paul to come with him.
“Where was he?” Van asked Dani.
“My three o’clock,” she replied. “Kind of under the dealership sign? About eight rows from the floor.”
He barely nodded. “Fifty feet from you, huh,” he stated.
She watched him toss the balled up tape into the garbage but he didn’t say anything further. By then everyone had given Van some space—Andre and Marnie were on the other side of the room, but Dani knew they were positioned by the exit for a reason.