“If he doesn’t want you, he’s a fool. And The Admiral has some screws loose. She doesn’t know my brother from Adam. There is no one more loyal or dependable than Galen, and you are funny, and smart, and beautiful. You’re everything a man like my brother could ever want. Stop making excuses because you’re afraid. You have to do this because then at least you can say that you tried. Ten years from now if you’re saddled with some balding Marty-type snoozer, you won’t be left wondering what if and daydreaming about a time machine so you could come back to this day and have a do-over.”
Lacey let her friend’s words sink in. Could she stand it? If he came right out and said he didn’t want to be with her, would she ever be okay again? She dug deep for the answer but came up empty. What she did know was that she’d let him walk away once and she’d never be okay if she didn’t at least try to get him back.
“Where is he?”
Cat checked her watch and smiled. “Funny you should ask.”
Chapter Thirteen
At first, Lacey’s heart had almost leaped out of her chest. She was sure Galen was going to walk through the door, but instead Cat had thrown some bills on the table and dragged her out of the restaurant. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to Beazley’s Gym on South Seventh Street. The parking lot was packed with both cars and news vans.
Lacey turned to Cat. “What’s going on? You said he was at the gym, but what’s all this stuff?”
“He is at the gym. Manny has accepted the terms for the rematch. Galen and his trainer are holding a press conference,” Cat said, as casually as if she were announcing what she’d had for breakfast. She opened her door and swung her legs out.
Panic rose in Lacey’s chest and hysterical laughter built in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, and it bubbled over. Cat whipped around to face her with a baffled glare. “What is so funny?”
Lacey tried to talk, but the laughter kept coming, swiftly joined by tears. Her emotions were all over the place and she was pretty sure she was having a panic attack. She bent low and pressed her head between her knees.
“Okay, whoa. This was obviously a bad idea. You’re in super crazy-pants mode right now.” She pulled her legs back into the car and shut the door. “Let’s go. We can just watch the press conference on TV and you can catch him later tonight when you’ve had a chance to think. Maybe make a pros and cons list.”
That would be the safest thing to do. She’d had her fill of humiliation for the year, and the prospect of Galen denying her in front of a roomful of people made her legs feel jiggly. A sense of calm flowed over her and the laughter stopped. “No. I’m doing this. It’s time for me to grow some balls. I’ve got to become the meat in my own sandwich now, you know?”
Cat turned and gave her a puzzled stare.
“What I mean is that I need to take control of my life and do what makes me happy. I’m fighting for what I want and I’m not going to play it safe this time in case I lose. I’m going to go big or go home. No more jabs for Lacey Garrity. I’m throwing the haymaker.” Her chest went tight and she opened her car door. Despite the bravado, her gut churned. The thought of going back to life before Galen was too sad to bear.#p#分页标题#e#
She stepped out of the car and crossed the parking lot, her friend at her side. When they reached the door, it seemed larger than life. Somehow, if lions had flanked it, they wouldn’t have seemed out of place. She pushed away the ludicrous thought and raised a hand to push it open.
A bald, hulking man in a suit standing next to the door held up a hand. “Press only.”
Cat held up two red badges. “Family.”
The behemoth nodded his shiny head and waved them in.
“Does he know I’m coming?” she whispered.
Cat didn’t turn around, elbowing her way through the milling crowd of reporters. “Nope. Hell, I wasn’t even sure you were coming.”
“So where’d you get the second badge?”
“It’s my mom’s. She, uh, sort of knows what’s going on and wanted you to have it. Just in case.”
Lacey groaned. “No pressure.”
“There isn’t. Be honest, say what you came to say, and that’s all you can do.”
Lacey was scanning the room for some sign of Galen when a voice boomed over the portable speakers scattered around the perimeter. “All right, everyone. If you could take a seat, we’ll start now. Galen, Max, and I will give our statements, and then we’ll open the floor for Q and A.”