Maybe This Time(62)
“Don’t swoon over me, girl,” Tag says, his eyes twinkling.
“I’ll try.”
“Try harder.”
“You’re such a good father, I can’t help it.”
His eyes darken. “It wasn’t always this way. I made some fucked up mistakes in the beginning.” He turns and walks off.
Touchy subject, then.
“What are you doing here?” Ryan asks, frowning as he walks in.
“I know you guys need help for the rush, so I thought I’d come in for an hour or so.”
“Reid wants you with him,” he says.
“Reid can wait an hour without me.”
Ryan doesn’t look so sure.
“Relax, Ry.”
“I can’t help it, babe, it’s an important fight,” he says, rubbing his hands on his face wearily.
“I know, trust me, I know,” I say quietly.
“Yeah, all I know is you better be there. Jade isn’t going for some reason, but Reid doesn’t care cos he just needs you there.”
“So I’ve heard,” I say dryly.
Ryan tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “Go home, babe, get ready. We’ll come pick you up,” he says.
“Alright,” I tell him, but end up serving a few more customers and wiping down the bar before I leave.
A couple of hours later I’m dressed in light denim distressed jeans, a light pink V neck top and black boots. My hair is tied away from my face, and flowing down my back in a ponytail. Reid rang me and said he was going to the location earlier to warm up, so I’ll be riding with Ryan. I hear a horn sound and rush to the front door, locking it behind me. Sliding into the car, I shoot him an amused look.
“Beeping the horn, really? If this was a date you'd be considered a douche.”
“Well, I rang your phone and you didn’t answer, and unlucky for you, but this isn’t a date,” he says, grinning mischievously. I watch as he reverses the car and pulls onto the road.
“Unlucky for me? Really? I’ve seen enough of the Ryan Knox charm to know how you operate.”
“How I operate?” he asks, eyebrows rising.
“Yeah, flashing that charming smile of yours, your smooth lines…”
“Smooth lines?” he repeats, scoffing.
“Yep.”
“Babe, all I need is this face and this body, not to mention what I can do for a woman in the sheets, and I’m pretty much good to go,” he brags.
“So modest.”
He shrugs. “It’s the truth.”
“You’re pretty hot,” I admit, a little reluctantly.
He laughs. “Of course you’d think so.”
“I may be biased, though.”
“Just a little,” he says, squashing his thumb and index finger.
“I’m a little partial to those baby blues.”
“You’re perfect for Reid,” he says, smiling at me with such warmth, I get a little choked up.
I clear my throat. “Where’s the fight held?”
“Place you’ve never been before. It’s a little further out,” he says.
“Is Mia gonna be there?” I ask.
“Probably. She’s not the only doctor that comes out, though, so maybe not.”
“Can I ask you something?”
He nods his head yes.
“Why wouldn’t Reid stop fighting, now that he has River, I mean, wouldn’t that seem more important?”
Ryan sighs. “He considered it. But it’s only two fights left, and then he'll be done forever. He’s come this close.”
“I guess,” I say, starting to feel a little anxious. I only hope he wins tonight.
The drive is about half an hour, and I’m surprised at the amount of people around the warehouse.
“Shit, there’s more people here than the last two fights.”
“Yep,” he says, finding a secluded parking spot a little away from the crowd.
“He’s gonna be fine, right?”
“He’s gonna be fine.”
“Okay, let’s do this, then,” I say, taking a deep breath.
The atmosphere is different tonight, it’s thick and heavy. Filled with anticipation. I can see people holding up signs for both Reid and his opponent, some more creative than others. For the first time at a fight, there are seats around the ring. Ryan takes me by my arm, and I smile when I see familiar faces. Xander, dad and Dash. I hug all three men and then look around for my man.
“Where is he?”
“Out back, he’ll be out in a minute,” he says.
“Can I go see him?” I ask, my gaze darting.
“Just wait, baby,” Dash says, pulling me closer to him.
Something’s not right.
I sigh in relief when I see Reid walk out. He’s shirtless, and a little sweaty, like he’s already been fighting. I head in his direction, stopping when I see his face. He looks mad. No, not mad, he looks pissed. He raises his head and sees me, and I watch as his face goes soft right before my eyes. He reaches me in a few quick steps.