I watched her body language and saw a hint of fear rake her body. I watched the exchange, trying to reel back the anger that was building. I told myself if he didn’t let her go in the next minute, I would have to do it for him. Finally, after an agonizing second or two, she snatched her arm back and walked away. She went to sit next to her angry-looking friends—Michelle and Teresa.
Travis and I made eye contact for a long time. I knew he and I would have to have a heart to heart very soon. I was sure of it. Alex motioned for me to head to the cage. I looked in Alex’s eyes, and he looked worried.
“You good?” he asked me.
I smiled, but I knew it was superficial.
“Yup,” was all I said as I walked by him.
I was ready for this fight. I had so much frustration built up; it was unreal. I made eye contact again with Travis, and then I looked up and into the eyes of Max. I could tell she was still bothered by the confrontation she had with Travis, which pissed me off even more. I wasn’t paying any attention to the announcer or the people screaming and yelling. I heard Alex call my name, and I reacted by swiping the feeble attempt of my opponent at a punch with a hard right fist of my own. I then connected the strongest uppercut I could against his face. He dropped instantly, and I knew he wouldn’t get up.
I made eye contact with Travis as the ref counted to ten. I was hoping I could bait him for a fight sooner rather than later. I hoped when I smiled and blew him a kiss—and then flipped him off—that would help. Alex laughed, and Lou just shook his head in disappointment. Who I wanted to actually be affected by what I’d done was Travis, and he was. I could see the anger dripping off him.
Good. I hoped that I wouldn’t have to wait very long for him.
That night I went to The Bar to check up on Max. I didn’t get a chance to see her after the fight. When I left later that night, she was gone. It was about 2 a.m. when I got to The Bar. It was still crowded, so I found a table in the back and had a few beers. I spotted her but didn’t let her know I was there. I just watched her work. She interacted with everyone with such ease. She flirted with some of the guys but never went overboard, and they seemed to respect her.
As the place started thinning out, she finally spotted me. She smiled and came over to me. I watched her glide over with that stunning smile of hers.
“Hey, you. How long have you been here?” she asked me.
“Not long. Are you able to take a break for a minute?”
“Sure, it finally slowed down. Why don’t you come over by the bar while I clean up, so you can talk to me?”
I nodded, but first I went to the jukebox and played a few songs. The first that played was by The Script called ‘Breakeven.’
She smiled and shook her head as she began to break down the bar and started putting away the pouring spouts for the bottles of liquor, replacing them with their tops.
“Congrats on the victory today,” she told me.
“Thanks. I was actually coming to check up on you.”
She raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah, how come?”
“Uh, well… The exchange between you and Travis looked kind of heated. Then you weren’t in the stands when I came out of the waiting room. I figured he upset you somehow.”
She tried not to make eye contact with me as she worked. I tilted my head and watched her silently, waiting for her to look up at me. When she didn’t, and I saw her hand come close to me, I reached for it. That made her look up at me. I saw the emotion in her eyes, and I laced my fingers in hers.
“You want to tell me what happened with the two of you?” I asked softly.
She took a few deep breaths then nodded.
She told me, “Can you give me a few and let me clean up?”
“Of course, angel, I’ll be over there.”
I pointed to a booth by the stage, and she nodded. About forty-five minutes later, she made her way over to me. She had a drink in her hand that she shot back and then she made eye contact with me. Over the three weeks, we talked nonstop. We spent time here at The Bar and at the gym after my workouts. We even texted each other. We never had an awkward silent moment, until now.
She sighed, then finally said, “I caught Travis cheating on me.”
“When?” I asked her, clearly seeing she was still affected by it.
“The Saturday I found you playing the piano.”
I nodded my understanding.
She laughed slightly and told me, “What’s crazy is how I caught him.”
“Did you catch him in the act?”
“Urgh, did I?! Mace, I found my ex-boyfriend up against a wall getting head from a chick on her knees, and he was fingering another while holding her straddle-like in his arms.”