For the past forty minutes, Nellie had practically pranced around her bedroom, going through her outfits for tomorrow. She’d decided to ignore Sam’s text asking if she was going to be able to join him for brunch. Roni would be furious, especially because her decision to ignore him was a direct result of her night and morning with Abel.
There was no question about it now. She was definitely picking up on a vibe from Abel. She wasn’t alone with her growing feelings, but she was still too chicken to dare say anything. Their second night in a row together, although she wasn’t counting on it, might shine some light on things. She knew there was only so much small talk they could make before delving into personal stuff. Already Abel had broken some of the unspoken rules on more than one occasion.
That reminded her that she still didn’t know much about his opponent, and they’d certainly be talking about his fight from here until the big day that was fast approaching. Last night they’d filled her in on their meeting with the director of PR, someone she’d be meeting with in a couple of days.
Since she was in the middle of a load of laundry, she decided to have some coffee and do some homework on this Hammerhead fellow they spoke of last night with such disdain. Apparently he and his camp were all about playing ugly in the media. She’d be handling all the fight-related events at 5th Street leading up to the fight where there would be reporters, cameras, and such present. It was best if she knew a little of what she was getting herself into.
Firing up her laptop on her dining room table, she pulled up a browser and typed in “Abel Ayala’s opponent.” Immediately, Nathanial “Hammerhead” McKinley came up. She scrolled through the photos first. There was something very familiar about him. Maybe she had been paying more attention than she originally thought because she’d definitely seen this guy before. She read the short bio under one of his photos. He was born and raised in Highland, Michigan, where he and his brothers stayed out of trouble by joining the local boxing gym instead.
That made her smile. As much as the guys spoke so sourly about McKinley and his brothers last night, they had something huge in common with them. They couldn’t be too bad, right? And they all agreed that the kind of trash talking that he and his brothers did was all part of the hype. Abel just didn’t want any part of that. So he refused to do any.
She skimmed through all the need-to-know stuff about McKinley: how long he’d been the champ, who he beat to win the title, what his weaknesses were, etc. Just a few minutes later, she’d had enough. She figured she didn’t have to know everything about the guy, just the key things, and she’d covered them all.
With a smirk, she deleted the word opponent, hit enter, and then walked away to pour herself some coffee. She’d rather drool over photos of Abel than read boring boxing stats of someone else any day. Her phone rang, and she frowned when she saw that it was Roni. She had a feeling why she’d be calling this early, but she answered anyway.
“Good morning,” she chirped, sounding a little too cheery.
Roni was quiet for a moment before speaking. “Someone’s in a good mood. Is it because you’re busy getting ready to go on your brunch date?”
Nellie did the Roni thing and crinkled her nose. “Um, I haven’t talked to Sam, actually.” She picked up her mug, still feeling the little skip in her step as she walked back toward her laptop. “We didn’t make for sure arrangements, so I figured since I haven’t heard from him he changed his mind.”
Okay, that was a little white lie, but it was necessary. Roni knew her too well, and if Nellie told her she’d changed her mind, Roni would know exactly why. Already last night she’d cornered her in the kitchen and teased her about her and Abel not being able to keep their eyes off each other. Nellie had assured her they were just flirting, reminding her once again that they were fuck buddies after all. Of course, they’d be flirting. But as always, she’d seen the worry in Roni’s eyes. Though to her credit, Roni kept her promise about keeping her nose out of it and let it go.
“Did you and Abel . . . you know . . . last night?”
“Maybe,” Nellie said, her smile going flat the moment she sat down in front of her laptop. She didn’t even hear what Roni said next as her eyes were glued to the latest headline about Abel and the photos just beneath it.
THINGS HEATING UP BETWEEN AWELESS AYALA AND ASPIRING FITNESS MODEL, RACHEL DELGADILLO.
Never had her mood done such a wild and abrupt about face. She literally felt the air sucked out of her. The wheezing in her breathing was already feeling heavier with every breath she took, and she reached for the inhaler in her purse. Taking a big hit from it, holding it in until she felt the pressure in her lungs ease, she exhaled slowly.
The time on the headline said it was uploaded less than an hour ago. Among the new photos of Abel and the fucking juice girl, there was one of her running out to meet him as he pulled into the 5th Street parking lot. He wore the very tank and basketball shorts he’d pulled out of his trunk just that morning and changed into. She appeared to be very excited to see him. Nellie’s heart sank at the sight of Abel, who’d had to practically pry his arms off Nellie just before he’d left, pulling this girl to him with that same sweet smile she’d seen on him so often lately.
Nellie hadn’t even realized she gasped at the photo of them embracing until she heard Roni’s worried words. “What’s wrong?”
Knowing there’d be no way she’d be able to hold a conversation with Roni now without her best friend picking up on her mood change, she said the only thing that might excite Roni more than worry her. “That’s Sam on the other line. Let me call you back.”
“It is?” Roni asked, not sounding nearly as excited as Nellie thought she’d be. “Oh, okay, well, call me back.”
The strangeness in Roni’s reaction made Nellie wonder what all she’d missed of Roni’s remarks after she’d confirmed that maybe she and Abel had . . . you know. But her mind was still completely wrapped around something else to give it too much thought.
With a deep breath, she clicked the photos, her chest tightening with every different one of Abel’s sweet encounter with Rachel. “Don’t do this,” she whispered to herself as her eyes remained glued to the photos. “This is just how the paparazzi work.”
Her head argued with her heart that she needed to give him the benefit of the doubt. After the night and morning they’d had, she owed him that much. Each photo she clicked on with him smiling so sweetly at Rachel as he took her in his arms wounded Nellie’s fragile heart a little further. Still she held out hope that it was just an innocent exchange—that even though Abel had reached out for her first, the girl was just a touchy-feely bitch who couldn’t keep her hands off him, and what was Abel supposed to do? Then she froze at the sight of the photo of them kissing, the ache in her pounding heart unbearable.
Wiping the stupid tears from her eyes because they’d blurred her vision, she was determined to look through every last goddamned photo of him and this girl. As much as it hurt, her delusional heart needed this. Furious with herself now, she clicked on every picture, staring at them even as she swatted tears away. Of course, Nellie had been completely taken by him. The man was beautiful and he said she was beautiful. But the worst thing was that she was actually beginning to believe him. Of course, he’d be into fitness models. Why would he settle for anything less? His body was perfection, and he may be the next heavyweight champ. So it made perfect sense that he’d seek out perfection, not some older divorcee whose husband had left her for her own damn sister!
“No!” she stood up with a sudden conviction, her eyes still stuck to the photo of Abel and Rachel embracing yet again as they reached the entrance of 5th Street. “I am not just a divorcee, and I may not be a fitness model, but I can hold my own!”
Sam was very good looking, and she could admit it now without feeling the ridiculous guilt she’d felt last night when she couldn’t bring herself to use the word to describe his eyes—they were beautiful. And he seemed to have taken a liking to her immediately. In fact, he’d flirted with her outrageously the entire night and then said he’d really hoped to see her again before he left town—tonight.
Picking up her phone, she ignored her shaking hand as she scrolled through her texts. She slammed her laptop closed and started to her room just as she found the text from Sam that morning. Without another thought, because she knew if she even hesitated that she might change her mind, she responded.
Sorry I slept in. Just now saw this. Does the offer to get together for brunch still stand?
Her phone beeped before it even hit her bed where she’d tossed it. Infuriatingly, the tears were still coming, and she continued to swat them away as she picked up the phone.
Of course! I was still holding out hope that I’d hear from you and hadn’t made plans. You feel like Mexican brunch? The place I mentioned came highly recommended, and I was told I HAD to try before I leave Cali. It’s a couple of hours away in La Jolla. I’m told it’s absolutely worth the drive. But you’d be looking at spending most your day with me. Not sure if you’re up for that just yet. ;)
Still struggling with the pain of those photos that were now burned in her memory, she swatted more tears away. But they were angry tears now. She just wasn’t sure who she was angrier at: Abel for being so good and making her feel so damn special or herself for falling for it so hard. Using the very words she once used on Abel, she responded.
I’m game if you’re game. Just give me about thirty minutes to get ready.
Sam told her to just text him her address when she was ready. Nellie knew she’d regret agreeing to do this, and she did almost immediately. What the hell was she thinking? An entire day with this guy? She hardly knew him! But the thought of Abel and his fitness model bitch had her looking for her most provocative outfit that was appropriate for a brunch.
Maybe she wasn’t fitness model material or worthy of having such an amazing guy all to herself. While Abel may be outstanding at a lot of things, he couldn’t possibly be this good of an actor. She did have it in her to turn on even an incredible guy like him. Of that she was positive. There were some things a man couldn’t fake. And as much as it hurt how quickly he’d run into another woman’s arms even after the amazing night and morning they’d had, a part of her still believed that he thought her beautiful. He’d said it with such sincerity.
She needed this now more than ever—needed to feel sexy, attractive to someone who might not just be saying it out of lust. She was not about to fall back into the dark place that she’d spiraled into with Rick. She refused. She’d come too far and worked too hard for that. Even her therapist had agreed that she was ready to stop her therapy. At the moment, she yearned to speak with her again—needed to be talked off this ledge—but she held her head high and stared in the mirror at the puffy red-eyed women before her. “You got this, babe,” she sniffled. “You’ve been through so much worse.”
But had she really? She’d just established this morning that losing Abel would be a hundred times worse than losing Rick. Hell, who was she kidding? It’d be a million times worse. Then again, this didn’t have to mean that she was losing Abel. This just changed the game back to how she’d originally agreed to play it. She had zero intentions of sleeping with Sam, but agreeing to go on this date with him was part of what she kept insisting she was doing: letting loose.
Taking another much needed hit from her inhaler, she grabbed one of her one-piece office dresses, the kind that Abel had told her more than once drove him nuts. Her mind was made up. “Time to free that spirit, girl,” she muttered as she searched the rest of her closet. “Getting hung up on the first guy you sleep with after your divorce isn’t exactly freeing shit.”
Studying the dress, she chewed her lip, wondering how to sexy-it-up more. She could un-business-it-up by wearing higher heels than normal, and since it was snug but sleeveless, she usually wore a coat over it. Today she had the perfect thing to wear over it instead: a sexy black bolero that she’d been saving for a special occasion.
As brave as she was suddenly feeling, she’d been privy to the Ayala temper in the past, and though he had no right to be a jerk about this, she remembered his reaction to Logan at her office. Things had changed significantly since then. She knew she wasn’t imagining his heightened feelings for her. He just obviously wasn’t interested in anything exclusive. He’d played the territorial card then, and since she hadn’t protested his behavior, she wasn’t sure what he’d do if he was waiting for her when Sam dropped her off. Now that she’d seen those eye-opening pictures, there was no way she’d be keeping her dates from him. She had every right to date whomever she damn well pleased. But she wasn’t looking to make a scene just outside her front door, so she wouldn’t risk it.
After getting ready, she grabbed her purse and keys, texted Sam Roni’s address, and then called Roni to let her in on her plans. Only she told her she was really nervous about her outfit, so she was having him pick her up at Roni’s house because she wanted a second opinion.
The knot was still firmly at her throat, but she refused to shed even one more tear for Abel or any man. She took a deep breath. No more feeling sorry for herself, ever. She made that promise to herself a while back, and she’d almost broken it today. Never again.
~*~
It was too odd that Nellie hadn’t responded to any of his texts all day. He’d texted her to tell her he’d be at her place later than he had planned. He had to go home and pack first. Then he told Noah he’d come by and check out his motorcycle. It was his original Ninja, one he refused to get rid of even though he could afford much better now. He said it held too many memories. Abel had laughed when Noah admitted that Roni was refusing to let him ride it until he had it completely overhauled. Doing so would cost him way more than the bike was worth, so Abel told him not to. He’d come by and check it out.
Now he had a very bad feeling in his gut. He’d had it almost the entire day. This was exactly why he hated the fucking media. Before Andy even left the gym that morning, he’d laughed, cheerfully showing Abel the photos of him and Rachel. “You’re trending again on Twitter.”
Of course, to Andy this was a good thing. He had no idea how much that had sunk Abel’s insides. If Nellie saw the photos of him and Rachel just minutes after he’d left her place, he knew she’d be thinking the worst. Given their stupid agreement, he couldn’t even try to explain. She’d tell him he didn’t have to and maybe even infuriatingly remind him again of how great she was with this arrangement.
It was subtle, but when he’d arrived at Noah’s, he picked up on Roni’s chilly reception. Nellie had obviously told her about the night they’d spent together, and he knew the photos and stories of him and Rachel had already gone viral. Noah telling Roni that Rachel was someone he’d bagged was sure to only make things worse. This made the brick sitting heavily in his gut heavier. He now knew what he feared most. Nellie knew and for all he tried to convey to her last night and when he’d made love to her again this morning—when he told her he couldn’t get enough of her—it was probably all down the toilet now. She probably thought him full of shit.
Noah glanced up at the back door as Roni closed it behind her. She’d come out to bring them each bottled waters, but again she’d been a bit on the cold side with Abel. Abel downed half the bottle just before replacing the final sparkplug on the Ninja. He glanced at Noah, not sure if he should address it. He didn’t have to because Noah addressed it for him.
“She just hates the whole situation, man. Don’t take it too personally. She’ll get over it.” He shrugged. “Nellie is the only family she had before me—before us. She never had this group thing that we brought into her life. She loves it, and she’s terrified that things are gonna change. More than anything, she’s afraid of Nellie getting hurt again, but I keep telling her you two are good with the way things are. Hell, Nellie’s out on a date again right now. I think with the same guy from Friday night. But even that has her worried.”
Abel stared at Noah, feeling every hair on his body go on alert. He was dying to ask, but he knew he shouldn’t. It was impossible not to care now. She was out on fucking date again? After last night? This morning? It took everything in him as he stood slowly not to pick up Noah’s bike and slam it back down on the ground. Instead, he took another long slow drink, nearly finishing his water bottle.
He didn’t dare make eye contact with Noah for fear he’d see the rage in his eyes. They both turned when they saw the Town Car pull up at the end of Noah’s driveway. A guy got out of the far side and came around to open the door on the near side. Abel almost looked away until he realized the girl exiting the car in the hot dress and three inch heels was Nellie.
Feeling his insides instantly ablaze, he stared at her hard as she smiled at the guy who helped her out then said something to him. The guy had his back to Abel and Noah, so Abel couldn’t see his face, but if he had to guess this wasn’t Logan. This guy was way bigger and taller than he remembered Logan being. So this was another guy?
And then it happened. She kissed him. It wasn’t a long kiss by any means, barely a peck on the lips, but it was enough to have Abel slamming his water bottle in the nearby trashcan not giving a fuck what Noah or anyone thought anymore and charging down the driveway.