“Okay.”
“Who was that?” I asked as soon as she hung up.
“Brandi. One of my employees. She’s working at the NFA Minor fights tonight and needs me to come pick up some of our work supplies. She has to go out of town for a family emergency.”
“We need to go?”
She shook her head and waved her hand. “Not yet. The fights aren’t over yet. We’ve got some time. Besides, we haven’t gotten to the actual fight yet. Let’s cut the documentary short.”
She moved over to the projector turning off the HBO documentary and replaced it with the actual ‘Thrilla in Manila’ fight. When she retook her seat in my lap, I didn’t think twice about it.
We watched the fight, silently at first. But quickly, the both of us got into it, cheering for one opponent or the other, despite knowing the outcome already.
“Rope a dope,” I yelled at the screen when Frazier got Ali against the ropes. “Banks loved this part.” I smiled at the memory of my former trainer, retelling the match, almost moment by moment. “Ali used it to tire Frazier out, leaving him vulnerable for the counter.”
We both continued commenting back and forth as the fight went on.
“Get up,” Syd cheered when Frazier went to the ground for the final time.
“He’s out,” I replied with my eyes locked on the screen.
Syd sighed as the screen went black. “That was a thing of beauty.”
“Which is why I don’t understand how this isn’t your favorite fight ever. It has everything. History, drama, all that bullshit women like and two opponents who could actually fight.”
She rolled her eyes upward and stood. “You act like I said it was a crap fight or something. It’s not my favorite ever, but it’s in the top five.”
“It should be number one. No exceptions,” I said as I stood and helped her clean up our dinner.
We bickered back and forth all the way down to my car and on the way over to the arena where Syd had to pick up her work supplies.
I only realized that I wore a legitimate smile on my face when I spotted my reflection in my rearview mirror. I almost didn’t recognize myself. There was something different in my eyes.
It’s love, shithead.
“What happened?” Syd yelled when I hit the brakes.
“What?”
“Why’d you slam on the brakes like that?”
Because I think I’m in love with you.
“You didn’t see that damn dog run across the street?”
“What? Where?” She glanced around at the street searching.
“He must’ve passed. People need to keep their animals locked up,” I mumbled as I continued driving down the pedestrian street, toward the arena. I shook off my earlier thought, putting it out of my head.
Chapter 25
Have To Tell You Something
Luke
I watched the sway of Syd’s ass as she stepped onto the elevator. The only thing keeping me from reaching out and touching her was the two heavy bags of medical supplies in both of my hands. I followed her and crowded closed. We’d picked up the supplies from the arena and we now dropping them off at Syd’s office.
“Now would be the perfect time to collect on my debt.”
