“It’s not much, but it’s clean and everything works. If by chance you need help with something, you can either knock on Jackson’s door or give me a call if he’s not around.” He handed me his business card with his cell number.
“He won’t mind?” I asked, stealing a glance at the kitchen.
There were several builder-grade cabinets, a sink, and enough counterspace for me to put a toaster and a coffeemaker. There was also an area to prepare a meal. A full-sized refrigerator was housed in the corner, the faded white giving away the age of the appliance. To the right of the kitchen was a small table and chairs, as Lance mentioned, and several feet from that was a full-sized, light gray couch, the slight sag of the cushions oddly inviting. A small television was mounted on the opposite wall.
“He won’t mind.”
After taking a quick peek at the bedroom and bathroom, I rejoined Lance near the front door.
“Thanks again for giving me a chance. I really appreciate it. I won’t let you down.”
His once-steady gaze now darted around the room, his earlier grin vanishing as a crease etched deeply between his brows.
“Speaking of,” he said, inhaling several times before opening his mouth again. “Jackson refused to hire you.”
“What?” My voice rose in surprise, the quickening of my heart pounding in my ears. “I don’t understand. Why show me this apartment if I didn’t get the job?”
“Because I still want you to work here.”
“Doing what?”
“I need someone to oversee the day-to-day dealings with the gym. Things like bookkeeping, laundry, cleaning, etc.”
“Oh.” Disappointment swirled through me at the sudden change in job.
“You’ll still receive the same pay. My hope is that once Jackson gets used to you being around, I can convince him to allow you to transition over to the role I wanted to hire you for initially.”
“Oh,” I repeated, a flutter of hope blooming in my chest at the possibility. While I was grateful to still be hired, overseeing the gym didn’t excite me as much as being able to put my schoolingto good use after all these years. “Can I ask why he didn’t want me to work with him directly?”
“He’s just being stubborn. Plain and simple.” Lance opened the door to leave. “Be in the gym tomorrow at nine. I’ll go over a list of your duties.”
“Okay. See you then.”
After he left, I wandered around my new apartment, my chest expanding on a brief inhale of gratitude. I was thankful to still have a job. I had no idea how Jackson would react to seeing me in the gym tomorrow, however. Would he be okay with me running the day-to-day duties? Would he ever concede and hire me for the job I came here for?
I didn’t know the fighter, only having had one encounter with him, a run-in that was less than desirable. I had no idea if he regretted the way he treated me, misunderstanding or not, and there was no way I would ever ask. From the small amount of information Lance told me about him, Jackson didn’t seem like an approachable man. Perhaps after someone got to know him, he warmed up, but something deep in my gut told me the persona I encountered embodied his true essence.
Perhaps running the gym was a blessing in disguise.
6
After hurrying to get ready because my phone alarm didn’t go off, I slipped on my sneakers and rushed out of the apartment. Thankfully, my reflexes were sharp, because in my haste to get to the gym, I stumbled over my own feet, catching the railing in the nick of time and saving myself from a nasty fall. Explaining to my new boss that I had to stop off at the hospital first because I was a klutz wouldn’t make a good impression.
A plethora of thoughts bombarded me as my fingers encircled the doorknob that led into the gym. Would I lose this job before I had a chance to prove what a hard worker I was? Would Jackson demand Lance fire me as soon as he saw me? Did Lance even tell him about the change in job title for me? Was this really the fresh start I’d been looking for since I left my husband? Had I made a mistake deciding to end my five-year marriage?
As soon as the last thought formed, I brushed it aside, acknowledging that if I didn’t leave Mitch when I had, dire circumstances were the only ones waiting for me.
As I pushed open the heavy door, a wave of stale sweat and cleaner assaulted my nostrils. The rubberized floor bouncedbeneath my sneakers as I made my way across the room. The first person I saw was Jackson. He wore only a pair of shorts as he sparred with another man, his grunts echoing off the walls. Every punch he threw at the leaner man made me flinch. When Jackson’s left leg came up off the floor and connected with his opponent’s side, I heard a crunching sound, then a vibrating thud as the man hit the ground. A barrage of expletives flew out of Lance’s mouth seconds later as he rushed into the ring and tended to the injured opponent.
“What is wrong with you?” Lance shouted. “You’re only supposed to be sparring. You probably broke his rib.”
“Ribs,” the other guy groaned, clutching his side as his body folded in pain.
Jackson responded with a lazy shrug, as if the man’s injury didn’t bother him. As I stood there, unsure of how to react to what I’d witnessed, Jackson turned in my direction. Before I had the good sense to look away, our gazes collided, his intense stare making my heart skip a beat. My lungs froze mid breath when he hopped out of the ring and headed straight for me. I silently screamed for Lance to look my way, but his focus remained on the man who’d been hurt.
The intensity of the situation sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins, making my hands tremble ever so slightly. My legs threatened to give way beneath me at any moment, my mind racing for the right words that would diffuse this uncomfortable situation.
Jackson’s lengthy strides propelled him across the gym floor, and he was in front of me seconds later. I grappled with indecision. Should I escape? Should I hold my ground? In the end, uncertainty rendered me immobile. Did I think he would harm me? No. However, did I believe he might be unpredictable? Absolutely.
