I shifted my weight and rolled my shoulders, trying to shake off the faint twinge of recognition.
“Afternoon, folks,” Rachel called, stepping forward with the natural authority she always displayed. “Welcome to our gym. I’m Rachel, your guide to not falling flat on your faces today.”
A chorus of greetings bounced back, and a couple of the guys tried to flash what they clearly thought were charming smiles.
Kai’s uncle stepped forward, hand extended. “Thank you so much for having us.”
“Our pleasure.” Rachel smiled and indicated her head toward me. “This is Tori, she’ll be teaching your boys a thing or two today.”
“We’ve met.” Tane nodded.
Rachel’s head snapped around and she cast a furtive look in my direction. “You have?”
“We’re just neighbors,” I quickly clarified.
Didn’t need anyone to get the wrong idea, after all. While Tane was certainly attractive, he was rather too rugged and old for my liking. He had total daddy energy, but I wasn’t looking for a daddy.
Or any kind of man, for that matter. Not only did I not have time for a relationship, I also hadn’t met someone who I thought could handle me.
IfI were to enter a relationship, it would have to be with someone who could give as good as they got. This ruled out pretty much any guy I’d ever met because I always felt like I’d chew them up and spit them out within the first hour.
Rachel eyed me for a moment longer, then turned her attention back to the group of men in front of us.
“Alright, gentlemen.” Her voice cut through the hum of conversation, sharp and clipped. “Let’s start.”
Tane turned around to face his boys as well. “We’re here today because I want you to be uncomfortable. I want you to step out of your comfort zones, to try new approaches, and to have tools in your arsenal your opponents won’t have. You might be wondering how martial arts could help you as football players. Obviously, takedowns are the most apparent overlap, but there’s more you can take away from this. This training can also improve your footwork, balance and reaction time, as well as potentially preventing injuries.” He paused when someone snorted and pierced them with his hard gaze. “Nothing will end your career as fast as a serious injury. You’re taking a calculated risk every time you step on the field. If you don’t think improving your chances of avoiding injury is worthwhile, I suggest you rethink your priorities. No matter how good you are, if you get hurt, you can’t play. Preventing injuries should be at the very top of your list.”
Rachel’s lips curved into a smirk. “Tori, why don’t you give them a quick demo? Show them what proper takedowns and grappling look like.”
I raised an eyebrow, resting my hands on my hips. “Sure. Happy to.”
One of the guys snorted. “Don’t go too hard on us, yeah?”
My eyebrows rose, the corners of my mouth finally quirking, but it wasn’t a friendly smile. Teeth barely flashing, my eyes were cold with amusement. “Oh, don’t worry. I play fair … mostly.”
They were all instructed to remove their shoes and socks before we proceeded further into the gym.
I clapped my hands, cutting through the chatter. “Alright, gentlemen, here’s the deal.” I gestured to the mat. “Today, we’re focusing on three moves that’ll give you an advantage on the field. A single-leg takedown to improve your leverage and drive through an opponent, a wrist-control drill to dominate hand placement at the line of scrimmage, and a balance-shifting sweep to help you stay on your feet and unseat a blocker or tackle. Youwillall hit the mat at some point, but safely, of course. And yes, I expect effort. These moves work in MMA, and they work in football. You’ll feel the difference.”
A few guys groaned, pretending to wince at the thought.
I smirked. “No whining. First move is the single-leg takedown. Keep your base low and your shoulder tight. If you lean too far forward, you lose power.”
“Any volunteers?” Rachel asked.
Predictably, a few hands shot up. Big boys, eager to impress.
I scanned the group and chose the one who looked like he’d been drinking protein shakes for breakfast and dinner for the last ten years.
One of them interjected with a smirk, “You sure you don’t want to pick someone smaller?”
I smiled sweetly. “You sure you don’t want to stretch first?” I squared off against him.
He pursed his lips, making a show of looking down at me. “Just don’t wanna hurt you.”
“You won’t,” I deadpanned.
His reservations were apparently exhausted, as he finally lunged at me. I sidestepped, grabbed his arm and executed a smooth leg sweep, sending him crashing down onto his back. “What—how—?”
