“So…I’m so terribly bad at this. I don’t even know what to say.”
Garret laughed. “That makes two of us then.”
They both laughed. “How about something that piqued my curiosity?”
He raised his eyebrows, giving her a devilish grin. “I do enjoy piqued curiosity almost as much as I enjoy puzzles and complications. Tell me, what has yours piqued?”
She looked into his eyes, seeing the humor and hidden meaning behind his words. They normally would have bothered her, but there was just something about him that made it easy to let the guard down that she had built up and made permanent with every bit of cement she could find.
“You’re pretty easygoing, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Kamry, is that what has your mind asking questions over and over again or is that something that just popped in the wonderful brain of yours? And, yes, I am really easygoing. I’m laid back. I’m not one for drama or stirring a pot that doesn’t need stirring. I don’t like arguments and I haven’t even raised my voice in…well, outside my work, in a very long time.”
“Um…no. That wasn’t the question I wanted to ask. You fight, don’t you?”
She watched his shoulders square a bit. She could tell he wasn’t upset for her knowing, but something else. “I do.”
“Does it bother you that I know?”
“No. Of course not. How did you find out?”
“It’s the funniest story, really. I work out at this gym and there was a poster of Jose there. I read the story about him and then saw your name.”
“You work out at a gym that specializes in MMA style fighting?”
“Yes. It’s close to where I live and I was pretty much left alone until…well…” She laughed. “That’s even a funnier story and you probably wouldn’t believe me.”
“He came to you, didn’t he?”
Kamry’s eyes grew wide. “How did you know?”
He let out a sigh. “I still see him and talk to him and train with him. It’s amazing. I don’t know how it happens or why it happens, but I can’t wait for him to come back to me each time he leaves.”
“Oh my God! I seriously thought I was going crazy for a bit.”
“Wait. Is that why you called me? Because you found out I fight in MMA and that Jose fought and please tell me you’re not like the others.”
“Of course not. I met your grandmother long before meeting you. I began training long before meeting you. I met him only because I didn’t know what the hell I was doing with the bag I was trying to kick but was really kicking me back harder than I was delivering. I’m not like them. I saw the poster, and that’s why I was so standoffish at the funeral and didn’t answer your calls. I was freaked out. That’s all.” She really hoped he believed her, because it was the truth and she liked how easy it was explaining things to him. Had it been Steven, she would have been laid out on the floor by now.
“Kamry, I believe you. You just can’t imagine how many are only after that.”
“Oh, I do actually. Wait, no. I mean, I can imagine. I watched Rocky, like, a billion times and I can see how everyone acts. Not Adrian of course, she was awesome. But you know, the fans.”
“I love that movie. They are all my favorites. Actually, anything with Stallone in it is on my favorite list.”
“Mine too. I love him. I even loved it when him and Dolly were singing together.”
“That’s funny. I have every single one of his movies.”
“Wow. I have a few, but not all of them. Maybe one day.”
“Would you like to come to my place sometime? Have a Stallone marathon and eat extra butter popcorn with cheese sprinkled on top?”
“Well, I could watch all of his movies at home because I could just order them on demand, but since you added the popcorn and cheese, count me in.”
They both began laughing and for the next several hours, they sat there, getting to know each other and planning when their movie marathon was going to happen. When the streets began lighting up with something besides the sun, Kamry sighed. It was definitely time to be getting home.
They both said their goodbyes, after Kamry refused to allow him to walk her home several times. She watched him get into a cab and then she waved. She hadn’t felt this good in a long time. She was finally comfortable with a man close to her again. Well, a man that she liked and was attracted to, anyways.
Kamry lay in bed thinking about Garret and how they had so much in common. It had been two hours since she had watched him get into that cab and she was still thinking about him. There was just so much about him, but what she loved most was how easy she felt sitting there and talking, laughing and sharing stories. It had been great.
She had learned that Garret had a masters degree in English lit. That he had once wanted to go into publishing because he enjoyed reading so many books. She had asked his favorite genre and he just smiled and said he didn’t have one. He loved them all. He even admitted to reading romances as well.
His favorite movies were of course action stories, but again, he would watch anything that had a good story to it.
His favorite color was blue, same as hers. He loved all music but enjoyed opera most, which surprised her. Just thinking about him made the hair on body come to life again, while the little butterflies in her stomach began to wake up. She smiled remembering the first time they had touched. It had been innocent, but the pull and electrical vibe she had felt was the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced.
Kamry heard someone knocking quietly on the door. She ran her fingers through her hair and walked to the door with Garret still on her mind. When she opened it, the air in her lungs was sucked from her. The smile and look in Steven’s eyes were filled with dangerous intent.
Stupid, Kamry, she thought. She should have looked through the peep hole. She had been so caught up thinking about her date…coffee meeting with Garret that she didn’t even think about it.
She quickly tried to close the door, but he used his large frame to stop it. With one hand, he gripped her throat, shutting off her airway and smiling the entire time. He threw her backwards once inside, shutting the door slowly and locking it.
“You are one tough bitch to track down,” he said.
Kamry picked herself up. “Yeah, and you are one son of a bitch who shouldn’t be here either. You’re breaking the restraining order. You shouldn’t be here. Please leave.”
She reached into her pocket, grabbing her phone to call 911. He was on her before she could hit talk. He smashed the phone into pieces before giving her one good blow to the face. The last thing she remembered was hearing him laugh.
When Kamry woke, she was in his vehicle driving down the highway. She tried to move but before she could get anywhere, he elbowed her in the face and knocked her out again.
The next time she came to, she was laying against a wall. He was sitting on the side of the bed, drinking whiskey like it was water.
“Steven, where are we?”
He looked over at her, smiled and began laughing. “Somewhere you can scream all you want and they will never hear you.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you owe me.”
She watched him walk around the room. Pacing back and forth slowly. He looked like he hadn’t showered recently and he definitely hadn’t shaved in a few days. He reeked of sweat and booze.
Her head was pounding and her ribs hurt each time she took a breath.
“Why are you just sitting there? I taught you better than that.”
She looked up and Jose was standing there, looking down at her.
“You know who I am now. More importantly, you know who you are as well. Get up and fight!”