Closing my eyes I feel my heart continuing to break. Dad and I used to be so close before the world fell apart at our feet. I’d do anything to get us back, but to do that… it’s going to take a couple hits to the chest.
“Dad,” I mumble. He keeps spraying, my voice not loud enough. “Dad!”
He whips around, nearly spraying me in the face.
“Oh shit, sorry.” He lowers the hose, twisting the nozzle to turn it off. I attempt a smile, but it’s not genuine. He drops the hose, and rubs the back of his neck.
“I hope you’re here to tell me good news.”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms in front of my chest. “And what would that be? Hmm?”
He scoffs. “That you’re going back to school. That you’re not going to throw away your life.”
“Would you just stop!” I argue. “I’m so sick of it. You’re always on my ass, but you never hassled Journey about school. Why?”
He shifts on his feet, his brows rising at my back talking. “Because Journey was never in trouble as a child, Tate. You were. You defied your mother and I. The school was always calling us telling us of your brawls and arguments. But you are so smart, so goddamn smart if you’d just apply yourself.”
I point at him, my body temperature rising with the morning sun. “I was a typical kid. I took after my father, my role model. Why was that so bad?” I shrug.
He shakes his head, stepping toward the porch. My eyes sting with the urge to cry, so I look away, not wanting to look weak. Only my dad and Camden can affect me the way they do.
“I wanted a different life for you Tate, because look at me now.” He says it so softly I barely hear him before he slams the screen door.
Turning away from the house I use the back of my hand to cover my mouth as an unexpected sob breaks through my trembling lips.
I wish he could see how great he was and is.
He is my dad, and I want us back.
Staring at the gym I second guess going in. I second guess a lot of things. Why am I here, and not just Chicago but this damn gym that I know Camden will be at? He hates me and that kills me. I wish I could go back and change so many things. The way Camden looks at me destroys me from the inside out. Maybe it was a mistake to leave college to chase a dream. I must be insane to think I can do this.
Closing my eyes, I lower my head and sigh. This is what I wanted to be since I was a little girl. I can’t let anyone stand in the way of that. Not anymore. I didn’t come this far, just to come this far.
“You can do this,” I whisper to myself. I’ve never been known to back down, and I’m not about to start now.
Blowing out a breath of second guesses, I grab my gym bag and climb out of the car.
The wind is blowing hard this morning, causing a chill to run up my spine.
Once inside my eyes adjust to the dim light, and my skin instantly warms.
“You’re early, Thomas will like the dedication.” My head whips in the direction of the voice, finding Cate flipping on a set of lights that hover over the ring.
“Is Thomas here?”
“Not yet, but he should be any minute,” she responds, pulling her hair up into a ponytail.
I nod, looking around the place. I’m not sure where to put my stuff, or if there’s even a locker room for females. Thomas did say he didn’t train women, so it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s not one.
Cate heads towards me, her hands on her hips. A black sports bra and spandex shorts is all that she’s wearing.
“Don’t let them push you around. There’s a reason I’m the only female around here.” I turn my head, not sure what she’s going on about. “I don’t put up with their shit. They push, I push back twice as hard. You want to fight amongst them, you’ll have to push five times as hard.”
The door opens letting in a whoosh of air. Thomas walks in with a thermos of coffee and ball cap lowered on his face.
“You came.” His tone of voice indicating he’d hoped I hadn’t.
“Of course, a deal’s a deal.” I shrug, my hand gripping the straps of my bag like a life line.
“Deal is off,” he clips.
“What?!”
“I have a contract with Camden, and he’s not keen on the idea of me training you,” Thomas explains, striding behind the main counter to put his stuff away.
“Too bad, we made a bet!” I remind him, following closely behind him.
“Easy HellCat.” His eyes snap to mine. “I have someone coming to help train you. She’s good at what she does. She helps coach a couple of fighters who come through here.”
Glancing behind me I look at Cate, curious as to what she thinks.
She shrugs. That doesn’t help.
Looking back at Thomas, I cross my arms and eye him suspiciously.
“Who is she, this trainer?”
“Her name is Debs.” He sips his coffee right out of the thermos, his eyes peeking just above the top. The door opens and the wind blows posters along the wall. “Speak of the devil.” He juts his chin toward the door.
A short stalky woman rushes through the door, the wind blowing her red hair everywhere. She has on a green hoody and black stretchy looking capris.