Reid stood up and pushed the chair out of his way. “Look, just because your wife left you, doesn’t mean the rest of the world is doomed to the same fate. Lucie isn’t like that.”
Stan slapped his hands on the disk as he rose, stormed around, and got right in Reid’s face. “That’s what you think! You think you know someone. Love them with everything you have and then they decide they’re better off without you and they leave. That’s reality, kid! So don’t go thinking you’re fucking special and the rules don’t apply to you.”
Reid’s temper flared and he raised his voice to match. “Think I’m special? Where the hell would I ever get a stupid idea like that? Sure as fuck wouldn’t be from you. You never let me forget I was only as good as my next win.”
“That’s because it’s the truth! We’re fighters, Reid! It’s who we are, what defines us.”
Reid lost the battle with controlling himself and let his emotions run. Yelling back, just like in his younger years, he said, “I love fighting, but being a fighter is not the only thing I am! It’s not all I’m good at!”
“Oh really?” Stan’s voice finally leveled out, but just because he wasn’t yelling didn’t make his response any less acrimonious. “I suppose you’re referring to your silly sketches and sculpting now. That’s just what every woman wants is a grown man who plays with clay all fucking day. Gimme a break.”
Old feelings of inadequacy bubbled to the surface, threatening to choke the breath from his body. Reid knew he’d gotten past all of his dad’s bullshit years ago, but for whatever reason, when it came to dealing with his old man, Reid felt like that insecure kid all over again.
His dad cursed, sank into the vinyl desk chair again, and dragged both hands down his tired looking face. “You do what you want. It’s your life. But if you came to get my advice, here it is: You’ve got life by the balls, kid. You’ve got fame, fortune, and you can get laid all you want without any attachments. Keep it that way…and spare yourself the heartache.”
Reid scoffed and opened the office door, shaking his head. He’d known this visit wouldn’t go well, but his conscience wouldn’t let him blow off his old man regardless. Sometimes he wished his conscience was like the grasshopper from Pinocchio. That way when it caused him to do stupid shit like this, he could squash it under his heel.
“Thanks for the pep talk, Pop,” he tossed over his shoulder on his way out. “As always, it’s been a pleasure.”
Chapter Sixteen
Reid strode into the apartment and made a beeline to the fridge. He grabbed two bottles of beer, downed the first in seconds, and then cracked the second one open as he headed onto the balcony.
Since the place was dark, he figured Lucie was still at the bar with Vanessa, which was perfect because his mind was a jumble of things and he needed time to straighten it all out. He took a giant swig of the cold liquid and wished it could cool his emotions from the inside. Maybe he’d break his diet for one night and get stone drunk. Numb himself for a few hours so he didn’t have to think about his upcoming fight or the fact that he had to leave Lucie in a few short days.
Hell, he hadn’t even told her yet. Every time he tried his gut tightened and he ended up kissing her instead. And that sure as shit never led to a conversation. Not one of words anyway.
Lucie.
What the hell was he going to do about her? He’d never felt for any woman even a fraction of what he felt for her. He loved being with her, and he certainly loved her as a person…then again he could say the same for Butch, but what he felt for her was a hell of a lot stronger than that of his trainer. But as far as being in love with her? Reid had no idea how he was supposed to know that.
He frowned and took another drink of his beer. Stone drunk was definitely starting to sound better and better.
“You look way too serious for a beautiful night like this.”
Startled, he spun around, ready to berate her for sneaking up on him…when he got a look at the sexiest fucking thing he’d ever seen.
She stood in the open doorway to the balcony, hands braced on either side of the doorjamb, and one leg cocked up on the ball of her foot. Until that moment, if asked what he thought the sexiest thing a woman could wear would be, he would’ve said see-through lingerie.
But Lucie in nothing but one of his dress shirts that covered her from shoulders to midthigh blew away anything she could’ve picked from Victoria’s Secret. Her hair was loose and full like he’d already plowed his fingers through it and she had a sparkle in those silvery eyes that spoke volumes.
“Speaking of beautiful,” he rasped.