“Giving me a relationship 101 lecture, son? You, who can’t keep a girl for three weeks straight?”
Slater’s face turned so red I thought he’d popped a blood vessel. I immediately felt bad. What the hell was I being a dick to him for? So what if I was stressed about this fight, and whatever Mia was hiding now. That didn’t give me a right to act like a fuckwit. “Fuck, man, I didn’t mean—”
“Seriously?” Mia stomped over and threw her towel at me. “Do you think now is the time for this, Fox?”
It was never good when she brought out the Fox stuff. My chances of getting laid were dwindling rapidly.
Thanks, Slater.
“Don’t bother. I’m leaving.”
“If you’d done that three minutes ago, it would’ve saved me acting like a douche.” I sighed and held out a hand. “I’m sorry. Ignore me, okay? You’ve been awesome this week.”
“I’m awesome every week.”
“Yeah, okay. Fine. You are.”
He finally gave in and fistbumped me then glanced at Mia. “I don’t know how you put up with him.”
“You ain’t the only one, brother.”
“Hey, hey.” I tossed her towel back at her and she caught it one-handed without sparing me a glance. “I have my uses.”
“And all of them occur when you’re not speaking.”
Slater snorted. “I like this girl.”
“Like? You love me. Just like I love you.” It was still surprising to watch Mia offer easy affection to anyone who wasn’t Carly, but she and Slater were tight. She gave him a quick hug and ruffled his hair like a parent with a kid then lightly shoved him away. “We’ll see you Friday night?”
“Not tomorrow?”
“Nah, I’m taking the night off.”
I didn’t have anything to say to that. Actually, I was almost certain speech had failed me entirely.
Mia’s dreams had finally come true.
“You’re in great shape. Might as well use the night to rest. Or…other,” he said with a sly look at me that proved he wasn’t holding a grudge.
That was Slater, decent to a fault. I had to try harder not to abuse his good nature, especially now that I knew his sac had to be painfully full.
“Other is off the table. You know how it goes. Gotta save up before a fight.” The grin she shot me was pure evil.
Evidently she was as good at reading me as I was reading her. Or else she knew how riled up it got me to fight with her.
Hell, who was I kidding? Of course she knew. She’d probably already caught sight of my wood and was inwardly cackling about shutting me down.
“Oh hell no. You know damn well that only applies to men.”
She cocked a hip. “Sexism will get you the same place as being nasty to Slater. Denial Boulevard.”
I scowled after her as she returned to the heavy bag and resumed her workout. “Maybe I need a chick who knits,” I muttered.
“Heard that,” she called, kicking the bag hard enough to send it careening on its chains.
“Can I marry her?” Slater wondered aloud.
“No. You can leave now. Scram.”