The interview only took about twenty minutes and the small rest energized her.
On the way back to the gym, Jessy teased Adam. “I think you made a new fan today.”
Adam grinned happily. He seemed to be relieved the whole ordeal was over. “Think so? She knew a lot about the sport and I felt like we were just talking and not like I was being interrogated.”
“She’s good at her job and quite cute,” Jessy commented. “You did great, Adam.”
He nodded. “It wasn’t so bad. Destiny knew her stuff. She says she’ll be at the fight next month.”
“Awesome,” she agreed, and they talked about his upcoming fight for the rest of the drive. Adam was excited his career was on the right track. He had spent years trying to get his name out there and it was finally paying off.
They arrived back at the gym to find her dad holding Kyle up in the air by his shirt collar. Kyle’s face was turning red and he kept muttering he was sorry. He was wearing his gray delivery uniform. Jessy was surprised he even had the guts to show up here again. His nose did look a little crooked, and that made her smile. She stayed put because she knew her dad wouldn’t really hurt Kyle, just scare him. After his awful behavior he deserved to be scared.
“That word means nothing to me, you little punk,” her dad yelled. Royce and Tom stood near her dad, looking intimidating and scary. She almost felt bad for Kyle. Almost.
Adam leaned into her and whispered, “I feel sorry for your date but he deserves it, little prick should learn how to treat a woman. Blake was pissed and he told me all about it.”
“You better find someone else to take this route because if I ever see you coming into this building I will throw you in the ring with my fighters. They love fresh meat to pound.”
Blake grinned from the ring where he had been boxing with Sam. “Throw him in here now, Jared.”
Kyle paled even more as Jared set him back on the ground. He swallowed hard and looked around the gym, noticing all the muscled men giving him hard looks. “Um yeah. I won’t deliver here no more.”
Kyle spotted Jessy standing by Adam. He stumbled quickly to her. “I’m sorry, Jessy, for how I treated you. You’re right, the word no means no.”
Jessy just nodded without smiling or saying a word. She was happy his hair was all messed up and she wanted to laugh, but he ran out of there like his tail was on fire.
Once he was gone, Jared grunted. “What a marshmallow. He just about pissed his pants.”
“What did he mean by his little speech?” Royce asked seriously, looking straight at her.
She lowered her eyes and shrugged casually. “I told him I was not going home with him just because he bought me dinner. He had trouble understanding that until I broke his nose. Next time a girl tells him no he will leave her alone.”
Her dad looked angry all over again, so she walked over to him and gave him a big hug. He looked like he was thinking of going to look for Kyle all over again. “Thanks, Dad. You’re my hero and I really mean that.”
“You won’t see that asshole ’round here no more,” Adam said with a shake of his head and an amused expression on his handsome face. “Thank goodness you’re a tough chick, Jess.”
Jessy updated her dad and Royce on how well the interview went. She coughed a few times and had to sit down on one of the benches that lined the wall of the gym.
“You look sick, Jessy. We’re all done here. Why don’t you head home?” her dad ordered, looking concerned. She never got sick but sleepless nights were taking a toll on her body. “A good long nap might just cure you.”
Jessy yawned, too tired to argue. “Maybe you’re right, Dad.”
Royce put his hand out to help her off the bench. That was the first time he had touched her since the night they had spent together weeks ago. A small shiver went through her body at his casual touch, but she was getting good at hiding her reaction. “Let me take you home, Jessy. Your car will be safe here.”
Jessy hadn’t spent any time with him in the last two weeks and she felt the withdrawals. Would it hurt to spend fifteen minutes in his company or should she drive herself home?
Jessy’s instinct was to argue that she could take care of herself but she missed the easygoing atmosphere they had once shared. Maybe Royce was right. They had to work together and now because of one night they had all this tension between them.
“Okay.” She took his help in getting off the bench but pulled her hand away from him as soon as possible. She turned to her dad to give him a reminder. “Gabe and his friend Chico are supposed to come in later today. I really wanted to be here to show them around. They’re good kids, Dad.”
“Don’t worry, honey, I’ll show them around and let them know you’re sick,” Jared promised.
She followed Royce outside into the hot sun and despite the heat she felt her body shiver with cold. Before their fight she would have leaned against Royce and he would have wrapped his arms tightly around her, making her feel better. Now that was gone and all she could feel was depressed.
* * * *
Royce led Jessy to his SUV and opened the passenger door for her. He jumped at the opportunity to spend even a few minutes with her. He had tried to keep his distance from her after Jared’s talk with him. He had spent a lot of time thinking about Jessy lately. She was a beautiful woman but more than that he liked her and he missed her sens