“With chocolate chips,” Paige adds. She’s always slipping in something.
“Yes, but that can be a weekend breakfast.” I pull the orange juice out to make her a cup. Bear is already on top of getting her some cereal.
“Why don’t we drop Paige off at school and then you can come to my gym with me? We can hit the store after,” Bear suggests.
“To your gym?” I ask, glancing down at myself. Is he saying I need to go to the gym?
“To watch me fight.” He stands up a bit straighter. “Girls like watching fights.”
I’m not so sure about that. Not wanting to be rude, I nod and smile. This is his profession. I don’t want to come off as a snot. I suppose there might be a chance I like it, but I’m betting not. It sounds scary, and I hate violence.
The rest of the morning flies by with getting Paige ready and out the door. Bear is at my side the entire time. I thought the whole point of having a nanny was so that he can go about his day, but Bear stays put. Paige even ropes him into doing her hair again. I have to say that it was adorable watching him with her.
Bear pulls up to the school, and Paige hops out, running into the building, leaving Bear and me alone once again. I can feel the weight of his stare, so I continue looking out the window, knowing that if I turn around in this moment, there will be no turning back. And I need this job.
Chapter Eleven
Bear
“Yo, Bear’s got a girl with him,” shouts one of the young guns as I walk in with Honey.
“Is this a guy’s only gym?” she whispers.
“Nope, but it’s mostly men. There aren’t a lot of women fighters although that’s changing. Why? You want to strap on some gloves?” I grin.
“Not even a little.” She steps closer to me. “I’m definitely in the spectator category of the spectator sports.”
“Who ya got with you, Bear?” calls Cooling from the ring. His taped hands are draped over the top rope, and there’s a sheen around his forehead. He looks warmed up.
“Paige’s nanny.”
“Woo wee. I got to get me one of those.” Gene pops in front of us. “Gene Baker. Got three kids of my own but no nanny. Maybe you should come work for me instead of this stick. He doesn’t do anything, you know. A straight arrow. Works out. Trains. Eats. Sleeps. Boring.” He lays his head on his hands and mimics sleeping. “Me? I’m full of fun.”
“You went grocery shopping the other day.” I scowl. Is Gene making a move on my nanny or on Honey? Like, does he want to fuck her, or does he want to have her take care of his three “snot-nosed” kids as he calls them? Either way, I don’t like it. I nudge Honey behind me. “Besides, she’s not interested.”
“I’d have a kid or three if it meant having a nanny like that in my home,” snickers one of the trainers.
Randy knocks him upside the head before I can. “Shut up.” He turns to Honey. “Sorry. We don’t get many pretty girls around here, and when one shows up, we forget how to act. I’m Randy, Bear’s trainer.”
Honey takes his hand. “Honey Walker. I’m Mr. Chan’s temporary nanny.”
“Temporary?” Randy’s eyebrows fly up. “You sure about that?”
“I mean…yes?” Confusion flickers in her eyes. “Mr. Chan says that Paige’s father will be getting out of the hospital soon and then he won’t need me.”
Something twists in my gut at the thought of Honey leaving or her thinking I don’t need her, but after Paige is gone, what hold would I have on the woman?
Randy’s eyes move from my expressionless face to Honey’s. “I wouldn’t make any rash assumptions.”
I clamp a hand around the back of her neck and steer her toward a chair. “Have a seat while I go change, and don’t talk to Gene. Randy, make sure no one bothers her. Cooling, give me ten.”
A bunch of thoughts swim around my head as I strip out of my street clothes and pull on a jock and a pair of shorts. No need for a shirt today, and not because I’m trying to impress Honey or anything. Nothing like that. Even if I was trying to make her take special notice, Gene’s right. I’m halfway to being a recluse. If I’m not fighting, I’m hanging out in my home, watching television, keeping track of my businesses, and reading biographies. This is all temporary, and I should be happy about that. I’m not a father figure, and I’m not for couplehood either, so why do I feel like I ate some bad fish?
I tape up my hands and head out to the ring. Instinctively, my eyes shoot toward Honey, who is sitting primly in her chair. There are a couple of guys who’ve pulled up chairs next to her, but Randy seems to be keeping a distance between her and the rest of the crowd.