Page 3 of Champion

“No worries, man. I'll see you when I see ya, but it'll be soon.”

“Right, man. Later.”

Driving back to the gym, my truck is fine. Maybe it's nothing, though my inner voice tells me I’m fooling myself.

“Hey, Champ, how's it hangin’?” Dirk asks, coming up to me as I enter the gym.

I grimace as I see Mannie, yet again, acting like a clown in the ring. That dimwit is going to get seriously hurt if he keeps this shit up.

“Didn't I ask you to talk to Mannie?” I ask Dirk, rolling my eyes.

“You thought I was a showboater and didn’t want to devote myself to the sport,” he says. I’m not liking the sound of where this is going. “Mannie is a hundred times worse than I was, Champ, and I did talk to him like you asked,” Dirk says. “But he's even more hardheaded than you are.”

“Watch your tone, Dirk. You may be my brother-in-law, but don’t push me.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Champ,” Dirk laughs. His smile fades when he turns back to the ring and watches Mannie. “I know you don't like cutting boxers loose, Champ, but I think you gotta do it. He won’t listen to instructions. He’s gonna get hurt, not to mention he’ll damage the gym’s reputation.”

I sigh. This is the hard part of running my gym. I don't tolerate fools or boxers unwilling to work on their craft. I don't want any of my boys getting injured, and if Mannie isn't following the rules, he's a liability I can't have. You can only tell somebody so many times before you realize they'renever going to listen and they're willfully going to do precisely what you’ve told them not to.

“Alright,” I sigh, “I want you to have a talk with him later. Either he shapes up, or he’s outta here. No exceptions. Be clear this is his second and final chance.”

Dirk sighs, then nods. I still give him shit because what kind of a big brother would I be if I didn’t disapprove of my little sis’s choice in men? But Dirk is becoming someone I can rely on. I have my eye on him to look after this gym when I’m out in Jefferson, training those boxers after it opens up.

I respect his commitment and dedication to the gym and do my best to ensure he knows.

“You're a good man, Dirk,” I say, looking at him with pride.

Who thought Dirk would be the one I considered my right-hand man here at the gym? It’s certainly been a welcome surprise and improved my relationship with my sister.

“Anyway, what are you up to this weekend?” Dirk asks, curious. It still seems strange to shoot the shit with him, but now that he’s settled down with my sister, he’s found a purpose in life, and we have better common ground.

“Me?” I shrug, downplaying his question. “Not sure. Opal has invited me to the chili cook-off, but...”

“Oh, did she now?” Dirk gives me a shit-eating grin like he knows something I don’t.

“What's that supposed to mean? What do you know?” I ask, glowering at him.I don’t like being at a disadvantage, especially with Dirk.

“Nothing specific,” he says, running his hand through his hair. “But I overheard Beth and Shelly talking, and they're up to something. I'm pretty sure Opal's in the middle of it.”

I look at Dirk and realize this is exactly the kind of thing my sister would do. Like I need another thing on my plate to deal with.

“But what do you think about her, Champ?” Dirk asks. “You're always single. Maybe it's time for you to settle down. It’s not hard to see that she wants you to notice her.”

“No, no, that's not for me,” I say quickly, working to shake the image of Opal from my head. My mission in life is to help other people, and it’s something I give everything to. I’m no fool. I’ve seen the way Opal looks at me. There’s no denying she’s a beautiful woman, but she’s off-limits. “Besides, she’s my employee. That’s its own set of problems.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, man.” Dirk smirks, clearly not believing me. “I'm going back to training, but catch you later, yeah? I’ll talk to Mannie again.”

“Thanks.”

I head into the office and sit at the desk. Truth be told, I've liked having Opal around.Having Opal here is different from Beth or Shelly. Beth is a pain in my ass most of the time, no matter how much I love my sister. Shelly is all business, and she's been wonderful. She’s blossomed now she’s away from her abusive ex and is madly in love with Floyd. She’s no longer the timid and terrified woman I met earlier this year.

But Opal? Opal's got these soft curves and this sweet smile, and I'd be lying if I said I didn’t think about her at night when I’m in bed. It’s hard to ignore Opal, but as her boss, Iforce myself to ignore her sweet smiles and the hopeful way she looks at me. But I’m not a fool. I've noticed the changes in her, like wearing dresses to the gym. It makes me wonder if she’s trying to catch someone's eye. I'd like to believe she's been making an effort for me, but I keep telling myself it was foolish to hire her in the first place.

Hiring Opal was good for the gym but bad for me. Every time she walks in, my body floods with longing. But as much as I want her, I know better than to cross that line with an employee. No matter what I feel, I have to keep my distance. Between running this gym, getting ready to open the one in Jefferson, and helping Harley, there isn't enough space in my life for a woman, no matter how much Opal intrigues me.

Dammit, Champ. This is the last thing you need. You don't need the complication of a relationship, no matter how much you like Opal.

There are so many reasons why something like that can go wrong. Not like asking an employee on a date is ever a good idea. Besides, I've heard her say she has a few brothers, and the last thing I need is to be chased around by a bunch of angry older brothers.

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