Page 6 of Love and Memories

Gage mirrored Travis’s steps as they moved around the ring. The trash talk didn’t usually get to Gage, but the guy was moving slow today.

Gage wasn’t making a go for it, which meant he was getting tired. Travis took a chance and went all-in on a roundhouse kick that landed solid against Gage’s thigh.

Gage sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. “Shoot, man.”

Rounds with Gage were fun because they didn’t aim to maim, but neither of them pulled punches. A kick like that could have broken something if Travis wasn’t careful.

“Just trying to get your attention. Too much?”

Gage bit the strap on his right glove and pulled it off. “I’d like to be able to walk tomorrow.”

Travis tugged his gloves off and hopped out of the makeshift ring. He took a seat on a worn wooden bench beside Gage and grabbed a bottle of water. “What’s on your mind?”

“It’s stupid,” Gage mumbled.

“Not too stupid if it’s throwing you off like this. Anything I can do to help?”

Gage rolled his eyes. “It’s Hadley. She’s worried about Anna, and it’s tearing her up. I hate it when she’s sad and I don’t know how to help.”

Travis had gotten a front-row seat to the changes in Gage’s life over the last year. Watching his friend progressively grow to love Hadley and be a good boyfriend, then fiancé, was pretty satisfying. Gage had gone from unapologetic outlaw to a caring Christian and a good partner to Hadley.

“What’s the matter with Anna?” Travis asked.

Gage wiped the sweat off his face with a towel. “She got engaged.”

“I heard. I guess everyone has their opinions about that couple since the guys at the fire station were talking about it too.”

Travis’s guy friends didn’t do a lot of gossiping, but most of them had girlfriends who were all friends and looked out for each other.

“Hadley thinks Dean is a…”

“Searching hard for something to call him that isn’t X-rated?” Travis asked.

“Yep. He’s not my favorite person. I doubt he’s anyone’s favorite person. The guy is a loser, and he’s not good to Anna.”

“But she said yes to marrying him,” Travis pointed out.

“Right, and I keep telling Hadley that, but it doesn’t seem to help much.”

“Has Hadley talked to her about it?”

Gage rested his head against the wall behind them with a thunk. “No, and she’s scared she’ll hurt Anna’s feelings. Why is it so hard for women to talk to each other?”

“When did our gym time become girl talk time?” Travis asked.

Gage chuckled. “Sorry, man. I just hate seeing Hadley upset.”

“Then maybe you should say something to Anna.”

Gage’s eyes widened. “Not a chance. I’m staying out of it. I already talked to Beau about it, and he said we should stay out of it too.”

“I’d offer to do the honors, but I don’t know her as well as you do. A conversation where I tell her that her boyfriend is a jerk might not go over well.”

Gage stared off into the gym where a handful of people were making use of the workout machines. “Maybe he’ll sabotage things on his own. I mean, Anna has to wise up at some point, right?”

“I guess. When’s the wedding?”

“Hopefully, not any time soon,” Gage said low. “But if I know Anna, she’s been planning it since she was six years old. She might already have a caterer booked.”

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