Page 135 of Finding Hope

I smile and pull my phone back to my ear. “Did you hear that?”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing. I’ll be back at your place soon. Bye.”

“Bambie–”

I slip my phone back into my pocket and smile at the group; at the lineup of badass women, at the lineup of already egged men. I wish I could photograph this shit.

“Good, you got what you want. Now get off my property. Brittany, get inside before I call Mom and Dad!”

I snort so hard, I almost blow a snot bubble. It’s like he doesn’t realize we’re not kids anymore.

Turning away in dismissal, I wave him off. “We’re done, anyway. See ya, X. I’ll be home later.”

“Brittany–”

It looks like a choreographed attack. It feels like we planned this down to the second. None of that is true, and yet, five women and two pre-teens spin and toss eggs all at once.

Dozens and dozens of eggs rain down on my front porch in a successive wave and send Angelo and Marcus running like cowards.

Bravely, Scotch and Alex simply remain where they are and accept their punishment for being jerks. They barely react to the oozing egg. The bubbles slide down their legs, but they simply take it.

The barrage lasts a full minute or two, but when we all run out at the same moment, when the guys realize we’re out, they sprint off the porch atthe same moment our group of women, two almost-teens, and one dog sprint toward the van and throw ourselves in.

Jumping into the driver’s side, Kit turns the key and has the engine roaring to life at the exact second I shut the sliding door and barely miss cutting poor Annie’s tail off.

29

JACK

COMFORTABLE

My life is back on track.

I’m not drinking anymore, and I don’t crave it. My family doesn’t drink around me; no casual beers with pizza, no casual drinks while we sit around watching TV, no drinking while out at dinner.

Nothing.

As is typical with my family, if it’s one in, it’s all in.

My life feels good again.

Finally.

Britt got to watch her first ever live fight last month, and with my girl at my back, with her eager eyes watching and worrying, I won against Loreto in a second round knockout.

I’m back. I’m fitter than ever. I’m bigger than ever, and I’m fast as fuck.

My victory over Loreto means we’re heading back to training camp and we’re prepping for the title.

Four weeks to go.

It’s not just me on this journey. Just like always, my entire family is. My brothers train with me seven days a week. We’re in the gym eight hours a day, we’re doing hill sprints and jogs outside those hours, and I’m eating and sleeping the rest of the time.

Bambie sleeps in my bed a few nights a week, though of course she and Alex made up after his forced apology and she went home like the good girl she pretends not to be.

After months of sharing a bed with her off and on, I’ve realized something really important about her, something that may change the course of our lives.

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