Page 82 of Givin' Me Fitz!
“I don’t think so. I can check. You wanna go?” That was a surprise.
“Yeah. I thought Ryan and I might show up. After watching TJ working out at the house, I think the kid can win.”
“Me, too. I just don’t want him to get hurt. He mentioned that the guys he fought against last night didn’t stick to the rules. I’m guessing the referee has been hired by the promoters, so they might be sketchy. Personally, I wouldn’t hate it if the kid didn’t fight.” I hadn’t said as much to Sawyer, but I wanted the problem to go away.
Sparky patted my back, we finished our beers and olives, and he took me home. I was never so happy as when I saw my truck parked in the driveway.
Friday was the longest day of my life. Even with the pleasant soreness I felt when I walked because Sawyer and I had let off steam the night before, I was a ball of nerves.
Thankfully, Jagger and I had court in place of Keats and Greeley to get the bond refund documents when Jarvis Hunt showed up for his hearing. He was at the courthouse when we got there, so our work was quick. He got a fine for public drunkenness for swimming in the canal at the Venetian Hotel and Casino where the singing gondoliers were trying to give boat rides to tourists. Why young guys fell for dares from their buddies would baffle me until the end of my life.
We left the courthouse and went through the drive-thru at Dutch Bros for coffee. We took turns driving and paying for the coffee—the passenger paid—and it had worked out pretty well. Jagger pulled into a parking space so we could each doctor up our drinks.
“I heard there’s a fight tonight at the Ace of Spades Casino. MMA. One of the guys we bailed out a few months ago versus a ranked fighter. You wanna go? I heard Monty telling Leo and Digs there were still tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis so they should get there early.” Jagger put the lid on his coffee and turned toward me.
I glanced at him. “I’m surprised you’d be into something like that. It’s not a championship fight, is it? It sounded like an excuse for a bunch of fighters to get together and beat the piss out of each other to get themselves noticed by the MMA Federation. I’m not sure it’snotagainst the law. What do you think?”
Jagger sighed. “Maybe. Ignore me. I’m just bored and have a hard time meeting people.”
Look at me, giving out dating advice when I barely hadmyshit together. Speaking of dating… “Thanks for the invite, but I’m going with my partner, Sawyer Abbott. We’ll see you there, though.”
“Oh. I didn’t know you—never mind. I’m so damn sick and tired of watching what I do, where I go, and who my friends are. It’s from my cop days, and it’s a hard habit to break. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable. I wasn’t actually asking you out on a date. I just wondered if you’d go with me so I didn’t have to go by myself.” His expression reminded me of one I’d seen in the mirror not too long ago.
“Look, give me a ride home and go to your place. We’ll pick you up there, and I’ll be the designated driver tonight. Sawyer is the president of the Pahrump Steel Cowboys, and the fighter we bailed out works for him. His friends from the club will probably be there, and I don’t know them well, but the few I’ve met are nice. Come with us.” Lord knows what came over me, but when he grinned, I figured I’d just made a friend. It could be worse.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sawyer
I got to Fitz’s house just before five, which was when Fitz had mentioned he expected to be home. Mrs. Kowalski answered the door with a smile. “Come on in. I’m about to kick Jim’s butt. I need a witness.”
A loud laugh echoed from the kitchen. “Ha! You think so, Tanya, but I’m not so sure. Is that Sawyer?” Jim turned in my direction, his cloudy eyes vacant, but he was wearing a big smile.
“Yes, sir, Jim. How are you?” I walked over and touched his shoulder, and he patted my hand. I really liked the man.
Jim and Tanya, Mrs. K’s first name, were playing chess, so I watched for a minute.
“Pawn to e4,” Tanya said. She moved a stumpy white piece with a round top into a square midway on the board. I didn’t play chess, and I wasn’t looking to learn, but it was interesting to watch the two of them.
Jim chuckled. “Pawn to e5.” Tanya moved an identical black piece in front of hers.
They continued playing that way, with Tanya moving the pieces, first one then the other. Tanya could obviously see the board, but how Jim could remember the moves in his head was a testament to his intelligence. He knew exactly where every piece was on the board at all times. It was astonishing to watch.
“I’m going to go wait for Fitz on the porch. Jim, are you still going to the fight?” He’d said he wanted to be there. I thought it would be best if he wasn’t, but it wasn’t my place to make the decision for him.
“Damn right,” he said as I walked out the front door.
I sat in a rocking chair that hadn’t been there that morning when I’d driven by to pick up Fitz for work. I planned to return Fitz’s truck that evening and ride my bike to the dispensary and the Cowpokes houses until my parents returned my truck. The temperature was in the high sixties, so it was ideal for riding.
I had kept Fitz’s truck in hopes that Mom would call me and want to get together, just the two of us, but she hadn’t answered my texts. When I called, it went straight to voicemail.
Was my father keeping her from returning my messages and calls? If so, why?
A gray truck I didn’t recognize stopped in front of the house, and Fitz hopped out. “We’ll be there to get you at six thirty.”
The guy driving the truck waved and drove off. Fitz jogged into the yard and up on the porch. He rested his hands on the arms of the rocker and leaned forward, brushing his lips over mine. “Sugar, you are a sight for sore eyes.”
He kept that southern drawl under wraps most of the time, but when he let it out, it went straight to my dick. I wanted to fuck him right there on the porch.
