Page 45 of Wild Side
“I’m not goingto be back in time for the show on Monday.”
Anthony groans. “What the hell, Rhys. We just wrote your entire comeback. You’re mid-feud.” I grimace with my phone still held to my ear. I was already prepared for this to go over poorly. Anthony has always been an entitled asshole, but because of my popularity, I’ve been spared. “I know. And that’s not the worst part.”
“Oh good,” he replies sarcastically. Anthony is a businessman through and through. The bottom dollar andthe viewership rates reign supreme. His wrestlers’ mental and physical health comeafterthat.
And me spending too much time away from the ring is not good for his business. Especially after my on-and-off returns with ongoing knee issues. The ones I finally got clearance to have surgically repaired rather than continuing to run myself into the fucking ground. “What’s the worst part?” he asks.
“I’m going to need a couple of weeks.”
“Are you fucking joking?” His disbelief and frustration braid themselves together.
“Nope. Sorry,” I mumble, looking around Tabitha’s backyard from the lounger I’ve propped myself on.
I do feel bad. Like my returns, I’ve been a sporadic employee of late. But this—being here—is more important.
“I’m actually getting married,” I say.
That strikes the older man silent for a few beats. “Married?”
“Yup.”
“But when I look upbachelorin the dictionary, your photo is there.”
“Ha-ha.” I enunciate the words sarcastically. “I’m not that bad. I just… enjoy my solitude.”
“You’re right. Maybe it’s undermonk.”
I grumble but don’t respond.
“Shit. You’re not joking, are you?”
“No.”
“Well…” He trails off, and I can hear the rasp of his fingers over his beard. “Congratulations. It’s great you found someone who doesn’t conflict with your solitude, even though it’s fucking me over. I’m happy for you.”
Oh. She conflicts all right, but for some confounding reason, it doesn’t bother me at all.
That’swhat’s new.
“Thanks.”
“Could you take the honeymoon later? I could schedule you some time off after the next pay-per-view event.”
“No.”
“That’s all you’re gonna give me, huh?”
I palm the back of my neck, feeling a pang of guilt for letting the coworkers down. Anthony down. They don’t deserve this. I know it’ll mean rejigging matches and re-writing storylines. There will be grumbling. And while I’m a good coworker and a solid wrestler, I don’t think anyone would accuse me of being the sunshine of the crew.
They do me favors because they respect me and need me, not because they enjoy bending over backward for me.
His heavy sigh reeks of disappointment. “I’m going to run this past the writers. Might need you in character filming some promos to keep everything rolling forward. You got a costume on hand?”
“Oh yeah. I take my mask and combat pants with me everywhere I go.”
He sighs again. “Spare me the snark, Dupris. I’ll have a set sent to you. Emerald Lake?”
“No. I’m in Rose Hill.”
