Page 140 of Gym Bros
“If you want it to work so bad, maybe you can talk him into some other career that won’t end up with him having permanent brain damage.”
She looks surprised. “He’sreallygood though. Have you seen any of his film?”
I shake my head, wishing I hadn’t brought it up because I don’t want to think about that either.
“It’s all over his Insta. You never look at it?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Um…because he’s your boyfriend, and it’s obviously important to him?”
“Yeah, well, it’s actually super important to me that his bone structure remains intact.”
“You don’t seriously want him to quit do you?”
“Yes. I mean—no. I don’t know. I just want him to be okay.”
She puts an arm around me, letting me know nice Rachel is making a rare appearance. “Did you know fighters in long term relationships are more successful?”
“Where’d you read that?”
“Statistical fact.”
“Yeah?”
“Gives them purpose.”
“Right.”
“Okay, fine,” she says. “I made that up, but I bet it’s true.”
“It sort of makes sense, I guess,” I say.
“Anything that helps you get through it, babe. He’s so, so good for you.”
“Yeah?” I ask, that ever-present sense of hopelessness threateningto creep through the barrier I put up in my mind to protect myself from it.
“Aside from your stellar genetics, I’d daresay he’s the best thing that ever happened to you.”
“Why’d it have to behim, though?”
“Ah, well…if he were perfect, you wouldn’t be half as interested.”
“He’s almost perfect,” I hear myself saying.
“And cute too.”
“We’re not allowed to call him cute. It bruises his ego or something.”
She laughs and hugs me to her. “He’s a keeper, babe. I’m happy for you.”
“He’s twenty-one. I’m probably just a phase,” I say, the alcohol doing that melancholy thing to me it sometimes does.
She ruffles my hair. “Oh, stop. He’s one of the most focused people I’ve ever met. I don’t get the sense he goes after anything with less than his full chest.”
“Maybe,” I say quietly. Then, not wanting to think about it anymore, I ask, “What about you? Are you any closer to settling down?”
“Ha!” she barks. “As if there’s a man alive who could handle all this.”
