Page 11 of A Fighter’s Love

Dale ordered a red wine and two pints then Jackson led the way to a corner booth with burgundy padded seats. The lighting in the bar was subdued, the wallpaper peeling at the corners and a picture of dogs playing pool and smoking cigars hung askew on the wall. It was hardly salubrious but Jenny was more than happy to take the weight off her feet and sit back.

“Cheers,” Jackson said, passing her wine.

“Cheers. And thank you.” She smiled and took it.

They each took a sip of their drinks. Dale sighed. Jackson wiped a drip of froth from his top lip. Jenny let the sweet berry taste of the merlot swirl around her mouth.

“You feeling better?” Dale directed at her.

“Yes, thanks, and for you know, earlier, too.” She poked at a beer mat and wished the whole sorry incident with Billy hadn’t happened.

“He’s an arsehole,” Jackson said gruffly. “No doubt about it. I’m sorry if you like him…love him and all that, but he doesn’t know how to treat a woman.”

Love him!

“No, no, I don’t love him.” She looked between them and pressed her palm over the beer mat, imagining that was her relationship with Billy—flattened, over, no longer part of her life.

Neither man spoke, but both studied her.

“I haven’t loved him for a long time,” she said quietly.

“But you did once.”

“I guess.” She pulled in a deep breath. “I went through a low point, in my mid-teens. Billy was there for me. He was different then, kinder, more thoughtful, he seemed to get it, understand me.” She paused. “He doesn’t any more. He just thinks about the club.”

“So what changed?” Jackson asked, his voice gentler.

“Was it the club? He’s obsessed with it.” Dale spun his glass around, his big fingers making lines in the condensation.

“He is obsessed with it, and it’s good for him to be, in a way.”

“How do you mean?” Jackson frowned.

“His fighting career was going well. He was destined for great things, so everyone was saying. And then, as you know, he lost his eye in that fight with Neale a few years ago. One day he was the next big thing, then it was all over. The club was all he had left and luckily it was what pulled him out of the ugly black place he was sliding into.”

“Bad luck to have such a permanent injury,” Dale said, downturning his mouth.

“Yeah, it was.” Jenny took another sip of wine and thought back to the time of the injury. “We were drifting apart before the accident. I’d just got my accountancy qualifications and my job at Wainwright and Bramon. He was concentrating more and more on training and traveling to fights. If it hadn’t happened I think we’d have called it quits.”

“But itdidhappen.”

She nodded. “And then I couldn’t leave him. He needed me and when I’d needed him, he’d been there. And the last thing I wanted to do was…” She pulled herself up, remembering her father’s harsh words.You’re never here when I need you, Jenny.

“Was what?” Jackson asked.

She smiled sadly. “Be the sort of person who let others down. That’s not who I am.”

“I’d say you’re the opposite.” Dale glanced at Jackson. “Wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah. You’re generous to a fault, with your time at least. Billy shouldn’t be getting all those free accountancy hours out of you.”

“And he won’t anymore.” She pushed back her shoulders and tilted her chin.

“He won’t?” Dale asked.

“No. I’ve made a decision, it’s been a while coming and it’s overdue, but it’s time to end whatever this lingering relationship is with Billy. We’re boyfriend and girlfriend in name only, if that makes sense. We haven’t been out together, had dinner together, or…” She stopped herself from saying ‘sleeping together’. These two men didn’t need those details.

“So there’s nothing between you anymore?” Jackson asked. “As in…” He looked at Dale.

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