Page 61 of The Law of Attraction

Maybe someone like Dianna is exactly what I need to get back to being myself. Winning and getting laid. That’s what I do best.

I crank up the volume of my music when I hit the treadmill and ramp up my speed to a hard run. When my forty minutes are up, I’m not thinking about women. My gray T-shirt is saturated, and I’m pumped. I want more.

I head into the boxing room, which is surrounded by mirrors, with speed bags lining one side and punch bags hanging from the ceiling. I incline my head at Brooks when I see him holding pads for someone in the central training ring, then sit on a bench to strap my hands.

Imagining Charles Wickman’s face and considering how much I’ve lost my mind in the last couple of weeks, from forgetting my wallet to almost losing a big-money client, I hammer the punch bag. If there was a dry spot on my pants and T-shirt before, there isn’t now. Brooks has the music banging in the room, and I land every punch in time to the beat.

By the time Brooks steps behind my bag to hold it still, I’m firing on all cylinders.

‘Give me more, Harrington. Give me a left right left. Nice. Again. Now a two, two, one. You’re killin’ it, man.’

Once Brooks is through with me, my endorphin fire has gone out. All the salt and water that can leave my body have done so. The feeling I had twenty minutes earlier, like I was king of the world, has disappeared.

Brooks throws me a chilled bottle of water as I slide my back down a wall and come to sit on the cushioned floor, my elbows resting on my knees.

‘You good, man?’ Brooks asks, coming to sit next to me, mirroring my position, his inked arms bulging beneath his T-shirt.

I nod as I glug water. ‘Fine.’

‘Got anything to do with the Brit, Edmond was grilling you about?’

‘Do you have to do that?’

‘You mean call it like it is?’

‘Argh. I’ve known her two weeks, Brooks. It can’t be that big of a deal.’

‘It’s as big of a deal as you feel it is, no matter how long you’ve known her.’

I ponder those words. If that’s true, it’s a big deal. The biggest.

‘Brooks, I came here because I don’t want to think.’

He clamps his hands together, then pushes up in one fluid move to stand. ‘If you really want to forget, stand up and we’ll go a round.’

‘No, I’m done.’

‘Only if you feel done.’

‘Does that psycho-talk work on anyone?’

‘You tell me.’

‘Ah, Christ.’ I drag my ass up and head to the ring to hammer the nails into my coffin.

By the time I’m done, I’d rather be going to bed than the office. I shower and put on a three-piece that I keep in a locker at the gym.

* * *

When I get to Lexington Tower, I’m ravenous. Marty is talking to Fabio at the truck as he waits for his breakfast and a coffee so I head over there.

‘Did you get everything straightened out with Jerome yesterday?’ Marty asks.

‘Of course I did. Fabio, I’ll have the usual.’

The three of us start talking sports, Fabio chiming in intermittently as he fixes my bagel. Despite the crowded street and the fact that I’m focused on Marty, I sense her in my peripheral vision. I turn to see Becky twisting back and forth on the street corner, clearly contemplating whether to continue coming to the cart or run for the hills.

‘What do you say, Drew?’

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