“Those are a lot of big changes to make in a week,” my mom remarks.
“It’s not just a week, though. It’s ten years of my life that I haven’t been happy,” I explain. “I kept waiting for one phase to be over so I could get to the happy part, and it never came because I wasn’t on the right path. I didn’t want to take chances, so I took the easy road.”
“Well, if you’re sure these changes are what you want, then we’ll support you one-hundred percent,” my dad says.
“Thank you. I appreciate that,” I tell them. “And it would really help if you go easy on me. Don’t put too much pressure on me. I already do that to myself. I’ll probably never live up to your legacy in the cage. I know that.”
“We know you’ll do great at whatever you set your heart on,” my mom responds. “I just don’t want you to regret turning your back on the law after all the time and effort it took for you to graduate with that degree.”
“I won’t regret it,” I tell her. “I’m tired of the boring desk work and the long hours. It’s not what I’m cut out for.”
“I knew you belonged in the cage since the night you were born during my title fight,” Dad says with his chest puffed out. “You and Macy are both naturals with enough raw talent to go as far as you want in this profession.”
“Hopefully we’ll both win titles. And how much does this all pay?” I ask. “That’s something we probably should’ve talked about before I called my boss and quit my job.”
“You’ll make plenty, possibly more than you did as an attorney,” my dad informs me.
“Seriously?” I ask in surprise.
“More,” Macy says. “Just your name alone will rake in the dough. As soon as you win, they’ll be setting you up with million-dollar purses, you lucky bastard.”
“How much do you make?” I ask her, and she flips me off.
“Macy!” my mother chides her. “This sort of rude behavior is exactly why you don’t have a boyfriend!”
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend because guys are too scared to date a woman who can whip their ass,” my dad explains. “Bunch of pussies.”
“Jax!” Mom exclaims.
“Dad’s right,” Macy says.
“Anyway…” Mom huffs. “So you’re leaving tomorrow, and we’ll see you in two weeks?” she asks me.
“That’s the plan,” I agree. “I’ll reassign my cases and pack. Although I don’t yet have any place to live once I move back…”
“We’ll find you an apartment,” my dad offers to which my mom elbows him.
“Or Xavier can come home and stay with us for as long as he needs.”
“Xavier wants to stay with Cass, but he pissed her off,” Macy blurts out.
“What did you do to Cassidy?” Mom asks me.
“I just sort of let her believe I was already divorced before we were together.”
“He lied to her,” Macy explains more simply. “So he’s got some groveling to do when he gets back if he wants a chance to finally be with the woman he was always supposed to end up with.”
“You and Cass?” Mom asks with a grin. “Really?”
“Really,” I answer.
“I knew she always had a crush on you but didn’t think you would ever wake up and realize it.”
“Well, I finally realized it this week, and that is all I’m going to be sharing about my love life for now,” I tell them. “You all just worry about my training so that I don’t look like an idiot in my first fight and let me handle my relationship. Cass will forgive me eventually, though, right?”
“Good luck,” Mom says as she grabs my dad’s arm to pull him toward the door.
“You made that mess. Now you have to clean it up, son,” Dad tells me on the way out. “Night, kids!”
“Goodnight, mommy and daddy!” Macy calls out with a grin. “It’s been fun!”
“Night,” I tell them before taking a seat on the sofa. “So now what?” I ask her.
“Now we brainstorm ideas for getting Cass to forgive you, because if you two are on the outs, you’re gonna suck in the cage.”
And for once, I think my sister may actually be right.
Chapter Eighteen
Cassidy
“Hey, boss?” Brandon shouts out for me in the storage room where I’ve been hiding away, doing inventory for the last week since I’m not exactly in a happy, bubbly, customer service type of mood.
“Yeah, I’m behind the canoes!” I call out.
“There you are!” he says when he finally finds me. “I thought you had maybe gone home for the night.”
“Nah, still here. If the store is clear, you can go home, and I’ll lock up.”
“Oh, well, almost. A customer just came in,” he explains. “He’s looking for, and I quote, ‘the smartest, most gorgeous woman in the world who also happens to own this place.’”
“He said all of that?” I ask in confusion.
“Yep,” Brandon replies. “I made sure to remember it all, because he’s huge and I think he could snap me in half like a twig.”
“Xavier?” I mutter in disbelief. “He’s not supposed to be back for at least another week!”
And yeah, there was a part of me that wasn’t planning to get my hopes up in case he changed his mind…
“So are you going to come out here or am I going to have to risk my life and tell him you’ve gone home?” Brandon asks.
“I’ll, um, I’ll go talk to him. You can head home.”
“You sure, boss? I could stay if you think he might be crazy.”
“Oh, he’s crazy all right, but he’s not dangerous,” I assure him. “Well, not to me at least.
