One of Sean’s clients has a gym nearby with a boxing ring that Sean and I use periodically. It’s usually quiet this time of night—he has classes during the day, and I take the short drive down there, meeting Sean outside.
“We haven’t done this in a while.” He grins.
I’m not sure he’ll be grinning by the time I’m finished.
“Yeah. I just need to take some time out.”
He frowns. “Everything okay?”
“Tell you later.”
Once we’re gloved up and in the ring, he laughs. “Ready for this?”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
I jab at him before coming in hard. He’s taken punches to the jaw before, and even though I didn’t really mean to slip this through, when my fist connects with his face, his eyes flare with anger.
“Hey. Settle down.”
We jab for a bit longer before I let him get a hit through. It’s nothing compared to how hard I hit him—he’s sending me a message, but instead of it calming me a little, it has the opposite affect.
I go in hard, and he repels me as best he can, pounding the anger out of me.
Sean drops his guard and grabs hold of me. We’re not much different in size, and I could keep fighting, but I’m done. I’m so done.
“Dude. What the hell is going on?”
I strip off my gloves and throw them to the ground. “I don’t even know where to start.”
His wary gaze fixes on me. “Why don’t we go for a beer and talk about it?”
“Fine. As long as it’s only a beer.”
He nods slowly.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
Guiding me back toward the changing rooms, he keeps me steady while I feel so lost.
How can my heart be breaking for Emma when I’m so angry?
My pain’s all twisted up inside, sad and confused and still needing an escape.
I could pound Sean into the ground, and it wouldn’t make a difference.
After showering and changing, we drive the short distance to a nearby pub. Sean’s worried gaze follows me from the car into the building where we order beers and find a quiet table.
“What’s going on? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you like this,” he says.
My jaw sets. “So, today I found out I have a kid.”
He gives me the side-eye as he sips his beer. I wait patiently as he puts his beer down and smacks his lips together. “What?”
“An old girlfriend. You remember me telling you about Emma?”
His brow furrows. “Emma? As in high school Emma?”
