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The man laughed, walking closer. “I was wondering when you’d finally show your face.”
Was I in trouble? Was he going to hit me?
“Killian says you fight like you have nothing to lose, like you can’t stop.” He lifted his chin in my direction. “That true?”
There was a big fire pit between us, dead grass, a rusted barrel of ash and debris.
“Yes, sir.”
He laughed, tipping his head back.
“Call me Stone, or Prez, but not sir.”
I nodded, not wanting to speak another blunder.
“What’s your name?”
A slight breeze blew between us, making his hair shift the slightest bit.
“Wesley Ryan. I go by Wes.”
His long legs ate up the space between us, and his hand came down on my shoulder.
“You Terrance Ryan’s kid?”
I nodded, having no idea what he’d heard of my father. Probably that he was a good guy who attended church, paid his taxes, and had a handful of kids at home. Maybe he’d heard something else, because the look that passed over his face was almost pitiful.
“Okay, Wes. Let’s see if you can hit a heavy bag, then you can help me clean up some of these beer bottles.”
I didn’t want to clean up beer bottles or really learn to hit, but he was being nice to me. Besides, maybe it would allow me the chance to see more of where Callie grew up.
* * *
An hour went by. I learned to hit a heavy bag with my bare fists and push through the pain. My knuckles were puffy and red, but I still felt a small thrill inside that Stone had taught me something. He’d stayed the entire hour, explaining where to move, how to shift, where to land the blow to get a better outcome.
A few of his guys came and watched, talking, drinking, and laughing while I continued to hit. It felt good. To fuel my hits, I thought about my dad and my brothers. I thought about how they wanted me to go see my grandparents again, which would take me from Callie. I thought about the boys I saw talking to Callie when we were outside the local swimming pool. I thought about the way their eyes traced her body when she wore her two-piece swimsuit.
I had a lot of rage inside, and hitting the bag felt better than anything I’d done besides spend time with Callie.
Finally, there was a soft laugh that pulled me away from the heavy bag. I turned around and saw Callie making her way into the large garage. She wore a pink skirt and a flowy white top. Her hair was braided, and her lips were glossy. I felt my stomach dip, and suddenly I swiped at my forehead to get rid of any sweat lingering there. Her dad watched me with a smirk.
“Well, look who finally showed up. Callie, your boyfriend here is a good egg. I assumed he’d crack a long time ago. Bring him around more often. He’s got a killer right hook.”
I beamed, feeling seen for the first time in years. His approval of me being her boyfriend also felt oddly fulfilling, like a soothing balm over a cut. I knew they said her dad was bad news, but I liked him. He was calm while instructing me how to hit, and he made me laugh.
The guy I recognized as Killian handed me a water bottle with a grin. He was a few years older than me, and ever since I’d met the guy, there was something about him that made me want to be just like him when I was older. He had confidence and a sense of belonging that I couldn’t begin to fathom.
Callie’s expression was hard to decipher. Her brows were drawn tight, her jaw was clenched, and her eyes had a strange sheen to them. She gave a piercing glare to her dad as soon as he turned his back then pulled on my hand, leading me outside. I heard a chorus of laughter as we went. Once outside, I noticed her face was turning a reddish color and that sheen in her eyes had turned to tears.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice came out crisp and harsh, so unlike anything I’d ever heard muttered from her lips before.
The sun was setting, and I was positive I’d missed dinner. Mom would be pissed.
“I wanted to bring you something, but you weren’t here. Your dad came out and talked to me, and I ended up hitting the heavy bag for a while.”
Her arms crossed over her chest, like she was upset. I wasn’t sure why; I hadn’t done anything.
“Are you mad that I came?”
