by Josie Kerr
There was a knock on the door and they heard a voice say, “Knock, knock! Where’s our birthday girl?” Madeleine Holbrook, Tripp’s mother, poked her head inside and said, “There she is!”
Bailey laughed and said, “Look, Maude – it’s Mimi and Poppy!”
Madeleine and Ed came into the small, neat living room and each gave Bailey a hug before they moved onto their granddaughter.
Colin hung back in the kitchen, more uncertain than ever that he should be present at this family birthday party. He and Bailey had argued, almost fought, about him not coming to the party. In the end, she looked so upset that he had to relent. But he still wasn’t sure about this.
Ed Holbrook came into the kitchen and offered his hand to shake. “I’m Ed. It’s nice to finally meet you, Colin.”
Colin cleared his throat. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Bailey thinks the world of you and Madeleine. She and Maude are lucky to have you and your wife in their lives.” Colin meant every word he said.
“She’s lucky to have you in her life as well. I know this has got to be awkward.”
Colin blew out a breath. “Yeah, kind of. More nerve-wracking, though.” He and Ed laughed.
“So you must be Colin.” Madeleine came the kitchen, Maude on her hip clutching at the heavy strand of pearls Madeleine wore at her throat. She looked at Colin from head to toe and gave him an appreciative smile.
Bailey’s jaw dropped. Oh. My. God. Madeleine is totally checking Colin out.
Bailey sucked in her lips to avoid bursting out in laughter.
Colin stepped up to Madeleine and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Madeleine. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Madeleine shook his hand and grinned at him. “Thank you for taking care of the girls, Colin,” she said quietly and Colin nodded in acknowledgement. Okay, maybe this isn’t going to be so bad, at least until Tripp gets here.
He rolled his eyes when his phone beeped. He glanced at who was calling and excused himself to return the call.
“Where’s Tripp? I figured he’d come with you,” Bailey asked.
“He said he wanted to bring his own car,” Madeleine said. “I knew I should have insisted he come with us.”
“He said he had something he had to take care of before,” Ed reminded his wife, but he looked irritated nonetheless.
“Everything all right, Colin?” Bailey asked when he returned to the room.
“Yeah, Junior and Paddy needed to confirm some things before this afternoon’s meeting about the expo fight. He apologized for interrupting the birthday party.”
“Did you need to be there, Colin?” Bailey said with a frown. “I didn’t mean to keep you from something you need to do.”
“Babydoll, it’s fine. It’s Maude’s birthday, and that supersedes anything else. Period.”
“I wish Tripp would embrace that ideology,” Madeleine said under her breath. “So, you’re Mick Brennan’s brother?”
Colin laughed. “Nice. Yes, I am. Well, half-brother, technically.”
Ed peered at Colin. “I can see it. Those eyes – both of you have those same eyes, but Mick’s hair is a lot darker.”
“We have different noses. I have Duke’s nose, and Mick’s got Moira’s.” Colin inhaled because he was getting nervous again. Bailey touched his hand and gave him a little nod and he immediately felt better.
“Oh, there’s Tripp. He just pulled into the driveway.”
Tripp walked into the house without knocking and found all of them looking at him.
“Hey. Sorry I’m late. Got caught up in something.”
“Hello, darling. I’m glad you finally got away,” Madeleine said. She was holding Maude, so she walked over to Tripp and attempted to give him the baby. Unfortunately, Maude strongly resisted going to her father, arching her back and grunting and grimacing.
“Well, that’s pretty typical,” Tripp said with a roll of his eyes.
“If you spent more time with her, perhaps she would be more receptive to you,” Madeleine chastised her son.
“It’s not my fault that there was an emergency at work.”
Ed frowned. “What happened?”
Tripp waved his hand dismissively. “Just a thing with one of the partners freaking out about not getting something out in time. It’s taken care of.”
“They made you late for your daughter’s birthday party? That’s a load of crap.” Tripp was surprised that Colin was the one who commented. “You don’t see her a whole lot anyway. This time is precious.”
“See, Tripp. Colin gets it. You need to start putting your foot down when it comes to after-hours so-called emergencies.”
Bailey snorted. She remembered all the times that Em had to deal with “emergencies” in the middle of the night. Looks like Tripp is getting a taste of his own medicine.
But still, she didn’t like that he was having to go in when he had Maude. It wasn’t fair to either of them.
Colin gaped at Tripp. “They’re making the founder’s son miss time with his child? That’s some kind of horseshit.” Colin shot a look at Ed. “Really?”
Ed was frowning. “I had no idea, Tripp. That is unacceptable.”
“Dad, you said I needed to work like a regular employee, so I am.”
Ed continued frowning. “The managers and I are going to have some discussions on Monday.”
Great. Now that big fighter is meddling in my work life, too, thought Tripp.
Bailey sensed the rising tension in the room. “So, let’s have some cake!”
“What are you grinning at?”
“You.”
Colin scoffed. “Why are you grinning at me like that?”
“Because I kinda like you.”
“Oh. Well, that’s good, because I kind of like you, too.”
“Thank you for today. You could have been an ass, and I wouldn’t blame you one bit, but it was actually nice.”
Colin sighed and rolled over to face Bailey. “It was. I don’t think Tripp’s necessarily a bad guy, really. He just hasn’t figured out what’s important. I’m glad his dad is going to talk to people. No one should have to miss time with their kids.”
“You’re being really understanding, Colin.”
“Well, yeah. The better Maude’s relationship with him is, the better yours is going to be, and that makes everyone happy.” Colin shrugged.
Bailey huffed a small laugh and grinned at him. “This is why I like you so much. This right here.” She pursed her lips and offered her mouth to him.
He kissed her and then settled back into the pillow, his big arm behind his head. Bailey’s eyes searched his face. Those blue eyes still seemed a bit tight and worried, and he tugged on his hair like he did when he was mulling something over.
“Okay, what are you thinking about, Colin? I can almost see the cogs turning in that head of yours.”
His lip turned up in a tiny grin. “Sometimes I think I’m in the way. Before you protest, let me finish. Sometimes I think I’m in the way of you and Tripp being the best parents to Maude that you can be. I mean, Tripp obviously doesn’t like me, and I get that; I probably wouldn’t like me if I was his position.”
“Colin, do not ever think that. Tripp…made some really bad decisions, and those bad decisions came way before I even met you. So, do not worry about your being in the way. At all. Okay?”
Colin look skeptical, but he nodded. “Yeah, babydoll. I believe you.”
Bailey crawled up Colin’s body and pushed his back into the mattress.
“I don’t think you really believe me, so I’m gonna show you.”
Chapter Twenty-six
April
“Nice work this afternoon, Tripp,” Jett Raptor said. “You’ve really improved these past six months.”
Tripp hung his hands over the sides of the ropes on the boxing ring and gulped some air. “Thanks, Jett. I’ve really been trying.”
Raptor to
ok a good look at Tripp. “You mind if ask I you something?”
Tripp laughed and shook his head. “Sure.”
“What’s your story, Tripp? Why are you training? Honestly, you seem more like a spin class kind of guy.”
Tripp laughed again, a bit of bitterness creeping into the tone. “Oh, it’s a long story.”
Raptor raised his eyebrows, prompting Tripp to continue.
Tripp related a sanitized version of the story about why he got sent to prison, ending with telling how Mick came into his area of the emergency room and leaning against his windpipe.
Raptor whistled low. “Are you afraid that this guy’s going to do something?”
Tripp shook his head. “Not really, but we have some overlap in our social circles, and I want to be prepared in case he loses his mind.”
“That’s a smart decision. If you want, I’ll teach you a few offensive moves.”
“That’d be great. The more prepared I am, the better.”
“I’ve got a class now, but we’ll get together next session and figure out a schedule, okay?”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks, Jett.”
Raptor nodded and both men got out of the ring. Raptor headed toward the classrooms and Tripp sat heavily on the bench.
“Fuck,” he said. “Dammit. I should have asked him to help me get these gloves off.”
“Need some help there?”
Tripp looked up at the woman that stood next to him and chuffed a laugh. Well, well, well. Look who we have here. “Yeah, sure.”
As Andrea helped him get his gloves off, she made some small talk. “So, why are you really training? I heard you talking to Raptor.”
Tripp snorted. “I wanna be ready to beat Mick Brennan’s ass the next time I see him. If he so much as looks at me funny, I’m going to make sure he knows he can’t intimidate me this time.”
Andrea nodded. “I figured as much. I know someone who can show you some real moves. Most likely, you’re not going to have boxing gloves on when you see him; you’ll be able to use your fingers.”
Tripp nodded. “That would be great. He’s got this brother, too. I don’t trust him either, and I know the brother knows how to fight.”
“Yeah? What’s the deal with him?”
Tripp rolled his eyes. “Well, for one, I know he’s a retired professional fighter. He’s a huge fucker, I bet almost as big as that guy over there.” Tripp nodded toward Pierce, who was talking to Raptor across the gym.
“He given you any problems? You can report him if he is.”
Tripp shook his head. “No, he hasn’t said anything. But see, he’s involved with the mother of my little girl.”
“Oh, no!” Andrea’s eyes widened. Well, fuck. He’s got a kid.
“No, shit. When I was in prison, they hooked up.”
“Didn’t take her long to move on, huh?”
“No, it didn’t. Bailey’s a sweet girl, but she came from nothing, and the prospect of someone to take care of her was too good to pass up, I suppose.”
“Wait, her name is Bailey? How old is this girl?” That chickie that was with Bren was named Bailey, but she looked about 18.
“She’s 29, but she looks about 18. She looks like a little doll – all curly hair and big grey eyes.”
Andrea roared with laughter. “Oh, fuck me. She’s seeing Bren Carmichael, isn’t she?”
Tripp frowned. “I know the guy as Colin, but his last name is Carmichael.” Fuck me. Was there yet another huge-ass brother?
I bet you money Colin and Bren are the same person. Andrea asked as she quickly formulated a plan, “What are you doing after?”
*****
Tripp looked at Andrea as she crossed the bar. Damn, she was hot, like thermonuclear. And fuck, I need to get laid.
The blonde-haired woman was on the tall side, maybe five foot eight, and thin and fit. She had slim hips, and long legs, and huge tits. Oh, yeah. Her lip curled into a smile as she sat down at the table.
“Hi, Tripp. I’m so happy that you agreed to meet me tonight,” she said before ordering a drink and a shot. She slammed the shot and drank half of her very strong Cosmopolitan before continuing. “We need to talk.”
Tripp leaned back in his seat, his arm thrown across the back of the booth. He was irritated that she sat across from him, not next to him. “What do we need to talk about?”
“Bren Carmichael, or as you know him, Colin Carmichael.”
Tripp rolled his eyes. Fuckin’ A. She’s not interested in me. “What about him?”
“How well do you know him?”
Tripp shrugged. “Not well. I just know he’s fucking the mother of my child and I don’t like it one bit.”
“Do you want her back?”
Tripp considered the question. Did he want Bailey back? Not necessarily, but he didn’t want that Carmichael fuck to have her, and it would make his life a lot easier, financially, if he and Bailey were together. “It would make my life a lot simpler.”
Andrea smiled a slow, mean smile. “I think I can help.”
“How so?”
“I used to date Bren, I mean, Colin.”
Tripp snorted. “You didn’t know him well if you didn’t even know his name.”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “I don’t think anyone knew his name was really Colin. I know Pierce didn’t know.”
“Pierce? That huge fucker that trains with DiGiacomo and Raptor?”
Andrea nodded. “You might want to keep any negative opinion of Pierce to yourself. He’s mean, he’s stupid, and he has a bad temper.”
“Sounds like you know him well.”
Andrea looked uncomfortable. “He’s why I’m here in Atlanta. I moved down with him.”
Tripp frowned. “I thought you said you dated Colin.”
“I did.” Tripp waited. “I was stupid and made some bad decisions. But Pierce means nothing to me at all. Bren left me…in a bad situation.” She looked into Tripp’s eyes, praying that he would make erroneous assumptions and jump to conclusions.
“You mean….”
Andrea nodded and Tripp watched her bottom lip quiver. “I had no money, nowhere to live, nothing. Pierce let me move down here with him, to start over. But he means nothing to me, and I don’t mean anything to him. If anything, he wants me to branch off and start my life over.”
Tripp clenched his jaw. That fucker. Tripp didn’t have a choice whether to leave Bailey or stay with her. He was in fucking prison. And now, this Bren or Colin or whatever the fuck his name was, was screwing Bailey while he had a kid with this woman.
Andrea clenched his hand in hers. “If you care for Bailey and your little girl, you need to get them away from Bren.”
“Why do you care? What’s in this for you?”
“Nothing. Nothing’s in this for me. I just hate to see someone as naïve as I think Bailey is fall for a violent drunk.”
Carmichael was a drunk? Now that was a totally different thing. “He’s an alcoholic?”
Andrea put on her most serious expression. “Yes. Yes, he is. And I bet that since he’s technically retired, he’s drinking more because he’s not in training.”
“Fuck,” Tripp spat. “Andrea, thank you for telling me this.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I can’t tell Bailey any of this because she’ll think I’m just jealous.”
“I know. But I’ve been thinking the whole time since I left the gym. I think I know how you can approach this….”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Thank fuck it’s about over so I can get on with what I really want to do.
Colin was finishing up yet another meeting about the exposition match with Dom “Dig” DiGiacomo when he heard a voice calling his name.
“Carmichael. Hey, Colin!”
Colin stopped and turned around. “Hey, Tripp.”
“Carmichael, I need to talk to you.”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“I figured. I didn’t think you were wanting to exchange recipes.”
“I’d like you to step off.”
Colin frowned. “Excuse me?”
Tripp cracked his neck. “I want you to back off of Bailey.”
“Meaning what exactly? I’m not the one pressuring Bailey to do anything.”
Tripp looked uncomfortable. “You heard our conversation last weekend.”
“Oh, yeah, I heard your conversation.” Colin stood and looked at Tripp without saying anything else.
“She’s the mother of my child.”
“Yes, she is.”
“Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“Yeah, it means that you’re a part of her life, period, whether I like you or not. But make no mistake, I don’t really like you, and I don’t really know if I can trust you. And if you hurt Bailey, you’ll answer to me. You understand?”
Tripp ignored the last part of Colin’s speech. “I want you to back off of Bailey. I want another chance with her.”
“That’s her decision, but I can guaran-damn-tee that if you have another conversation like the one you had last week, you have absolutely no chance of having a decent relationship with her or with Maude.”
Tripp grimaced. “I’m not communicating this very well, am I?” he said with a small laugh. “Just think about how you would feel if you were in my position, Colin. I know I’ve made some mistakes in the past.” Tripp also ignored Colin’s snort of disgust and the face that he made. “Okay, I’ve majorly fucked this up, but I know I’ve fucked up, and I want a relationship with my daughter and her mother. I can’t do that if you’re interfering.”
Colin barked an incredulous laugh. “Interfering? Dude, you drove her away. I didn’t interfere with anything. You were long out of the picture before I even met Bailey.”
“Just consider how you would feel if you weren’t given a chance to get to know your father because of the decisions that your mother made. Thank about that.”
Well, damn.
Colin thought about Tripp’s words all the way back to DS Fight Club, all during the afternoon sparring and training sessions, and then as he cleaned up the gym.
