by Sarah Bale
Wrestling Diaries Part Three:
The Main Event
By: Sarah Bale
Copyright © 2016 by Sarah Bale
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Book edited by Jodi Thompson
Cover design by Book Genesis / bookgenesis.wordpress.com
Cover image by Viorel Sima / shutterstock.com
First Printing: July 2016
Dedication:
To Terrica- Who would have ever guessed our lives would change that random night. You have been such a blessing to me!
To Jodi- Thank you for everything. This wouldn’t be possible without you #TeamDenver
January 15
I saw Denver sitting on the opposite side of the room and walked to him.
I could tell right away that he’d been drinking for a while.
“You really here or am I dreaming?” Alcohol made his accent thick and his words slur.
I sat. “I’m here. Denver--”
“You should leave, Jamie. I’ve got no love left in me tonight.”
“Denver--”
“No, it’s fine. You made your choice. I don’t agree with it, but it’s your choice to make and I’d never settle for being number two.”
His words stung, as I’m sure he intended. And maybe I deserved it. He reached for his glass, but I took it from him and finished the contents. The vodka burned my throat and I grimaced. Standing, I held out my hand.
“What?”
“Come on Denver. You need to go to bed.”
He huffed, but stood. I was aware that people watched as we left, but I didn’t care. Denver leaned heavily against me and I was having a hard time guiding us to the elevators.
“Here, let me help.”
I glanced over my shoulder and my stomach fluttered. Of course, it was fucking Mesquite.
He went to the other side and maneuvered Denver, bearing most of his weight.
“Thanks, asshole,” Denver muttered.
I held back a laugh and pushed the button for the elevator. We waited in silence because, really, what could the three of us talk about? The thought made me cringe.
“Are you in the same room?”
I shook my head. “No. But we can go to my room.”
His eyes lit up, but I chose not to acknowledge it.
“My room is bigger.”
I waited for Denver to protest and realized he’d passed out.
Not in the mood to argue I said, “Fine.”
We went to the top floor, of course, and Mesquite told me the room number.
“The key is in my pocket.”
I refrained from rolling my eyes and reached into his front pocket. Hello.
He coughed. “Um. That’s not a key. And it’s the other pocket.”
Kill me now. I reached into his other pocket and pulled the key out. Mesquite’s lips twitched, as he tried not to laugh. I unlocked the door and held it open. He was right. His room was much bigger than mine. He got Denver on the bed and tossed a blanket over him.
I hoped Denver would awaken, but he didn’t. Mesquite nodded his head toward the door and I found myself walking from the room. We got into the elevator and stood on opposite sides as if we were afraid to get too close to each other. The electricity that always surrounded us still seemed to buzz, but I ignored it.
“Jamie, why won’t you look at me?”
His question took me by surprise and I met his gaze.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve barely looked at me.”
“We were busy.”
“No. Don’t lie to me.”
I sighed. “Fine. I don’t know why I won’t look at you. Okay? Is that good enough?”
We reached my room and I opened the door. Was I crazy for even letting him in? Our history with hotel rooms suggested maybe I was.
He sat in a chair and I was glad. I didn’t want him to sit on the bed because that meant I’d have to sit next to him and beds definitely weren’t a good idea.
“I have an idea as to why you won’t look at me.”
I sat in the chair opposite of his and replied, “Oh, I’m sure this will be good.”
“Is it because you still have feelings for me?”
“Mesquite, feelings were never an issue between us. It was everything else.”
“No, that’s not true. We were fine until I asked you to move in with me. That’s when everything fell apart. I think back to that moment often and wonder what in the hell I could have done to change the outcome.”
His admission made my heart ache. I thought about that moment, too. When he offered me the world and I ran.
“You’re right. That is when everything changed.”
“Why?”
“We were moving too fast-”
“Bullshit. It was everything we both wanted.”
“That might be true, but it was still too fast. Did we even really know each other?” I shrugged. “And then you got back with your ex and anything I thought I knew about you went out the window.”
He had the decency to blush. “I am sorry about that. You might not believe me, but it’s the truth. That was a low point for me and I did things I’m not proud of. Getting back with her was on a list of bad choices I made.”
“You aren’t the only one. I messed up, too,” I admitted with a sigh.
“With Denver?”
“No. He wasn’t a mistake. He was everything I needed.”
“Then why aren’t you together?”
The question hung in the air between us. It was time for the truth.
“Because he thinks you and I have unfinished business.”
“And do we?”
I nodded. “I think we do.”
He watched me for a moment and I wondered what he was thinking.
“I’ve wanted to hear you say that for a while now.”
“Why?”
“Because I think we have unfinished business, too. And… I’ve missed you.”
Hearing him say those words made my eyes water.
“But I want to do it right this time. We need to take things slow this time.”
I laughed before I could stop. “That’s going to be like trying to stop a tornado, Mesquite.”
He chuckled, too, a sound I’d missed.
“You’re right. But we owe it to ourselves to at least try.”
“So… What now?”
That was the million-dollar question. Denver had been right. Mesquite and I still had a lot of things to figure out. And part of that would eventually involve Denver himself.
Mesquite smiled. “For now I will bid you goodnight. And tomorrow, if I’m lucky, you’ll let me escort you to brunch.”
“Brunch? Like a date?”
He nodded. I could handle that.
“It’s a date then.”
It was a start.
At the door, Mesquite stopped. “Goodnight, Jamie.”
“Goodnight, Angel Eyes.”
I closed the door at his surprised look and smiled. For the first time in months I finally felt free. My phone buzzed and I went to check it.
Denver: Sorry for being a drunken dick.
Denver: I just miss you so damn much.
Denver:
And I want you to be mine.
And just like that the warm feeling vanished and I was left feeling torn. I missed him, too. A lot.
Fuck.
January 16
Sunlight pierced through the small gap in the curtains, sending a beam of unwanted light straight on my face. Grumbling, I got out of bed and tried in vain to close the curtains all the way. I’d slept like shit and wasn’t ready to face the world yet. And I certainly didn’t want sunlight ruining my cave of darkness.
The events from last night came rushing back and I groaned as I got back into bed. Mesquite wanted a second chance and Denver… my sweet Denver wanted a fair shot. I felt like an asshole and I didn’t like it. My phone buzzed, but I was afraid to see who was texting. Instead I put a pillow over my face and closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep.
A knock on the door startled me and I jumped. I’d somehow managed to fall asleep. Getting out of bed, I made my way to the door and looked out the peephole. Denver stood in the hallway, staring at his feet.
I opened the door. “How do you feel?”
“Like shit.” He came into the room and grabbed a water bottle from the mini-fridge. “How much of a dick was I last night?”
“You don’t remember?”
He shook his head. “I vaguely recall you coming into the bar. After that, nothing. I woke up in room that wasn’t mine.”
“Was Mesquite gone when you woke up?”
His eyebrows lifted. “I slept in Mesquite’s room? Fuck. I must have been bad off if I ended up in that prick’s room.”
“You were pretty out of it.”
He eyed me. “Where did Mesquite sleep?”
I knew what he was really asking, though, and said, “Not in here.”
“Good. I’m glad.”
“But we did talk last night. And he – he’s wanting to have brunch today.”
Denver watched me and I resisted looking away. This is what he’d wanted to happen, damn it. He said that I needed to figure out my feelings for Mesquite.
Finally, he said, “I’d better leave then. Wouldn’t want to step on any toes.”
“Denver-”
Ignoring me, he grabbed his water bottle and left my room. Ugh. This wasn’t how I wanted this day to start. My phone rang and I answered.
“Hello?”
“You’re up. Good.” Mesquite’s deep voice made me shiver even through the phone. “Are you ready for brunch?”
“Give me ten minutes. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
I changed and put on some make-up. It’d have to do. I grabbed my purse and took the elevator to the lobby. I was surprised to see the ground was covered in fresh snow through the large, picturesque window that overlooked the street.
Mesquite sat in a chair off to himself.
“Good morning,” he said as he stood.
“I can’t believe how much it snowed.”
Was I really talking about the weather? Oh my god, I was that person.
Mesquite smiled. “I think we’ll be okay. According to Google there is a fantastic French bakery nearby. I know how much you like your croissants.”
My stomach grumbled at the mere mention and he chuckled. We walked outside and I slid on some ice, narrowly avoiding falling flat on my ass.
“Careful.” Mesquite said as he held onto my elbow.
He made sure I was safely in the passenger’s seat before making his way around the car. A female fan called out his name and he waved before getting in the car.
“I can’t believe she’s standing outside. It’s freezing.”
He nodded as he pulled away from the hotel.
“Yeah, she’s one of the dedicated ones. We see her a lot in this area.”
His words echoed something he’d said about another fan when we’d first met. It was hard to believe there were people that loyal to the sport. I certainly wouldn’t stand outside if it was snowing and below freezing.
“Did you miss being on the road like this while you were filming the movie?”
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It was different. The movie helped me get my mind off all of the shit going on, but it also got old after a while.”
I cringed at his words. I was part of “all of the shit going on.”
He realized his word choice and added, “Jamie, it was tough after I left Michigan. I knew then that I’d made a mistake. I just didn’t know how to fix it.”
“I know how you feel. I made mistakes that night, too.”
He reached out and took my hand into his own. We were silent as he drove. Thankfully there weren’t many cars on the road, which was a blessing when we slid through an intersection.
“Damn black ice,” Mesquite muttered.
Black ice was a serious hazard when driving on snowplowed streets. We finally made it to the bakery and went inside. My mouth watered as the scent of fresh bread surrounded me. This is what heaven would smell like – I was positive.
We found a seat by the large fireplace. It was a perfect place to be on a cold, snowy day.
Mesquite said, “I wonder how Denver is feeling this morning. He was dead to the world when I went to the gym and when I came back to the room he was gone.”
So that’s why Denver hadn’t seen him.
I replied, “He actually came by my room.”
Mesquite’s eyebrow lifted and I shifted in my seat. This was so awkward.
“He didn’t remember much from last night and he was hung over. I… I told him we were having brunch.”
“What did he say to that?”
“He wasn’t very happy about it.”
Mesquite was saved from answering as the server came up to take our orders. The moment she recognized Mesquite was comical. She literally did a double take and then offered us a free meal if she could take a picture with him. She recommended eggs and bacon to go along with our croissants, which we took her up on, as well as the photo. Mesquite threw his arm around the woman’s shoulder, pulling her close, and I took the picture on her phone. She practically floated away from us.
“Now that right there is what I missed,” he said with a grin that melted my heart.
I smiled back at him. “You made her day.”
She came back a few moments later with our plates as well as some samples of her homemade bread. Mesquite asked her to join us, since we were likely going to be her only customers for a while. She excitedly accepted and regaled us with stories of her father, who’d come from France as a child. I laughed until I cried.
Mesquite threw his head back laughing, too. It suddenly hit me how much I’d missed him. My time with Denver had been wonderful, but I’d never loved him like I’d loved Mesquite. He caught my gaze and winked.
“We should probably head to the arena. It looks like it might snow again.”
He paid for our meal, even though the woman protested. I noticed he left a hefty tip, too. Outside, I hugged his arm as we walked.
“Mesquite, I’ve missed this.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “Me, too.”
I knew I needed to talk to Denver soon. Even if it didn’t work out with Mesquite, I didn’t want Denver to wait for me.
January 17
The show ended up being postponed due to bad weather, but was rescheduled for tonight. Mesquite and I spent last night sitting on the floor of my hotel room talking and cuddling. At one point I thought he was going to make a move – which I would have been okay with – but he hadn’t. Instead he made a pallet on the floor.
When I woke up he was already gone, but left a note on the table telling me he would see me later. It was weird – we were falling into our old patterns like nothing had changed. When he texted me a bit later I couldn’t help but grin.
I saw I had a text from LaTonya, so I called her.
“Were you able to make it to Kentucky before the snow hit?”
I replied, “Yeah, I made it. The show got postponed last night, but they’re going to try tonight.”
I heard Rich
mond in the background and asked, “How is he feeling?”
“He’s doing much better. The doctor thinks he’ll be able to return sooner than anticipated. Are you going to the pay-per-view next week?”
“I was thinking about it. My boss is letting me do work from my computer due to weather delays across the country. In fact I might just go with Mesquite…”
I let my words trail off, wanting to see what my friend would say. She’d been my sounding board during the ups and downs and her opinion mattered.
“Honey, that’s great!”
“You really think so?”
“Of course I do. How’s Denver taking it?”
She’d dated Denver before getting with Richmond, so it made sense that she would want to know how he was.
I bit my lip before replying. “He got drunk after the show two days ago. Yesterday he came by to talk, but left before we could really hash things out. I – I don’t think he’s going to like what I’ve decided.”
It felt good to say those words to someone. He wasn’t going to like what I’d decided. My only hope was that we could still be friends.
“Well, the international press tour might be a blessing then,” she answered.
Denver, who was the champion, was set to lose the belt to Mesquite at the pay-per-view next week. Afterward the company was sending him to Europe to do some promoting. He’d told me it was also so the fans would forget him being an amazing champion, which could be true.
I’d honestly forgotten that he was going to be leaving for a while. Maybe LaTonya was right. Maybe this would be a blessing for both of us. He could heal without feeling like I was rubbing Mesquite in his face. And Mesquite and I could see where things were going without hurting Denver.
I said, “You’re right. I just hope I’m making the right choice.”
“What does your gut tell you?”
I thought about the past few days that I’d spent with Mesquite and smiled.
“It’s like we were never apart, LaTonya. It just feels so… right.”
“I think that’s your answer then.” Richmond called her name and she said, “Well, I’m going to get off here. I’ll see you next week at the pay-per-view and I’ll show you the ring I got last night.”
