by Sarah Bale
She said the words so casually that I almost didn’t catch them.
“Oh my god! A ring? That’s wonderful news, LaTonya! Congratulations!”
She chuckled, “Thank you. It’s huge and melts my heart every time I look at it.”
“So I guess you worked everything out then?”
She replied, “Yeah, I think we have. And I’m so damn happy.”
“Good. I’m happy for you.”
“Well, now that you have Mesquite back I hope you’ll be as happy as we are.” Richmond said something again in the background and she said to me, “Girl, I’ve got to go. See you next week.”
I ended the call thinking about what she’d said. I did have my answer. I wanted fucking Mesquite.
January 18
“So we’ll meet at the airport on Friday, right?” Mesquite asked for the thousandth time.
Laughing, I pulled him down for a kiss. “Yes.”
“And why aren’t you coming home with me?”
This part made me frown. “I need to make sure my mom is okay. She said she was feeling ‘off’ and I know how she can be. If you happen to finish early you could always meet me.”
He rubbed my back and said, “You better believe I will if I can. Don’t forget to talk to your boss.”
We’d talked late into the night about what our plan was. We wanted to take things slow, but we both also knew that we needed to be close. And even though Tampa wasn’t far from Dallas via a plane ride it was ultimately too much distance. I was going to talk to my boss about working exclusively from Florida.
I really didn’t see it being a problem, but I wouldn’t know for sure until I talked to him.
“I’ll let you know what he says.”
Mesquite caught my lips in a kiss and I let myself get lost in the sweet promise. Things would be different this time. We both wanted the same thing. We were communicating better. We –
“I hate to interrupt, but you’re holding up the line.”
My head whipped around and I found Denver standing a few feet behind us in the TSA line. His eyes had bags under them and he looked like shit. Oh my god, I was such an asshole. I wasn’t sure how much he heard, but judging by the look on his face he’d probably heard it all – and seen us making out like teenagers.
“Denver-”
“Ma’am, please keep the line moving,” a TSA worked said to me.
Now wasn’t the time to try to talk to Denver. Mesquite and I were silent as we went through the screening. One of the workers asked to take a picture with Mesquite, who agreed. While I waited for him to finish I also looked to see where Denver was. His head was down, obviously avoiding me.
When he finished going through the security check he went the opposite way, never making eye contact with me.
Mesquite came up behind me and said, “I feel bad for the dude.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to say. It wasn’t even really Mesquite’s fault that Denver was in pain. It was mine and that was something I would have to come to terms with.
January 20
My mom had done nothing but bitch at me ever since leaving the doctor’s office.
“I told you I was fine. You just don’t listen to me, though.”
“Mom – for the last time – I was worried about you. With our family history it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Jesus. She’d try the patience of a saint.
She said, “Well, the next time I’m feeling strange I’ll remember not to mention it to you.”
“That’s the spirit,” I muttered.
I pulled up in her driveway behind my aunt’s car. Oh god. I wasn’t ready for this.
“Mom, I’m just going to drop you off. I need to swing by the office.”
“Jamie, you can’t avoid your aunt forever.”
Maybe not forever, but I would do it for as long as I could. I still wasn’t over the fight we’d had at Thanksgiving. It might be petty of me, but I didn’t care.
“You’re right, Mom. I’ll say hello the next time I see her.”
My mom rolled her eyes as she got out of the car. I waited until she was inside before I backed out of the driveway and drove across town to my office. I wasn’t lying – I did have a meeting with my boss. When I arrived I remembered just how glad I was that I didn’t have to be in the office all the time.
My boss waited for me in the boardroom with a smile on his face. “Jamie, what a pleasure to see you. Your last report was enlightening, and we expect nothing less from you.”
I smiled. “Thank you, sir. I was worried it wasn’t going to send because of the bad weather.”
The Wi-Fi in the hotel had been shit, probably due to the storm.
“Ah, yes. That’s one of the disadvantages to working remotely. But you’ve seemed to make it work for you.”
He was giving me the perfect lead in.
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you, sir.”
“Oh?”
“I have an opportunity to move to Florida, but I don’t want to leave the company. Of course, I also want to do what’s best for everyone.”
He nodded. “I see. I see. We would hate to lose you, too.”
I went on, “Ideally, I would love to continue working as I have been. I just wouldn’t be able to check in here every few weeks as I’ve been doing.”
He looked relieved as he said, “Oh good. I think we can make that work. Honestly, I was worried you were going to put your notice in and that would be awful for the company. You’ve gone above and beyond, and training someone to replace you would be a nightmare.”
I grinned. “Thank you, sir.”
We squared off the minor details before I left. I’d be required to come to the office every eight weeks. Other than that, I could continue to work remotely as long as my numbers didn’t dip.
As I left the office I felt lighter than I had in months. While there was no way to know how things would end up with Mesquite, I was glad that I didn’t have to look for a new job. I got into my car and picked up my phone to call him. I couldn’t want to tell him the good news.
January 21
Denver called as I was packing. I hate to admit this – I almost didn’t answer. I wasn’t ready to have this conversation.
“Hello?”
“Hey…”
“Hey…” I greeted back.
“Are you flying in for the pay-per-view?”
I sat on the edge of my bed and replied, “Yes. I get in tomorrow. I’m… I’m meeting Mesquite at the airport and then traveling with him this weekend.”
There was a pause and then Denver said, “We need to talk, Jamie. I know you’ve already made your choice, but there are things that I still need to say to you. If I’m going down, then I want to know I did everything I could.”
“Denver-”
“All I’m asking for is coffee, Jamie. Nothing else. I promise.”
He deserved that much after everything we’d been through.
“Okay. Let’s plan on meeting Saturday.”
That would give me time to talk to Mesquite so he knew what was going on, too.
“Thank you,” he answered, relief filling his voice.
“I’ll see you then.” I said before ending the call.
January 22
Mesquite met me at baggage claim. Our planes had landed almost back to back, so he already had his bag when I walked up to him. I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him close.
“I’ve missed you.”
He kissed the top of my head and replied, “Not as much as I’ve missed you.”
He grabbed my pink luggage when it came around and we made our way to the rental car area. I wasn’t surprised to see a large group of fans waiting – they knew that the wrestlers flew in and would therefore need vehicles.
Plus, it was warmer inside than standing in the frigid temperatures outside. Boston was no joke in the winter. I recognized one of the same women who had been in Kentucky the week before.
“She’s a long way from home,” I said under my breath as we approached the group.
They had positioned themselves so there was no way around them. Several already had items out to be signed and others had their cell phones ready to take photos.
Mesquite nodded. “Yeah. Not surprising since she’s a fan of Denver’s. She’d want to be here for the pay-per-view, especially since it leaked online that he’s losing the belt.”
Ouch. That had to make Denver feel awful. It was one thing to know it yourself, but when it hit the web it probably felt like rubbing salt in an open wound. The woman’s eyes narrowed as we approached.
“Hey guys. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to stop today, but I hope to see you at the show tonight or at the pay-per-view on Sunday.”
This was the first time I’d seen Mesquite refuse to stop for fans and I was kind of surprised. Several of them made sounds of protest and one guy even yelled out an insult, which made the others laugh. Knowing wresting fans, this was about to turn into a chant.
Mesquite must have known this, too, because his pace increased as we passed the group. Sure enough the chants started as we went outside to the kiosk to pick up his keys. All his traveling meant VIP service everywhere.
We made our way to the stall with his car and I noticed a couple of fans were following us.
“Looks like we have company.”
He glanced over his shoulder and said, “I’ll stop for them, since it’s only a few.”
He popped the trunk and put our luggage inside before closing it and turning to the fans.
“Sir, could we get a photo with you?”
I was impressed with their manners. Sometimes fans just assumed that the wrestlers owed them.
Mesquite smiled at the women and replied, “Sure. Are you all going to the show tonight?”
The dark-haired woman who’d been in Kentucky replied, “No, we’re just going to the pay-per-view on Sunday. We came to see Denver.”
He said, “I can leave some comp tickets for the house show tonight, if you’d like. I know you’re a long way from home.”
The woman shook her head. “Denver said there weren’t comp tickets left when he came through earlier. We’ll just wait.”
Mesquite’s forehead crinkled, but he didn’t answer. Instead he posed with the woman while her friend took the picture and then did the same in reverse. I was starting to get cold, so I reached into Mesquite’s coat pocket and got the keys.
“I’m going to start the car,” I said with a smile.
The woman glanced at me and then continued talking to Mesquite as if I weren’t even there. Mesquite winked at me, so I winked back and got into the car. The leather seats were quickly warmed and I’d never been more thankful for little luxuries.
A few minutes later Mesquite got in the car and took my hand into his own.
“Oh my gosh, you’re freezing,” I exclaimed as I rubbed his hand.
He replied, “I didn’t think they were going to stop talking.”
“That was nice of you to offer them comp tickets.”
He laughed. “We got a memo email that said the show hasn’t sold out tonight and that there are plenty of comp tickets. No big deal.”
“I wonder why Denver told them there weren’t tickets?”
“He probably doesn’t want to encourage the brunette. As you could tell, she’s pretty enthusiastic.”
The woman was now standing off to the side and watched as Mesquite pulled the car from the parking spot. A shiver ran through me – unexpected, as the warmth of the car was seeping in. I just wasn’t cut out for this cold weather.
When we were on the highway, I turned to Mesquite and said, “If you don’t want me to meet up with Denver, I won’t.”
“Jamie- don’t put that on me. You know I don’t like it, but I also think you should hear what he has to say.”
He was repeating what he’d told me the night before on the phone.
“I just… I just don’t know what he’s going to say.”
Mesquite smiled wryly. “I have an idea or two. He’s going to say that he never left you for another woman, much less got engaged. Then he’ll remind you of all the good times you had, which I’m sure really were enjoyable.”
He was right. That’s exactly what Denver would say. And how was I supposed to reply? To some I’m sure I appeared weak for going back to Mesquite after everything that’d happened. Hell, I even thought about it. He’d left me devastated. But here I was – sitting with him in a car like nothing had happened.
Mesquite went on. “But it will also give you a chance to end things properly, if that’s what you want. I’m no fool, Jamie. We still have a lot of things to work out ourselves and it might not end well for us. But this way you’ll know you’re not leaving him hanging.”
“You’re right. I think I’m scared because I know how much it’ll hurt him.”
“Denver’s a grown man. It’ll hurt for a while, but he’ll move on. He always does.”
That was another reason I felt bad. He’d told me once that he wouldn’t settle for being someone’s second choice again. I’d put him in the same situation he’d wanted to avoid.
Mesquite changed the subject. “I think the show is going to end early tonight. They want to make sure everyone gets to the next town before the snowstorm hits.”
We’d flown into Boston and the next city was Providence, Rhode Island. We’d end up in Hartford, Connecticut, on Sunday for the pay-per-view. It was a risky move considering the time of year, but the show must go on.
“I’ll be ready to go when you are.”
We settled in to easy conversation as we made our way to the arena.
When we were parking, Mesquite casually said, “I’d also like to discuss when we can start having sex again.”
My mouth fell open and he laughed.
“You know – so you have something to think about,” he added with a grin.
I swatted at him and laughed, too. That punk. He certainly knew how to take my mind off something… or put it on something.
January 23
Mesquite was right – the show in Boston had ended early and we made our way on snow-covered roads to Providence. Driving in the snow was bad enough, but driving at night was even worse. The closer we got to Providence the worse the conditions became.
The hazard signs on the highway began to flash, urging drivers to get off the road.
Mesquite gripped the wheel. “I feel bad for the ones who decided to stay in Boston. They’re probably not going to make it tonight.”
He was right. Our trip was already taking longer than it should have. We finally arrived around 6 a.m. and were greeted by a hotel staff member who offered to park the car for us. Inside our room I collapsed on the bed with a sigh.
Nerves and stress made my head ache and all I wanted was sleep. Mesquite must have felt the same way as he fell next to me onto the mattress. We both slept until early in the afternoon. He woke me with a kiss on the cheek.
“I’m going to run by the arena and check in before going to the gym.”
I sat up, stretching. “Okay. I’m going to give Denver a call and see when he’s wanting to meet up.”
Mesquite gestured toward the window. “Make sure it’s close. Looks like the snow’s been coming down pretty good since we’ve been asleep.”
He gave me another quick kiss and left. I decided to send Denver a text instead of calling him. When he didn’t reply, I decided to shower. By the time I got out, he’d replied. Crap. I only had a few minutes before he wanted to meet in the lobby.
I threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My hair was swept into a ponytail and I grabbed my jacket before leaving the room. In the lobby I saw Denver talking to the same fan that Mesquite and I had met in the parking garage.
When I approached them he said to her, “I have to run. This pretty lady and I have a date.”
She glanced at me and said, “I thought she was with Mesquite. Why are you going on a
date with her?”
Wow. That was pretty dang nosy of her!
Denver didn’t miss a beat and replied, “Jamie’s my girl. I’ll see you at the show tonight.”
He took me by the hand and led me away.
As we left she called out, saying, “Thanks for the comp tickets.”
He didn’t acknowledge her as we went outside. Mesquite hadn’t been kidding – it had snowed a lot since we’d arrived to Providence and the wind was making it feel colder than it was.
Luckily the car was waiting and I slid into the passenger’s seat.
When Denver was inside I said, “We saw that fan yesterday in Boston. She said she was only going to the pay-per-view on Sunday.”
He replied, “Yeah, I think that was her plan. There’s going to be a lot of empty seats so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to offer her a comp seat. She’s on her own tomorrow, though.”
“So where are we going for coffee?”
“There’s supposed to be a great little bistro a few miles from here. Several people recommended it to me when I asked on Twitter.”
I laughed. “You do realize that anyone who saw that will probably show up, hoping to get a picture with the champ.”
He frowned and said, “I hope they do. There’s not telling when I’ll get the belt back after I lose it tomorrow.”
Ouch.
I tried to smooth things over. “I’m sure you’ll be champion before you know it.”
He laughed, but it sounded more bitter than happy. “Come on, Jamie, we both know that’s not going to happen. Mesquite is their golden boy. He’ll be champion for a while, probably until Richmond returns. Then the two of them will feud.”
He was right – that is more than likely how it would go, but I didn’t want to agree with him.
He went on. “And they’re going to keep me off live events until they think I won’t be popular with the fans.”
Ugh. That was the worst thing that could happen to a wrestler.
“Why don’t they just go with it? It wouldn’t be the first time someone was more popular than anticipated.”
“My visa has a lot to do with it. They want to make sure I can get it renewed before they push me.” He shrugged. “Who knows – maybe it’ll be a good thing if I have to go back home.”
