Beyond Promise

by Karice Bolton

  “Not at all. Granted, he’d lose a lot… More than any other fight they’d promoted and managed, but that’s not it. His company’s sales are skyrocketing, and besides the money he’s already put away, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if one of the big companies didn’t try to buy him out soon. So no. If it was about money, it would be easy to get him to stop. With Ayden it’s all about pride and proving to himself he’s the best.”

  “But he’s already proven that time and again.” Brandy looked unnerved, exactly how I felt. “I can’t believe he’d do this to you. To me. To our parents.”

  I let out a deep breath and looked around the room. The usually cozy place felt completely chilling as the thought of Ayden losing forced its way into my mind. I’d been keeping positive, but when I saw the fear I was feeling reflected on my best friends’ faces, it forced me to deal with the alternative. What if Ayden was never here to enjoy this room, this house, with me again? No. That wasn’t how it worked. Ayden won every match he’d ever entered.

  “I’m not trying to cause a problem between you two,” Brandy began. “But it only takes one second for a person’s life to be changed forever. I know firsthand…” She chewed on her cheek for a few seconds before continuing. “There isn’t a day I don’t wake up with pain. And there are some days that I want nothing more than to crawl under the covers and sleep my aches away. But I wouldn’t do anything different. I thank the heavens above I’m here to be with my friends and family, no matter how much it hurts. But I can’t understand throwing yourself in front of a speeding train. I don’t understand my brother’s line of reasoning. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so private about my suffering. I’ve never wanted to burden him or Mason. It’s bad enough Aaron has to listen to me.”

  My gaze connected with Brandy’s and my heart ached for her. I didn’t know she was in pain every day. If I could personally meet the man who did that to her, I didn’t even know what I would do to him. And I also understood what she was saying about Ayden’s desire to step into the ring.

  “Aaron loves you so much, Brandy. We all do and you’re never a burden. We all want to be here for you. And I do think you should tell your brothers about how you’re doing.”

  “It’s not about me right now.” Brandy shook her hands. “It’s about my brother who’s being absolutely pig-headed. Life isn’t only about him any longer.”

  “What if this isn’t his last fight?” Gabby asked.

  “He promised it would be,” I said softly.

  “Sometimes promises change,” Gabby replied. “Would you allow him to fight after this one?”

  “It’s not a question of me allowing him to do anything. That’s not how our relationship works. I’d be horrified if he told me I could or couldn’t do something.”

  Brandy smiled and nodded. “It’s true, Gabby, she’d have a complete tantrum and I’ve seen it firsthand with Ayden growing up. They’re two peas in a pod.”

  “I suppose.” Gabby eyed me and then turned her attention to outside where Ayden and Derek were training. For someone who hadn’t seen it before it might look somewhat strange.

  “Why in the world is Ayden twirling around by that tree?” Gabby questioned.

  Brandy craned her neck to get a better view.

  “Oh my word. He really is twirling. He just needs a tutu.” Brandy smiled wickedly. “If only I had my phone.”

  “The exercise is for balance. If he gets knocked around, he still needs to be able to throw a punch at his opponent. No matter how dizzy he gets, he needs to be able to focus. Keep watching and you’ll see.”

  I kept my eyes steadied on Ayden. Derek grabbed Ayden’s shoulders, stopping him in place, and held up a target, waiting for Ayden to throw a punch. Within seconds, Ayden’s knuckles landed directly in the middle of the target, pushing Derek backward and my body filled with relief. He was going to win this fight.

  “I had no idea there was such an exercise,” Brandy said.

  Ayden’s smile was filled with accomplishment, and I knew I wasn’t going to be the one to ask him to wave the flag of surrender. Derek handed him two huge ball weights, and I watched him grip them tightly and curl his arms up.

  “What’s he doing now?” Gabby asked.

  “He’s holding his arms up by his face to strengthen them so they don’t get fatigued during the fight when he’s blocking punches. Arm fatigue is a huge thing in fighting so they’re always working on ways to keep his endurance up.” A couple minutes of silence passed as we watched Ayden’s expression intensify as the burn radiated down his arms and shoulders, but behind his stare sat fortitude and grit.

  “You’re right. There’s no way of talking him out of it,” Brandy said quietly. She turned on the couch and her eyes fastened on mine. “As your almost sister and someone who loves you and my brother very much, I have to ask this. I want you to be protected no matter what.”

  My heart hammered inside my chest as her gaze studied mine. There was a coldness resting behind her eyes, and I understood completely what she was about to ask, and it took everything I had not to burst into tears as she and I faced the facts about what her brother—my fiancé—was about to do in less than a week.

  “Has he prepared his will? If not, I can help you both with getting everything in order if he hasn’t done that recently. You need to be protected.”

  “That’s how Brandy is. Straight to the point and practical. Always very practical,” Gabby assured me.

  “I know, and I’ve always appreciated that about her. But hearing her talk about Ayden’s affairs so matter-of-factly was startling. It made this all seem too real.”

  We were sitting on a bench in the middle of Discovery Park in Seattle, overlooking Puget Sound. The late afternoon weather teetered between chilly and refreshing as the meadow grass trembled in the wind, and the red and gold leaves clutched the limbs of the maples that dotted the trail alongside of us. We were two days away from the fight, and every hour ticked by at an excruciatingly slow pace. To pass the time, I hitched a ride with Gabby to the park. She had a wedding cake to drop off near here, and Ayden planned on swinging by later to pick me up. I’d gotten all my work done at the office in record time this morning and needed a mental break. It was hard to focus on anything other than Ayden stepping into the ring.

  “It’s too real. That’s the problem. I understand where you’re coming from, and why you don’t want to tell him not to fight, but sometimes we know better.”

  I let out an ironic yap and shook my head. “Not in Ayden’s world.”

  “Not in Jason’s immediate world either, but with some gently nudging, it can be done.” Gabby smiled and took a sip of her latte. That was the one thing I missed about being pregnant, not the wine, the coffee. “I know Jason is so used to everyone always doing what he wants. In business, what he says goes. Always has and always will. Sometimes that doesn’t translate well at home though.” She furrowed her brows.

  “I can’t imagine why not,” I chuckled. “It’s the same with Ayden. He’s got that business running so smoothly, and the staff respects him for it. But it’s kind of funny, he sneezes and someone runs to find him a tissue. I can guarantee it’s not like that at the house.”

  Gabby nodded in agreement. She understood exactly what I was talking about.

  A few minutes of silence passed as we watched people walk along the trail toward the beach.

  “I understand where you’re coming from, but I believe in Ayden. I know he’ll take the guy down. I’ve got to put it out of my mind and focus on all the amazing things ahead of us.” I let out a sigh, hoping if I voiced the positive outcome one would manifest itself.

  “Only you know what you’re comfortable with. I guess it’s like me riding my bike. It doesn’t matter how many people want me to stop riding because motorcycles are dangerous. But I love it and I won’t stop riding.”

  “So you understand my dilemma.” I shook my head, flashing a wry grin. I was one of the many who always hoped she’d give it up. />
  “Perfectly. Now tell me about this wedding. I’m literally counting down the days, minutes, and seconds to get myself on that tiny island known as Bermuda. The pictures look amazing, and I can tell you after all my wedding planning with Carla, I need the vacation.”

  My body instantly relaxed the moment Bermuda settled into my mind. I’d sent over the final menu to our coordinator and had shipped boxes of decorations and gift bags to the hotel this morning. So far everything was coming together for this destination wedding…if we could just get there.

  “The ceremony is going to be on the beach, barring any hurricanes.”

  “Hurricanes?” Gabby’s brow arched.

  “Well, technically hurricane season lasts through November, but they’re really unlikely to hit when we’re there.” I grinned.

  Even with everything Gabby had been through in her life, there were still some topics that made her uneasy. Natural disasters were high on that list. It didn’t matter what the statistics said, she focused on the what-if scenario. I wasn’t sure it was healthy.

  “Why oh why did I ask about the wedding?” she teased. “And let me remind you how our luck usually goes.”

  I chuckled and took a sip from my water bottle.

  “I looked up the weather on the extended forecast for when we’re supposed to arrive, and there isn’t even a hint of rain in the forecast,” I assured her.

  Gabby wrapped her arm around my shoulders and squeezed. “Now what in the world makes you think the weatherman who can’t predict tomorrow’s forecast can predict weeks in advance.”

  “Valid point, I’ll admit, but I happen to know there will be no hurricanes during our wedding or vacation. There just won’t!”

  “Whatever you say,” Gabby yammered.

  “So like I said, our ceremony will be on the beach, and the reception will be at a small restaurant near the water that we’ll be taking over for the night. The pictures look amazing. The building is open to the outside and the deck sits on the sand, overlooking the ocean. Perfect for storm watching.”

  “Hardee-har-har.” Gabby rolled her eyes and freed her arm from my shoulders. “Well, one thing I already love is our bridesmaid dresses. I think you picked out the very first amazing bridesmaid dresses in the history of bridesmaid fashion. And for that, I’m forever grateful.”

  “What’s that saying about yours?” My brow rose. “You picked yours out months ago.”

  Gabby’s grin turned evil. “I’m one of those brides who doesn’t wish to be upstaged by my best friends, and there are only so many options to make sure that doesn’t happen. Simple as that.”

  “Is that what happened with those dresses?” I teased. I playfully smacked her shoulder and she shrugged. “That’s evil. Pure evil.”

  “Not evil, strategic.”

  “The evil genius strikes again,” I said, ignoring her. “Well, I think Brandy and I will look stunning in our emerald green dresses,” I told her. “So your strategy might have backfired.”

  “I can assure you that you two won’t look as stunning as Brandy and I will in the ivory maxi dresses we get to wear in Bermuda. Come on. I mean we even get to wear flip-flops? We scored and I can’t thank you enough.”

  “It’s not too late for me to change what you’ll be wearing.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Maybe I’ll make it so you have to wear a giant conch shell on your head or something.”

  “You wouldn’t.”

  “Oh, but I would. Just keep talking. Besides, Brandy and I were discussing how we always wanted to dress up as a living Christmas tree and now’s our chance. So thank you for that.”

  Gabby’s laughter echoed through the air, and for a brief moment, I felt at complete peace. My only hope was that it would last until after Ayden’s match.

  “At least I’m not asking you to wear tinsel in your hair.” She grinned.

  “Was that an option?”

  “I’ll never tell.”

  I shook my head and let out a sigh. “This was what I needed today.”

  “Glad I could be of service. You know, Katie is so excited about being the flower girl in your wedding. She’s been practicing nonstop.”

  Hearing that made my heart melt. We all adored Katie, and she was the best little girl to have ever graced the planet. I was sure of it. Something told me that I needed to embrace the calmness of Katie because I wasn’t sure that’s what we’d have in store for us. Between Ayden’s taste for danger and my fiery temper, I couldn’t even begin to imagine the ride we were in for.

  “Well, are you making Katie dress up like a polar bear for your wedding or how about an elf? I’m sure she’d look cute in red and white striped stockings.”

  “For your information, Katie’s flower girl dress is beautiful. It’s white tulle layered over ivory lace and there are tiny satin red roses at the hem.”

  “Can we get matching dresses?” I begged, clasping my hands together. “Hers sounds way better than ours.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Heck yeah, I’m serious.”

  My phone buzzed, and I looked down to see a text from Ayden. He was in the parking lot.

  “Time for dinner. Ayden’s here.”

  Gabby’s brows furrowed. “Have you guys started hitting up the early-bird specials or something?”

  “No. Thank you very much. We’re headed to a happy hour by our house.”

  “Huh?”

  “It’s all-you-can-eat wings, and their potato skins are like $2.99.” I stood up gathering my coat and purse. The reds and oranges of the vanishing sun highlighted the skyline. It would be dark in less than an hour, and by then, hopefully we’d be snuggled into a booth snacking on appetizers.

  “Well, good. I’m glad to see you’re eating healthy for your—”

  “For my what?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.

  We all knew. But I really didn’t want to relinquish my telling of it until the day before our wedding. I’d already packed the little announcements and shipped them to Bermuda with everything else.

  “Nothing.” Gabby flashed a knowing smile and gave me a hug. “Absolutely nothing. Enjoy your chicken wings and potato skins.”

  “I will, and you know, I very well might try to eat my way out of having to wear that green dress.”

  Ayden was walking through the park, and he gave a quick wave when he spotted us roaming toward him.

  “Lily said you’re off to hit the early-bird specials.”

  A smirk fell across Ayden’s lips, and he shook his head, giving me a big hug. I melted in his embrace and felt him lift me off the ground slightly, my feet dangling a few inches above the grass. I wondered how much longer he’d be able to do that.

  Ayden placed me back down and slid his hand into mine. “It’s happy hour.”

  “Sure. Tell yourselves that. I think you’re just one step away from blue poodles and pink Lincoln Town cars.”

  “You’re making it easier and easier to change your bridesmaid dresses,” I teased, as we all walked to the parking lot. “You wait and see.”

  “I dare you,” Gabby sneered. She stood next to her car and smiled.

  Gabby looked so at ease and happy. I loved seeing how well she’d settled into her life with Jason and Katie. It made me long for that same sense of contentment.

  Ignoring Gabby’s last jab, I climbed into our car and Ayden shut the door. I heard him tease Gabby a little more, and then he waited until she got into her car before he climbed into ours.

  “Did you have a nice time?” Ayden asked, turning on the ignition.

  “It was great. I didn’t know how much I needed to get away from the office.”

  Ayden pressed his lips together and nodded. He pulled the car onto the main street that would eventually lead us to the chicken wings. I hadn’t realized how hungry I’d gotten until the thought of food getting closer popped into my mind.

  “You’ve been working like you’re on speed since the weekend,” Ayden said. He put his hand on my knee, and I imme
diately covered it with mine, holding it tightly. It was like I wanted to capture every little touch and glance from Ayden and that worried me. It made me feel like my subconscious knew something more than I did about the upcoming event.

  “I think it’s all the nervousness. I can’t sit still, and once I’m at the office, I dive in so I don’t have to think about the fight.”

  “I never meant to do this to you,” Ayden said softly. “I wish my brother hadn’t brought it up.”

  “Wrong answer, buddy. If I found out after the fact, there would’ve been hell to pay.” I eyed him and wondered if he meant it. If he had that would send us backward in this whole conversation from the weekend, not forward. “I thought we established the whole not keeping things from one another pact at Mason’s.”

  He nodded. “We definitely did. I don’t know. I guess I hoped things would turn out differently. I wanted to tell you on my own terms.”

  The anguish in his voice worried me. I didn’t want him to be focused on us or fret over anything that would distract him from the main goal in front of us, which was to win the fight and get us to our wedding.

  “Truthfully, my suspicion is that your own terms would’ve included waiting until after you stepped out of the ring declaring victory. Then you’d smother me with kisses to distract me and it’d all blow over,” I blabbed.

  He threw me a sideways glance, and he shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe you know me better than I realize.”

  “I hope so since we’ll be stuck with one another for the next ninety years.”

  “Ninety? That’s a lot. Are you sure about ninety?” he teased.

  “I don’t think I like the alternative so ninety it is,” I countered.

  “True. There’s nothing wrong with being a hundred and twenty. I’m sure there’s plenty of activities we can do to keep us young at heart.”

  “Like get out of the bed every morning?”

  “Not quite what I was thinking, but yeah. I guess at a hundred and twenty, getting out of bed is a good goal.”

  “Probably one of the most important ones of the day.”