Maya And The Tough Guy by Carter Ashby Read Free Book Online Page B

today he had to settle for Norris Gilmore, the manager. Also, his father.  
    Norris leaned into the bag, his back foot braced hard. Jayce threw his punches hard, pouring all the power he could into them, knocking Norris back with each hit. Sweat flew off Jayce’s body with every impact. His hair was soaked, his tank top clung to his drenched torso.  
    At last he ran out of steam, but he summoned up the power for one more punch before stumbling back to the edge of the boxing ring, where he’d sat his water bottle.
    “Seem angry, boy,” Norris said. “You think about me when you hit like that?”
    “Every time,” Jayce said before gulping down half the bottle of water.  
    “You’re so pissed at me, why don’t we climb in the ring?” No one else was around on a Sunday morning. The gym wasn’t even open, but since it belonged to Jayce, he could work out whenever he wanted.  
    “You wanna fight me now that I’ve expended all my energy?” Jayce asked.
    “I’m an old man. I need every advantage I can get.”
    Jayce managed to smirk. He wasn’t interested in fighting his father. He wasn’t interested in fighting at all. But within him burned a strong, survival instinct. Because of that, he worked out like a boxer. Even sparred with some of the guys who were in training, the real boxers. He could offer them a challenge, though he’d never be their competition.  
    “Know what?” Norris said. “I don’t think you’re mad at me at all. That kind of anger can only come from heartache. You got woman problems, Son?”
    Jayce flipped him the bird and downed the rest of his water.
    Norris let out a coarse and gritty chuckle. “What’s her name? Maybe I’ll try and bang her before you get a chance.”
    This was Norris trying to goad him. Jayce hated being goaded. It was an insult. Like he was so simple minded he couldn’t see right through the barbs. When this happened, he stayed stone cold and went for humiliation rather than a beat-down. Which was why he’d bent that guy’s finger back at the strip club. Guys like that weren’t worth fighting. And neither was Norris.
    Jayce tossed his bottle in the trash and headed for the showers. “Wipe down that weight bench,” he ordered.
    He heard Norris’s “fuck you” before disappearing into the locker room. Norris would do what he was told. He’d work because it was an easy gig and because no one else in the world would hire him.  
    Jayce cleaned up, dressed, and headed to Belle’s diner for lunch. Being Sunday, right after church, the restaurant was quite busy. He was about to sit on a stool at the bar, but then a hand wrapped around his arm. He turned to see Addy smiling up at him. “Hey, you here alone?” she asked.  
    He grinned. “Unless you wanna keep me company.”
    She linked her arm in his and started leading him toward a table. As soon as they cleared a few yards, he saw that Zoey was there. She smirked at him and he smirked back. “Great,” she griped, but it lacked her usual bite.
    “I’ll sit at the bar,” Jayce said.
    Zoey sighed heavily. “It’s okay. We’ll tolerate your presence.”
    “Don’t do me any favors.” He slid into the booth across from Zoey. Addy slid in next to her.  
    “So you look invigorated,” Addy said. “Good workout?”
    He nodded and opened up the menu that was already on the table.  
    “Hey, Jayce.”
    He looked up to see a cute waitress smiling down at him. He flipped his coffee cup over so she could fill it. “Hey, Lacey.”
    “How are you doing?” She rubbed the bulge of her belly, and his eyebrows shot up. For some reason, panic shot through him. The sight of pregnancy could do that, even though the laws of time and biology meant that this was definitely not his. Lacey had been a couple years ago, before he’d met Janice.
    “Good,” he answered. “You look—glowing.”
    She beamed. “I am. I got me a husband and this is our first.”
    “Congratulations.”
    “Thank you. Are y’all