I grabbed my phone and purse and we left quietly, though I didn’t think Kat and Terry even remembered we were there.
Emmett said, “My car is over by Jasper’s wing,” which is why he worried about my shoes. “It’s a bit of a hike.”
I stuck up my chin defiantly and said, “These are as comfortable as your shoes and twice as pretty,” adding a playful grin.
“Definitely twice as pretty,” he said. “Maybe more.”
Once outside, we fell into a comfortable silence and the cool night air wrapped around us as we walked.
We were halfway to his car when I finally found the courage to speak again. “Can I ask you something without you taking it the wrong way?” I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know him that well.
“Do I seem like a guy who gets offended easily?”
“No, actually. But you never know, so it’s better to ask up front, don’t you think?”
He flashed a friendly smile. “So, what if I do get offended? Go ahead, and you ask your question. If I find it offensive, the worst thing that can happen is you’re stuck in a tense car ride home with an infant.”
I studied him for a few seconds before I burst into a loud laugh that echoed against every hard surface in sight.
“I see your point, but if you take it that badly, I’ll just call for an Uber.”
“Smart woman,” he said. “Go ahead and ask your question, Vanessa.”
“Okay.” I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly as I fell in step beside him. Talking to Emmett was so easy and natural, and I wanted to know more about him.
“Why did you choose mixed martial arts?” I asked. “The match I saw with Kat was insane and intense, and really fun, but you seem like such a quiet, calm guy, so I’m curious.”
He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I see you’ve been talking to local media,” he said and laughed. “It’s a question I get often. They call me the Soft Spoken Warrior like it’s a compliment.”
“It is. Isn’t it?”
“Ehh… I don’t know. I started karate when I was a kid, mostly because I grew up in a shithole neighborhood. I was a runt and needed to be able to defend myself. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. When my time in the military was up, I had more training than I knew what to do with, also an in with a local fight academy.”
“House of Ashby,” I said proudly.
“Exactly. I boxed for a year or two, won a few belts, but I realized my passion was in training other fighters, helping them improve their mental toughness for that competitive edge. Sadie gave me a shot, and here I am, playing chauffer for a pretty new friend.”
Well that made me blush, but he rushed in to apologize.
“I hope I didn’t overstep,” he said.
By then, we’d reached his car. The walk had sped by faster than I had expected and I was becoming drawn to Emmett, his humor and sensitivity.
“Oh, no,” I said, gathering my wits. “Thanks, actually. And I appreciate the ride, especially in this beauty.”
I gave his black Tesla a loving rub as I made my way to the passenger side. I could tell his ride was his pride and joy.
“Thank you,” he said. “Glad you like it. I’d been looking to get one of these since they came out.”
“Nice guy. Gentle giant. And a warrior for the environment? You trying to win a Nobel, Emmett?”
I was beginning to feel we were old friends.
“Nope,” he said, grinning. “But I do like this car and sentry mode means I’ll never be caught by surprise again.”
A reminder that he’d been attacked a few weeks earlier. Sounded like it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. “It wasn’t your fault, Emmett.”
“I know, but I still don’t like that it happened. I’m a fighter, Vanessa. In the ring and also for the goddamn U.S. of A. A soldier. It never should have happened. Period.”
“Ah, I see,” I said. “You’re not just a solider and a fighter, you’re also a superhero who should be able to see into the future and stop a deranged criminal? Got it.”
“Smart ass,” he said, and I liked the easy banter between us.
“Not normally, but I’m finding my inner smart ass,” I said, realizing I was becoming proud of this emerging part of myself.
“Good. Keep her, I kind of like her.”
“You know what, Emmett? Me too.”
He walked around the car and got in.
When he smiled at me like that, it was hard to remember we were friends.
Just friends.
* * *
I finished a hard workout and stood under the high pressure shower for a good ten minutes longer than usual, letting the hot steamy jets pound my tired muscles. I turned off the water, grabbed a towel to wrap around my hair and stepped out of the shower to the insistent ringing of my front doorbell.