“Me, too. Look I have something to ask you, though you probably won’t like it,” I state, “I’m coming in this afternoon. Could we meet?”
“Anything for a friend. Heard you got engaged. Congrats!”
“I did and no you can’t have her,” I snort.
“I wouldn’t dream of stealing her from you. I never thought I’d see the day,” I can hear his smile through the phone.
“That’s what everyone is saying. I love her and this kind of has to do with her,” I tell him.
“Let’s talk before the press meeting tomorrow. I’ll come by for breakfast,” he says before hanging up.
“You’re asking him to throw the fight?” Tristan asks, causing me to jump.
“Tristan, stop sneaking up on people,” I yelp.
“Sorry,” he shrugs.
“Yes, I’m going to ask him to throw the fight. He will get compensated for it, and later I will give him a rematch,” I state.
“I think he’ll do it. You were close, though lost touch lately. But why not just fight him, you could win fair and square,” Tristan points out.
“I don’t want to take that chance. He will understand once we explain it to him. It will still look real in the ring,” I reply.
“I got your back no matter what, no one messes with family,” he says with conviction.
“Briar will be glad to hear you say that. She thinks highly of you,” I nod.
“She’s awesome and cute, too,” he runs off when he says that, laughing all the way to the living room, I’m hot on his heels.
“Come back here,” I yell as Tristan runs to the other room.
“Nah, I’m good,” he smirks from the doorway.
“Temper, Mr. Storm,” Briar clucks her tongue and smiles.
“He said you were cute,” I mock whine.
“Jealous much? And I am cute,” she smirks and Tristan grins.
I sit down in a huff on the couch and pout, while she rubs my arm laughing.
“Oh, stop pouting. I’m your fiancé and I love you,” she kisses my cheek as we hear giggling.
Piper and Caleb are standing in the doorway.
“Where’s Holden?”
“He’s on his way up,” Caleb says as Piper sits with Briar.
“So we’re ready to go. Tristan is going to run by the gym and grab the gear and meet us at the hanger,” I start ushering people out the door.
“What about your mom?” Briar asks.
“She’s coming in on a later flight with the kids. Daniel will make sure she gets to the airport with the kids and luggage,” I tell her as we make our way to the lobby.
Tristan takes his car as we climb into an Uber so we don’t have to take our own cars. Tristan will leave his car at the gym.
We’re pulling up to the hanger when my phone rings.