Blow (TKO #3) (17 page)
Authors: Ana Layne
Tamilyn
My heart is at ease after leaving the hospital. After seeing him, I’m not really sure why I was so tortured about going in the first place. There was no need to act the way I did. Ruston opens the truck door for me and I climb inside. I kinda miss his old truck, but I do like this rental. The leather seats are comfortable.
He pulls my hand into his as the engine roars to life. I watch out the side mirror as the hospital soon becomes just another building in the distance. I let out a sigh as Ruston passes the road that my apartment complex is on. I raise my eyebrow and turn to face him.
“Where are you going?”
“Does it matter?” He asks with a chuckle.
I shrug my shoulders and turn to look back out the window. He wants to play stubborn, so can I. “
Does it matter?
” I mock him.
“Watch that attitude, Tammy Lou.” He takes his right hand off of the steering wheel to point at me.
“How about you watch the road?”
“Yes, ma’am.” His chuckle eases my mind. It doesn’t really matter where he’s going. I could honestly not care less. “Don’t you know what today is?”
I’m trying to figure out just what he’s up to. It’s not anyone’s birthday, I know that much. “Ruston, I have no clue what today is.”
“I’ve decided that today is going to be our official first day of dating. All the shit is finally cleared up and done and we can finally be together. I don’t know about you but I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for this moment. So, that being said, I’ve got a little picnic planned for us and then we’ll just go with the flow from there.”
My jaw drops. The night of the barbeque, we were going to attempt to make the move to be together, but then Austin got into his accident. At that moment, nothing else mattered. I couldn’t possibly think of being with Ruston when everything seemed to be falling apart. “Don’t you think you should have consulted me in this decision?”
“You have a problem with this?” He raises his eyebrow as he pulls into the park.
“No, I have no problems with it at all.”
“Then why are you questioning it? Go with the flow, Tammy Lou.” He laughs as he parks the truck. I glance at the backseat. How did I not notice the ice chest and bags sitting there?
He unbuckles his seatbelt and leans over to softly kiss my lips. His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him as the kiss deepens. I hate to break the kiss, but since he mentioned a picnic, I’m a little hungry. Plus, if we keep kissing like this, we may not have a picnic. “Easy there, lover boy.”
“What?”
“Keep this up and there won’t be a picnic.”
“You’re lucky I love you, pretty girl. I can’t complain. At least we have as long as we want to kiss.” He pulls away and opens his door to get out. The next thing he does is grab the ice chest out of the backseat.
I follow his lead and grab a few bags. “I love you too. I have for quite some time, you know, it just never seemed to be the right time to tell you. Honestly, I didn’t think you felt the same way.”
He grabs a large blanket and sets it on top of the ice chest before we begin walking to a vacant spot in the lush green grass. Ruston sets the blanket on the side of a large tree and I’m more than happy to sit down. Actually, I lie down.
“What’s in the ice chest?” I ask.
“A few drinks, some grapes, and ham and cheese.”
“Sandwiches and grapes?” I make sure I heard him correctly.
“That good enough for you?” he asks as he grabs two slices of bread out of the plastic bag. He begins fixing a sandwich. He hands it to me and I take a small bite.
With my mouth full, I decide to answer him. “Yep, it’s all good for me. Can I have a drink?”
He laughs, handing me a bottle of water. “Really? Talking with your mouth full?”
I just smile and wink while I finish chewing. I swallow and take a big sip of water. “You act like you don’t know me. You’ve only known me your entire life.”
We eat our sandwiches in silence and once we’re done, he grabs the grapes out of the ice chest and sets them between us. I lie on my side on the blanket with Ruston right beside me. He smirks as he grabs a grape and moves it towards my lips. My lips part, letting him place the grape on my tongue. The coolness of the grape chills my mouth and I moan. These are so good.
“I think I’m keeping you,” I tell him as he feeds me another grape.
“I hope you do.”
“It’s only you, Ruston, I swear. This is our beginning.”
Our fingers lace together as we lie on the blanket in the warm sun. I could stay here for the rest of the day and be perfectly okay. When I was younger, I would think about the potentially different paths in life that Ruston and I could take. I used to wonder if I’d have to watch him be with another girl. Now, I know I don’t have to deal with any of that because I have him. When I decided to hang out with Austin, I never thought about what seeing me with another guy would do to Ruston. I guess I was selfish in that sense too. Life is funny that way. I guess when you’re meant to be with someone, the planets have their way of aligning it for you. I fought that for some reason, trying to figure things out, when all along Ruston was the only one I wanted.
Austin
It’s been a month since the accident. Good days and bad days come, but that’s to be expected. My doctor had to prescribe something to help me sleep because I kept having nightmares about the accident. It’s eerie how real my prosthetic arm looks compared to my left arm. I’m beginning to get the hang of having it on. I’m not comfortable with driving yet. That’s not something I want to do for a while, so I’m sitting on the couch waiting for Ruston to take me to Lou’s.
Howard and the guys came and saw me the same day Tamilyn and Ruston brought me the photos. They all arrived at the same time, so Tamilyn gave the duplicates to Howard. That day, everything they said made me cry. My emotions were raw. Howard asked me if I’d like to work for him and help train, which sent more tears streaming down my face.
I couldn’t answer him but he already knew what the answer was. Lou’s helped me start my new life for the little bit that I trained there. Those guys became my family and it crushed me to think that because of my accident, I might never be able to return. Howard told me to wait until I got released from the hospital to see how I was feeling before I made any decisions, but my choice was already made. Lou’s is my second home and there’s no way in hell I wouldn’t take his offer. Today is my first day, and I’m pumped to go back.
Ruston walks out of the bathroom whistling. Since he and Tamilyn don’t have to hide anymore, things are going great between the two of them. So great that it makes me want to barf, but I don’t tell them that. I let them be happy because I know my happiness will come.
“I’m ready when you are.” I toss the keys at him.
“I’m ready. I promise. We’ll be finishing up about the same time this afternoon, right?” he asks. He’s got to go to his dad’s office this morning. I feel like I’ve gone back in time and I’m getting a ride from my own father. It’s kind of hilarious to me.
“Yes, Dad,” I joke. “If something changes and I get a ride home from Garrett or Howard, I’ll let you know.”
“Oh, yeah, isn’t Lance still out?”
“Yeah, Hilary had a baby boy a few weeks ago. He’s doing what Garrett did. He’s taking a little time to be with her and the baby.”
“Well, let’s get going.” He shoos me out the door. I’m wearing a t-shirt and I get self-conscious in public sometimes. I shouldn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks, but I worry they can tell my right arm is fake. I shake the feeling off and climb into Ruston’s new Dodge Ram.
He parks right outside of Lou’s and my eyes light up. I’ve never been more excited to see this place. I barely even thank Ruston for the ride when I jump out of the truck. I think I hear him laugh as the door shuts. My fake arm makes me nervous, so I open the gym door with my left hand. The smell of the gym is amazing to me, and so familiar. Garrett sees me and jogs over.
“Great to have you back, man.” He throws his arms around me. I laugh a little as I hug him back.
“It’s fucking great to be back, I can honestly say that. How’s everything been?” I tell him with a wide grin spread across my face.
“Everything is great, man. Even better with you back. It’s been so dreary around here.”
“How’s Lucas?”
“Getting big already. They grow so damn fast.” He sounds a little sad but he’s beaming just from hearing his son’s name.
“Austin, get your ass over here.” Howard walks out of the office with his burly arms open wide.
Garrett laughs as I break into a sarcastic run and then stop right in front of Howard. “Thanks for having me back.”
“We take care of each other here, and I think it’ll be good for you to be here. Who knows? Maybe you’ll fight again one day.”
“That would be fucking amazing, but right now, I’m just glad to be here and help these guys train.”
“Don’t put any strain on yourself or your arm. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t push it. I know you’re probably still trying to get used to your new arm.” Howard’s gaze on my arm makes me shift uncomfortably. I use my left hand to grab my right arm as I look down.
“Yeah, it’s different.”
“Don’t get yourself down. Anyone who steps in here with a wise remark will get their ass handed to them. You’re surrounded by family and we have your back.”
I let go of my arm and realize he’s right. I watch as Garrett walks over to the punching bag. “Want me to go spot him to start off?”
“That’s a good place to start if you ask me.”
I can hold the bag fairly well with just my left hand. I shouldn’t have to put too much pressure on the prosthetic. I shouldn’t be babying the arm, but I do get nervous.
I walk over to Garrett and offer to spot. I grab hold of the bag and realize as he starts wailing away on it that I’m holding the bag, and I’m okay. With each blow he throws, I’m surviving.
The End
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the team at Limitless Publishing for believing in this series from day one. TKO would have just been a standalone if it hadn’t been for you.
My family has been great through all of this writing process. I have an amazing support system at home and I can’t thank them enough for that.
We Stole Your Book Boyfriend, thank you for the amazing blog tour you gave
Hooked
. Thank you for everything you did to throw that together and make it amazing.
Delisa Lynn, thank you for our everyday chats. They are the highlight of my day! It may not always be books, but who cares. Thank you for loving these characters as much as I do. We’re the perfect support team, you know?
Lauren Martin, Alex Staggs, and Daeleen Casey, thank you for your love of the series. I love that I met all of you.
Robin Harper, you rock every cover I’ve ever had. Thank you for being with me from day one. You’re one of few that I still talk with from then…mainly because you’re awesome!
Also, thank you to each and every one of you, the readers, for your amazing support. I couldn’t do this without you.
About the Author
Ana Layne was born and raised in south Louisiana where she still resides with her family.
She owns more books than she will probably ever read, but can't resist a good story. When she's not reading or writing she loves to relax and enjoy life.