Millie's Second Chance (9 page)

“So what specifically did your sensei teach you?” He pushed for more information even though he really didn’t care. She was just like the other women. She was probably single and looking to land a husband or two. Well, he wasn’t going to fall for it. Then she stared right back up at him with such annoyance he nearly faltered a moment. But like most women, she was probably turned off by his scar and wouldn’t like to see the other more defined ones across his chest and back.

“Karate, jujitsu, tae kwon do.”

“He didn’t stick to one teaching?”

“No. Like I said, it was kind of a self-defense class that I enjoyed and continued to participate in. He wanted to keep me interested so he threw in various things. I liked it.”

“You sound like it was in the past. How long has it been since you worked out?”

Her mouth opened wide and she lowered her head a moment. She pulled at the loose-fitting black T-shirt she wore as if he was insulting her. Then it hit him.
She thinks I’m calling her fat.

“I didn’t mean that you need to work out. I just meant if it’s been a while, you may have forgotten a lot of the moves,” he rambled on as his brother, Hank, gave him a dirty look.

“I had to quit. But that was before and this is now,” she told him. Dalton couldn’t help but sense some upset in her comment. Perhaps someone told her to quit, or maybe she got lazy. It didn’t seem like a possibility.

“Here you go, Millie. Just stop in or call me if you have any questions.” Hank handed Millie a few fliers with class schedules. “We have two programs starting tomorrow. One is at nine in the morning and is for self-defense and kickboxing.”

She looked at the paper.

“What’s this one at seven in the morning? Mixed martial arts and grappling?” she asked.

“Oh, that’s for the more advanced students. We usually have law enforcement in there and black belts, people training for deployment,” Dalton told her as he walked past her and leaned against the desk. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at her.

“Oh, well that sounds like a good workout,” she replied with an attitude back.

Hank watched as Dalton looked Millie over.

“It’s for experienced fighters and martial artists. You said you did self-defense classes.” He sounded like he was interrogating her and Millie stepped back.

Hank interrupted.

“We would test you first, Millie, to see how much you know and then we can place you in the right program. If we don’t have something for you, we offer one-on-one training, too, and not at a higher price.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“It’s a small town and we’re here for the people. We help to train the deputies in the latest techniques as well as military getting ready for new deployment or ex-military like my brothers and I who want to stay in shape and love to train.”

“Sound good. I’ll think about it and let you know.”

She began to leave.

“Come back tomorrow at nine and we’ll see what you remember. There’ll be a few other women and men here. They’re beginners, too,” Dalton added then got up from the desk and began to walk toward the water cooler.

Millie followed him with her eyes then looked at Hank.

She smiled.

“Thank you, Hank. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at nine.”

* * * *

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Hank asked Dalton after he watched Millie cross the street and head into the boutique.

“Nothing’s wrong with me, why?” Dalton asked.

“You were all over that girl. Shit, Dalton, I know it’s been a while since you had a woman, but don’t you remember how not to bite their heads off or make them run for the hills?”

Hank knew exactly what was up with his brother. Dalton had been immediately attracted to Millie just as he was, but Dalton thought that Millie was another one of the many single women walking into the dojo looking to land a man or mess around. They had had their share of women and Hank knew women well. Millie was different and he couldn’t wait to see her tomorrow.

“She doesn’t know shit about martial arts, karate, jujitsu, or whatever.”

“Oh, yeah, that was really nice how you interrogated her. Made her feel like she didn’t look like she worked out. Did you notice the definition in her thighs and on her arms? She works out and she’s strong, too. Definitely not like some of the skinny weaklings that come in here acting like damsels in distress.”

Dalton turned and gave Hank a dirty look.

Then Hank challenged him.

“You still aren’t over Sylvia, are you? Man, you didn’t even sleep with that bitch and she had your emotions all twisted up in knots. She was a conniving bitch and used you to piss off that dirtbag boyfriend of hers, Larry.”

“Enough, Hank. I don’t need to talk about that woman. I didn’t see what you and the brothers saw. I truly thought she wanted to break up with Larry.”

“Whatever. Just don’t be so quick to judge people before you even know them. She seemed sweet.”

“Sylvia?”

“No, you idiot! Millie. She seemed really nice and had that New York accent.”

“Whatever.” Dalton walked out of the room. Hank looked out the window just as Stacy, Anna, and Millie exited the boutique. Millie was smiling as Stacy and Anna seemed to be introducing her to some of the other residents of Pearl. Then Lena and Bryant showed up. That was a young woman who was tough as nails. He was happy for the Jones brothers. They landed them all a fine woman.

* * * *

“Lena, Bryant, this is Millie,” Stacy said. Bryant remembered Millie from elementary school.

Millie kept looking toward the MMA fighting place across the street. Dalton was a fierce-looking man and a mean one to boot. Hank seemed really friendly and was very attractive. She wondered why she kept thinking about them. She needed to give herself a mental kick as a reminder about her track record with men. Not that she had a chance with men as gorgeous as the Lewis brothers she met so far.

“Hi, Lena, it’s so nice to meet you. Stacy and Anna have told me so much about you.”

“And they told me lots about you, too. I’m glad you’re here. We could use all the help we can get with the new shelter and community center. I saw you going into the MMA fighting place. Do you know karate?”

“I do, but I’ve been out of it for a few months. Long story, but I’m motivated to get back into it. I could use the boost of empowerment.”

“Yeah, I take the beginners’ course there in the morning at nine along with Sage. She loves the kickboxing part.”

“It’s a great workout.”

“It sure is. I was thinking about asking Dalton and Hank if they would be willing to run a class once or twice a week at a discounted price over at the new rec center. I’m sure the women would love it and want to feel empowered, too. Plus they might not feel comfortable heading into town.”

“That sounds like a great idea, Lena,” Stacy chimed in.

“Millie and you should go ask them about it,” Anna suggested then winked at Millie.

Why did it seem like Anna and Stacy were pushing her toward one or more of the Lewis brothers? They were out of their minds.

“I think their next class is going to start up. That’s an intense one, too. My leg is still giving me problems, but Dalton tries to rearrange the program so I can handle it,” Bryant stated.

“How is the therapy going, Bryant?” Stacy asked.

“It’s going well.”

“He’s a pain and gives me hell every day about it,” Lena replied and Bryant snagged her around the waist and hoisted her up against his side.

They all laughed.

“Well, we’re headed back to the site now. I think Anthony and Jeremy are working with their crews on finishing the rec center. We’re supposed to have our paint picked out by tomorrow,” Stacy stated.

“Well, let’s head over to the hardware store now. That way Anthony and Jeremy will be set and on schedule as usual,” Lena added and they headed toward the middle of town.

Clare stood outside of Millie’s apartment after work. She had been so busy the last two days, with Millie being fired for no damn good reason other than that asshole ex of hers, Stewart. She had been holding on to her award from the gala and wanted to see Millie.

No one answered when she knocked on the door, so she pulled out her cell phone to text her. Maybe Millie would be back soon and Clare thought she could wait for her.

Just as she finished texting and was about to leave, the door to Millie’s apartment opened.

Clare was stunned to see the tall, very muscular man answer her door. She swallowed hard and instantly picked up on the man’s sex appeal and bright smile.
Looks like Millie is on the rebound and in the right direction.
This guy was all muscles.

“Can I help you?” he asked in a very scratchy, deep voice that made her toes curl.

Millie, you lucky lady. Good for you.

“I’m looking for Millie.”

“And you are?” he asked in a tone that demanded an answer yet was sweet, too. Man, this guy was lethal.

“I’m Clare, a friend of hers from work. Well, her old job, anyway. I wanted to drop off her award from the ceremony over the weekend.”

He raised his eyebrows as if he hadn’t a clue about the awards ceremony. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“She didn’t tell you, did she? That’s Millie for you. She never boasts about her success and her caring ways. She helped to get major funding for the new women’s shelter downtown.”

“No, she didn’t tell me. I’m kind of here to surprise her. We used to date and things didn’t work out because I had to go out of town for business for a while. I was hoping to win her love back.”

“Oh, how sweet. Well, I’m sure she’ll be home soon. She never goes out, really. Kind of a workaholic. What was your name?”

He smiled at her then gestured for her to come inside.

“Why don’t you come in and join me? The name’s Frank,” he told her as she walked into Millie’s apartment, hoping to find out more about the hunk with all the tattoos and big muscles.

* * * *

Millie headed into the dojo a few minutes before nine o’clock. She acknowledged Hank and then the other men and women in the class along with Lena and Sage.

She had met Sage yesterday back on the Triple C when they arrived with paint colors and ideas for the gardening around the building. That was when she met Anthony and Jeremy Lewis again. They were very good-looking men and she could see the resemblances between them and both Hank and Dalton. Jeremy had been a huge flirt and Anthony seemed very businesslike and in command. He liked to be in charge just as it appeared Dalton did. She wondered when she would meet the fifth brother, Marco.

Millie took position behind Lena and Sage. From her position, she could see Hank clearly and also had a view of the larger room where Dalton worked with a group of six men. They were grappling and working on maneuvers with hand-to-hand combat. It looked intense.

“Okay, class, let’s begin.”

“Attention!” Hank declared and half the people lined up straight, bringing their right feet together with their left feet and hands by their sides.

He began to explain the simple moves and this went on for the first fifteen minutes of class. Finally, he gave up and had them warm up by running around the perimeter of the room. In between, he would instruct them to kick the bag a few times, then punch the bag, and finally work on the beginning of some moves.

She was bored out of her mind but finally got the chance to show him what she could do. Well, at least a little bit. She didn’t want to show off and she didn’t want him to think that she was messing with him. It was enough that he had three women in the front row drooling over Hank’s every move and nagging him every few minutes about showing them again and again how to place their fists and arms just so he would touch them.

It had become quite nauseating.

It was finally her turn toward the last few minutes of class. Hank would show a series of moves, but only a few because the others were beginners and they couldn’t memorize the moves as quickly. It took a lot of practice, but Millie had learned a lot in two years.

“Okay, Millie, nice and easy. I want you to watch what I do then repeat it.”

She tried to hide her smile as Hank gave just a few moves and she immediately followed them with vigor and perfection. His eyes widened.

“That was great. Want to try another one?” he asked so sweetly, and she didn’t want to lead him on making him think she was a natural when really she had expert training. So she did his next moves and then a few more until he decided he had been had and got her back.

“Class, it seems that Millie is a natural. I’d like to spar a little with her and see what she’s got. What do you think?”

A series of cheers went through the room and Millie looked to see the four women from the front line with their arms crossed in front of their chest and scowls on their faces. They looked pissed off, but Millie didn’t care. Who came to a mixed martial arts class wearing half T-shirts tied in the back and short shorts?