Faking It(44)

You know what? I think Alyssa was making me want to be a better person. That sounded like a line from a movie. Maybe it was. Still true, though.

When I finished up, I thanked my sparring partners and Mason and hit the shower, which reminded me again of how I’d dropped my towel in front of Alyssa. How I had laughed, knowing that she was probably thinking about me in the shower. Well now I was thinking about her, in exactly the way I promised myself I never would. Getting too attached to people took away your freedom. My freedom was what had allowed me to do what I do: fight without limits.

I wondered if her dad had any idea that I had just made a date with his daughter. Or something close to it. I knew she’d be in for it if he caught us. I could handle myself, but she was obviously such a daddy’s girl that I didn’t know exactly how she would respond to his disapproval. I didn’t plan on finding out.

I changed into a jacket and my nicest slacks. I kept a few changes of sharp clothes at the gym. Sometimes photographers would drop by and want something more polished than a bunch of sweaty hogs hitting each other. It never hurt to be able to look slick on short notice. On my way out, everyone whistled and jeered at me. It must have looked like a Halloween costume to them. I encouraged them all to enjoy their fun, knowing that I was probably on the way to the greatest night of my life. Even that sort of hyperbole made me laugh, because I recognized that I was being dramatic and knew that it might actually be true.

I got in my Mercedes, a gift from the company. The car had been part of my first big endorsement deal. When I had sent a picture of the car to mom she had tried to be encouraging, but had quickly changed the subject to Janie and my brothers and how overwhelmed she was by everything.

No. I had better things to think about.

I texted Alyssa and she sent me her address. It wasn’t familiar to me and I realized that I had never been to Mason’s house. I wondered if this was going to be it, or if she was meeting me somewhere on the sly. If it was his house, he must not be there or she wouldn’t have suggested we meet here.

I still wasn’t sure when I pulled into the driveway, which was so long that it could have held a single file fleet of yachts. A whistle escaped me. I couldn’t believe the size of her dad’s house. I knew Mason was a legitimate legend who had done very well for himself, but I had no idea he lived like this. This was something I would have expected from, I don’t know, someone like a sultan. Suddenly my car seemed like a toy. I felt like a boy. Oh well, I could always find a way to use things for inspiration. I’d let this fire me up just like everything else. Intimidation wasn’t on the list of things I felt.

Not ever.

Even more unbelievable was the sight of Alyssa coming down the walkway to meet me. She had put on a dark blue dress and had her hair pulled back tight. Classy and effortless. Better yet, she didn’t seem to have any idea how hot she looked, even though I’m sure she spent some time thinking about what to wear.

I got out and opened the door for her, wondering absently if her dad was watching from an upstairs window. But no, he wouldn’t be. I doubt he would have wanted her anywhere near me and she surely knew as well. The fact that she wasn’t slinking around like a cat burglar must have meant that he was somewhere else.

“Where do you want to eat?” I said after getting behind the wheel.

“What were you thinking? You told me you were going to pick. I’m easy when it comes to food. My dad cooks like a pro, though, so I’m definitely a little spoiled.”

So, not only was Mason a decorated veteran and highly sought-after MMA coach, he was also an elite chef. Fine, fine. I put “learn to cook like Mason” in my mental to-do list. And I had to keep in mind that Mason was older. He had a huge head start on me in life, but I could be just as focused. As it happened, though, I was no slouch as a cook.

“I know just the place. If you didn’t have anything in mind, just leave it to me.” On the way to the restaurant, I think we were both a little nervous. I definitely was, but she was showing it a lot more than I was. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a sense of how the night would go. It felt easy with her. The nerves were pleasant. There was an anticipation in the air between us. Anticipation of what, exactly, remained to be seen.

When I pulled into my own driveway, she gave me a look like I had tricked her like some unscrupulous guy running a carnival game. “This doesn’t look like a restaurant. This looks like a house. Yours, I’m guessing?”

“Good guess! You should be working for a carnival.”

“Who says I don’t?”

“What’s your specialty? You’re obviously not the bearded lady. Are you the one who tricks people into paying to see the littlest horse in the world, but then it turns out the whole effect is done with mirrors?”

“I can tell whenever someone’s running game on me.”

I snorted. Couldn’t help it. “What is your special carnival sense telling you right now?”

“Ask me later. But nice house. Really nice.”

Most relationships I’d been in didn’t have a lot of give and take. They were mostly just me taking. I could admit it. I suppose that’s not a real relationship, is it? But I couldn’t have admitted it before meeting Alyssa. And if everyone lets you take without asking anything in return, how much are you actually obligated to give?

“Yeah, it’s humble but it’s mine. Come on. I’ve got a surprise for you.”