Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
M onday mornings are never good mornings, especially today.
Everything was fine until I remembered Friday night and what happened with Opal and her brother. I’ve been stewing over it all weekend. Finding out that her brother is Doyle Malone was a sucker punch. I never even thought about that when I learned that they shared the last name because Malone's not uncommon around here. But fuck, she's related to that cheating son of a bitch. That asshole cheated in a fight, and it was my only loss in the ring.
Heading to the gym usually makes me happy, but today? My emotions are a mix of anger, frustration, and disappointment. I need to talk to Opal, but I’m apprehensive about how it will go. But we need to talk and I need to figure out the lay of the land and whether or not I can keep trusting her.
“Goddammit,” I yell, pounding the heel of my hand against the wheel of my truck.
It hasn't stopped vibrating since I hit the freeway to head to Jefferson. Opal’s there with Luann, who’s training her on some fancy new software for the computer she made me buy. I don’t know what’s wrong with the hardcover account books I’ve been using for years, but Luann pitched a fit and said it was necessary.
I signal and pull over to the side of the road and call Rebel Autos. I know that whatever's happening, the truck isn’t getting any better on its own. The last thing I need is it crapping out on me while I’m doing 70 on the freeway.
“Hey man,” I say when Mack answers the phone.
“Champ, my man, how's it going?”
“Well, not so good, Mack. My truck is about to break down, and I'm stuck on the freeway. I'm on the road to Jefferson and my new gym. Can you send someone to tow me? I don't want my truck to stop in the middle of the road and cause a massive accident.”
“Champ, man, we got you covered,” Mack says. “I'll send one of the guys out right now. Should be about forty-five minutes.”
“Got it. I'm on the freeway between markers thirty-five and thirty-six.”
“Okay. You hang tight, and we'll get you.”
I turn on my hazards and sit in the cab of my truck, trying and failing not to keep looping Friday night in my mind. It’s been a long time since I felt an inkling of an attraction to a woman, and longer still since a woman asked me out, even though a chili cook-off isn’t what most people would call a date. Every fiber of my being needs to see and talk to her, but I have to do it in person. There are conversations you should not have on the phone, and this is one of them.
Finally, a tow truck pulls up in front of me, and I recognize Roman getting out. I check the traffic and then step out of my truck to meet him. “Roman, man. It's been a while, hasn't it? They got you driving the tow truck now?”
“Yeah, it's been too long, man. I go where I’m needed.” He laughs. “Truth is, our regular guy is out with the flu, and I’m the only one with experience driving a tow truck.” Roman hitches up my truck in short order, and we get on our way.
“You don't seem to come around Jefferson much anymore,” Roman says as we head to Jefferson.
“Well, I've been coming around, but it's mostly to deal with the new gym. My hands have been full. Between that and helping Harley lately, I haven't had time for anything else. I’ll be around more once the new gym is open, and I’ll have more time to relax and see you guys.”
“I've heard Harley's busy these days. It's a shame. It's always better when things are quiet for him because that means the world is a little bit safer.”
“Yeah, Harley's the one keeping it safe. I think I'm going to be making a trip up to King Mountain soon with some supplies. I know he's stashed a couple of women up there for protection, and he had me pick up a load of supplies last week.”
“Glad you’re able to help him out, Champ. I know he appreciates how much he can rely on you.”
“Thanks, man. I just do what I can. If someone’s in need, you know I’ll do whatever I can to help. ”
Roman nods. “Yeah, you’ve always been like that. You’re a good man.”
“Thanks,” I say, ready to change the conversation. Roman’s right that I like helping people, but I don’t necessarily want to talk about it. I don’t need people thanking me for what any decent human being should also be doing. “What's new with you, Roman? How's that girl of yours, Tessa?”
“Man,” Roman says, rubbing a hand through his hair. “She's a handful. Fourteen years old and thinks she knows better than me about what she wants to do with her life.”
“Uh oh,” I chuckle. “What's been going on?”
“She's got it into her pretty little head that she wants to be a writer.” Roman looks at me and arches his eyebrow like this is the most outlandish thing in the world.
“What's wrong with being a writer, Roman?”
“Well, I don’t want her to be poor. You know it's a hard way for anyone to make money. I mean, how many writers make it?”
“I don't know, Roman, it's not my thing. My sister's the reader in our family.”
“Yeah, I just… I want her to have a better life than I had, you know? Before I went into the Army, things were tough. I would’ve ended up in prison if it weren't for the Army. You know that.”
“Yeah, man. I think it was like that for a lot of guys. The army saved us.”
“Yeah, but Tessa, she's not... interested in going into the army or any other branch. What’s worse, I think one of her teachers at the high school is encouraging this.” Roman drives down the off-ramp into Jefferson and heads toward Rebel Autos.
“Are you dating anyone, Roman?”
“No,” Roman says, shaking his head. “Sometimes I wish I was, but you know I've got rules.”
I chuckle. Roman has always had rules for everything, but some of his rules kept us alive when we were serving in Iraq.You got to give the man some credit.
“The girl needs the influence of a woman in her life, but I've told her she can't date until she's eighteen—and part of the deal is that I won't date either.”
I look at Roman in shock. He was never one to be without a woman for long.”Man, how are you going to get a female influence in her life if you don’t have one in yours?”
“That’s the conundrum, Champ. You know I lead by example.”
“You're committed to her, aren't you?”
“I am, yeah. I'm gonna make sure she has the best start in the world. It was a shock to come home and find out I had a daughter and another shock when my ex said it was ‘my turn’ and then took off. If I have to deny myself some things to give her the best start in life, it's worth it.”
“Have you ever considered that the rules are holding you back?”
Roman looks at me with exasperation, like he expected me to agree with him automatically.
“Do you want me to fix your truck or what?” He mock-challenges me but eventually laughs .
“Okay, man, I take it back.” I laugh. “But think about it. It could be a good influence for both of you.”
“You think my daughter dating will be a good influence on her?”
“Roman, I don't know what to say, but don't you remember what it was like to be fourteen? Don’t you miss having a woman in your life?”
Roman looks at me and grudgingly nods. “We should talk about something else. What are you coming out here to Jefferson for? Checking on the new gym?”
“Yeah, partly,” I say. “I might have an issue with my bookkeeper, so I came here to talk to her. I saw her Friday night, and it didn't go well.”
“Really?” Roman asks.
“Yeah, you'll never guess who her goddamn brother is.”
Roman glances at me as if to say, “Go on.”
“Her brother is motherfucking Doyle Malone.”
“No shit. Wait a minute. This is his sister, his twin?”
“Apparently so,” I say. “She doesn't look a goddamn bit like him, which is good because he’s an ugly son of a bitch. I would never have hired her, even with Shelly’s recommendation.”
“Yeah, I don't envy you that situation. What are you going to do?”
“Honestly, I don't know. I need to talk to her and see how I feel after that. I need her to run the books at the gym, and she helps keep an eye on things. But if I can't trust her...”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Good luck with that.”
“Thanks, I think I'm going to need it. Speaking of, can you drop me off at the gym?”I ask. Rebel Autos isn’t that far from the gym, but I want to get this over sooner than I could if I had to walk over there.
“Sounds good, man. I’ll call when I have an update on your truck.”
Roman drops me off and I take a deep breath. This might not go well.