Learning to Live

Chapter 31

On Saturday morning, I did my groceries. I only had a few items on my list since I'd stocked up the last weekend. But going through the farmer market's stalls was a routine I cherished.

I did come across a homemade dog toy that reminded me of Brownie. As soon as the thought registered in my head, I put the toy down and walked away.

Nonna Gabriella asked about the "handsome boy" who'd been with me last Saturday. I told her that he wasn't my boyfriend. She waved her hand off and told me it was only a matter of time.

Not in this lifetime.

That "handsome boy" had sent me a picture of his pets every single day. I would've regretted giving him my number, except the pictures were too adorable. He'd sent me the address of the gym the night before, followed by an electronic pass.

When I pulled into the underground parking lot of the building that afternoon, my stomach was bursting with butterflies. I slapped my hand on it. "Quit it."

Great. Now I was talking to my stomach.

I picked up my bag from the trunk, locked my car and made my way to the elevator.

The elevator doors closed behind me, their metallic surface reflective. I looked bright-eyed. My hair was in a short ponytail, and I was dressed in a coral sweatshirt and white boxing shorts. I really hoped the gym would be good. Even my aversion to being in Hunter's vicinity couldn't trump my need to find a good boxing gym.

The elevator door opened on the first floor. I got out and glanced around. Nice. It was a hallway with orange walls. On them, painted murals of famous boxers and MMA fighters; Mohammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Rocky Marciano, Khabib Nurmagomedov and others.

I pushed through the glass doors at the end of the hallway. A desk spanned the length of the glass wall across, behind which sat a guy and a girl. A set of four turnstiles blocked access to the gym beyond the glass wall.

I pulled up the pass on my phone and was about to scan it when the girl behind the desk spoke.

"Hey!" She leaned over the desk with a smile. She looked younger than I first thought. She must be in college. "First time here?"

"Yes."

Her big gray eyes glanced at my phone. "You have a pass."

I waved my phone. "Yep."

"We don't really give out guest passes that often," the guy next to her said, narrowing his gray eyes. He looked a year or so younger, and he looked like a younger, male version of the girl. Siblings. "Whose guest are you?"

"Hunter. Jamison."

The guy blinked, and the girl gasped. "Jamison? As in Jamison Jamison?"

"Hunter Jamison," I said. "Big guy. Black hair. Dark eyes. Undefeated champion."

The girl's eyes widened even more. Then she smiled brightly and snapped her fingers. "So that's why he wanted the guest pass!"

A woman walked out of the elevator right then. She took us all in and frowned at the siblings behind the desk. Her dark skin gleamed under the bright lights, and her gray eyes snapped at the two people behind the desk.

"What did I tell you about keeping your nose out of everyone else's business. Stop gossiping for goodness sake!"

"But-but mom!" The girl said, pointing at me with wide eyes. "Jamison!"

The older woman shook her head and gave me an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. You can just ignore these two from now on. Please go ahead."

The siblings looked properly chastised. I stifled a smile and scanned the pass. The light turned green and I pushed past the bar.