Hot Pickle - J.J. Knight Page 0,58

pops through the back door. He’s chucked his suit for fight shorts and a tank top. “Photos over?”

“All clear,” I say. “Do they follow you around?” Colt’s been off the circuit for quite a few years. He and his wife have at least two kids, but before all that, they were quite the newsworthy couple. The L.A. papers were all over them in my college years.

“It’s Hudson’s time to shine,” Colt says. “But because it’s all in the family, from my dad right on down through me, Jo, and Hudson, they never leave us alone.”

“And here we brought them back to your door,” I say.

“It’s all right.” Colt leans in. “But I wouldn’t mind a bit of a scandal to put them off our scent.”

I laugh. If only he knew.

Hudson gestures to the weight set. “I’m about to throw down some reps, you want to come?”

Franklin jumps at it. “I do. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

I plunk down on a bench to pull on my weightlifting gloves. “It’s quite a setup you’ve got back here.”

Colt sits beside me. “Didn’t used to be. Was a big empty hole. My dad made Buster add this on when he expected me to start killing it on the circuit. I was a sore disappointment for a long time.”

This is news to me. “Really? Why so?”

Colt laughs. “Big, fat loser. He brought me back here to get back to my roots. Or rather, his roots. Buster’s good, though. He’s got a solid head on his shoulders. If you need advice, he’s a good man to talk to.”

I fiddle with the gloves. Advice might be exactly what I need.

“So, did I hear you own a restaurant or something?” Colt asks.

I nod. “Family business. I’m expected to do a lot with it, so this bodybuilding thing is getting in the way.”

“But they support you, right?”

Might as well confess. “They don’t know about it.” I glance back at the accordion door. “But after tonight, that’s going to change.”

Colt rears back on the bench. “Oh, hell. Nobody told us you were keeping this on the down low. We could have called off the press hounds.”

I shrug. “That was for my buddy Franklin. I can’t hide the whole thing much longer. I’m getting out of the obscure levels and into the part where people start paying attention. It was bound to get out.”

Colt nods. “It can be a bit of a bumpy ride. So, you gonna call them up before they hear from somebody else?”

“You think I should?”

“Definitely. If your old man is anything like mine, the last thing you want is him roaring like a wildebeest over the telephone.”

“I think you’ve got that one pegged exactly right. Maybe I’ll go do that before they wire their stories in.”

“We’ll be here.”

I head out the back door, giving Franklin a thumbs up as he spots Hudson. “Making a quick call,” I say.

Time to fess up to my family.

My two careers are about to clash.

26

Camryn

I don’t expect the text from Max that night after his workout with my brother.

Bone tired but want to see you.

My late night is catching up with me, too, but the idea of him coming over sparks a rush of exhilaration.

We can take it light and easy.

Despite what he said, when I open my door, Max isn’t the weary man I expect. His eyes are bright, and he’s in workout gear.

“I didn’t want to take the time to stop at home.”

“That’s fine.”

I close the door and lean against it. “Has something happened?”

He rubs his head, dropping his bag to the floor. “Franklin ambushed me at Buster’s Gym with a whole press junket. The L.A. Times is doing a feature on Buster’s Gym and all the champions who have come out of it.”

I push away from the door. “But isn’t that great?”

“It would be, except I haven’t told anyone about the bodybuilding.”

I lead him over to the pillows in the corner. I straighten the tiny pink shorts I wore this morning and arrange my tank as we settle in. Obviously, we’re here to do some talking.

“So, no one at work? Your brothers?”

He shakes his head, leaning over to unlace his cross-trainers. “It’s a hobby.”

“Big hobby.”

He grins. “The first competition I signed up for was basically a dare by your brother.”

“He’s like that.” When Max pulls off his shoes, I hook them together and set them aside. “So, are you going to tell them?”

“I called one of my brothers and sent a quick message to my dad. Our PR department