Hot Pickle - J.J. Knight Page 0,74
it through her eyes. Weights scattered across the floor. A few towels and, oh great, a jockstrap strewn across the back of the sofa. I quickly snatch them up and wad them into a ball.
“It could be worse,” she says.
“Don’t go in the kitchen.”
“Noted.”
I lead her to the master bedroom. I use the other bedroom as storage for all my workout equipment and the deli paraphernalia that has accumulated over the years. Thankfully, that door is closed.
My bedroom isn’t too crazy. Some clothes tossed over a chair. An unmade bed. Thankfully I have a housekeeper who keeps the dust and grime levels down. It’s just clutter.
“Not bad at all,” she says. “I can work with this.”
I lean over to kiss her forehead. “I’ll take a quick shower.” I squeeze her arm. “Let me know if you hear from Franklin.”
She sits on the end of the bed and pulls out her phone.
I jump in the shower, not even waiting for the water to get hot. I want all the extra oil and color off my body, then we’ll go. My eye stings when the water hits it, but I’m okay with the sucker punch. The moment was stressful, but the truth got out. And I still placed. Who would’ve thought? The sponsor guy knew what he was talking about.
When I walk into the bedroom in my towel, Camryn lies back on my bed staring at the ceiling.
“Any news?”
“He didn’t respond. I’m not surprised.”
“Hopefully he’s licking his wounds with his new cronies. And if he doesn’t want to work out with me anymore, he’ll have plenty to choose from at the gym. I can start over at a new place.”
She sits up. “So, you’re going to do Nationals?”
“Not sure yet. I need to do some research. I don’t want to go in there and look like a chump at barely over two hundred pounds when they’re all two-fifty of pure muscle. I might drop down to light heavyweight.”
“It’s not a bad strategy, but you might have to re-qualify in the new weight class. We should ask Amy.”
“I didn’t think of that.”
I open the drawer to grab a pair of boxers, but Camryn comes up behind me, loosening the towel. “So how late can we be before your family starts looking for you?”
The towel hits the floor.
“I say we find out.”
When we finally make it to the restaurant, the table is already full of appetizers and drinks. We decide not to cover my eye again.
Jason notices it first. “You guys get in a brawl?”
“I told you he was wearing makeup,” Anthony says.
I decide to gloss over it rather than mention Camryn’s brother. It’s too complicated. “Some bodybuilders live up to the hype.”
“Someone punched you?” Anthony asks.
“Right before we went on.”
“Why?” Dad asks.
I shrug. “It’s complicated.”
Nova cuts in. “Does it hurt?”
“Nah. Makes me look even tougher.” I strike a bicep pose and everybody claps. “Now let’s eat.”
They take the hint, and Anthony passes me a plate. “I hope you can still carb up. Because we got all your favorites.”
The table is stuffed with focaccia bread, seasoned oil, cheese and olive trays, and an entire platter of calamari.
I turn to Camryn. “When are Nationals?”
“Five weeks.”
“Bring it on.”
Dad pulls a chair out for Camryn next to Anthony. “Have a seat, my dear. So glad you could make it.”
Camryn meets my eyes and lifts her eyebrows. Right. The brother crush.
“Dad, Jason, Nova, Anthony. I’m sorry I didn’t get to introduce you to Camryn properly.” I put my arm around her. “She and I have been dating for about a month.”
My gaze glances off Anthony, but he’s clapping heartily. “I knew it!” he says.
“Excellent,” Jason agrees. “Now the pressure is off me to provide a grandkid.”
Nova smacks his arm. “Jason!”
“What?” Jason says. “Dad’s on us all the time. When he isn’t, Grammy is.”
“You’re engaged,” Anthony says. “You’ve got a head start, so the clock is ticking.”
“Not you, too.” Jason tosses an olive at his brother.
“I want to be a crazy uncle!”
“Perfect,” Jason says. “Make me and Anthony crazy uncles first.”
“Sorry for this, Camryn,” I say. “They get ahead of themselves.”
“It’s all right,” she says with a laugh. I can tell she’s pleased to be accepted so easily.
I busy myself with piling up an incredible amount of food. I’m starving.
Dad watches me fill the plate. “You can eat all that and stay as fit as you are?”
“He has to eat all that,” Camryn says. “The amount of energy required to keep those muscles in shape is more than you