Fighting for Us - Bella Emy Page 0,33

fuck? What is wrong with me? I shake my head to get the thought of her out of my mind.

“She passed out while we were talking. That’s why she never responded back,” I say to Ryker, who nods his head.

“Good, now ask her.”

“What?”

He comes forward, motioning for me to message her back. “Let her know about the party. Ask her to come.”

I swallow hard. Do I have the balls to ask this woman to the company party? What are people going to think? Fuck, man. Why is this so difficult?

“I can’t do it.”

Ryker chuckles. “Why the fuck not, dude? It’s just a party.”

“What are people going to think? That she’s my girlfriend?”

“Who cares what the fuck people think! It’s none of their goddamn business if she were your girlfriend. But she’s just a friend, and you can introduce her as that, or fuck it, don’t introduce her to anyone you don’t want to. It’s none of their damn business what you do with your life anyway.”

He has a point. Who cares what people think? And if I really wanted to date five years after my wife passed away, would that be so wrong?

Yes, to me, it would be. But I’m not dating Carissa, and I have the right to have a female friend if I want one. Everyone can go suck a nut.

“Okay, here goes nothing,” I say, hitting the box in the app to type my response.

Me: Hey, it’s no problem. Happens to me all the time. Listen, if you’re not busy this Friday night—

“No, dude! Don’t give her the option to chicken out and say she’s busy. Tell her you want her to go with you. Be bold,” Ryker states, hovering over my shoulder once more.

I move away a bit. “Dude, okay… okay. Jeez.”

I delete the last part of the message and rephrase it.

Me: Hey, it’s no problem. Happens to me all the time. The company I work for is having a holiday party this Friday… I’d love it if you would come and check it out.

“Much better,” Ryker says after I hit the send button.

I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m glad you approve.”

“No problem, bro.”

My phone goes off again a few seconds later.

Carissa: I would love to join you.

“She said yes,” I tell him in shock.

A huge smile spreads across his face, illuminating the entire locker room. “I fuckin’ told you, bro. She wants you.”

I roll my eyes, put my phone away, and we make our way into the practice area of the gym.

Chapter Thirteen

Carissa

“I think I should fake a headache or pretend I’m hugging the toilet from food poisoning. I should cancel,” I say, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I’m wearing a black miniskirt and a red top with heels to match. Shannon and Emy spent the last two hours doing my hair and makeup.

“Cariss, would you like to get slapped now or later?” Shannon asks, standing behind me.

I flip around with a frown, diverting my gaze from Shannon to Emy. “What if this is a big mistake?”

“Carissa, would you stop second-guessing yourself? It’s just a party. He didn’t ask you to sleep with him, but ooh, if he did,” Emy says, and they both laugh.

“I’m serious, guys. I’m really nervous.” I look at the ground before Shannon places a finger underneath my chin.

“Hey, sis. If I thought this was a bad idea, I’d tell you. But I think it’s great. You keep running into the UFC heavyweight champion, and he’s a damn hot piece of man candy… like, seriously. You’ll be fine.”

“Shannon’s right, girl. The boy is fiiiine!”

Now the three of us are laughing.

I was a little hesitant when I texted him the other night after the incident with Steve; I’ll admit that. But when I awoke the next morning and saw another text sitting there in my inbox from him, something inside me said to go for it.

“Okay, I guess it’s okay,” I say and turn around to get one last glimpse in the mirror.

“Is he picking you up?” Emy asks.

“I’m meeting him there. He offered, but I didn’t want it to really feel like a date. He didn’t seem upset about it at all.”

They nod, and Shannon goes to sit on my bed while Emy pops a piece of gum into her mouth.

“Well, girl. Then you’d better get going ’cause you’re going to be late,” Shannon states.

I look over at the time and notice it is indeed time to go.

The girls and I walk out of my building and then they