Raising Ryann Read online

  “Why would it be awkward?” Pam asks.

  “The situation she was in the last time I saw her? I don’t want her to feel embarrassed, that I know ... that I was there that day.”

  Pam covers her mouth, concerned. “You’re right, Luke. I didn’t even think about that,” she says. But at the same time, you saved her. You saved her from her father, too.”

  “I just want her to feel like she has some privacy,” I say.

  “You don’t think she’ll recognize you?” Jim asks.

  I shrug my shoulders. “I doubt it. It’s been years. I’ve put on weight, grown over half a foot. Besides, I don’t think I’d recognize her if you hadn’t told me. She was what, maybe twelve the last time we saw each other?”

  “Something like that,” Pam replies. “All right fine. We won’t say anything, but when she finds out, and she will, I’m blaming you for making me keep quiet.”

  “Deal.” I grin, reaching out to give her a hug.

  “So you ready to go home?” Jim asks.

  “More than ready. Even registered for a couple of classes, too.”

  Pam’s eyes twinkle. ”You did?”

  “Yeah, I figured why not, now that I’ve got all this time on my hands.”

  “Go for it. You’ve got the brain,” Jim says, placing his hand on my shoulder. “We’re proud of you son.”

  “Come on baby, just one more time?” she whines, running a nail down my chest, continuing south toward my package. When she reaches the top of my pants I grab her finger, holding it still. “Last time you didn’t have any complaints.” She frowns, reaching out with her other hand to cup me.

  This girl doesn’t know when to quit. She’s invading my space, and I’m not interested. So I take a step forward and tell her so. “Last time was a mistake.” I smirk, leaning down so I’m right in her face. “I’m just not that into you.”

  She glares at me, disgusted, then flips her hair as she storms away to find her next victim.

  “Hey Samantha!” I yell.

  She looks over her shoulder and waits.

  “Tell Jason I said hey.”

  She huffs then stumbles off.

  Logan chuckles on the couch across from me while he finishes the last of his beer. He’s been here a little longer than I have, and he’s feeling the effects of the alcohol. “What is wrong with you, man?”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, glancing at the familiar blondes he has sitting on each side of him.

  “Have you had your eyes checked?”

  “What? Samantha? She’s engaged.” The woman deserves it. She failed to mention that piece of information the night we hooked up.

  He covers his mouth. “Awe poor baby. Do you feel used?” The two girls sitting beside him giggle as he flashes a wink.

  I place my hand over my heart. “I do, and it hurts.”

  He quirks an eyebrow and sets his empty cup on the coffee table. “Wait, I’m confused. When has that ever stopped you before?”

  “When I happen to know the guy she’s engaged to.”

  “Ouch. That’s messed up.”

  I agree. “He’s a pretty solid dude, too.”

  He nods his head in understanding then squeezes each girl on the thigh. They give each other a look that helps me remember why they’re so familiar. “You gonna grab a drink brotha or what?”

  “Nah, I’m good.”

  “That’s right, I forgot.” Logan rubs his chin. “You quit.”

  “You quit?” both the blondes ask in sync.

  “For now.” I run a hand through my hair. “I don’t know if it’s a permanent thing, but I need a break.”

  “Congratulations Luke,” a guy I don’t know says as he walks by with a slap on the back. The music all of the sudden gets louder, and people around us start to dance.

  “Thanks man.”

  “Why are you taking a break?” asks the girl on Logan’s left, so he quickly changes the subject to redeem himself.

  “Wanna go outside?” He gets up, and I tip my head in the direction of the back, then we squeeze through the growing crowd as Logan chuckles behind me.

  “Sorry man,” he says, filling his cup at the keg. “I know you like to keep your shit private.” His eyes drift to a group of women standing a few feet away, stopping on a tight red mini skirt.

  “I told you man, I’m out. Tired of the rumors, done with the drama, ready for the simple life. People are out to destroy you in this business. You never know who you can trust.”

  I realize I’m wasting my breath when Logan drops his cup to get a peek at the chick’s panties. “Are you sure the drama isn’t worth it?” He cockss a brow before his eyes meet mine. “Pink lace,” he mouths, flashing a smile.

  “You’re ruthless.”

  “And you’re a saint,” he scoffs before gulping down the rest of his beer.

  A girl walks up and instantly plants a kiss on my mouth before I have time to see her face. When she walks away she gives me a little wave.

  “She’s hot.”

  I agree. She is.

  “What? No sex either?” He gives a half smirk.

  “I said I was taking a break from alcohol, not taking a vow with the Jonas Brothers.”

  He chuckles. “Did you see those twins inside? TWINS, Luke.”

  “Triplets,” I reply, then clear my throat. “Yeah, I saw them.”

  He blinks in disbelief, and I laugh out loud.

  “Why is it that you always tap them first? I’m sick and tired of your leftovers.” His eyes travel to the chick in the red skirt. “You get a piece of that, too?”

  I shake my head no, even though I’m not sure if I have or haven’t. I couldn’t tell you how many there’s been and swear it’s not something I’m proud about.

  Logan breaks me out of my thoughts. “Truly, I’m shocked. You’ve actually left one untainted.”

  “Yeah well, what can I say, I’ve been a whore. Maybe I should slow down with the ladies, too. I’m pretty sure it’s bad for my health.”

  He grins. “You know what? I think you becoming a monk isn’t such a bad idea.”

  Shortly after, Logan does a keg stand and heads off into the bathroom with some girls. That’s when I decide to call it a night. I swear I’m getting too old for this.

  Mumford and Sons blares fiercely through my cell phone, jolting me awake from my past. Blinking my eyes open, I focus on the dated popcorn ceiling, frustrated at the dampness of my clothes. I stretch my arms and legs before I wiggle my fingers and toes, and I’m pleasantly surprised there isn’t any soreness. It’s a feeling I’ve come to expect, working as what some may call a punching bag for twelve little pre-teen girls.

  As I jump out of bed, I run my fingers through my hair and am sadly disappointed I have to wash it. I was hoping I’d be able to get away with it today; if I’d known I wouldn’t, I would have done it last night. Peeling off my sweaty clothes, I toss them in the hamper then twist the broken dial to turn on the water. While I wait for it to heat I glance at my reflection, then tread closer to the mirror to examine my eye. I was supposed to be paying attention to Ally instead of staring at the cocky bastard who distracted me. She got me pretty good, and it’s still a little tender, but the bruising isn’t as bad as I had expected.

  The lights above the mirror begin their usual flicker, and I ignore it as I’m reminded of my father. It’s been ten years since the last time I saw him, and though I want to forget, he’s always there in my features. The resemblance between us is uncanny, even down to the freckles sprinkled across my nose. Our almond shaped eyes are a darker green, which is a sharp contrast to our olive-colored skin. As far as my mother, nobody would guess we’re related. Her natural shade of blonde is the color that women pay for, and her pale blue eyes are nothing like my jade ones. Although I’m much shorter than my father, I’ve got my mother by at least four inches. She’s petite, at just under five-feet tall. Truth be told, we’re opposites, in more ways than just the physical, and I’d be lying if I said
I wasn’t glad about it.

  Goosebumps spread all over my flesh as soon as I step into the shower. Under the scalding hot water I rock back and forth, taking in the coconut scent as I scrub and lather my body. There’s nothing I find more relaxing, even in the blazing summer heat of Phoenix, Arizona. I set my alarm earlier than I need, and I plan on taking my precious time to enjoy this. Closing my eyes, I work my fingers over my scalp, as memories of the night before flash before me.

  “Jim and Pam hired a new guy,” Kyle my goofy coworker who usually stays behind the customer service counter, said.

  His statement surprised me, so I asked, “Is he a trainer?” Only because I know we could use a couple more.

  He shakes his head. “The guy called up and said he’s coming in. Said he’s an instructor.”

  “Instructor for what? And how come I’m the last to hear about it?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Beats me, I just heard thirty minutes ago. He said something about Martial Arts. Self-defense I guess.”

  That caught my attention. Pulling my hair out of the messy bun I had put it in, I ask, “Did you call Jim and Pam to confirm?” I follow him into the laundry room and watch as he grabs a new batch of clean towels.

  “No, but the guy said he’s already hired. Said Pam told him she’d call here to fill us in.” He dumps the towels out on the counter and starts to fold them, and I reach over to help.

  “Is he teaching adults?”

  “I really don’t know any details.” He sets down the towel he’s holding and looks at me. “Why don’t you call Pam and ask?”

  Biting my lip, I hesitate then say, “Do you think that he’s taking my place?”

  Kyle’s eyes go wide, and he chuckles. “Are you kidding me? They love you. Trust me, you’d be the last person they’d replace.”

  “But why wouldn’t they tell me?”

  He pulls open the drawer and grabs the schedule. “Tamara and Kelly worked with them last, maybe they know something.” Setting the folded towels below the counter he adds, “Who knows, maybe they just forgot?”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Maybe he is right. Maybe it is just my paranoia that has me bothered. But my students are my life. We have a great connection. And I’ll be damned if someone comes and takes it all away from me. I narrow my eyes and say, “If any of them call up here, please come find me.”

  “Will do.”

  I point at him. “I don’t care if you interrupt my class or if you have to get me out of the girls’ locker room. I need to find out what’s going on.”

  Tilting his head to the side, he says, “There have been a lot of requests for Martial Arts classes. Maybe he’ll teach Jiu-Jitsu. That’d be pretty sweet.”

  “That would be.” I pick up the phone and try Pam. “Does Kelly work today?”

  “Nope, just me and you.”

  “Ugh.” I roll my eyes.

  “Thanks. I love you, too.”

  “Stop it. You know what I mean.” I hang up the phone a little harder than I should. “She’s not answering. I’m freaking out a little.”

  “Ya think?” He chuckles.

  Class is about to begin, and my girls are all lined up side-by-side. They’re anxiously waiting to get inside the octagon. I can’t help but smile when I spot Ally’s sassy hairdo. Her usual long blonde locks are cut into a short bob that accentuates her features. Knowing she needs the attention, I choose to use her for the demonstration in the lesson.

  “Now remember, Ally, I’m a professional. You don’t need to worry about hurting me. When I’m close enough behind you, I want you to attack me with all you’ve got.” I lean down so that our faces are level. “Do you remember what I showed you last week?”

  She gazes at me with her big brown eyes, frowning as she puts on her armor. “Aren’t you gonna wear some protection?”

  My heart melts at the concern on her face. Ally happens to be my best friend’s nine-year-old niece. She also happens to be my favorite student. Her parents decided to enroll her after an incident she had with some girls at school, and I’ve already seen a difference in her confidence. “The armor’s for you kids. I’ll be fine.”

  She doesn’t look convinced, but she gets in the proper position anyway, standing in front of me.

  “Remember, you can do a lot of damage with your elbow. Aim for my eyes or nose. Pick an area that will give you more time to get away.”

  She nods her head as I speak from behind her.

  “And I know what’s coming, so don’t worry, I’ll block you. Okay?”

  “Okay,” her muffled voice says through the mask.

  “Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  As I creep up from behind she’s throwing elbows from her left and then her right. I’m immediately impressed at her defense as I block her with my hands, stepping back to protect my face. “You’re doing great Ally! Keep it up!” I yell, and she does exactly as I ask.

  A minute later I hear male voices, then shortly after, the girls begin to snicker.

  “Good job Ally,” I mumble, then, because I’m curious, I glance toward the distraction. I see Kyle standing with a grin on his face. But it’s the handsome man beside him that renders me speechless.

  He’s striking—incredibly so—but familiar, and the way his eyes are on me is a little unnerving. I notice one of his arms is covered in a sleeve of tattoos, and his hair is sticking up in several directions. When I finally meet his gaze, the corner of his mouth curls up into a devious smirk.

  Right then it hits me. This man is the new employee, the extremely handsome new employee, who’s possibly taking my job. I scowl at him, giving him the most menacing glare I can muster, then as soon as I turn around, something collides straight into the center of my eye. “Ow!”

  Ally’s little elbow gets me full force, and before I realize what I’m doing, I lie flat on my back as all the girls surround me. I have one hand cupping my eye and the other flat on the floor, but the real reason I’m lying here is because I’m humiliated. Please God, tell me he didn’t see it.

  “I’ll go get some ice,” Taylor yells.

  Ally kneels down above my head while Maddy and Rylee sit on each side of me. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping we no longer have an audience, but I can’t bring myself to look.

  “I’m so sorry Reese. Are you mad at me?” Ally says, her lip quivering as she starts to cry.

  Opening one eye I look at her sweet face. “Shhh … No Ally, I’m fine. You did great!”

  “Next time you should wear protection.”

  “You’re right,” I say. “What was I thinking?”

  Snapping into the present, I rinse out my hair then turn off the water. Rushing over to my closet, I quickly grab a pink tank and pair it with my favorite denim shorts. I don’t have time to style my hair so I throw it up into a messy bun and put on just enough make-up to hide the purple tint of my bruise.

  Fifteen minutes before the start of my dreaded statistics class, and I just remembered I forgot to call my mother. She took it pretty hard the day I decided to live on my own, but I couldn’t deal with the drama, and I was tired of seeing her cry. You would think she’d learn her lesson after several years with my father, but what I’ve come to realize is that she’s addicted to the abuse.

  “Hello,” her chipper voice answers on the first ring.

  “Mom?”

  “Hi baby.”

  “Hey.” I smile. “How is everything? Sorry I didn’t call you last night, I got home late.”

  “Oh,” she says, sounding a little too excited. “Would a man have anything to do with that?”

  “Nooo.” I roll my eyes. “I worked late. It was a long shift.”

  I hear her huff into the phone, “I wish you would quit that job. The pay is next to nothing, and it takes up all your time. You need to work at a place where you can find somebody.”

  “There are men that come into the gym, Mother. Plenty, in fact; I just haven’t found one I’m interested in.”r />
  “How would they notice you anyway? Those clothes do nothing for your figure.”

  “I work with children!” I argue. “What do you want me to wear?”

  “Definitely not what you’re wearing.”

  “Thanks.” I frown, wishing I never called her. “You know, you really know how to make me feel shitty.”

  “What is it baby?” she whines. “Is it that you’re not interested in men?”

  I blink a couple of times. “Wait a minute … what?”

  “Are you?” she hesitates. “Oh God, I’m just going to come out and say it. Are you a lesbian?”

  “Excuse me?” I shout because I’m irritated that she’s serious. “No, I’m not a lesbian! I’m attracted to guys, and I thought you already knew that!”

  “Well, I’m just concerned about why you’re not dating. You’re young, and it’s what young people do,” she says it like she’s trying to convince me.

  “Mom, I don’t need a man to make me happy. I’m working two jobs, going to school, and perfectly content being alone.” I frown after thinking about the fact that I am indeed alone.

  “Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake back when I let you sign up for those classes.” I pull my phone away and glare before bringing it back to my ear.

  “Mom, letting me take those classes was probably the best choice you’ve ever made.”

  “I really hope so.”

  Remembering the reason why I called, I change the subject. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how’s Tim treating you these days?”

  “Tim? He’s wonderful.” Her voice gets higher, which is usually what happens when she is nervous.

  “Really?”

  “Uh huh.”

  I can tell by the way she says this—she knows I don’t believe her. “Does he still call you a whore?”

  “Uh … did I tell you that?” she stutters. “I guess maybe he did say that once or twice.” Hell yeah he did, on many occasions, and probably still does. “He has his moods as all men do, and we just need to understand that. We all have our moods, you know?”