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I nodded and took the water bottle that appeared atdown some much-needed hydration, I went over to the bench whereshoes were I pulled them on and nodded to Bo He always ran ot up at 5 am to train with Paulie Generoli When I had decided to co would’ve to be shelved or put aside entirely I wasn’t broken up about it Few fighters ever h with neork television contracts, and increasing interest in pay-per-view events, the sport waseveryone richer

Even with the influx of newout of it was low The goal was to get on a television fight card You do that and you get a pretty nice payday I played high percentage shots, like saving allnew trucks, bikes, or boats But the lure of getting paid bigto pass up

My trainer in San Diego beggedto change mycoach I was lucky to have hi services, only for --then Paulie could use yeo to hell if Paulie found out that I wasabout a girl

Never a big equal rights supporter, Paulie had becoes began eliood for only one thing, and Paulie was perpetually single because he couldn’t keep his opinions to hi to talk to her after her last class today," I told Bo as we ran along the nearly deserted don streets Traffic would pick up in about fifteen minutes, but we’d be close to done by that time

"Where?"

"Outside her classroom"

"Sounds like a terrible idea"

"It’s not," I denied I had debated this all night It hy I couldn’t focus this ot I’ve let it fester too long It’s time to pull the Band-Aid off"

"What was the Band-Aid, exactly? The Dear John letter you wrote to her?"

"Was I supposed to show up at her door withmess I can’t sleep I jule your cat if you have one,’" I retorted When Bo and I separated, I’d spent threeout I wasn’t suited for anything but being a Marine, but time and multiple visits to the VA helped calet Grace, and start a new life together Instead, I sent her a letter telling her she reminded me of someone’s little sister and friend-zoned her I didn’t want to think about the anger I would’ve felt getting that kind of letter frouilt wore me down sometimes, but I didn’t want to present a fucked-up version of ether, physically and et into Central, but pay for it

If it took another year to win Grace back, I would do it I’d hate it, but I’d do it

Grace

When I left class, , because Noah Jackson was standing there, leaning against the interior brick wall next toover one shoulder Even slouching, he was still taller thanhim

I let out an involuntary cry and sed it back, but it was too late His head popped up and, as he straightened and looked right at ot nized hie from my memory like I could from my hard drive

Noah was older than most of the students He had never revealed his birthday, even though I asked repeatedly His excuse was that I would try to do souilty But based on his years of deploye that set him apart from my classmates, but the way he held hiht

Even standing silently near the wall, he had presence and an innate confidence He didn’t shrink in on himself, but stood there comfortably, arms loose at his sides The crowd moved around him instead of the other way around

He was shorter than my brother, Josh, who stood at 6’ 5, but was ray T-shirt, his body had not lost any of the , he looked bigger than he had in the one picture I possessed

I could see the veins in his forearms and biceps prominently displayed under the skin Like the ar Powerful Capable His eyes were deep-set but in perfect syular nose His cheekbones were sharp and high, rea character But where those characters had rounded baby faces, Noah’s jaw and chin were squared off, as if the sands of the desert had hewn that portion of his face out of rock

I tried to move back into the classroo students continued to push me outside We stood there for a moment, just a few feet away; the distance see

I should’ve said so time, no see" because really did he expect he could show up and I’d fall at his feet? Butcapabilities were currently somewhere on the hallway floor

It was like fate, or life, or karma hated me I needed to be in a men-on-their-knees outfit, not dressed in y boyfriend jeans, and battered canvas Chuck Taylors I hadn’t even showered today because I overslept, spending

I wanted to run away before I broke down and completely embarrassed myself in front of my classmates I turned away fro I couldn’t hear the sounds of dozens of students going froer, resent coaze I moved down the hall by roteThe light filtering through the doors seemed like some kind of salvation, and I hurried toward it