Justice stewed a minute more before deciding it would be best to get to their destination so Fallon could enjoy herself. He drove out of the lot, saying, “We’ll be there in about five minutes.”
“Rowdy’s?”
“Yeah.” So that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, he asked, “You hungry? They have some killer burgers there.”
She gave it quick thought and nodded. “Very hungry, in fact. Thanks.”
Luckily Rowdy had opened up a separate lot adjacent to the bar because the place stayed packed, especially on a Saturday night. Justice kept Fallon close as he stepped inside the busy bar.
Avery, Rowdy’s wife who usually worked as the bartender, bustled from table to table. When she spotted him, she got closer and said, “They’re in back at the pool tables.”
“Thanks. I’ll join them in a bit, but we want to grab some food first.”
“There’s a booth that just emptied. Follow me.”
Justice waited until they’d nabbed the seats before doing introductions. “Avery, this is Fallon. Fallon, Avery is married to the owner.”
He let the ladies say their hellos before asking, “How come you’re on the floor tonight?”
“One of our waitresses called in sick. Rowdy’s working the bar and I’m doing my best to keep up here. Some days,” she grumbled, “being popular is a bother.”
Fallon smiled at her. “Is there some way we can help?”
Justice froze. If Avery said yes, how the hell would he keep track of her?
Luckily, Avery laughed, told Justice he had a “winner,” then asked them if they needed to look at the menu.
Sorry that he couldn’t lend her a hand, but relieved that Fallon would remain close, he said, “Loaded burgers, plate of fries and I’ll take a chocolate milk shake. Fallon?”
“Works for me. Make it two shakes.”
Avery’s smile was slow and knowing. “Definitely a keeper. I’ll get that out to you shortly.”
“No rush,” Fallon said.
After Avery left, Justice smiled at Fallon. “That was nice of you. To offer to help, I mean.”
“I wouldn’t mind.” She glanced around the bar with a sort of wistful yearning. “In fact, it might be fun.”
Yeah, right. “You ever work as a waitress?”
She twitched her mouth to the side. “Dad would have had a heart attack.” With the tip of her finger, she traced the wood grain in the tabletop. “Going through school, I worked for him part-time as an apprentice. Now my job is decorating the local hotels he owns. Decor gets old quick in the industry. We like to keep things as fresh and updated as possible.”
“The hotels are fancy, aren’t they?”
“Not really. I mean, they’re nice, but not super upscale or anything. I stay busy with it, but I got ahead on everything so right now I have a whole month off.”
Time she’d built in to play. Curious about her, Justice asked, “You like the job?”
“I do. The different locations each have their own character and I get to reflect that in how I decorate them. I do only those in Ohio, Indiana and Northern Kentucky, though Dad has locations all across the country.”
He’d wondered about that. “You don’t like to travel?”
She shook her head and then deliberately tried to divert him. “What about you?”
Justice shrugged. “It’s okay. I haven’t traveled much for pleasure, but fighters go all over, either to compete or to support friends. Brazil, Japan, Canada, South Korea—”
“Wow. I had no idea.” She folded her arms on the tabletop. “That’s so exciting.”
“Not if you’re fighting. Let me tell you, the packing and travel and promo is a hassle. Then you have to adjust to the time zone and sometimes the altitude. It’s not like you get much opportunity to be a tourist.”
“I can’t imagine all that running and prep and then having to perform. But I’m impressed.”
Sheepish, Justice shook his head. “Don’t be. I won in Japan, but not in South Korea or Brazil. Not that I got creamed or anything,” he rushed to assure her. “Got bonus bucks for ‘fight of the night’ in Brazil. It was a real brawl, but I lost two of the three rounds.”
“I would love to see a live fight sometime.”
He was about to tell her it’d be too risky when Cannon spoke beside them. “You’re in luck. Stack Hannigan is fighting next weekend and it’s local. Have Justice bring you.”
While Fallon stared up in awe at Cannon, Justice tried to signal him by slashing a finger across his neck.
Cannon ignored him. “Introduce me, Justice.”
Armie strolled up next to him. “Yeah, introduce us.”
“Jesus, Joseph and Mary,” Justice mumbled. Did they think she was a date? “I was going to bring her to the pool room for introductions after we ate.”
Showing up with the food, Avery bumped Cannon and Armie out of her way with her hip. She set the plates and drinks off her tray, then asked, “Anything else?”
“It smells perfect,” Fallon gushed. “Thank you.”
Armie said to Avery, “You sure you don’t want me to lend a hand?”
“You’re sweet,” Avery said, “but Crissy just showed up. We’re covered.”
As soon as Avery got out of the way, Cannon and Armie muscled their way in. Cannon made Fallon scoot over and Armie would have sat on Justice’s lap if he hadn’t moved quick enough.
Deadpan, Justice asked, “Why don’t you guys join us?”
They ignored his dry tone.
“Think I will,” Armie said, stealing one of his fries. To Fallon he said, “I’m Armie. That’s Cannon.”
She looked...mesmerized, her eyes wide, watchful. “You’re both fighters?”
Armie grinned. “Good guess.”
“Oh, no. You both look as muscular as Justice.”
Cannon grinned now, too. “And you are?”
She poked out a hand. “Fallon Wade.”
While Cannon’s hand completely swallowed hers, Armie said, “Nice, Eugene. She’s a step up.”
With surprise, Fallon turned to Justice. “Eugene?”
Cannon
