Page 4 of Stick Fight

“But I’d probably get arrested for indecent exposure or something,” I add with a smirk, “Because it’s not going to fit me.”

She frowns and glances down, and suddenly, I wonder what I’ve said to make her feel so...off.

“I don’t want to rip your dress, Gabby,” I murmur, trying to smooth things over.

Her expression shifts, and she stares at me for a moment before speaking again. “No one’s called me Gabby in a long time.”

I don’t understand what she means, but something in the way she says it tugs at me. I shrug. “I don’t have to?—”

“No, actually,” she cuts me off, her smile turning more real this time, and it knocks the breath out of me. Because, hell, it’s like the girl I knew in high school is back. “It’s okay. And actually…” She picks up the hem of her dress, then drops it. “I don’t care if you rip it.”

I don’t know much about fashion, but looking at the way the light catches the jewels on her dress, I can tell it’s expensive. But right now, it’s not about the dress, it's about her emotions, raw and tangled up inside her. I’m sure that by morning, she and her new husband will have worked through whatever’s going on, but tonight, she’s here, with me.

“How about this?” I offer, trying to keep it light. “You stay here, and I’ll call a friend I trust to get you some clothes.” She blinks, weighing it over in her mind for a moment. “No one will know anything,” I add, to reassure her.

She nods, her voice barely above a whisper. “Okay, thank you.”

I pull my phone from my pocket and text none other than Rip. He’s a lot of things, but when it comes to discretion and getting things done without asking questions, he’s a guy I can count on. He responds right away, asking what I need. I tell him, no hesitation, and then he surprises me by asking her size without blinking.

I glance at Gabby, lowering the phone to cover the screen. “Size six?”

She nods, but there’s a small furrow in her brow that wasn’t there a moment ago. Did I say something wrong? I think back to high school. She had that same pretty smile, but she’s lost weight since then. Still, she was every bit as stunning then as she is now. Yet tonight, she doesn’t look like the woman I remember. She looks… tired. Worn down. And something about that stirs a quiet ache in my chest.

I send Rip the size, telling him to hurry, then slip my phone back in my pocket. “Clothes will be here in a few minutes.”

Her eyes are glassy, but she forces a smile that doesn’t quite reach them. “Thank you so much, Roman. This... it really means a lot.”

I can’t help it. I reach out, my fist lightly tapping her chin, a small, playful gesture. “You would have done the same for an old friend.”

She grins, but the look is soft, bittersweet. We weren’t close friends back in high school. We were, in fact, casual acquaintances who sometimes ran in the same group. She was the artsy, thoughtful type, and I was the jock, always on the move. I want to ask if she ever went to design school like she’d always dreamed about, but then I stop myself. No questions.

That’s when I notice. She has nothing with her, just her phone. No purse. No key card. It hits me. She’s alone. And maybe, just maybe, she needs more than clothes.

“I’m not trying to pry,” I say, voice a little softer now. “But do you need anything else? I can go to your room if?—”

She shakes her head quickly, cutting me off. “No. You’ve helped enough.” She swallows hard, looking down at her hands before she speaks again. “Do you think the concierge will pick up my things for me?”

Rip’s grandfather owns this hotel, and I can already feel another favor coming on. “I’ll make it happen, Gabby.”

She finally seems to relax, a small weightlifting off her shoulders. “Just have them bring it to the front desk. I don’t want…” She trails off, her eyes avoiding mine for a moment before she adds, “I just don’t want anyone knowing where I’m staying tonight.”

I nod, understanding more than she realizes. “What room were you in?”

Her eyes flash with what looks like embarrassment before she pushes the words out. “The Eden Suite.”

Honeymoon suite.

I nod again, keeping my voice steady, as if it’s no big deal. “Okay, got it.”

And just like that, something between us shifts. A fragile understanding, a quiet bond. She may not have asked for my help tonight, but I’m not going anywhere. Not until I know she’s okay.

The pool door clicks open, and without thinking, I step between Rip and Gabby as it does. “Hey, Romeo, everything okay, man?” he asks, but he doesn’t try to peer past my shoulders, and for that, I’m grateful.

“Yeah.” I can tell he’s not entirely convinced, but I push on. “Any chance you can get into the Eden Suite and grab the purse, maybe anything else that looks like it belongs to a woman?”

He scratches his chin, a flicker of real concern crossing his face. “Yeah, man, I can probably swing that. You sure?—”

“Everything will be okay,” I cut him off, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks, Rip.”

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