Page 44 of Love Punch

“I know, but it’s eleven o clock in the morning, and Jase is going to have an aneurysm if we’re late to the stadium.”

“No, it’s seven.” I turned to the bedside clock, which betrayed me by backing up Arthur’s point. “Oh. Shit.”

“I didn’t want to wake you, but my arm is dead and you’ve dribbled all over my chest. Good thing we got the honeymoon phase out of the way before we even got together,” he grinned.

And my heart started to beat through my ribcage. Because, despite his calming influence, there was nothing to distract menow. It was time to fight. It was time for me to win, once and for all. And then I’d claim my prize.

Arthur stroked one finger down my back, and I felt my heartbeat slow. Just a little though. I was ready.

Chapter 20

Arthur

Ihad complete faith in Bradley. Though his decision to fight had left me stressing, I knew it was what he needed to do to finally put it all behind him, and I would be there for him at the end. Win or lose. So long as it was a fair fight, it would be a healing one for him. My only concern was that Oleksandr Bartosh would play dirty just to try and claw back another win, and that Bradley might spiral back into what he was.

I did a little lap of the canvas, slap bang in the middle of what was usually a rugby field. Soon, the spectators would start pouring in, all seventy-thousand of them. But there were only camera crews and stadium staff around now. Jason would be giving Bradley a pep-talk behind the scenes, I knew that much, and I didn’t want to take his mind off the fight.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. I grinned at the sight of the picture Sophia had sent me. A very hairy chest had been shaved, and the terrible cursive tattoo about the size of Theo’s penis had been covered with my design. It looked even better than I could have anticipated, and I got a little thrillknowing a piece of my own artwork was now permanently on someone else’s body. I texted Sophia thanks, and asked when I could head back to the tattoo shop for more instruction.

My phone buzzed again, and my grin faltered. It was my father, texting again with a request for money. I had ignored the last three texts, I’d been so focused on Bradley’s fight. And Bradley’s feelings on me propping up my father had started to sink in.

I flicked back to the picture that Sophia had sent along. Kowtowing to my father’s every need had taken my art away from me, and I hadn’t realised how much joy I was missing out on over the years. I had orbited Bradley completely. And as much as I loved him, that had been wrong.

“Penny for your thoughts?” asked Jason, and I jumped.

I spun. He was leaning up against the ropes and looking into the ring instead of at me. “I’m thinking…about what’s next,” I admitted. “I’ve followed Bradley blindly for so long. And I can’t wait for us to move into the next chapter of our lives. I just think he won’t need my work as much any more.”

“I’ll drink to that,” said Jason, holding up a plastic bottle of water. “Do you know, he’s the fifth world champion that I’ve had a hand in training?”

I nodded. “I’ve seen the pictures in the gym. You were quite the boxer yourself.”

“Eh, it wasn’t as glamorous back in my day. Before Ali and Tyson made this sport into the spectacle that it is, we just got in the ring and hit each other until someone went down.” Jason ran a hand through his grey hair, and I noticed in the light how thin it was getting.

“What’s next for you, then? Helping Bradley train up the next generation?” I asked.

Jason gave a wan smile. “I think this is the end for me. I’m not as young as I was, and Bradley will want to put his own stampon the coming generation. Diego looks up to him in a way that Bradley always did with me.”

I reached out toward Jason and took one of his hands in mine. “You can’t leave. Boxing is in your blood.”

“It’s not the only thing in my blood,” said Jason with a frown. “I need to take the step back now or I never will. It’s not that you won’t see me, it’s just…” he hesitated. “You said you were thinking about what comes next for you. Why is that? You have a good job with Bradley, you get to work with the love of your life every single day.”

My thoughts went back to what I’d been thinking before Jason interrupted them. “I’ve been orbiting Bradley like a moon around a planet for the last three years. And I’m so glad that I have him, but he’s helped to open my eyes to the fact there’s more out there for me. Bradley can be the most important thing in my life without being theonlything in my life. It’s time for me to figure out what my other passions are, and what else I can turn my hand to.”

Jason smiled. “Bingo. Imagine you were only coming to that realisation in your seventh decade of life. I’ve been boxing for so long that I can’t see what comes next, yet. I need to step back before I can step forward.”

“I get it,” I smiled. “But I will miss you.”

“I’ll still be around, just less often. I’ll be the fun uncle who encourages overeating rather than micromanaging the diets of every sportsman in a five-mile radius,” he said. “Anyway, I only came out to get you for Bradley. I think he needs some fighting words from you right now.”

“Isn’t that your job?” I teased, already turning toward the green room.

“Not anymore. He needs you more than he needs me, believe me.”

I smiled at Jason, and he smiled back at me. I’d never thought of him as old, not really. But I could see it now. And the old man needed rest. Halfway to the green room, I turned. He was looking wistfully into the boxing ring, and I wondered how far back in time he was gazing. How many fights he had seen. It was enough to bring a tear to my eye.

I pushed open the room to the green room tucked away underneath the spectator stands. My eye fell immediately on Bradley, already dressed in his shorts, sat on the long bench that ran along one wall. His eyes met mine, and I wasn’t sure if I imagined the shine in them.

“Are you OK?” I asked.

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