Page 56 of Embraced at Seaside
“It was my pleasure. I want you to be happy, Jana. I want you to wake up every morning excited to jump into the day instead of feeling like you’re trapped by your life. Between boxing and teaching and handling the studio, I thought you could use a reminder of something you loved.” He stopped walking a few feet from the car and reached for her hands.
“I know you have a hard time with commitment, and you worry about taking the space I offered in case things don’t work out between us, but as I’ve said a million times, I’m in this for the long haul, and I wish you’d take the space and let your dreams come true. All I want is for you to be happy.”
“I believe you.” She smiled and went up on her toes to kiss him. “I want to take the space, but only if you allow me to pay a fair rent and you treat me like you’d treat any other renter.”
He lifted her off her feet and spun her around as he kissed her with all the emotions he’d been holding in. When he set her feet back on the ground, they were both laughing.
“You’re taking it? You’re really going to follow your dreams? I’m so…” He reached for the right words—proud, happy, thankful—and finally decided that he couldn’t say what he wanted to in a single word.
“Seeing you soar is almost everything I’ve ever hoped for.” He slanted his mouth over hers, and she pushed him away.
“Wait, wait, wait.” She was still smiling so wide it made him laugh again. “Almost?”
“I’m still waiting for you to have enough faith in us that I don’t have to hide my feelings in front of our friends and family,” he teased. “Now hurry up and get those lips back here.”
“Oh, please,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I told the girls about us this morning.”
She laughed as he lifted her into his arms again.
“Thank heaven and the stars above. It’s about time, pretty girl.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
THE NEXT MORNING Jana was on fire during boxing practice. She felt lighter on her feet, invigorated with enthusiasm. Every punch felt stronger, more effective, and her mind was less cluttered. And she realized as she wrapped up the last thirty seconds of a sparring match that she no longer felt trapped.
“That was awesome,” Brock said as she and her sparring partner knocked gloves and left the ring. “You were strong in there today. Quicker, less aggressive but more focused.”
She removed her gloves and mouthpiece and gulped down water.
“My life is finally falling into place. It feels good.” She looked up at her big brother and realized she hadn’t told him about Hunter yet. She waited for panic to set in, and when all that came was a nervous flutter in her stomach, she knew she’d made the right decision—about the space for the studio and about Hunter.
“I accepted Hunter’s offer for the space on Route 6.”
“Jana, that’s great.” Brock wrapped her in his strong arms.
“Yeah, now all I have to do is give Marco my notice. I’m not looking forward to that, but I’m doing it today so I don’t chicken out.”
“You never chicken out of anything.” Brock picked up her gear and she followed him up to the front of the gym.
“That’s not exactly true.”
“Pfft.Right. Jana, you wanted to do musicals, so you learned how to sing and dance—when you were six. You wanted to prove you could fight, and you nailed it. And now you want your own studio, and you’re going for it.” He touched the tip of her nose as he’d done a million times when she was a little girl and said, “You’re unstoppable.”
She gathered her courage, and before she could overthink his potential responses, she said, “I’m seeing Hunter.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Brock said with a serious tone.
“You knew?”Did everyone know?
“The guy called me at six thirty in the morning that day you were drunk out of your mind, remember? I can put two and two together. I wouldn’t have batted an eye if Sky had called me, but Hunter? Come on.” He laughed. “I was sort of tipped off when Sawyer asked if Hunter got you home safely, too. I’m not an idiot.”
“Apparently I’m the only idiot around, because I was trying to save our friendships and not clue anyone in, but everyone apparently already knew.” She grabbed her bag from the counter. “So? Aren’t you going to tell me all the reasons I shouldn’t date him?”
Brock smiled and began leafing through papers on the desk. “Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Because a certain someone told me to stay out of her personal life. For what it’s worth, I like Hunter. And from what I can tell, he’s really into you.”
