Southpaw Read Online Free Page A

neck, I think I’ll manage to
make it through this conversation.
    “Well, you heard wrong.
Mick is my cousin. He called me because he was in a pinch. He agreed to pay me
fifty bucks to walk across the ring since the regular ring girl was a no show.
I figured fifty bucks for two minutes would be worth it, plus I owed him one.”
    Yeah, I know Betsy
alright. Or maybe her name’s Bethanny.
    “After he ‘accidentally’
poured beer on my shirt, I made him pay me a hundred,” she adds, putting her
hand on her hip. “Family. Believe me, I’m not that easy.”
    I sweat her last word.
“Good to know you’re a girl with morals and strong negotiation skills. Are you
going to be a regular on Tuesday nights now?”
    “No. It’s easy money,
but I’m not that hard up on cash. Plus, I hate watching people beat each
other to a bloody pulp. There’s something about the sound of flesh getting
smacked and the crunch of bones that makes my toes curl. Mick dragged me along.
It was my first and last fight on Tuesday nights. I’m a lover not a fighter,
hence the whole yoga scene.”
    “So that’s why you
jumped at helping Jax…”
    “Yeah, I can’t help
myself. I’m one of those people who picks up injured animals on the side of the
highway. Once I drove thirty minutes to a vet with a bloody, red-tailed fox on
my lap.”
    “A wild fox that could
have been a carrier for rabies? That thing could have scratched your eyes out.
Did you save it?”
    “That’s not the point,”
she says.
    “Did you save it?” I
ask again, trying not to crack a smile.
    “No, they euthanized
it,” she says. At first she has a sad look on her face, then she starts to
laugh. “His poor little face was in so much pain.”
    “I bet.” I finally let
go of the smile that I’ve been trying to hide.
    “So, how did you like
class?” Olivia asks as she starts walking toward the door. I suddenly realize
the countdown is on to make a move before we hit that door. There’s no way I’m
leaving this studio without Olivia’s number.
    “It was my first class,
as I’m sure you noticed,” I say. “Not that I had a problem with it or anything.
The special attention from the instructor was worth every single bead of
sweat.”
    “I’m glad.” She laughs
a sweet, contagious laugh that makes my heart falter again.
    Damn it.
    “It won’t be my last
class with you,” I reply. The door is only a few feet away and for some reason,
I’m getting this panicky feeling like I’ll never see her again and all I want
to do is get her number so I can’t lose this girl who actually makes me feel something .
    “Oh yeah?” She finally
stops and eyes me carefully.
    “Well, I was actually
thinking more of a date instead of a class. Although, I will be a willing
student in whatever you want to teach me.”
    Her face falls. “I
don’t date guys like you.”
    “Guys like what?”
    “Guys like that .
Guys who have a line for everything.”
    “Forget I said that
last part. Just focus on the date. Would you be interested in a date?” I ask,
rushing as she starts walking again. I want to show her I’m not that kind of guy.
    “I don’t date fighters,”
she replies without looking at me.
    I’m silent for a
second, racking my brain for something intelligent to say to convince her to go
out with me. Damn, I can’t believe I’m even thinking about a date. Then it hits
me.
    “How about a non-date?”
I ask, keeping pace with her as she nears the door.
    “A non-date?” she asks,
her interest finally piquing.
    “Yeah, a non-date. I
promise not to pack a picnic dinner, blanket, or wine. You can tell me all the
things you hate about me, and I can tell you all the things I hate about you.
We can talk politics, religion, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and underground
fight rings. The quintessential non-date. I’ll even let you pick what we do.” I’ll
let Olivia think she’s in control and then BAM, hit her with ‘The Dude’ when she’s
least expecting