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EMILY

SUNRIDGE CITY HALL

Sunridge, Illinois

I walked through the office suite of city hall, wishing I could go home for the day. Instead of the spring sun warming my skin, the fluorescent buzz of the lights overhead cast a glare in my face. My phone buzzed in my pocket, a relentless reminder of work still left to be done. Family Day was coming up in a few weeks. The event wasn’t going to organize itself, and I was responsible for making sure things went off without a hitch.

I switched between text conversations with vendors, confirming the bounce house for the preschool kids and local bands for the soundstage downtown. Each confirmation was a small victory. Then I made sure to call the sitter. There was a good chance I could be working late again tonight, and needed to be sure she could watch my six-year-old son Oliver. My mother had her boutique to run, and I sure couldn’t rely on Trey Larson, Oliver’s dad, to step up to the plate. I heard he was back in town, but he’d been pretty much absent from our lives for the past three years.

"Em, did you order extra ice for the drinks stand?" Linda, the office manager, called out to me from her desk. Her voice was tinged with the usual pre-event stress.

"Already on it," I replied, ticking it off my app checklist. Mama always said multitasking was my superpower, though right now, it felt more like a survival skill.

"Great job." Linda stood up from her seat to stretch. “I don’t know how you do it, girl, being a single mom and working as the city coordinator.”

I wanted to let out a giant sigh, although I knew she was just giving me a compliment. “If I’m honest, I don’t know, either.” I kept my tone light and tossed in some bland office humor. “It’s got to be all the coffee we keep stocked in the break room.”

“You’re such a modest little powerhouse.” She chuckled. “Well, I don’t want to keep you from your next appointment. You got this.” She waved me off.

I felt like I was doing a decent job juggling my career and mom life. Even so, I had other unspoken womanly needs. Just for a while, I wanted to lose the corporate suits for some comfy sweats. I had my whole little fantasy planned out: I would eat the gooiest slice of deep-dish pizza from Little Nando’s, spend the night with a decent guy who knew what to do with his mouth besides say ridiculous things to me, and then sleep for a week straight while the other adults figured out their lives.

But that’s what I got paid to do: figure things out for everyone. And that included my next task.

I left city hall to head to Warrior’s Den, the biggest mixed martial arts facility in town. It put Sunridge on the map a couple years ago when it first opened, attracting professional athletes and those who dreamed of making it big in the sport. With Family Day approaching, I thought it would be fun to get a couple fighters to come out and put on a show. All family-friendly, course. No black eyes or TKOS.

Oliver was going to be so excited to see some of his favorite MMA fighters in person. As I drove down Main Street in my SUV, I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at all my hard work. Despite the whispers around town that lingered after Trey and I ended things, I was determined to show I was more than just a broken engagement with a guy from Sunridge’s richest family. I was Emily Daniels, dedicated mom, and architect of community joy. Come this Family Day, everyone would see just that.

Maybe I’d get more paid vacation when all was said and done, too.

Just as I'd rounded the corner past Sullivan's Diner, my phone beeped. I pulled over to check the message. The screen lit up with Mayor Jenkins' name and a text from his assistant: The mayor saw Cody Stone at last Saturday’s fight. He wants him at Family Day.

A lump formed in my throat. Cody Stone. His name alone made me think of a scowling face, a grumpy grizzly, even an empty cliffside. I had met him once last year during a visit to Warriors Den with my friend Ava, back when she was working on an exclusive for a sports journal.

Cody had stood there while we chatted with him and Ryder McKenzie, the heavyweight champ at the time. Ava had her eyes all on Ryder, but I remember Cody being a six-foot wall of muscle and restraint. He barely acknowledged anyone with more than a grunt or quick nod. I struggled to include him in the conversation. He turned his intense grey-blue eyes from me like I was wasting his time.

Today, I was about to step into his world again. I hoped he wouldn’t be as closed off as he seemed that day a year ago.

I arrived at the facility. Pushing open the door to the Warriors Den, I felt the shift in energy. The calm sunny day gave way to an atmosphere of sweat and resolve within the gym. My entrance drew little attention among the grunts and thuds from the surrounding training sessions.

“Hi, I’m Emily from city hall.” I flashed my ID to the receptionist at the front desk. “I called earlier to see which athletes wanted to be part of a charity event.”

The receptionist pointed to the main floor. “A lot of guys are training today. You might can catch a couple before they finish up.”

I thanked the man and took a breath to prepare myself before heading out on the gym floor. At first, I thought my job wasn’t going to be difficult. Then Mayor Jenkins made a specific request, and I had no choice but to search for him.

Scanning the area, I sought out the man I'd come to find.

Cody was just finishing up with a heavy punching bag, his face and arms glistening with the sheen of hard work as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a white towel. Our eyes met. The recognition in his was immediate, but it was accompanied by a shrewd look and a frown that creased his forehead.

My heart skipped a beat, unsettling the confidence I’d built on the drive over. I straightened my spine, mentally bracing myself. There I was, all five foot two inches of me, out of place among giants whose bodies were being forged for combat.

"You got this," I whispered, hyping myself with the reminder of my personal successes and the love for my son that powered every decision I made. I could do this. I was smart, competent, and I’d faced tougher challenges than meeting the harsh gaze of an athlete.

With each determined step toward Cody, the clench of anxiety in my stomach unwound slightly. This was for my career, for Family Day, for the community that was the heartbeat of my life. And if that meant standing toe-to-toe with Cody Stone, then so be it. I was ready.

"Hey, Cody. I’m Emily Daniels. I’m not sure if you remember me." I extended a hand that hovered in the air for an awkward moment before he took it.

His grip was firm. When he released my hand, I felt the phantom pressure of his calluses imprinting on my palm. “I remember you. Ryder’s wife’s friend.”

“You have a good memory.” I couldn’t remember some people I met yesterday, let alone a whole year. I looked past Cody’s arm and saw for the first time a massive black and tan German Shepherd lying near the training area. Unlike the constant movement around him, the dog stayed perfectly still, watching everything with sharp, intelligent eyes. He didn’t look like a typical pet. He looked like he belonged here, just as much as the fighters did.

The dog saw me shake Cody’s hand. It lifted its head, ears twitching. Its gaze locked onto me. I hesitated, glancing toward Cody, who proceeded to wrap his hands in sports tape like I wasn’t even there.

“That’s Max,” he answered my unspoken question, still not looking up. “He’s with me.”

I blinked. “You bring your dog to the gym? He’s so well-behaved.”

Cody finally met my eyes, his expression indecipherable. “He goes where I go.”

And that was it. No further elaboration. Just a firm statement that made it clear he wasn’t open to talking about the impressive canine companion.

I exhaled, pushing aside the prickle of irritation. I already knew he was the no-nonsense, say-as-little-as-possible type. The stress of getting Family Day together made my patience run a little thinner than usual. As I watched Cody run a steady hand over Max’s head, the frown muscles in his face relaxed.

“You probably are wondering why I’m here.” I smiled at Cody, but he didn’t return it. The dog gave me an encouraging grin instead. “City Hall's got me organizing a charity event for the town called Family Day. We’d like to feature some of our local fighters, you included."

“Me?” Cody's sandy blond eyebrows knitted together as if I were speaking a foreign language. "Charity event?" His voice was a skeptical rumble.

"Exactly." I maintained my friendly, professional tone. "It's to raise money for the community center. They're planning to open a new kids wing. It’s something positive for the town, you know?"

"MMA fighters aren't babysitters." He draped his towel on his shoulder. "We train to compete, not smile for donations."

Oooh-kay. Wasn’t expecting that level of bluntness. I gathered myself, not letting him see my annoyance at his rude yet athletically toned behind. "You're role models to these kids. They look up to you." My voice remained even, though I could feel the tension coiling between us like a loaded spring. "Your participation would mean a lot."

"Seems like a waste of training time," he countered. “I have to get ready for the Intercontinental Battle Royale coming up next month. He crossed his arms, muscles flexing beneath the thin fabric of his tank.

I had to admit, I didn’t follow these MMA leagues closely like many people in town, so I had little idea about this royale he mentioned. But I wasn’t about to give up just because he was trying to get out of Family Day.

"Look, I get your strong work ethic," I insisted, trying to find common ground. "Training is your priority. It's only one day, and it could change lives."

"Or one day that could set me back."

My, my. Cody was a wall that refused to crumble under the weight of my words.

I forced myself to put on my sweetest smile, the one I reserved for stingy grantmakers and pushy politicians. "This is about giving back, something Warriors Den is known for."

"Emily.” He leaned down as he spoke my name. The gesture was almost intimate, the way he stood close, and I felt the heat from his body washing over the exposed skin of my face and arms. “I'm not the poster boy for your fundraiser." His words sliced through the sliver of space between us.

My frustration simmered just below my pleasant expression. If it wasn’t for him being the mayor’s pick, I would’ve let him get back to his sweaty gym mat. I broadened my smile as I took a big breath. "Clearly, you’re no poster boy.” His raised brows let me know I hit a little too heavy with the sarcasm. I scrambled to patch things up. “You’re a part of Sunridge, too. I'm asking you to help your community, to be part of something that matters."

"Everything I do in that cage matters," he fired back, his eyes appearing more cold steel grey than blue.

I squared my shoulders, bracing myself against the wave of frustration washing over me. "Look, Cody," I began, my voice steady despite the rapid drumming of my heart. "This event is not just about putting on a show or raising money. It's personal for me."

He uncrossed his arms, though a silent challenge remained etched across his face. “You?”

"Yes, because I love my son." The words tumbled out softer than I intended, but they carried the weight of my world. "My little boy is six. He looks up to fighters like you.”

Cody’s hard expression softened around the edges. For a second, I thought he truly heard me. “You let your kid watch MMA?”

My hope deflated like an overstretched balloon.

“I’m joking.” A quick smile lit across his mouth before his stoic expression returned. At least now, his eyes held a glint of humor. I found myself looking into them while I tried to hold my laugh back.

“You got me.” I turned my face away, wanting to still hold my ground as a solid professional. When I returned my gaze to Cody, he gave me his full attention. His arms were at his sides now, relaxed. I eased my tense stance, too. “This charity event is showing kids like Oliver that strength is more than just muscle."

There was a shift then, a subtle loosening of the hard lines around his eyes.

“I want Oliver and other kids like him to see that even their idols can step out of the ring and into real life to make a difference."

Cody looked away then, finding a distant point on the gym floor. "Fine," he finally said. "But I'm not making any promises."

I nodded, accepting the small victory for what it was. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I reached for it and saw I had a missed call. My stomach dropped the second I saw Trey’s name on my screen. A cold prickle ran down my spine. Months of silence, and now this? What could he possibly want? My jaw locked as my thumb hovered over the screen.

"Something wrong?”

I focused on Cody, but the sharp, unreadable look in his eyes told me he’d already noticed something was off.

"Nope," I answered too quickly, already stepping back. I locked my phone and shoved it into my pocket, as if it could erase the uneasy weight pressing down on my chest. "Just need to make a call. Later."

Cody’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t the type to let things go, apparently, but I wasn’t about to stand here and explain why the father of my child—who’d acted like Oliver was a ghost for months—suddenly decided to pop back into my life.

"I’ll send you more details on Family Day once I get it all finalized.” I turned to leave, heading for the exit, anywhere but under Cody’s piercing scrutiny. His voice followed me.

"Emily."

Just my name, but it made my stomach flip. I paused for half a second before pushing forward, pretending I didn’t hear him. Right now, I needed air. I needed space to figure out how the heck I was going to deal with Trey.

The sunshine did little to warm my clammy skin once I got outside. I climbed into my SUV and gave the key a hard turn in the ignition. Then I let out a big huff. I succeeded in getting Cody to participate in Family Day, just what the mayor wanted. A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. However, I felt another, the weight of Cody’s stare, still lingering on me from the gym windows.