Page 2

CODY

W arriors Den Training Facility

Emily disappeared out the door, her shoulders stiff. I watched her go, frowning as I ran back over our conversation. She’d been all confidence and determination. Something on her phone had thrown her off.

Not my problem. That’s what I told myself, but my thoughts kept going back to her.

It should've been easy to brush off her earnest spiel about community and family. But her words clung to me like the sweat on my skin. Something warm and furry pressed against the side of my palm.

"Max." I glanced down at my service dog. His head perked up at the sound of my voice. He could tell I was off track, thinking about the petite woman with the big smile. I gave him a scratch behind the ears.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head as I turned back toward the punching bag. What was I thinking, agreeing to this charity thing? I wasn’t the kind of guy people looked up to. I fought, I trained, and I kept my circle small. It was Liam, Ryder, a few others at Warrior’s Den. That was it.

Then Emily had mentioned the kids. And her son Oliver.

That got to me.

I didn’t know why, not at first. But as I stood there, fists clenched, the reason settled in my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake. I knew what it was like to be a kid without someone to look up to. A kid searching for strength in all the wrong places. My old man had been around, sure, but never there. Not in the ways that mattered.

And now there was some six-year-old out there, looking up to fighters like me. Expecting something good from guys who stepped into the cage.

I exhaled again, longer this time, and cracked my knuckles before throwing another punch. Maybe I was taking this too seriously. I didn’t do role model. I didn’t do community events.

“Damn, Cody,” Ryder called out as he and Liam strolled over, fresh from their sparring. “Did I just see you have a full-blown conversation? You know, with words?”

“More words than we’ve heard all week,” Liam added, grinning.

I rolled my eyes, reaching for my towel. “Funny.”

Ryder cracked a smile. “What was Emily doing trying to bleed words out of you?”

I wiped the sweat off my face. “She’s organizing some charity thing. Family Day.”

Liam let out a low whistle. “And you said yes?”

I scowled. “Yeah. So?”

“So,” Ryder said, crossing his arms, “we finally found the secret to making you talk. Small-town women with big ideas.”

Liam snorted, and I threw my towel in the bin behind him. He dodged it easily. “Not a big deal,” I said, hoping if I said it enough, I’d believe it.

But my mind drifted back to Emily, to the look on her face after she checked her phone. Whatever it was, it left her rattled.

And for some reason, I didn’t like that.

EMILY

I DRUMMED MY FINGERS against my desk, glancing at the email I’d sent Cody two days ago. No response. Not that I expected anything else from Mr. Blunt-and-Brooding, but still. A simple Got it wouldn’t have killed him.

Sighing, I tapped the folder on my desk, the one containing the rest of the details he needed for Family Day. His schedule, his security badge, and a rundown of what he was expected to do. I wasn’t about to leave this up to chance, so hand-delivering it was my best option.

Which meant another visit to Warrior’s Den.

I pushed away from my desk, grabbed my purse, and tucked the folder under my arm. The drive across town didn’t take long, and when I stepped into the gym, the familiar sights and sounds hit me instantly. Athletes moved across the floor, some drilling techniques, others pounding away at bags, the steady rhythm of training filling the space.

And then I spotted Cody.

He was near the cage, wrapping his hands, focus locked on the task like the rest of the world didn’t exist. His dog Max sat beside him, ears alert but body relaxed.

I approached, the folder tucked under my arm as I stopped a few feet from Cody and Max. Cody didn’t look up right away, still focused on wrapping his hands with precision, but Max’s sharp eyes landed on me immediately. The big German Shepherd let out a quiet chuff, his tail giving a single thump against the mat.

“He’s saying hi,” Cody muttered, finally glancing up at me.

“Oh, well... hi, Max.” I hesitated, but when I held out my hand, Max leaned forward and sniffed before nudging my palm with his nose. I smiled, fingers grazing the thick fur behind his ears.

Cody’s hands stilled. “Huh.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“He doesn’t usually let people touch him right away.”

“Guess I’m just special,” I teased, scratching behind the dog’s ears a little more before straightening. “Speaking of special, I have something for you.” I held out the folder. “Your security clearance, event details, and schedule for Family Day. I emailed most of it, but since you never confirmed...”

His eyes flicked to the folder but didn’t move to take it. “I got the email.”

“And you didn’t think to reply?” I asked, tilting my head.

Cody just shrugged. Typical.

I exhaled through my nose, deciding to let it go. “This has everything else you’ll need. You’re doing some Q&A, nothing crazy. Then a quick meet-and-greet. It shouldn’t take too much of your time.”

He took the folder then, flipping it open as he skimmed the contents. “Meet-and-greet, huh?”

“Yes, you have to interact with people.” I crossed my arms. “Try not to look like you’d rather be anywhere else.”

His lips twitched. “No promises.”

Despite myself, my eyes stayed on him, on the strong line of his jaw, the way his muscles tensed and flexed even in small movements. It was silly, really, being attracted to someone who barely spoke, whose resting face looked one bad moment away from a brawl. Although, something about the way he carried himself, the way he seemed so solid and immovable, pulled me in.

I shook off the thought. This wasn’t the time to be noticing how broad his shoulders were or how his gray-blue eyes caught the light just right.

“I’ll be there to make sure everything runs smoothly,” I said, stepping back. “So just—”

The gym doors swung open, making me turn my head. The last person I wanted to see strolled through the gym doors.

Trey Larson.

Every muscle in my body tensed as my ex strolled inside, looking around like he owned the place. He was dressed in black designer workout gear, the tight kind fitness buffs wore. I was sure he picked up on the trend not from actual gym goers, but from watching a bunch of videos online. His too-white sneakers gleamed under the lights. He flashed an unnaturally lunar smile at a young female receptionist at the front desk.

“Hey, Vanessa, busy this afternoon?” He swiped an imaginary strand of dark hair from his forehead to meet the rest of his gelled back coif.

“Yes.” The receptionist kept her eyes on the computer screen. “I just started my shift.”

“That’s a shame. I got a private invite to Highland Art Gallery this afternoon. I know you’re studying to be an artist.”

“I’m a kinesiology major.”

Trey blinked like a gnat just flew into his eye. “Right. Just making sure to keep you on your toes.”

He chuckled like he hadn’t just completely butchered her field of study, then let his gaze sweep across the gym. When his eyes landed on me, his insincere smile widened.

“Hmm,” he drawled, taking a slow step in my direction. “Didn’t expect to find you here, Emily. What are you doing at an MMA gym?”

My pulse ticked up, and I fought to keep my expression neutral. Beside me, Cody shifted slightly, his presence suddenly feeling a lot more solid. I thought I heard a low growl come from Max.

Just great. My stomach clenched. I knew Trey was back in town, but I hadn’t expected to see him here. And judging by the smug look on his face, he knew exactly what he was doing.

Cody’s eyes flicked from me to Trey. He said nothing.

"I’m working," I answered, shifting my purse strap higher on my shoulder.

Trey scoffed. "Around all these big, sweaty men?"

"Intimidated?" I shot back, keeping my face neutral.

“Please.” He shook his head like I was amusing him. "I could buy this gym if I wanted to."

Of course, he thought money solved everything. I wasn’t in the mood for his posturing, especially not with Cody watching us. I felt his gaze like a weight pressing between my shoulder blades. The last thing I needed was to let my ex get under my skin in front of him.

I took a step toward the door, but Trey blocked my path with an easy stance, hands tucked into his pockets like he had all the time in the world. "You never called me back.”

“I forgot. I’ve been busy with work all week.” It wasn’t a lie.

“We need to talk about Oliver," he said, dropping the words casually, like he was commenting on the weather.

I froze. He never mentioned our son unless it was to remind me how complicated parenthood was for a man like him, a man who was too busy and important.

"You have my number," I said, forcing myself to keep my voice even. "We can talk about it later."

Trey's upper lip curled as he gave me a mocking stare. "What, too busy to talk now?" His eyes flicked over my shoulder, sweeping over the gym floor in a way that made my skin crawl. "Come on, Emily. Be honest. You’re not here for work. You’re here for the view."

My stomach twisted. He wanted to get under my skin, rile me up, make me feel small in a place where I was already out of my element. And worse, he was doing it in front of Cody.

Before I could fire back, warmth suddenly pressed against my side. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me in close.

"She’s not looking," Cody’s voice was low and rough, sending a ripple of surprise through me. “She already found it.”

Trey’s smirk faltered. My breath caught. I felt Cody’s fingers flex where they rested against my hip. It wasn’t a tight grip, but it was steady. Certain.

I blinked up at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. What in all of the green earth was he doing?

Trey let out a sharp laugh, but there was something tight in his expression. "I see how it is." He gave a slow nod. "Guess I misread the situation."

Cody didn’t let go. His grip remained, like he was daring Trey to say something else.

I had two choices: freak out or go with it.

I smiled, tilting my head just enough to play along. "Looks like you did."

"We still need to talk about Oliver.” My ex’s voice sliced through the air. "It's time I took a larger role in his life."

Surprise caught in my throat, sharp as a shard of glass. I steadied my voice, the practiced calmness not quite reaching my rapidly pulsating heart. "This is unexpected."

"I’m his father. He needs more than what you're providing."

I bristled but kept my response level. The last thing I wanted was for the whole gym to hear our business. "Oliver's happy and thriving. But if there’s something specific you’re proposing, I’m listening."

"We'll discuss it over dinner tonight." It was a command cloaked as an invitation.

“Tonight’s an open mic fundraiser.” I leaned into Cody, feeling his body heat light up one side of my body. “We have to be there so I can’t do it.”

“Tomorrow night, then.” Trey spared a disdainful look at Cody. “Just the two of us to talk about our son.”

"Fine," I replied, though nothing about this felt fine at all. I would show Trey the stable, caring environment I had built for our son, without his help, no matter the turmoil churning inside me.

Trey made a show of staring at his smartwatch. “If we’re done, I’m late for my training session.”

I slipped past him without a second glance. Once I got outside, I realized I had been holding my breath. I exhaled as I reached my car, my hands gripping my purse strap. I needed a second to breathe, to process, but before I could, the sound of footsteps followed me. I turned to see Cody approaching, Max right beside him.

"What just happened?" I asked, still caught off guard by his sudden act of playing the protective boyfriend.

Cody hesitated, rubbing his earlobe. "I just wanted to shut him up. He’s annoying. No offense."

"None taken," I admitted. "I would like that, too, though I have to deal with him now that he finally wants to see his son." I shook my head, more frustrated than anything. "Sorry. I'm not trying to dump all this drama onto you. I really only wanted to come here and give you the stuff for Family Day."

"You're good," Cody said, his voice even.

I appreciated that. No prying, no unnecessary comments. Just a simple reassurance.

I exhaled, shifting gears. "So what are you wearing to open mic tonight?"

Cody’s eyes widened. "You want me to go? I thought you just said that to Trey."

"I did, but you don’t have to be there," I admitted.

He crossed his arms, the movement making his biceps flex just enough to distract me. "I stepped in to make him think we’re together. We’re going to have to go with it."

I bit my lip. He was right. If Trey thought I was seeing someone, it might get him off my back long enough for me to focus on Family Day. And if word got out, well, I knew how to handle press. A little extra attention wouldn’t hurt the event.

"You're right," I agreed. “This might result in a little sports gossip. Just warning you, in case a cool MMA fighter such as yourself doesn’t want to be seen in photos with a basic city employee.”

“You’re not basic. And trust me. You’d be doing me a favor if someone gets a picture of us.”

“That’s sweet of you.” How was this man making my skin tingle and the back of my head feel warm without touching me?

“Your smile is big enough for the both of us.”

I wasn’t quite sure if I should take that as a compliment, but the playful glint in Cody’s eyes made me want to grin. Like an idiot. “That’s nice to hear. Thank you.”

He glanced down at his sweaty t-shirt and joggers. "So, what am I supposed to wear on our date?”

The fact he said date made me feel oddly excited on the inside. "It's casual. You can wear jeans and a nice shirt. Showing your biceps won’t hurt."

The left side of Cody’s mouth curved. "Is that for you or the people we’re trying to convince we’re dating?"

Heat crept up my neck. "I can put on a show if you will."

He let out a low chuckle, patting Max on the head. "You never answered my question. I think I have clothes that aren’t gym shorts. Unless you like the tight pump covers Trey was wearing."

I laughed. "You actually have the muscle for it, but I think a regular shirt will do. Now I have to get back to work and then figure out what I'm wearing tonight."

"What time do you need me to pick you up?"

He actually offered to pick me up like an old-fashioned gentleman. "Seven’s fine. I have your number from the info you sent city hall. I'll text you my address."

Before I could open my car door, Cody added, "Remember what I said about Max. He goes where I go. He’s my service dog."

Realization dawned on me. That explained why Max was always by his side. I glanced at the German Shepherd, who was looking up at me expectantly.

"Max will be more than welcome at tonight’s open mic," I said, returning the dog’s grin. "If he's got a few jokes, we'll listen."

Cody flashed a quick smile. Then, almost like he remembered himself, his expression turned neutral again. "Gotta go back in and finish my drills."

"Sorry Trey wants to make this his workout spot now."

He shrugged. "As long as he stays out of my way while I'm training, it doesn't matter to me."

I sighed, wishing I had that kind of indifference. "You’re very cool-headed."

“That’s the point. Lose your temper and your opponent gets a leg up."

With that, he turned and headed inside the training facility, Max trotting beside him.

I slid into my SUV, gripping the steering wheel. Cody’s words stay with me.

And so did the fact that, tonight, I had a fake date with him.