Valerie

---

She had to take a few breaths before she found her Uncle. What that Zane Diggs to her hormones had to be illegal. The gym seemed warmer. Her face had to be red. She could feel his eyes on her ass as she walked. Don’t trip. That was all she could say to herself.

She’d given her best attitude, but it was work. Valerie was tongue tied as hell, but she didn’t let it show.

He was cocky, invaded her personal space, and his eyes went wherever they wanted when they talked. Zane Diggs was trouble of the kind she had zero experience with.

She’d controlled all her prior boyfriends, from high school through college. She controlled Trent. She’d never felt giddy or head over heels or any of the things her college friends would go on and on about. She knew she’d had her other boyfriends on a string and that was just fine. Letting them control her emotions, her future, her life… not a chance. She’d seen too many of her friends make having a boyfriend the be all and end all. They would stop going out for fun, wait for the next text, and then analyze the hell out of every interaction. Valerie considered herself too mature for that giddy girl stuff.

But Zane Diggs had her blood hot, there was no other way to describe it. She could still see his thick eyelashes over those blue eyes when he asked her name. She’d nearly forgotten it.

Valerie was here to meet her uncle and talk about her future. Not chase after a fighter who probably had women throwing themselves at him every day. No. This was about her next step in life and not about wanting to see what Zane Diggs’ lips felt like.

She did her best to brush it off and to focus on the task at hand. Her uncle had questions for her and some ideas he wanted to share. She was there to listen.

She knocked, but the door wasn’t closed.

“Come in Valerie.” She pushed the door open. The big space that was supposed to be Billionaire MMA Boss Meyer Thompson’s office was a total disaster. There were construction plans, piles of papers, a computer, a hard hat, and three phones ringing off the hook.

“Hello, Uncle Meyer.”

“Ignore the chaos. I’d like to say it’s all managed, but it clearly isn’t.” As he said it a set of plans slid off a filing cabinet that was randomly placed in the room.

“Wow. Not what I expected.” Uncle Meyer gave her a look of distress in agreement with her assessment.

“Your aunt and I had an idea.” Her uncle cleared off a metal folding chair and gestured for her to sit. He did the same in another chair, and she was amazed that it could hold him and didn’t buckle under his weight.

“What’s that?” She wondered where this was going and hoped she wasn’t taking away from all the million things he had to do.

“I’m underwater in details with several projects right now. I’m trying to get this training center construction done. It’s only one-third of the way there. We’ve got equipment shipments on one end and construction on the other.”

“It’s a lot.” She agreed but felt like he probably had a manager for all of this.

“Then I’m also a major investor in this neighborhood revitalization project here in Grand City. I got this space for the 21C gym and an easy time of city permits because I also invested millions into this entire block. Apartments, retail, a little park space. I’m remaking this section of Grand City.”

Valerie had read about the revitalization efforts in this part of her hometown. She knew there was a new wave of excitement about renewing Grand City. She was surprisingly proud that it turned out she was related to someone who was contributing to the effort in a major way.

“That’s so exciting. Exactly what I’d expect a billionaire to do!” She blurted it out. Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to say?

“Thank you. But I’m in a jam.”

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s where your aunt, who truth be told, is the source of my best ideas, stepped in.”

“Okay?” Valerie still didn’t know where this was going.

“I need you to come work for me.”

“Need?”

“Yep. My project manager turned out to be, let’s just say unreliable. I can’t trust many people, and I need someone to help me manage these construction details for this gym, and my neighborhood renovations, so I can manage the 21C. Managing a professional sports league requires more than my full-time attention, all over the planet, but I’ve made commitments right here in Grand City.”

“Why can’t you trust people?”

“The more money you have, the more assholes say yes when they should say no, for one. Or think you’re too busy to notice million gone here or there. A lot of things actually make it tough to find good, loyal people.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about how that must be the case.”

“My project manager turned about to be a combo platter of yes-man and thief. And it blew up last week. Right when I need the most help. But luckily, you came into our lives.”

Valerie couldn’t believe where the conversation was going.

“I’m not sure I’m qualified.”

“Your degree is in building construction management, right?”

“Yes, but the closest I came to really doing it was designing a new bathroom for a sushi restaurant for my senior project.”

“Valerie. I was no more than your age when I came up with the idea for the 21C. Age doesn’t matter. What matters are these questions; are you smart, can you work hard, are you willing to ask for help when you need it?”

“Yes, I think all three.”

“Okay then if you want it you’re hired. I need family around me. I need to be able to trust the people closest to me with the biggest responsibility.”

“I… uh.” Valerie was intimidated. This was way more than anything she’d ever imagined. She should say no. She should go find some entry-level job.

But she found herself doing the opposite. Meyer Thompson had just handed her a huge challenge. A man she’d only known a few days was putting his faith in her. And he didn’t get to be at the top of his field by making dumb choices.

The idea of being a project manager on this gym, and being even remotely involved in the renovations for her hometown, thrilled her. She also knew that opportunities for recent college graduates didn’t land in your lap like this one. Life had handed her a shitty fate when it killed her parents, but maybe this was the universe working towards returning some sort of balance. The tragedy of her parents swings in one direction and the gift of her aunt and uncle swinging the other way?

Valerie decided to charge ahead. She was going to take this challenge and show her uncle he was right to trust her. Valerie’s confidence, eagerness to prove herself, and utter faith that she’d work hard as hell, pushed forward.

“Thank you. When do I start?” She said to Uncle Meyer, instead of no.

“Immediately.” And Meyer Thompson, billionaire, MMA star maker, mogul, and new-found uncle, came over and shook her hand, hard. As he did another pile of papers crashed to the floor in the chaos that was the office of the 21C Grand City Training Center.

“Yep, looks like you needed me yesterday.” Her uncle’s laugh was as big as his shoulders.

---

Valerie didn’t know a lot about how to do her job. She had her degree, but the real-life decisions, the details, the schedules of managing multiple big projects weren’t things you learned in a classroom.

But learn she did. And fast. With Uncle Meyer’s confidence and an open door for any question, large or small, she worked early and stayed late from the moment she agreed to take the job.

She read contracts, building plans, and looked at projected budgets. She also started gaining confidence in answering questions when they came in, from contractors, inspectors, and designers. Uncle Meyer had the training facility, and literally an entire city block in his portfolio. And all of it was in flux. There were loose ends everywhere.

“Look, one thing at a time. You don’t have to answer all the questions the first week. It’s going to take time to have a handle on all of it. Anyone gives you shit, deal with it.” She had inadvertently landed in some sort of master class on how to be a kickass manager, and her Uncle Meyer was the master.

“I will. I want it to be like you said, you run your business, and I handle all this.” Still, it wasn’t going to be easy convincing some people that a 22-year-old had the answers or was the final say in all these projects. Well, she supposed she didn’t have the final say, Uncle Meyer was there to bolster her.

“I will always back your decisions, you tell me the logic of how you handled something, it’s a done deal.” Uncle Meyer said that was key, once you invested in an employee, trust them to handle their responsibilities. If they couldn’t it would be obvious soon enough, he said. She was determined to do well.

Uncle Meyer was out of the office a lot she learned in the first few days. But when he was there he checked in.

She was immediately swamped, almost the second she accepted the job. However, being busy helped her stop constantly seeing the fire in her mind’s eye. Learning things, this new challenge, this new world, was helping her each day. She was moving in the direction of her future and not stuck reliving that awful scene when her parents died, over and over.

Meyer’s support helped Valerie grow. It was okay not to know. And before she knew it two weeks had gone by.

Valerie’s new life, her new normal, began to emerge. It was vibrant, overwhelming, and spectacular. And for her, it was better than therapy and the counseling the first responders had urged her to seek after the fire.

Her routine was to rise early. Before heading out each morning, she’d pop in on her aunt and Jan as they made their world domination plans in Aunt Susan’s stunning kitchen. The two of them saw to so many of life’s details. And they made being generous an artform.

While her uncle and aunt traveled in a limo, she preferred a little Wrangler Susan had insisted she try out. It was a two-door, and her aunt explained that she and Uncle Meyer rarely used it.

“Your Uncle’s legs and shoulders don’t quite fit into the two-door Wrangler. Honestly, you’re doing us a favor by driving it a bit.” Aunt Susan was always saying something about how Valerie was doing them a favor by taking their gifts. It was ridiculous, but it was disarming. Valerie remembered what Jan had told her about how Aunt Susan liked to give.

The two women were planning some big event, but they always had a cup of coffee loaded with crème in a travel cup ready for her before she left.

“We’re going clothes shopping today. Can Jan and I tweak anything in that closet of yours?”

“You’ve already done enough. WAY more than enough.” If it weren’t for Aunt Susan, she’d still be sporting outfits from the Red Cross.

“Look, you’re the boss out there. But I bought you a bunch of casual girl type clothes before you took the job.” Aunt Susan was looking at her phone and scrolling.

“Yeah, she needs some tougher looking stuff! She’s got to have clothes that say ‘don’t mess with me!’” Jan chimed in, and the two were clearly enjoying the latest plans for Valerie’s wardrobe.

“The sizes were all good right?” Aunt Susan asked and then assessed what Valerie was wearing.

“I think?” Valerie replied.

Aunt Susan squinted a little at her. Uh oh.

“I’d say one size down on her pants – she’s got tiny hips.” Aunt Susan told Jan, and Jan nodded.

“So did we at 22,” Jan said. Susan laughed and the two women mini-high-fived each other across the table. They were so easy to be around. Without fail they put a smile on her face each morning and bolstered her belief that she could tackle the day’s challenges.

“I’d say you both look spectacular, I’m lucky to have two personal stylists!” Her aunt Susan beamed. Valerie felt a warmth swell in her heart for these two generous souls that she thought she would never feel again after her mother died.

She wanted to cry at how sweet they’d been to her, but she brushed it off. Crying at the drop of a hat wasn’t boss behavior.

She had work to do. Thank Uncle Meyer for that.

She spent her days learning, looking things up, and organizing in the offices of the 21C. Truth be told Uncle Meyer’s piles of stuff weren’t the best way to keep all the details in check, and as she waded through the projects she filed things into manageable categories, and she entered everything into the project management software she’d installed.

She made it so that Uncle Meyer could look at any job they were working on with his computer from anywhere. If nothing else she’d get his construction projects managed as efficiently as he seemed to manage his huge sports empire.

She had spent most of the day entering deadlines and punch lists for each job’s profile.

These tasks ate up her entire day. The time flew by when she was working on Uncle Meyer’s businesses, but she had no complaints.

Valerie did realize after she felt a little light-headed, that the only thing she’d eaten all day was the cream on the latte from her aunt. The amount she was learning was amazing, and it took away thoughts of tragedy, or fires, or what would happen next. But it also took every second.

It was late. She looked up, and it was after eight p.m. She’d worked over twelve hours without a break. She still had a lot more to accomplish. She also had, to her annoyance, made plans. There’d be no time to get food before going out.

Her phone buzzed.

“We’re here! Get over here.” It was Trent.

Trent and her college friends had insisted on seeing her.

She would have preferred going home, cuddling up with her laptop and working. But Trent insisted.

She would share a drink and catch up for an hour, tops. And then she would scoot out. Valerie had been deliberately avoiding her old life and her old friends. And with a small stab of guilt, she knew she was especially avoiding Trent. She didn’t want to rehash the fire or how she was doing. The look of pity she’d been getting from them before she went off with Aunt Susan was stifling. In this new life, she didn’t get pity. She got love, support, and occasionally some shit from contractors. But no one gave her the damn sad face.

Valerie decided to load up blueprints, spreadsheets, and the laptop. She could pore over it from the comfy apartment on top of the Thompson garage over the weekend.

Valerie locked the office and walked through the gym.

She’d admitted to herself that she had kept her eye out for Zane Diggs when she did emerge from the office. Valerie didn’t want to make it obvious – the guy was cocky enough – but a little part of her was disappointed that she hadn’t seen him this week.

To be fair her nose was buried so deep in work she could easily have missed him.

There were fighters there from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Her uncle said once he signed a fighter he wanted them to have access to the best around the clock. She admired the dedication she saw as the men and women honed their bodies in the 21C Training Facility. It wasn’t even fully complete, but the fighters were working it. Valerie decided maybe she should try to fit in a workout or two. But that wouldn’t be today. She hustled to her car.

Valerie loaded her stuff into the gunmetal gray Wrangler. She was getting very fond of this car. Valerie decided not to overthink the fact that everything she had right now was borrowed or a gift. It made her work that much harder. She’d earn the faith that Aunt Susan and Uncle Meyer put in her, that was the fire in her belly right now. She’d work hard and make herself invaluable to the 21C and her family’s business. Wow, her family’s business. It had a nice ring to it.

Valerie walked into Big Old Building Bar. Trent said it was the happening place. She scanned the room and didn’t see a familiar face. But then she heard her name.

“Val!!!” Trent waved and made it through the crowd.

“Trent. This place is a madhouse.” Big Old Building Bar was wall to wall people. Once she’d have loved it, but a strange feeling of dread was building in her. She was only 22, she’d just finished college, a crowded bar was a normal night for her just six months ago.

“I have a spot. The gang is over here.” Trent kept a hand on her back and ushered her into the crowd. A pit in her stomach was forming. What was it? Why was she hating being here so much? These were her friends, they’d been out together a million times.

Her friends Sydney, Piper, and Christy were there. They greeted her with cheers and hugs. It was sweet. But the music seemed so loud.

“We’ve all missed you so much,” Trent had a hand on her back and was rubbing it. She didn’t want the contact. She felt her body stiffen underneath the pressure.

“Thank you. I’ve missed you all too,” Trent tried to put a drink in her hand, but she put a hand up, “Hang on to it for me okay? I need to uh, got to the lady’s room.”

“Sure, but you’re not getting away from us that easy,” Sydney said.

“Ha.” Valerie smiled but it was hollow, her face felt like a mask to her.

She tried to make it through the crowd and away from Trent as fast as she could. Where was the door? She was caught in a group of drunk people screaming the lyrics of the song that was playing and the crowd motion had her pushed away from the bathroom, and away from her friends. She felt a panic rise. She had to get out.

Valerie didn’t know what was going on, but it felt like a heart attack. Could a 22-year old have a heart attack? Was that a thing? There seemed to be people everywhere. Where was the door? She felt turned around.

She took a few backward steps and crashed into someone behind her.

“Sorry.” The words barely coming out of her mouth.

“Valerie. What’s wrong?” She’d crashed into someone who knew her name. It was Zane Diggs.

She was mortified, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was getting out of the crowd. Getting away from the bar.

“I need out of here.” She said to him, and she felt a hot tear sting her eyes. What was happening?

“Come on.” He put a protective arm around her shoulder, and she felt the oppressing closeness of the crowd ease. He’d created a safe bubble around her and navigated them to a door, in seconds there were through it and outside. And Valerie took a breath, then another, and she felt every nerve in her body short out or blink. She was like a Christmas tree light strand in an electric storm. She was going to pass out. Fear washed over her again.

But Zane was there, and his hand steadied her and helped her. They’d gone out a side door and were outside. Thank goodness. Valerie gulped in air and tried to slow her heartbeat.

“It’s okay, were outside. I’m here.” He said and put a hand on her shoulder. It steadied her, it grounded her.

Tears spilled, and she had no idea why.

“Did something happen?” His voice was gentle, and so was his hand. Zane Diggs, with all his swagger, wasn’t hitting on her. He was helping her. Helping her through whatever this was.

“No, I don’t think so. It was just so close in there. The ceiling felt low. I couldn’t get air. The press of people? I don’t know. I just had this overwhelming need to get away. To get out.” She trailed off, she knew she was rambling.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. It was tight in there. Kind of a crazy scene.” Valerie noticed his eyes. Zane’s eyes were intent on her, worried, but she felt safe. He was essentially a stranger, hell he’d hit on her, but right now, here, it was a different Zane.

“My heart, it feels like it’s beating too fast.”

“Can I feel?” He gave her questioning look, and she nodded. Zane moved his hand from her shoulder to her chest. His fingers pressed lightly against her heart.

She felt her heart pound against him, and she closed her eyes. It felt like he was saving her from drowning. He was the only thing that wasn’t going a million miles an hour.

“It feels like you did just run a 40-yard dash.” She nodded at his analogy.

“Or more like I’m having a heart attack.”

“You’re not.”

“How do you know?”

“You’re not. I just know. Just hang here a minute. Feel what you feel. Breathe. Chill. We got nowhere else to be.”

“Okay.” His voice was calm. Zane moved his hand from her chest, and he brushed a tendril of her hair out of her face. He did it slowly and gave her a smile.

She smiled back. Valerie was starting to feel more normal. Like maybe she wasn’t dying.

“Aha, see, if you had a heart attack, you wouldn’t be able to smile. It’s a medical fact.” That one did make her laugh.

“A fighter and a doctor?” She was calming down. The pain in her chest was subsiding.

“Yep. Can I?” She nodded. This time Zane took her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“Shh.” He stopped her question. He was counting. She could hear the music thumping in the club on the other side of the brick wall. Valerie’s friends would be worried probably. Or they were drunk and had forgotten about her.

Either way, she didn’t want to end the moment with Zane. It was easy to be with him right now, and it had been a struggle to even consider hanging with her college crew.

“Okay, your pulse is a little high, but it’s getting more and more normal every second. Kind of a blow to my ego really.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I like to think I make hearts race.”

“Oh. Well. Sorry. I’m sure under normal circumstances it would be going the other direction.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. She’d actually cried. It was embarrassing. Whatever had happened to her?

“You’re fine now, right?”

“Yeah, thank you. I think I’m going to just text my friends and then go. I don’t know what happened but I sure as hell don’t feel like going back in there.”

“Let me walk you to your car.”

“You’ve done enough, too much. I’m embarrassed. Nothing like that has ever happened to me.”

“Are you claustrophobic?”

“I didn’t think so. I never was before. But it all felt like it was closing in on me. I haven’t been out for a while, since before, but this was just stupid.”

“Look, let’s walk.” Zane put a hand on her waist and guided her in the direction of the sidewalk and to the club’s parking lot.

“Okay, yeah, walking is good.” It felt like an accomplishment to put one foot in front of another. She was steadier with each step.

“Before, can I ask what you mean, before?” Zane said.

“What?”

“You said before. Before what?” Zane kept a light hand on her as they walked. She felt everything calm down inside her chest. At the same time, her mind turned the last few minutes with Zane over and over. Who was this person who could so totally help handle whatever was happening?

“Oh, yeah, uh, before my parents died.”

“When was that?”

“A month ago. In a fire.”

“Jesus. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, here’s my car.” They’d arrived at her gunmetal Wrangler. Zane was intense, and that intensity was focused on her. Valerie admitted to herself that she liked having his attention. Ugh, what a weird night. She was fine. She was getting better. Whatever weirdness had happened in the club was over. She had pulled it together. Sort of.

“Why don’t you give me the keys? Let me drive. We go get food. When was the last time you ate?”

“I, uh, yeah the foam on my latte this morning is a food group, right?”

“Alright, no debate then. You’re going to let me drive you. We’ll get some food and then I’ll drive you home.”

“It’s my car. Well, my uncle’s car.”

“No argument. Give.” Valerie handed the keys to him. She wasn’t really in the mood to argue. And after her episode maybe he was right. Maybe driving wasn’t the smartest idea.

Zane situated her in her own car and then walked around to start it.

“We’re getting Italian. That work for you?”

“Yes. Pasta will cure me. It’s a proven fact.”

“Look who’s the medical expert now.”

Valerie laughed. Zane Diggs was something else. Something she hadn’t expected. And someone who could steal her heart. Even if it had gone haywire tonight.