Chapter Twenty-Five

Joslyn

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Troy murmurs, his hooded eyes searching for me. I want to melt back into the bed. Into him. He reaches for me and pulls me close under the warm security of our new goose-down duvet. “It’s so much better with you here.”

I close my eyes and exhale a happy sigh. Even though I know I have to get going, it’s so nice to lie with Troy for just a few more blissful moments.

“You don’t have to go just yet.” Troy nuzzles my neck and kisses my collarbone. “Stay and cuddle with me – it’s so warm in here.”

“Yeah, well, it’d be warm in the rest of the house too, if you weren’t such a freak about the air conditioning,” I grumble, pulling the duvet over my shoulders. Ever since Troy moved in, the thermostat has been set to a constantly frigid temperature of sixty-two degrees. Troy swears it’s better for our metabolisms that way, but I secretly just think it’s an excuse for him to pull me into bed whenever he wants under the guise of warming me up.

Oh, hell, who am I kidding? It’s not like I’d ever pass up a chance for a romp in the hay with Troy. Our relationship just gets better – and more passionate – every single day, and I find myself looking forward to coming home every night, which is something I never felt before when I was single.

“You like it.” Troy kisses me, running his hand down the side of my face and cupping my chin. “Just like you love me.”

“I do love you. But I love my girls too. And today is their last class. I’m not going to disappoint them.”

“Have it your way.” Troy yawns and stretches with that little smirk I’ve come to love. I can’t believe I ever thought the love of my life was just a big lunkhead. That couldn’t be further from the truth. “But you’re gonna have to live with the knowledge that I’ll be here, snuggled up.”

“You are so lazy.” I swat one of his powerful thighs as I climb out of bed and shiver. The frigid bedroom could turn my nipples into icicles, and I can’t pull my bright magenta Lululemon hoodie on fast enough. After yanking up a black pair of runner’s tights, I lace up my sneakers.

“I like my days off, nothing wrong with that. Besides, Nixon will be thrilled with me as soon as I tell him about Hawk’s new security tech. Joslyn, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before – it’s really something.”

“Well, if it helped you find Dante and his thugs, find me, it has to be good,” I say with a slight shiver as the unpleasant memory of that horrible day comes rushing back.

“It is. Check in with me when you get to the gym, okay?”

I nod. Mere weeks ago, someone asking me to check in constantly would have annoyed the piss out of me. But everything is different now, and I know Troy only does it from a place of love.

“I will.” I nod at him, and our gazes meet. All I see is his tender concern, and it warms my heart from the inside out. “And when I leave – so don’t bother asking.”

Troy flops against the pillows with a satisfied grin on his broad face. “I have the hottest girlfriend in the world.”

Hell yes, you do. And don’t you ever forget it.

“Hey, shouldn’t you be hearing from the American Ninja people soon?” Troy pushes up to his elbows. “That feels like a lifetime ago.”

“It does. But it’s only been a few weeks.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it, babe.” Troy’s eyes flick over every muscle on my body. And I’m okay with his sexy perusal because I’ve spent years sculpting every last one of them. “You kicked ass.”

My flush darkens, and I stand up. “Flattery will get you everywhere. But I’ve got to run – I’ll be late otherwise.”

After leaning down and giving Troy a quick kiss, I climb behind the wheel of my car and head into the city. When I get to Tribe of Amazons, the girls are all there, waiting for me.

When Taryn sees me, she smirks. “Hey, Jos. Girls, are you ready?”

“What?” I look around, suspicious. “What’s going on?”

That’s when I see Marcella wheeling out a huge, multi-tiered cake with sparkling candles. In unison, the girls all break into a rousing chorus of “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.”

To my surprise, tears come to my eyes, and I find myself blinking them away.

“Girls, what is this?” I sniff, looking around at all their lovely faces. “Why did you do this?”

“Because you seriously changed our lives.” Haylee steps forward to capture me in a sweeping hug. And I let her. Normally, this public display would cause me to hide inside my shell. But since Troy, and his love, I feel like I can conquer the world.

“And if you couldn’t tell, it’s a cake,” Taryn says sarcastically. “We had Claude, the pastry chef over at Steakhouse, whip it together for you.”

“It’s incredible.” I walk over to inspect it. Like a little girl, I poke a finger into the frosting so I can scoop up a clump. The buttery texture flows over my tongue. Yummy.

“And it’s gluten-free,” Taryn says. “So, like, don’t feel too terribly guilty about eating it.”

“I think you’re all just looking for a way out of class today.” I step back and really take it all in. My girls. My cake. My fucking wonderful life. “Is that it?”

Everyone bursts into laughter, and for the second time that morning, my heart swells to what feels like an impossibly large size. I can’t believe it, I think as I look around the room, watching my girls talking and laughing. I really did something good. I really changed their lives – all by myself.

The girls stop talking and turn to me, and I realize they want me to say something. I’ve never been one for speeches. It’s odd. As comfortable as I am showing off in the gym and teaching moves, I’ve never been good at addressing a group. Still, I clear my throat and smile.

“This is really unexpected.” I gesture to the cake. “But it’s wonderful, and you girls are the best students I’ve ever had.”

“I hope that means you’ll be teaching a follow-up class!” Taryn yells, and everyone laughs.

“Yes. As soon as I have the details worked out with Nixon, I promise. But this is about more than just fitness. It’s even about more than self-defense. We’ve really come together and made a community here, one to admire. We’ve learned that we’re stronger together and that knowledge is something that no one can ever take away.”

To my horror, several of the girls start to sniffle and tear up. Before I can launch into a joke, Pepper rushes forward and hugs me. Taryn, Marcella, and the rest of the girls follow, and soon, we stand there in a human wreath, holding onto each other.

When I decided to devote my life to women’s empowerment, I never imagined this. This is better than anything I could have fantasized about.

When the time comes for the class to end, the girls linger. By the time I lock up and leave, it’s the middle of the afternoon. Pulling out my phone, I groan when I realize that I have at least five unread texts from Troy.

Troy: Jos? Are you okay?

Troy: Joslyn, how did class go?

Troy: Are you okay? Please answer me.

I dial his number and hold the phone to my ear.

“Joslyn? Where are you?”

“I’m just leaving Tribe of Amazons now,” I explain. “The girls organized this…surprise thing for me, and class ran over because we were chatting like women tend to do. I’m sorry – I know I should’ve texted you. Now that we live together, I’ll try to be a better communicator.”

“It’s okay.” The relief in Troy’s voice is palpable. “But you should get home.”

“I was going to stop by the grocery store and get some salmon and broccoli for us,” I suggest. “Sound good?”

“You should just come right home.” Troy clears his throat which causes my heart to start galloping out of control. Is it Dante? Has he done something again? “Right away.”

I frown. “What’s wrong?”

“Just come home, Jos. I’ll see you soon.”

Before I can badger him for more information, he hangs up. Frowning, I slide my phone into the pocket of my bag and head for the parking lot at a fast jog.

The ride home seems to take even more time than usual, and by the time I step into my foyer, I’m a nervous wreck.

A loud popping sound makes me jump, gasping in surprise. That’s when the lights flicker on, and I see Troy standing there with a bottle of champagne in his hand, foaming over the top.

“This got a little warm,” he says with a wry grin. “I thought you were coming home early.”

My eyes widen, and my jaw drops. “What is this? Don’t tell me the girls put you up to anything.”

Troy hands me an envelope. “You’ll forgive me for glancing over your mail. But I couldn’t wait.”

When I see the American Ninja Warrior logo in the corner, my heart skids to a rapid stop that leaves skid marks in my chest.

“Holy shit,” I breathe. My hands tremble, but I slit open the envelope and pull out a folded sheet of paper.

Ms. Joslyn Monroe,

Thank you for competing in American Ninja Warrior. We’re delighted to inform you that your qualifying times are good enough to push you into the final round of selections. We would like to welcome you and a guest to our selection ceremony in Los Angeles.”

The Ninja Team

I gasp and drop the paper. As it flutters to the floor, I whirl around and face Troy.

“They want me to come to L.A. They haven’t made a final decision, but they invited me! They said my times were good enough to make it into the final round.”

“So, that means you made it,” Troy says with an easy smirk on his face. “Doesn’t it?”

I swallow down a lump of nervous energy. “I…I don’t know. I imagine they probably invited everyone, don’t you think?”

“Joslyn, that doesn’t make sense. Why would they invite everyone who competed?” He pours some champagne into a mason jar and hands it over, but I’m too nervous to take a sip.

“And why not?” I bite my lip. “They want to have a full audience, don’t they?”

Troy steps closer and leans down to kiss me. “Maybe. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re in it to win it, and they’d be lucky to have you. I never doubted it for a second. And besides, even if you don’t get it, I know you’ll keep trying. And in the meantime, you can be my American Ninja Warrior. There are still a lot of apparatus out back that could be used as full-sized sex toys.”

“God, you’re so horny all the time.” I don’t admit it, but Troy’s bad jokes always help me to relax.

In the shower that night, I stay under the water until my skin turns into prune flesh. I can’t stop thinking about the crazy day I’ve just had. Between the girls’ surprise and the surprise American Ninja Warrior letter waiting for me at home, I’m starting to wonder just how much my life has really changed.

Troy opens the door, holding a fluffy towel. “I think you’ve managed to deplete our whole hot water heater. Come on, Jos. Bed time.”

“I’m just thinking.” I stare at him but stay put. “Maybe we shouldn’t go. Maybe I’ll be too disappointed if I make it right to the finish line and they snatch the victory tape away.”

Troy reaches into the shower and cuts the water, then wraps the towel around my shoulders. It’s warm, and knowing that he put it in the dryer so I wouldn’t be cold makes me smile and forget about my anxieties for a moment.

“You can’t not go.” Troy tips my chin up and stares into my eyes. “You’ve been working for this your entire life, and I’m not going to watch you back out now, just because you’re afraid of failing. Joslyn, if you fail, you have to pick yourself up and try again.”

“That reminds me. I forgot to pick up your new pet spider on the way home.”

Troy rolls his eyes. “You know I’m right.” He pulls me into a close embrace and nuzzles my wet tangles of curls. “I love you, and I’m going to stick with you until the end of this.”

I can feel my resistance fading in the strong, safe grip of his arms.

“Okay. I’ll go. But if I lose, we’re leaving. Immediately. And going to the first bar we find and getting drunk.”

Troy shrugs. “Doesn’t sound like a bad plan. I guess I can live with that compromise.”

“I just wish I didn’t feel so apprehensive. I hate it when I have to relinquish control.”

“You’ll be great, Jos,” Troy says and kisses the tip of my nose. “I just know it.”

***

One week later, Troy and I sit in the audience of a large television studio where the network tapes American Ninja Warrior. I recognize a few disassembled pieces of the obstacle course – as well as a few of the others who competed for a place. Somehow, instead of making me feel better, it just makes me feel worse.

A beautiful, muscled blonde woman in ANW gear steps onto the floor and smiles brightly up at us. I immediately recognize her as Wendy Reynolds, a former American Ninja Warrior champion.

“We’re so glad to see all of you here,” Wendy says, flashing us a huge grin. “We had a lot of difficulty picking our winners – everyone was so talented that it was hard to choose. But American Ninja Warrior is not for everyone, and we had to make our decisions according to times and an acumen for television. We picked three wonderful contestants to compete on a TV show of American Ninja Warrior, and now I’m going to introduce them!”

My stomach rumbles like a runaway stampede of angry cattle. I don’t even notice Troy taking my hand until my knuckles are squeezed together.

“Our first winner is Manny Dackman from Portland, Maine! Congratulations, Manny!”

A huge hulking guy that I recognize from try-outs cheers, leaping down the terraced seating. The crowd goes wild, and I force myself to clap along.

“Our second winner is Rick Lester, from Austin, Texas!”

Another man, even bigger than the first, jumps up and shouts. His friends go crazy, and for a moment the sound is so loud I can’t even hear myself think.

“This is it,” I say to Troy. “There’s no way they’re going to pick me – those guys are huge!”

Troy squeezes my hand in response but says nothing.

“And may I have the special honor of introducing our third winner – and the only woman in a sea of hulking male competitors! Joslyn Monroe, from Las Vegas!”

My heart stops, and I feel like I’m going to faint. The crowd starts glancing around, waiting to see.

“Joslyn!” Troy hisses. “It’s you! Stand up!”

I stand up on rubbery legs, and the crowd goes wild, cheering and hooting and yelling. Slowly, a huge smile spreads across my face, and I head down to take my place next to Wendy and the two other winners.

Wendy shakes my hand and says something that I can’t make out. But I don’t care – I’m not listening. I stare at Troy in the audience, using him as a visual anchor, wondering how I could have possibly made it so far.

And that’s when I know, deep down in my heart, that Troy is the one who made everything possible for me. As a child, he saved me. As an adult, he saved me too.

And I also saved myself.

As I lock eyes with him in the crowd and mouth “I love you,” I know that I’ve finally become the woman I’ve always wanted to be.