I have to admit that I was a little surprised to have received a text from Damion –mostly because I had no idea the old fart knew how to text. That, and he had seemed pretty cold towards me when he had thrown me out of his gym. He had told me he wanted to buy me lunch to catch up, and truth be told I kind of missed the old bastard –and I was tired of playing housewife to Tyler. Because I haven’t been able to land myself a job, I have been trying to make up for it by keeping house –something, as it turns out, I have no idea how to do. I had maids back home who cleaned up after me. God, I am such a prick. I wonder if Brandi has kept the staff at the mansion? I liked those ladies; they were always so friendly and chipper.

Anyways, I head out of the apartment and load up into the pink car; I’m sure Damion will give me hell about that when I pull up to the café. I drive towards the nicer part of town, glad to be out of the slums if only for a little while. I recognize the café; I had come here once or twice before with Damion before my manager had dropped me –before my first humiliating loss to Donte.

I park the car in the only available spot up front, and I see the old geezer standing near the doorway laughing slightly. I swear, this was probably a slight revenge scheme on Brandi’s part; we had nine cars between the two of us before I wrecked my Ferrari. This was the one and the only car her lawyer didn’t demand. I had no idea Brandi had the capability of being spiteful, but it seems as though she is sitting at home in my mansion –my mansion I had long before either of us were married –laughing her ass off about me driving around town in her damn pink Volkswagen. “Awe, hell, Jonathan,” the man says as I step up onto the curb.

“Don’t start,” I warn him.

He puts out a wrinkly old hand, offering a friendly shake, which I graciously accept. I hate the way the two of us had left things. We head inside, and Damion pays for our coffees and orders us each our favorite subs. I thank him; I’m running on my last $500 right now. Brandi had wiped me clean. We sit down at small round table in the window, and I am at a loss of things to say. He asks me how I’m doing, and I ask him if he’s seen the news. “Yeah, unfortunately,” Damion says, “What the hell were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t. I was drunk,” I say.

“You can’t keep doing this to yourself,” Damion leans back in his chair, shaking his head. “You have got to get your head on straight. Listen, I asked you here because I want to make sure you and I are okay. Jonathan, I’m sorry I had to throw you out of my gym, but-”

“I know,” I say, “I get it. You run a boxer’s only gym –a professional place. I can’t seem to keep myself out of the tabloids, and I’m not really a boxer anymore, now am I?”

Damion shakes his head, “I felt like shit doing that to you.”

“I told you, Damion, I get it. There're no harsh feelings, really. I’m honestly just glad you called,” I say and then give the old asshole a smile.

The barista comes over and plops two plates in front of us with the freshly made subs. My stomach growls in anticipation. The girl grins at me; I doubt she recognizes me. She probably just thinks I’m cute or something. Damion rolls his eyes as the nervous acting girl trots off. “You just can’t keep them away, can you?” he jokes. “I wish I could still have some game.”

“You’re old as fuck,” I say, “your game done got up and run out the door.”

“Yours is about to do the same if you don’t get your act together,” he says and takes a bite of his sandwich.

“Whatever, don’t lose your dentures in that sub, old man,” I say, biting into my own.

He sits upright after swallowing his bite, rolling his eyes at me. “So Tyler tells me you’re looking for a job.”

“Trying,” I say. “And I’m pretty much failing in that endeavor. I even applied at a damn Burger King, and the guy asked for my autograph after telling me he was uncomfortable hiring someone who was in the news for hiring a prostitute two days before coming in asking for a job.”

“That’s cold, kid,” Damion chuckles slightly. “And a Burger King? Really? Don’t you have any shame left?”

“I can’t keep mooching off Tyler,” I say.

Damion nods. “What would you say if I could get you a job at a gym?”

I immediately perk up. “Your gym?” I ask. Fuck it; I would be a damn towel boy if it meant that I could be back working with Damion.

“Sorry, not my gym,” he goes digging around in his pockets and then hands me a slip of paper. “Call this number and set up an interview with Alex. They already are expecting you.”

“Are you serious, Damion? You got me a job?” I question as I take the slip of paper.

“Alex is an old friend,” he says with a slight twinkle in his eye. “But I only got you an interview. You got to land the job.”

“I don’t know what to say, Damion,” I stutter slightly. “I guess, thanks for looking out.”

“I know it’s not much, but they need personal trainers. It’s a high-end gym, though. They’ll pay better than fucking Burger King, and at least it’s something you might actually enjoy. Fucking Burger King, are you serious, kid?” Damion just shakes his head and continues eating his sandwich.

I smile at the old geezer. He’s been looking out for me ever since I had been an amateur boxer. He had picked me out of the bunch from the get-go. “Thanks, Damion, really,” I say, and he flicks me off and tells me not to be sappy.

As we are getting ready to leave, I pull his chair out for him, and he cusses under his breath about not being so old that he can’t help himself up out of his seat. The little barista chick that had been checking me out earlier opens the door for us since she had been out front sweeping off the patio. She smiles happily at me and says, “I think it’s so sweet that you took your grandfather to lunch.”

Damion looks like he wants to punch her in the face. He starts to say something to her, but I cut him off, “Now, Grandpa, you be nice. Tell her thank you for opening the door for you.”

“Fuck you, Jonathan,” he says and hobbles towards his car like the old man he is.

The girl blushes. “He’s not your grandfather?” she questions.

“Just an old friend,” I say, watching Damion fiddle with his keys in the parking lot.

“That’s so sweet,” she says, grinning at me.

I smile back at her, honestly wondering if I could get lucky with her. I guess now that Brandi has left me, I’m falling back into old habits in regards to women. “What’s your name?” I ask sweetly.

“Don’t bother!” Damion shouts as he’s climbing into his car, “As soon as she sees which of these cars is yours, she’s going to run for the hills!” He pulls out of the parking lot, and I shake my head.

She scans the parking lot curiously, trying to understand what Damion meant. “Oh my God,” she giggles under her breath as she glances over at the pink car –now the only one left in front of the store, and she’s able to deduce that it is mine. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were gay.”

“Fuck,” I say under my breath. Cranky old asshole.