Page 4 of Bourbon Truths
“And that’s not a cliché? Not all witches are hideous, you know. Take Sarah from Hocus Pocus. I would totally tap that. Hell, I would fuck all three of them. Something about fucking a broad on a broomstick does it for me.”
Laughing, Jett shook his head. “There is something seriously wrong with you, man.”
Silently agreeing, I pulled up the remote sitting on the bar and turned the TV to the sports channel. I was hoping to see a recap of my match, and knowing Jett wasn’t going to talk about Natasha, this was perfect timing to fill the silence in the room.
“When’s the next match?” Jett asked as a Lexus commercial came on.
“Now that I’m no longer an amateur, I have a few months to get ready for the next one. I’m looking at about only two matches a year now.”
“Easy day at the office with a big payout.” Jett leered.
“Screw easy.” I laughed. “Not with the training schedule Jono has me on.”
I was about to lay out my training regimen but stopped when the sportscasters started talking about my fight. I turned up the TV and listened.
“Haywood versus Crane. Can we talk about the explosive match we witnessed tonight? Kace Haywood, up and coming boxer, has taken the boxing scene by storm, introducing his quick instincts and fast punches that result in an early knockout with almost any opponent he comes across. With his professional title in tow, he will be unstoppable.”
A video montage of my amateur and professional career unfolded while a voiceover started telling my story.
“At a young age, Kace Haywood had an interest in the sport, but it wasn’t until after high school he started to take his career seriously. Born and raised in New Orleans, he self-trained in a small gym that has since been washed away by Hurricane Katrina. Prevailing through the storm, he continued to train and has now hired the infamous Jono Mills as his trainer. With Jono at his side, Kace Haywood is a lethal combination of smarts, instincts, quick feet, and impeccable timing. With the extra muscle Haywood has put on and the in-depth knowledge from his trainer, Kace Haywood will be a household name in the next few months.”
Jett patted me and then squeezed my shoulder, letting me silently know he was proud of my accomplishments, of how I was able to succeed in my sport so quickly and make a name for myself.
The announcers came back into view, looking at their notes.
“Farfetched prediction or spot on?” one talking head asked another.
“Spot on. Kace Haywood has it all. The talent, the speed, and the looks. He is the total package. He will make sponsors happy, bring more female viewers to the sport, and set the standard for all boxers to come.”
“I don’t think they could have blown anymore sunshine up your ass if they’d tried,” Jett pointed out.
“They could have talked about the punisher in my pants.” I winked.
“I tried to send them pictures, but they said it would have been too embarrassing for you. I tried to tell them you didn’t mind showing off all two inches, but they refused.”
“Fuck off.” I laughed.
“It’s always about dick size with you, isn’t it?” Jett asked.
“When is it not about dick size?”
“Not sure.” Jett laughed, finishing his beer.
Taking a serious spin on our conversation, I asked, “Are you ever going home or are you going to continue to pussy up and sleep in my guest room?”
“Don’t want to leave you alone. I know how much the dark scares you,” Jett countered.
“Seriously, man. You have to go home at some point. You have to move on.”
“I know,” he answered sharply. “I fucking know.” He ran his hands through his hair, resting his elbows on the bar. “It’s just not that easy. The place is so empty now. I miss her.”
“Natasha?” I asked, completely confused.
Jett grimaced as he turned his head slightly toward me. “Fuck no, not Natasha. I miss my mom.”
Ah hell. I wasn’t good at shit like this. I’d never been the kind of guy who carried around a great deal of empathy, so dealing with other’s emotions wasn’t my bread and butter. Give me a fucking punching bag, and I could smoke the shit out of it, but emotions? I would rather get knocked out in the first round.
Jett had recently lost his mother to AIDS after reconnecting with her. Jett had grown up on the wealthy side of life. His dad was a business tycoon who’d used Jett’s mother to have his child so one day, he’s have someone to pass his business down to. Once she gave birth to Jett, his father had made sure that she never saw her child again, making Jett grow up without the love of his mother. Because Jett was so soured by his father’s lack of affection toward his mother, Jett made it his mission to grow to be a better man than his dad.
