Free Let Go by Heather Allen Page B

smirks
and mutters, “Better watch it.”
    Jackson shakes
his head, “Nope, you gotta work your way up.”
    Jonesy
exclaims in an angry voice, “Oh that’s just great Jax, here I
thought you had some confidence in me.”
    Jackson looks
to him and tells him, “Go get a shower Jonesy, you’ll feel
better.”
    Greylan takes
it all in. He remembers training with Carlo years ago. They
frequented his basement but on occasion they made it to a local
gym. It was tiny, owned by an old friend of Carlo’s. There was
never any animosity there. Everyone had a goal they were working on
and it was understood. He never felt threatened when they went
there for practice matches. The atmosphere here reminds him of that
gym. He glances around at the crowd that is dispersing going back
to what they were doing and back to Jackson. He is busily pulling
down a rope in the corner that is attached to the high ceiling.
It’s all new but Greylan has a feeling he is going to like it
here.
    “Pace, ready
to build up that strength? I saw some pussy moves back there,
better put more into it or you’ll be flat on your back like my
momma was five times.”
    Greylan
chuckles at his humor. Jackson is definitely one of a kind.
    Early
afternoon, Greylan makes it back to the rental he calls home at the
moment and collapses. He has exactly two hours until he needs to be
at Juno’s. He dozes off oblivious to any noises that might have
woken him.
    His phone
beeps alerting him that it’s time to get up. In just that short
time, his muscles have had a chance to react to the training
Jackson put him through. After the repeated rope climbing, he
endured more punching and kicking practice. Jackson wasn’t kidding
when he told Greylan he was relentless. But every muscle that
aches, he tells himself is one step closer to where he needs to
be.
    He practically
crawls to the shower and savors the water whatever temperature it
is. He fits the t-shirt with Juno’s logo over his head and runs his
hand through his hair leaving it messy.
    When he walks
through the door today Christina starts in on him.
    “Hey Rookie,
whatcha up to?”
    She continues
in her onslaught, “Whoa, you don’t look so good. Did we kick your
ass last night? I know, you’re too old for this job. Maybe a
nursing home is the place for you.”
    He chuckles as
he stocks the coolers to get ready for the horde of people to
come.
    They finish
ten minutes early so he slides into a bar chair resting his head in
his hands. She frowns, coming up beside him, “Hey, I didn’t hurt
your feelings did I? Because you can’t be sensitive and work
here.”
    He looks up
and crosses his arms across his chest, meeting her stare.
    “No, you
didn’t hurt my feelings. Come on, what else you got? Fire
away.”
    She looks to
the ceiling and places her hand on her forehead as if thinking.
When her eyes meet his they are playful.
    “Okay, you
suck at pouring and if you keep over pouring, Juno won’t be able to
keep this bar open. Your people skills are crappy. People come here
to talk, get shit off their chest. You can’t just stand there
silently not even acknowledging them or their problems. And don’t
think you’re gonna walk away with anything tonight. I’m not
splitting with you if you can’t keep up.”
    Greylan
frowns, “I thought I did a good job last night. I kept up with you.
No one went thirsty.”
    She throws her
hands up in exasperation and rolls her eyes.
    He gets up
flinching as his muscles respond to the movement. He is definitely
not in the best of shape. Juno walks up to the bar and asks,
“Greylan are you alright? Are you in pain?”
    “Um, no I’m
fine.” He looks over to Christina who is ignoring them and busying
herself with fixing up some bottles that are already straight.
    Juno smiles
and tells him quietly so Christina can’t hear, “Don’t mind her. She
worries too much.”
    Christina
moves to open the door for the first customer of the night. Greylan
glances at her and back