Free Fight (MMA Romance Club Book 1) by Nicolette Pine Page B

night in New York?” It felt so odd to say it. Was I really about to go to New York with a man I had just met?
    “We can if you’d like.” He smiled as he pulled a backpack out from the trunk and closed it.
    “I um, need to make a quick phone call.” I tried to sound calm as I reached for my cell phone.
    “Okay, I’ll check with the pilot. Come aboard when you’re done.”
    I dialed Carly’s number and lifted the phone to my ear. It rang three times.
    “What?” Her voice was like ice. Clearly she was still mad at me for cancelling our plans.
    “Okay so, I need to tell you… because I’m not sure who else I’m supposed to tell.” I took a deep breath. I hadn’t given her a reason for my change of plans; I knew she was going to be mad. “So I went to the gym today and I met this guy, he asked me to come see him fight tonight and I said yes.”
    “You stood me up for some guy? What happened to chicks before dicks?”
    I scowled. I would never say something that cliché, and she should know it. I kept talking as if she hadn’t said anything, “He picked me up at 6:30. Apparently he’s like fucking rich because he picked me up in a blue Jag and now I’m about to get on his fucking plane. He’s taking me to New York for some fight he is going to be in and… and, well, I don’t know if this guy is full of shit or not, so if I don’t text you within five hours something is wrong.” I couldn’t believe I was actually going to do this.
    “I’m sorry, what?” Carly sounded in total shock.
    “Yeah.” I let out a deep breath. My mind raced. This was crazy. It was some sort of joke, right? A plane. A fucking plane! He was going to take me to New York for a date! I bit my lip as I glanced at him. He waved at me before turning his attention to a car that was coming towards us.
    “Oh, and there is another car here.” It came to a stop and someone stepped out. Jacob chatted with them before they headed onto the plane. “And apparently they are coming with us.”
    “Wait… he owns a plane? He must be rich.” Carly sounded a little more interested. “Well, keep me updated. And if he has any hot super rich friends you better set me up with them.”
    I rolled my eyes and let out a low laugh. “Of course I will. Alright, I’ve got to let you go. Bye.”
    “Have fun!”
    Carly’s mood shift wasn’t surprising to me. She had trust issues, and I knew when I cancelled at the last minute it would bother her. That bothered me, but I also knew the idea of getting set up with a rich guy would make her feel a lot better.
    I tucked my phone into my pocket and made my way towards the plane.
    Jacob sat beside another guy. I’d seen him at the gym. They had been talking to each other.
    He had shaggy black hair, a full beard and blue eyes. He looked up at me and smiled. I returned it.
    “You ready?” Jacob asked as he eyed me.
    “Yes.”
    “Perfect. This is my friend Dean. Dean, Anna.” He pressed a button and motioned for me to come sit with him. I nodded and made my way over to the seat across from him.
    Dean reached over and shook my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Anna.”
    “You too.”
    “So, Jacob picked you up at the gym?” He raised an eyebrow.
    I felt my cheeks burn. “Yeah, I guess so.”
    Dean threw his head back and laughed. “I’m just messing with you.”
    I spent most of the flight listening to the two boys talk. It wasn’t that they ignored me or anything; they were talking shop. I didn’t mind. It was fun, actually; they talked a lot about fighting, their past fights, their current training, and their diet. My jaw dropped when Jacob said he ate 5000 calories a day.
    When we landed Dean said he would see us later. Jacob and I took a town car to the hotel. I stared out the window the entire time, just trying to take every single little thing in. I’d never traveled before. Fuck, I’d never been more than six hours away from where I grew up and went to school.
    As we reached the hotel