Free Takedown by Garnet Hart Page B

know,” Megan said. “But I don’t see you anything fat nor thin, so I don’t understand why that guy called me fat, and he also advised me to lose weight. I’m five feet six. A hundred and twenty is pretty normal, I think.”
    “Sounds like malnourished to me.”
    Megan rolled her eyes and fumbled with her waist. “Maybe it’s my waistline.”
    “Don’t tell me you actually wrote twenty-eight inches in your resume?”
    “That’s the truth. I didn’t want to lie.”
    Candace sighed. “Honey, you’d be competing against taller women, with lower weight, and with twenty-four or less waistlines. I think I have to agree with that guy. You’re a bit fat for a beauty queen.”
    She groaned, annoyed that even her friend was not on her side. “I tried all tricks of dieting. I am exercising thirty minutes a day. Nothing’s working. This is probably the lowest weight I can get.”
    “Fine, you can’t do anything about your weight, but perhaps you could try trimming down your waist to give your body some curves.”
    “I did that too. I tried the hoola, the twister… planks. Nothing.”
    “Maybe you’re doing it all wrong.”
    “So what’s the right way to do it?”
    Candace shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you should find yourself a professional.”
    “No.” Megan shook her head. “I don’t have money to pay a professional.”
    “I thought you wanted to win?”
    “Yes, but I don’t have to spend for it, do I?”
    “You kidding me? Pageant is vanity. Women spend thousands of dollars just to get that much acclaimed Miss Nevada crown. You won’t stand a chance against them if you don’t seek professional assistance.”
    Megan sighed. “I don’t have the money.”
    Candace rested her elbows on the table. “Well, let’s just hope for luck to come your way.”
    Megan pushed away her plate of half-eaten sandwich. She was still hungry, but perhaps she should do something about her weight. Even her part time job as an octagon girl was actually at stake. She was told that if she gained another pound, another woman with narrower waist and bigger breasts would immediately replace her.
    Maybe she should forget about that stupid pageant, but she could not afford to lose her part time job. A thousand dollars a week was a lot of money to lose.
    “Hey, look.” Candace tapped the table and pointed at the TV screen hanging from the wall. “It’s Blaze Rockwood.”
    Megan’s heartbeat suddenly raced when she saw Blaze’s face on the screen. He was being interviewed about his reaction to Travis’ challenge, to have him get back in the Octagon and take on the opponent that he had run away from two and almost three years ago.
    Blaze just laughed and reiterated he had no intention of making a comeback.
    She took a deep breath to calm her pulse. Blaze looked amazing in a three-piece suit. The UFC star who turned a hotel magnate was still as dashing as he had been in the cage, although in a different way. If before, he was a picture of strength and power, this time, he portrayed an image of elegance and sophistication. In both pictures, he still looked gorgeous.
    It had been six months ago since they spent a passionate night in his house in Boulder City. After that, they never saw each other again. He never tried to get in contact with her, as if he had completely forgotten all about her like how he had forgotten the rest of the dozens of women he had slept with.
    It hurt her in a way, but maybe it was for the better. What happened between them was a mistake. The pain of their lost had brought them together and ended up trying to comfort each other by having sex.
    It shouldn’t have happened. Bryan did not deserve that. She felt so ashamed, and perhaps Blaze felt the same way.
    “Why doesn’t he want to fight with Travis?” Candace asked. “Is he afraid of his brother?”
    Candace did not know shit about her one night stand with Blaze. She kept it a secret. Besides, if she told her friend about it, surely,