Just as he reached Noah’s, he got a call from Andy. As the fight approached rapidly, he hardly went a day without hearing from Andy anymore. But the last couple of days Andy had been so busy in New York that he’d only gotten the few texts from him confirming the dates of his appearances. It was refreshing. Too much of Andy was tiring.

Abel took the call before getting out of his car. “What’s up, Andy?”

“I finally got a chance to watch the coverage of Frisco. You looked good, but what the hell’s with this Nellie chick?” The humor in his voice made Abel uncomfortable. “They’re making her out to be some kind of bad ass. I sort of got that, you know, when I talked to her on the phone. But I thought maybe it was just me. She’s the same one I’ve met before, right? Noah’s wife’s friend?”

“Yeah, same one,” Abel said, offering nothing more.

“I heard what she did at the press conference. Laid the law down for them reporters,” he laughed again, making Abel roll his eyes, wondering if there’d be any point to this anytime soon. “Then I saw the photos they got of the two of you at the airport. She looks a lot different than I remember—hot. So are you banging her or what? They’re already speculating.”

“That’s none of your business,” Abel said, getting out of the car, feeling even more defensive about this than usual. “Why are you even asking me? You know I don’t talk about that kind of shit.”

“Because I got the feeling she didn’t like me very much. That alone was kind of a turn on, and when I heard what she did at the press conference, I was even more intrigued. So seeing the photos just now,” he laughed even louder this time, “I nearly got a hard-on. If you ain’t doing her, I’m seriously thinking of giving her a call.”

Abel stopped walking and struggled to keep from telling Andy what he really wanted to tell him: that if his scrawny ass even thought about it, Andy would get to feel firsthand what all his opponents who’d hit the canvas face first had felt. But he held back. He had a feeling there was more to this. Andy knew just as well as anyone else that Abel wouldn’t be sharing any details of his personal life with anyone. So he knew his sneaky publicist had gone about it a different way.

“She’s a friend of mine and for personal reasons not looking to get involved with anyone right now. So as her friend, I’m telling you right now that, other than for business reasons, you stay away from her.”

Andy was quiet for a moment. “But you’re not involved with her in any other way than just business, and she’s a friend.”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

“I’m just trying to get it straight in case, you know, she and I hit it off or something—”

“Stay the hell away from her.”

Abel’s tone was far more lethal this time. He was done with indirect warnings. In case there was any doubt, Andy should know now that if he didn’t take the unmistakable warning for it was worth he’d be in a world of pain.

“Got it,” Andy said, sounding a little too smug. “As your publicist, you know, we’re gonna have to talk about this, though.”

“No, we’re not.” Abel assured him. “I’ve already told you all you need to know.”

Andy exhaled loudly but then chuckled. “Okay, I’ll call you later to give you more details about New York. I’ve got lots to tell you.”

As soon as Abel was off the phone with him, he tried to shake off the weird mood Andy had left him in. He also needed to get his mind on something else. Thoughts of Nellie had momentarily ceased when he and Noah began talking strategy and pushing Abel’s endurance even harder now. Then Noah brought up the cocktail mixer and what an awesome job Nellie had done getting all the participants together. Irritatingly, she was immediately at the forefront of his thoughts again.

Little Jack, Noah’s toddler, scurried into the front room in his pull-up diapers. Roni wasn’t far behind, holding his pants. “Get over here, you little stinker,” Roni laughed. “I swear,” she said, looking at Abel and Noah, “this kid would live in his underpants if I let him.”

“So let him,” Noah said, grabbing Jack and spinning him upside down. Jack laughed so hard that he squealed. “It’s supposed to be a hot one today.”

“No, I have to get him fed and ready,” Roni insisted. “We’re meeting Nellie at the mall again in a few hours.”

“That’s right. I forgot about that,” Noah said, spinning Jack right side up again. “Sorry, little man, looks like you’re going shopping with momma. I’d help you out of it and keep you here with me, but I gotta whip uncle Abe’s ass here into shape.”

Roni immediately shot Noah a look. With a regretful smirk, Noah winced. “I mean butt, son. Whip his butt into shape.”

Abel tried but failed at being his “aweless and indifferent” self. Even something as insignificant as this about Nellie had his full attention. He thought of all the times in the past that he’d been around Noah and Roni and heard Roni speak of her friend. He never would’ve imagined feeling like he did now—hopeful that she’d share more about her best friend. His eyes met Roni’s for a moment as she squatted down and helped Jack into his pants. But with a lift of an eyebrow, she brought her attention back to helping Jack, who was struggling to get his leg in the right hole.