Sunday, October 10, 2021
Sunday's Sport Stats: Round Two by Noah Harris
He’s a hard-bodied champion looking for redemption in love.
The first thing most people notice about John Davies is his size. Bodies don’t ripple with muscles like his without having spent a lot of time in the gym. A fighter all his life, this shifter has always trained with a dedicated focus on becoming the best. Ten years ago, the dark-haired boxer left his sleepy hometown, willing to sacrifice whatever it took in pursuit of greatness. He left everything behind, including the greatest romance he had ever known.
Years ago, Matthew McHale watched his childhood friend and lover step onto a bus and out of his life, he vowed never to let anyone hurt him that deeply again. It’s a promise the handsome nurse has managed to keep by burying the memory deep in the past.
When fate and circumstance return John back to his hometown, their paths inevitably cross, bringing all their sexual tension and unresolved emotions to the surface. Enough time has passed for John to realize the mistake he made, but Matthew still hasn’t forgiven him for abandoning their life together, or for continuing to fight knowing the dangers involved.
Determined to win back Matthew’s affections, John decides to do whatever is necessary to recapture their love. Because if boxing has taught him anything, it’s that when you step into the ring, it doesn’t matter if you fall, as long as you get back up and try harder.
Round Two: An Alpha’s Fight For Love is an arousing M/M gay shifter romance featuring a dominant alpha male and his attractive partner getting a second chance at love. This book contains adult language, MPREG, sensual scenes of gay sex and is best enjoyed by readers over the age of 18.
Chapter One
John
I sighed as I stepped out of the car, stretching my neck and back with a groan. Three thousand miles was a long road trip, especially on your own, but I was finally back in California. Maybe I should have waited until one of my friends was free to come with me, but I couldn’t afford to. Work was calling and the more time I had to get settled in, the more time I had to train for the upcoming match.
The delicious smell of food caught my attention and I followed the scent. Nothing had changed since I’d been gone. There was the same diner across the street, the same run-down Laundromat filled with people, even the same family-owned mechanic shop. I guess it’s not so bad. It was strangely comforting, seeing that this place was still the same as it always had been. After ten years away, I welcomed it. Back then, all I’d wanted was to leave, get out of such a small town and make a name for myself. Now, I’d started making a name for myself and I’d come right back to where it all began.
I pushed the swinging glass door leading into the diner, approached the counter, and ordered a burger and fries to go. The woman behind the counter, May, still worked here after so many years. She handed me my food, making small talk as she smiled. I could see lines around her eyes where there weren’t any before. Everything might feel the same, but it was proof of the passage of time.
The diner felt too restrictive and hot after being in my car for the past few days. I decided to walk to the park and find a quiet place to eat and relax. Finding a perfect spot with tables and benches under a group of trees, I sighed, digging into my food as my body finally relaxed. I snapped back to reality when a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.
“How was work today?”
“Boring. I get the same crap from my boss every day and he just sits in his office and watches TV. It drives me crazy.”
I looked up and saw him. Matthew. He laughed as he shook his head. Dark brown hair falling into his face that he swiped away with the back of his hand. I hadn’t seen him since the day I’d left. He looked the same, just a little older, his face not as chubby as it had once been. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“Well, you’ll get through it. Just keep working hard and you’ll get promoted.”
Who was he with? Another man sat across from him, eating and griping about work. Matthew had that same amused look on his face that had been directed at me countless times in the past when I was pissed and venting. He’d always seemed slightly amused whenever I got upset. He just let me get it all out, before distracting me with one of his suggestions to do something else.
Instinctively I slid back in my seat a bit. He hadn’t noticed me, but what if he did? Would he pretend he hadn’t seen me and walk away? Would he still be pissed off? It’d been so long ago, but I’d never seen him angrier than the day I left. I could tell he’d been crying, his eyes had been red and puffy as he stood in front of me and demanded that I stay. He’d given me an ultimatum; go or stay, and if I left, he never wanted anything to do with me again. I’d left.
That day suddenly played out in my mind, the way it had repeatedly over the years. Whenever I was sure I’d completely forgotten about him, the memory would come back with a vengeance and I was always left wondering if I’d made a mistake. Life with Matthew had been amazing; life without him had given me success as a boxer. Were the two things equal? I had no idea.
It appeared Matthew had moved on though. He was laughing hard, shaking his head and talking to the other guy with ease. It looked like they’d been together a long time. How long had he waited after I’d stepped onto that bus, to put me out of his mind completely? It was pointless asking myself these questions, but I couldn’t seem to stop. Stop listening to their conversation, it’s weird. But the voice in my head didn’t stop me from eavesdropping.
“I’d better get back to work.”
“Already? I still have thirty minutes.”
“Yeah, that’s because your boss actually likes you. I’ll see you later?”
“Yep! Bye.”
“See ya.”
I watched the other man walk off as Matthew gave him a little salute and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He sat it on the table and began to scroll through. I should go and say hi. It didn’t have to mean anything, just saying hey and letting him know I was back in town. For some reason, it felt like it would though. I hesitated, standing up slowly and tossing my empty containers in the trash.
I could handle a punch in the face but couldn’t stand the idea of Matthew still being mad at me. Understand it? Sure. Handle it? That was a different story. I could just walk the other way, leave the park by the other exit and go the long way back to my car. The thought weighed heavily on my mind for a minute before I shook my head. Stop being such a wimp! Of course, I was going to say something to him. I couldn’t help myself even if I wanted to. No matter how much I hated to admit it, I’d missed him all these years.
My heart thumped in my chest as I made my way over, my feet automatically carrying me toward him as my brain tried to think of something to say when I got there. After a moment, I looked up and I was standing right beside his table. He didn’t pay any attention to me at first, then he finally glanced up and jumped. His face looked like he’d seen a ghost. I grinned.
“Matthew, how are you?”
“John?”
“Yeah, that’s me,” I chuckled. “Don’t look at me like that. It looks like you’re going to faint.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I just really wasn’t expecting something like this. What are you doing here?”
“I’m moving back,” I looked around. “Mind if I sit down for a minute?”
“Go ahead.”
I sat across from him, smiling. Just sitting near him brought back good memories and made me want to sit and talk to him for hours. He slipped his phone back into his pocket before looking at me, his eyes searching my face. What’s going through his head? At least he wasn’t telling me to leave him alone, that was good, right?
Chapter Two
Matthew
I didn’t know what to say other than yes, when he asked if he could sit down. What was I supposed to say? My tongue felt heavy as I looked at him. John had changed. We’d known each other since middle school, had started dating in high school and carried on through college. John had always wanted to fight for as long as I’d known him. At first, it was wrestling, but it quickly progressed to boxing. I always thought he’d grow out of it, but he didn’t. He used to be on the slender side, but now I could see he was all hard muscle, everywhere my eyes tried not to look.
“Boxing? Is that why you came back?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve gone as far as I can in New York, so my manager said I should move here, at least for a few years. Then…well, who knows what I’ll be doing.”
I frowned. “Well, it’s good to see you haven’t gotten hurt.”
“Nothing too serious. I told you it wasn’t as bad as you made it out to be.”
I glanced away from him. John knew how I felt about fighting. Stupid, barbaric, and worst of all there was a real possibility he could get seriously hurt. His father had been a boxer, and he’d died young. One too many blows to the head and a lifestyle influenced by traveling around and getting into too much trouble. It seemed stupid to me. A part of me had always been terrified I’d end up losing John the same way.
“I know you don’t like it.”
All I could do was stare at him. Why was he here talking to me? Did he want my approval? Was he trying to start things back up? Did he want things to be the way they’d been before he left? I kept my guard up; I couldn’t afford to let it down around him. Not again. He’d already broken me once, and I refused to go through that a second time.
It felt like we were having the same conversation we’d had years ago. Back then, I’d been even more outspoken about how much I’d hated his fighting. It had taken a toll on our relationship, but we still tried to make it work. Instead of avoiding it altogether, John would invite me to watch him fight, to see the safety precautions in place. Even if it wasn’t what I wanted for him back then, I’d started to accept it. Until it became the thing that tore him away from me.
John and I had been so good together. I remembered staying awake until the early hours just walking around together. Some nights we’d shift and run off into the woods, not coming back until we were exhausted. He’d always known when I needed that stress release, when school became too much, and I was convinced I was going to fail every class. Maybe that’s why I managed to overlook the fighting, because I knew there was so much more to him than that. I felt his eyes on me, waiting for an answer as I shook my head to clear the memories.
“No, I don’t care for it, but I know you’re good at it and it makes you happy. That should be all that matters, right?”
I tried to keep the sharpness out of my voice. Why was he acting as if he was concerned about what I did and didn’t like? He hadn’t cared when he left. Back then it had only been about him and what he wanted. I’d stood at that bus stop begging him not to leave. We were supposed to have a future together but talks of getting married and having a family were brushed aside in favor of his dream. I pushed those thoughts away. It was a long time ago and there was no reason to keep holding onto it. He’d moved on. I’d moved on. Life was different now.
“What about you? What are you doing now?” he asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Oh! I finally decided on a major after you left. I ended up going into nursing. I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle it because of all the blood, but it’s not that bad actually and I get to help people,” I realized I was rambling. “Sorry, long answer.”
“You always were the one to patch us up when we got into scrapes or got sick. I bet you’re a great nurse.”
I nodded. “It’s interesting and I like it. Healing people is better than hurting them,” I paused, realizing what I’d said. “Not that you’re…”
He chewed his lip uncomfortably as if he knew exactly what I meant. On some level, I was still so angry at him. He was acting so nonchalant, like everything was fine, as if we could just be friends. I didn’t know if I could even be that with him right now.
“I should head back…”
“Who was that guy with you? Does he work at the hospital too?”
I stopped, taken by surprise at his question. Why do you want to know? I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t. It already felt far too odd that he was even asking me about someone after we’d only just met each other again. I knew how John could get, how jealous he could be.
“Yeah,” I answered finally. “He works on a different floor, so things are sometimes a bit slower for him, plus he’s pretty new.”
“Oh. You two seemed close.”
I nodded. “Very close over the past few years. I really should be getting back or I’m going to be late.”
“How about we do this again sometime? I could buy us lunch and we could catch up properly.”
I looked him over, nodding slightly. “Maybe. I’m usually so busy with work I’m not sure when I’d be free.”
“How about we exchange numbers? You can text me whenever you’re available.”
“Okay.”
I didn’t see the harm in taking his number. What I chose to do with it was up to me. I dug my phone out and as we exchanged numbers I caught sight of the time. It really had gotten late while I was talking to him. I waved and jogged off, my heart still pounding as I made my way back to the hospital. I only stopped when I was safely inside and I sighed. How was he still able to rile me up so much? I looked at his number on the screen for a while before I shoved my phone back in my pocket. I didn’t have time to think about that right now. I had to concentrate on getting ready for class.
“So, what, you just didn’t tell him anything?”
“What was I supposed to say?”
“Uh, something like ‘I’m still kinda pissed off at you, but I obviously still love you. Let’s stop beating around the bush like jerks.’”
I stared at Corbin. “There’s no way in hell I’d ever say any of that.”
“Well, you have to say something! What are you going to do, just avoid him? You can’t, the guy lives here again and it’s not that big a town.”
“I know,” I whined as I laid my head on his kitchen table. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You better figure it out, and fast. Ignoring it won’t make it go away. It’s up to you, Matt. Do you want to be with him or do you want him to know there’s no way you plan on pursuing anything with him again? I think you’re worrying for nothing.”
“Why?”
“Who knows if he’s even single? You ran off without talking to him properly. He could totally be with someone. Maybe he doesn’t want to get back with you.”
“It’s just a look he gives me,” I mumbled. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Oh no. I wouldn’t understand the look,” Corbin’s loud sigh filled the kitchen. “Don’t let him get you all on edge like this. I’m sure he’ll be too busy to bother you after a while anyway.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I sat up and put my chin in my palm. “He flusters me, he always has.”
“We all have exes like that.”
“That’s true,” I sighed as I pushed myself up. “I’m gonna go home and get some rest.”
“I thought you were staying for dinner.”
“Tomorrow.”
I waved as I left his apartment and headed for my own place. We only lived a few blocks from each other and I was glad about that. Corbin was always nearby when I needed him. I pushed into my apartment and dropped my bag on the couch before plopping down beside it. How was I supposed to focus with John floating around in my brain?
My phone vibrated, and I slipped it free from my pocket. As soon as I saw his name, my heart began to thud hard against my ribcage. John. I took a minute, closing my eyes before reading his message.
“It was nice seeing you and catching up today. Can’t wait to hang out.”
I didn’t respond. Honestly, I didn’t know how to respond. Instead, I put my phone away and grabbed my bag, determined to stop dwelling on the heat that was quickly building in my brain and dancing along my spine. Studying. If I buried myself in studying the new material we’d been given I’d be fine. I wasn’t going to let John come back into my life and disrupt everything. I wasn’t angry at him, not anymore, but I wouldn’t let him take over again either. I decided to throw myself into my work instead.
Noah Harris is a 28-year-old bisexual man currently single and living in a small apartment in New York.
Being a natural introvert with significant extrovert tendencies he expresses himself through the world of writing MM books, often with a darker, paranormal twist. His books are written from the heart of his deep, sensitive and mysterious, but playful and creative, wild spirit.
Noah is dedicated to giving something back to the universe, sharing generously in his successes and inspiring and motivating others through his writing and in any other way he can. He believes in living a natural, healthy lifestyle and has embraced meditation as a way of clearing the 'noise' in his head and allowing his dark creativity to shine through in his books.
He is determined to reach out to as many readers, who he considers his 'friends', as he can through his unique personal touch and through building like-minded communities online. It is this personal touch, with his readers, that sets him apart from most other authors today.
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