Page 63 of The Champion
Then they decided to argue that they had waited all dayfor an autograph and the last time Jameson declined the autograph.
“Well, when did you ask me?” Jameson asked them.
One of the men, the closest to the table spoke first. “Wewere in Bristol last March with garage pass and you wouldn’t sign anything forus.”
Jameson laughed softly, his left hand with the sharpie init rose to sweep over his eyebrow before he looked up at them. He pushed asigned poster to his right for the woman beside them. Jameson winked at herwhen she softly thanked him.
“Well there you go,” Jameson spoke quietly but itstrangely sounded more of a warning that way. “I was working.
The man to his right started in again and Jameson focusedon him finally meeting eye contact. “I’m not going anywhere. I will signwhatever you want but you’re hurting people when you push forward like that.”
“We are not.” They had the nerve to reply with as theyonce again, shuffled forward.
Van appeared beside me when he noticed the commotion atthe table.
That’s when Jameson point at the guys. “Listen, they arekids and women surrounding ya’ll and you’re crushing them against this tablewhen you push forward. Pay attention.”
Jameson then shook his head in annoyance and signed theirposters.
“What a jerk.” One of them mumbled as they walked away.
Was he being a jerk?
No. He was looking out for the people who waitedpatiently for him not the ones that thought he owed them something. Those kidsgave Jameson shit and it didn’t mean shit to him.
But it did.
The rest of the meet and greet I could tell it botheredhim. Regardless of the fact that Jameson was considered a professional athlete,it didn’t mean he owed them anything. They thought so.
Jameson would be lying if he said he wasn’t bothered byremarks like that. Now that he was a father, he cared more about the image hewas creating to his son. He didn’t want to be known as an asshole.
We snuck back to the motor coach after that for somelunch; Jameson remained quiet caring his jug of water when he stopped at thedoor to his motor coach.
Looking down, I saw the addition Emma had added. Thereright before the steps was a door mat that said:Beware! Asshole in side.
He smirked despite the edge of annoyance. “Emma...”
“Ah yes. She has a way about her, doesn’t she?”
“Hmm...yes” heturned and offered me a smile. “...she does.”
Opening the door, he stepped inside where Cal had madelunch for us and Axel was waiting for his mommy to feed him.
Jameson smiled when he looked at the new hat designsSimplex had sent over. They looked pretty cool and seeing the words “Champion”sprawled across them was satisfying knowing how hard it was to gain those words“Champion.”
It wasn’t long before Alley came inside and motioned toJameson that it was time to get the pre-race activities going so that’s wherewe headed. After Jameson pulled one over on Emma and replaced her lotion againwith self-tanner. It was stupid that we found so much humor in something we’vedone a dozen times but every time it’s just as funny.
Being the race that marked the one-year start of ourfriends with benefits days, the thoughts swirled of our time together backthen.
The tingling feeling in my gut I had that night and theway he whispered “stay” and then finally, coming together intimately for thefirst time.
Smiling, Jameson approached me as I stood with Axel onthe grid. He’d just turned six-months old and slobbered like a Boxer puppy. Icouldn’t understand where all the salvia was coming from.
“It’s different seeing you in this light.” He said softlyonly to me. “I like it.”
“Yeah well all this heat is causing me to sweat likecrazy. I feel like I’m wearing a water bra.”
“Water bra?” his eyebrow rose.
