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A few minutes later, they head out. I only came in for the shoot, so I’m about to hit the changing rooms when Davie emerges from his office and picks up a pair of pads.

“Seeing as you’re warmed up, why don’t we do a few minutes on these?”

“All right.” I follow him onto the mats.

“Jab, cross, step out,” Davie instructs. “Go light, mind. Footwork, not power.”

I touch the pads with a left and a right, then move off to the side. Davie turns with me. We do it again. Then again, a little quicker.

“So,” he says. “What’s this I hear about you having a girlfriend?”

“Fucking Niamh,” I mutter. His mouth twitches. “I don’t know about ‘girlfriend’. We’ve had dinner once. And a coffee.”

And yesterday I suggested we don’t see anyone else, just each other. But I keep that to myself.

Davie lifts a pad. I jab.

“It’s the lassie downstairs from you, aye?”

“That’s right. Briony.”

“What’s she like?”

“Fuck. I don’t know. Nice?”

He waits, pads held ready. I give him the one-two and step out.

“Nice,” he repeats.

“Aye.”

“Well, that’s me caught up, then.”

I huff out a laugh.

“Come on, son. Fourteen years I’ve known you, and this is the first lassie I can remember you actually dating. Give me a bit more than ‘nice’.”

I shift my weight between my feet. Across the gym, a heavy bag creaks on its chain.

“She’s funny,” I say eventually. “Half the time I don’t think she means to be. Very polite about everything, then she’ll come out wi’ something that leaves you sitting there wi’ your mouth open.”

Davie calls for a double jab. I land both lightly.

“And?” he prompts.

“She’s good at what she does.”

“Flowers, is it?”

“Aye. She did this photo shoot the other day. She showed me some of the pictures, and even though I didnae know what the fuck I was looking at, I knew it was good.”

Davie lowers the pads a little.

“What?”

“Just trying to imagine you admiring flowers, son.” He grins. “Seems a bit out of character.”

I shake my head and bring my gloves together. “Are we doing this or what?”