Lass Ride: Changing Gears

Chapter 1

Becky's memories of Florida were mostly fond ones: warm weather, good friends, getting back into wrestling after being away from it for so long. The weather was still great and she was with Naomi and the Usos, so she had good friends too, but the cherished memories now felt bittersweet. Florida was where she had first met Charlotte and Bayley and Sasha, and she hadn't seen them in person for months. Along with Dean and Seth and Roman, the rest of the Four Horsewomen called as often as they could and texted so often that Becky had to delete message threads at least twice a week, but it wasn't the same as being with her friends in person.

Even watching the easy, teasing camaraderie between Naomi and Jimmy and Jey could make Becky tear up, but she was determined to have a good time. Hunter had okayed a week off for them in January, and since Becky had just gone home to Ireland for Christmas, she wasn't sure what to do with her time off. Visiting her friends on the indie circuit would have been her first choice, but she knew Hunter would be watching for that. Any transgression on her part would scupper not only her tentative contract with the WWE, but also the deal she had arranged for her friends that let them use their former names and personas. If the risk had been for her alone, Becky might have chanced it. There had been plenty of bleak days and desperate nights where she wanted nothing more than to hug Charlotte or kiss Seth or get advice from Roman. But since her behaviour determined their future opportunities, she had to be more cautious. She had managed to sneak in to a couple of their indie events, but otherwise their interactions had been purely electronic.

When Naomi had invited her down to Florida, saying Jimmy and Jey wanted to check out a new property they had bought together, Becky figured it was as good a distraction as any and so far she wasn't wrong. The Usos kept her spirits up with humour and Naomi had always been a great friend. "You know we got a big family," Jey was saying as he unlocked the gate that guarded what looked like an old Spanish-style villa. "So we wanted a place where we could all be together, you know? For holidays, get-togethers, all that."

"It made more sense to buy something and fix it up," Jimmy continued, "than keep renting half a hotel at a time, right? And it's got a courtyard with a pool, so we can throw stuff from balcony to balcony, floor to floor. It's going to be wicked."

"It was originally a private residence," Naomi explained, arm looped around Becky's waist. "But the last owners turned it into a hotel, which is kind of perfect, because it means it's already divided up into suites. We just have to install kitchenettes in each suite and then they'll be self-contained." Bumping shoulders with Becky, she winked and added, "And I get my own suite for when I can't stand my guy, so whenever you're in the area, you're welcome to use it. All you have to do is ask and I'll set you up."

"Thanks." Becky kept craning her neck to admire the architecture as they entered the courtyard area. The building looked like it was in good condition for the most part; any repairs to the outside would be mostly cosmetic. Peeking into the window of a suite without curtains, it looked like the same could be said for the rooms: the decor was a bit outdated, but still serviceable. And who doesn't love the 80s? Becky thought as she saw some particularly bright wallpaper. The whole place had a relaxing vibe, and the pool looked so inviting that she wanted to dump her bag on a lounge chair and jump right in, clothes and all. "This place is going to be amazing. It already looks great. You can't have too much work to do."

Jey shook his head. "Nah, not really. Updating bathrooms for sure. Installing the kitchenettes in each suite. Upgrading the elevator. Deciding to do with the old common areas, like the dining room and the big kitchen. Actually, those might stay. The family's big enough to make use of them."

Jimmy slid his hands in his pockets and nodded, winking at his twin. "Yeah. And they still work, more or less, so it's good enough for all of us now."