Chapter 39
Summer
Sunday morning, we're all up early. Alex is already back, with platters of eggs, toast, coffee, tea, and meats delivered. “How was the social?” I ask Alex as I sip my tea.
“Fine. Reesa’s sister is refusing all the escorts her parents have suggested, and the ball is soon, so there is tension. She is definitely a free spirit.”
“What happens if she doesn’t have an escort?”
“I am not sure. There has never been a debutante without an escort that I know of.”
“Huh. Does she even want to be a debutante?”
“I believe so. She has taken part in everything so far without complaint, with many of her friends.” He sips his coffee.
“Well, I hope it works out for her,” I say.
The guys trickle into the room, filling plates and mugs.
We finish breakfast and gather our bags.
Alex is checking out before driving to the venue, so I wait with him at reception, then hop into his SUV to drive to the arena.
When we get inside the building, I give Nick a kiss on the cheek and wish him good luck before following the guys up to our seats.
Since Ceres isn’t around, he must be with Neve.
Simultaneous first fights follow the drawing of names to pair the fighters.
Nick is in the center cage this morning and has a short opponent.
He’s really skilled, but just can’t match Nick’s size and strength.
Because of his speed, Nick isn’t able to pin him, but he knocks him out in round three with a well-placed punch.
One of the other matches has ended, but the other two go the full five rounds and require the judges’ call to determine winners. With four fighters left, we face a ninety minute wait before the semi-finals begin.
Bay and I show the guys our two campsite choices for Labor Day weekend, and I busy myself making lists and plans for the trip.
We decide on a campground with a lake and hiking trails a few hours from Charleston.
None of us have tents, but we have enough air mattresses and sleeping bags for everyone.
Alex’s summer house gives us folding chairs, the canopy, bbq, and tables.
He has fishing gear, flashlights, first-aid kits, and other small items, too.
So, other than tents and food, we seem to have what we need.
We stop planning to watch the semifinals.
Nick is off to the right this time. Markus is talking to him by the cage, but his focus is on his opponent, who’s warming up.
He looks to be a few inches shorter than Nick, with long, lean muscles.
He has a coach beside him as well, giving him advice. We rise when the matches are announced.
“Go, Nick,” I holler. He makes fleeting eye contact with me before entering the cage.
Both matches start simultaneously as I zone in on the right cage.
The two fighters trade a few tentative punches before Nick’s opponent launches an offensive.
Using his opponent’s momentum against him, Nick successfully blocks the swings and kicks, landing a couple of jabs. Round two and three go similarly.
Nick changes his strategy in the fourth round, immediately adopting an offensive approach.
He briefly holds his opponent in a headlock, but he can’t maintain his grip.
He lands several kicks afterwards, though.
As he grabs some water to prepare for the final round, he bends down to talk to Markus.
He’s not breathing heavily, despite working hard.
I scan the left cage to see both fighters are still going as well.
His opponent charges at the start of round five, and the fight explodes into a whirlwind of punches and blocks.
As the bell rings, I squeeze Seb’s hand, waiting for the judge’s call.
They announce a large man from the left cage as the winner, preceding Nick’s victory announcement.
We holler as I bounce up and down, cheering for Nick.
He looks up and smirks before heading to his bench.
“Okay, where are we eating?” Seb asks.
“There’s a new restaurant I’d like to try since we have time,” E comments.
I text Nick asking what he wants to eat, but he doesn’t respond right away and I can’t see him anywhere.
My phone dings as we walk out into the front hall.
Reading the text, I tell the guys Nick is joining us.
He finds us a few minutes later, freshly showered.
We file into Alex’s SUV as E directs him to the restaurant. “Needed a break?” I ask Nick.
“Yeah. My next opponent is a prick. Need to clear my head.”
“Okay. I can listen, talk about our camping trip, or just stay quiet. It's your choice,” I say.
Nick looks at me, and I wait patiently for his response. “Camping,” he replies, so I pull out my phone to show him the campsite, amenities, and my lists.
“There are plenty of trails for running and hiking, and you can fish. There are boat and kayak rentals too. Do any of you know how to drive a boat?” I ask.
“Alex does,” Bay says, turning to face us. “His family has a few boats.”
“Oh good. That makes things easy. So, do we want one tent, three, or six?”
“E and I can share,” Seb offers. “I’d say three unless you want your own Sunshine,” Seb says, joining the conversation.
“Three will do, I think. Nick, are you okay sharing?”
“Yeah,” he nods.
“Okay great. So, all we need to buy are the tents and food. I’ll help E with the food when the time comes. Everyone keep an eye out for tents. Is there anything you think we’ll need?” I ask Nick.
“Bug repellent, extra batteries, camp lanterns, phone battery backups, portable shower, hammock, and a clothesline,” he replies.
“Wow. Let me add all of that to my list. If you guys think of anything else, let me know. We still have plenty of time before the trip.”
“Sounds good, Sunshine. So what plans do we have for August besides work?” Seb asks.
“I’ve got the track meet for three days during the last weekend of the month, and I’ll have a bunch of preserving to do from the garden,” I reply.
“Nothing on my end,” Seb says. E wants to help with the garden, and Alex still has debutante duties. Nick just grunts.
“I would like to go to a drive-in movie this summer,” Bay says as Seb gives him a big smile. Curious.
“Is there one nearby? We had one in Virginia. I remember going several times with my mom and Lily bee growing up. It was fun.”
“There’s one north of Charleston. You and Bay should go, Sunshine,” Seb says.
I look over at Bay and see a blush on his cheeks. “We should Bay. It’ll be fun.”
“Good,” he smiles shyly at me. “Let me know which night we both have free, and I’ll get tickets.”
Alex pulls into a parking lot, and a trendy-looking restaurant greets us. Nick puts a hand on my lower back as we head inside. It’s not busy, so we’re seated right away. “What’s the deal with this place, E?” I ask.
“The restaurant just opened Friday, and the chef is supposed to be fantastic. He’s worked at several Michelin star restaurants. Shall we get a few sampler platters to try everything?”
We all agree as the server comes over for our drink orders and E requests several platters of food.
The guys chat about the tournament and work while we wait.
Platters are quickly delivered, and we pass them around the table to grab what we want.
The dishes seem to be gastro-fusion creations.
The food is good, but insufficient, so the guys order more, but the portions are too small even with the full entrees. “What do you think, E?” I ask.
“Really nice food, but they need more courses or options. It’s not filling enough. Maybe have each meal come with an appetizer and salad or dessert?”
“It would be great snack food if you were just out for drinks,” I reply.
“True,” E agrees.
Once everyone is done, we pay and drive back to the venue for the final match.
When we get inside, I pull Nick aside. “I’m very proud of you, Grumpy.
Kick ass in there, but no matter the outcome, you’ve done exceptionally well this weekend,” I say, kissing his cheek, then catch up with Seb, who’s waiting for me by the doors.
“You’ve stunned him into silence, Sunshine,” Seb whispers as I look back. Nick is still standing where I left him. I smile, and he shakes his head as we walk into the arena. “What did you say to him?”
“Just that I was proud of him and he’s done great this weekend,” I shrug.
Seb puts his arm over my shoulder and gives me a side hug. “Aww, that’s sweet.”
“By the way. Why were you beaming at Bay about the drive-in?”
“I might’ve encouraged him to ask you out since he told me he was crazy about you.”
“What about the poly thing?”
“I’ve mentioned it in conversation, but not that we’re testing the waters. I’d never say anything about us unless I had your blessing.”
“Well, we have to tell him before I go out with him if he thinks it’s a date, Hurry.”
“He’s in no rush to get into a relationship, I know that much, but you’re right. I’ll find out if it’s a date or friend thing, and we’ll go from there.”
We have a 40 minute wait until the match, so I text with Sue and people watch.
There’s still a decent crowd, with most sitting on the opposite side of the arena from us.
There’s a serious looking group of people off to our left that I’ve noticed during the weekend, but not all together before.
“Alex, do you know who those people are?” I ask, pointing to my left.
“I believe they are sponsors and scouts.”
“Oh. Is Nick interested in going pro?”
“I am not sure. He was approached two years ago but declined.”
“That’s pretty young for MMA, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but they saw his talent at 16 and wanted to sponsor his training. Now that he is 18, they would look at him to go pro.”
“Amazing,” I reply.