Kaylin Tenay has been around wrestling her entire life. That is what happens when your father is a broadcaster for nationally televised wrestling promotions. After an incident involving an up-and-coming wrestler she vowed to not get attached to anyone else in the business. Can an unexpected meeting with a wrestler change her mind? Or will it bring back painful memories of a past she'd rather forget?
Disclaimer: I own no one but Kaylin.
"C'mon, where are you?" Kaylin Tenay whispered to herself as she sat in the far corner of a bar in Detroit, Michigan. She was supposed to be meeting her friend, Savannah, to discuss a project they were working on, but she was already 20 minutes late. She decided to give her another 10 minutes before she left the bar, but even 10 more minutes didn't settle the nerves she felt.
It was her first week in the city and the idea of meeting at any bar in the Detroit area after 7:00 p.m. made her a little nervous. She checked her phone again hoping to find a message, but was disappointed when there was nothing. It wasn't like Savannah to not at least call if she was going to be late.
"Ahem…" Kaylin jumped at the sound of someone clearing their throat next to her. She looked up to see a brown-haired man smiling at her. He looked familiar, but she wasn't quite sure if she knew why. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The man said offering an apology for the apparent heart attack he had caused.
"No, it's okay. I was in my own world. Have you been standing there long?" She hoped he would say no, but luck probably wasn't on her side tonight.
"It was only a minute or so. I said excuse me, but you obviously didn't hear me." Kaylin could feel her cheeks redden.
"I am so sorry. Sometimes…I really have no excuse. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. I was just wondering if this seat was taken." He pointed at the chair across from her. She looked at the chair, then the door, and then back to the man still standing next to her.
"I was waiting for my friend, but…"
"Got it." He said before she could invite him to sit.
"No, I don't think you do. Please sit." She said pointing towards the chair. He smiled and sat down across the table from her. She couldn't help but feel weak when he smiled…it was a good one. "I was meeting a friend to discuss this center that we are trying to open, but she is…" Before she could finish her sentence her cell phone rang. She checked her message quickly before continuing. "But apparently her son just got sick and the babysitter can't handle it."
"So, I suppose you are gonna leave now." A part of Kaylin wanted to say yes because she didn't want to walk to her car too late by herself, but a bigger part wanted to stay and talk to the cute guy in front of her. He looked so familiar, but she just couldn't place why.
"I don't really want to waste the drink I just bought, so I have to stay to finish it." The smile reappeared on the man's face.
"My name's Alex, by the way." As soon as he said it she remembered why she knew him. He was a wrestler with the company that her father worked for. In fact, he was one-half of the tag team champion Motor City Machine Guns (her favorite tag-team). He looked a little different than he did on TV.
"Kaylin…it's nice to meet you Alex."
"So, did you just move to the Detroit area?"
"Yea, I moved from Minnesota. My friend and I are opening a center for homeless children and young adults."
"Where are you opening this center?"
"I am not quite sure. I am living in Plymouth right now, so we are looking into opening it in Canton."
"I agree." She looked at him skeptically. He didn't know anything about her or the center and he was agreeing.
"But you don't know where the other places are."
"True, but I've been to Canton and it would be a good place. Plus it isn't too far from Plymouth. So you live in Plymouth too?"
"Too?"
"Yea, I've lived in Plymouth since I was little."
"Well, that changes everything."
"What's that mean?" Kaylin laughed at Alex's expression.
"It means that I might have to really consider starting the center in Canton."
"Got it. So what got you into this?"
"Um, I was working in Minnesota and saw a lot of children didn't have a place to stay and started a homeless center for them. It was a small one, but it turned out pretty well. So I talked with my friend here in the Detroit area and she said she'd help me get it started."
"That's cool."
"Yea, I hope it goes as smoothly as the one in Minnesota did."
"Is that where you are originally from?"
"No, I was born and raised in Las Vegas, but it was where I went to college."
"Why would you go to Minnesota for college after living in Las Vegas?" This was a question she got asked a lot, especially people from Minnesota.
"I was going to go to Florida, but then some things changed my mind and I decided to try something completely new."
"That makes sense."
"What about you? Have you always lived in Detroit?"
"In the Detroit area, but I travel a lot." Kaylin knew exactly how much travelling he did, but she wasn't ready to let him know how much she actually knew.
"That's cool! Where have you been?" Alex sat for a few seconds before answering.
"Um, quite a few states in the U.S, Japan, England, Dubai, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia…" he paused letting all the places he mentioned sink in her mind.
"Wow, that is amazing! And your favorite place would be?"
"Definitely Japan. I have been there a few times and I absolutely love the style of wrestling, the fans, and just the country itself is amazing."
"How many is a few?"
"Over a dozen…I think."
"Wow!" That was the only word that Kaylin could think of. "What sort of job do you have that lets you travel like that?"
"Alex!" They turned around at the sound of a friend of his walking over. "You win…here." The guy said handing him a 20 dollar bill. Kaylin was really confused by the exchange. "Can we go now?" Kaylin glanced at Alex and saw a slight redness in his cheeks.
"I'm talking Brian. I'll catch up with you later."
"Are you serious Alex?" Alex looked at Kaylin and smiled.
"Yea, I'm serious. I'll see you later."
"Whatever!" The guy said pushing away from the table in a huff. He walked out the door followed by a few more guys.
"I'm sorry." Alex said turning back to Kaylin.
"For what?" She asked the question, but deep down she didn't want to know the actual truth.
"I guess I haven't been completely honest with you. My friend and I made a bet that you wouldn't talk to me."
"A bet?" She felt disappointed that he hadn't actually wanted to talk to her.
"I'm sorry."
"You already said that, but don't be. I get it. I'm glad I could help you win 20 bucks."
"You don't get it."
"What do you mean?"
"The only reason he made the bet in the first place was because I had been staring at you since you got here. And he figured a girl that looks like you would NEVER talk to a guy like me." She didn't like the tone of his voice.
"Do I look that bitchy?"
"I meant that girls as beautiful as you don't normally talk to random guys that come up to them in bars." Even those words didn't seem to come out right. "No, you don't look bitchy at all." The conversation stalled for a minute before Alex spoke up. He couldn't believe he was actually going to let the words come out of his mouth. "Would you like to go out for dinner tomorrow night? I just won a bet and now have some spending cash." There was a moment of silence that ripped through his heart. He couldn't believe that he had just made it sound like he thought she was a bitch and now he was asking her out. He wouldn't even blame her if she said no.
Kaylin thought for a minute about the situation that had just taken place. She wasn't sure how to react to the statements that had just been made, but this guy made her feel relaxed. It helped that she knew that her father could find a lot of guys to kick Alex's ass if he hurt her in any way. She finally smiled and watched as Alex let out the breath that he was holding.
"I would like that." Alex smiled back. He was glad that she had agreed to see him again.
"Do you know where Tony's Pizza Parlor is?"
"Yea, I actually don't live too far from there."
"Okay, how about meeting there at 7:00 tomorrow night?"
"Sounds perfect." Kaylin finished her drink and stood up. Alex followed suit and then walked with her to her car. "Thanks Alex."
"For what?"
"Thank you for walking me out to my car. I was a little nervous."
"Oh, it was my pleasure. Thanks for the company." Kaylin smiled and started her car.
"See you tomorrow Alex." She said before shutting the door and pulling out of the parking space. She drove off leaving Alex feeling the happiest he had in a long time.
"See you tomorrow beautiful girl."