He spotted her getting her morning coffee as Moxley decided right outside of the Starbucks was the perfect place to go to the bathroom. She smiled at the barista and made for the door, and he was wishing that the puppy would hurry up. Since the incident with getting locked out of his apartment, Dean had done what he always seemed to do and called it over and done. He didn't take well to an embarrassment like that, and maybe she hadn't thought much of it, but that wasn't the point.
"Hey you,"
"Hey Renee,"
"How's the road to WrestleMania treating you?"
"Eh, not too shabby."
"Still the champ?"
"A champ. Not exactly THE champ."
"Oh, right. Well. Must be busy,"
"Yeah it is, but y'know, story of my life."
"Mhmm, well, once it's over, don't be a stranger."
He smiled at her slightly, but couldn't shake the feeling that if she had even been interested in the first place, she'd gotten over him fast enough. Maybe he was projecting his fears, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to make an idiot out of himself.
"Yeah, I won't."
XXX
April 2013
He was sore from WrestleMania week, but it was worth it to postpone the nap he really, really wanted just to see her. She even bought him a coffee, and for a moment he let himself wonder if maybe to her it was a date, but decided it wasn't. Sipping on her macchiato, she looked around the patio and tightened her coat.
"You cold?" he asked, "we can move in?"
"No that's okay, I'm determined spring has started. I almost got this iced."
"Ready for winter to be over?"
"Beyond ready. So, how was it?"
"Mania? It was great, yeah we had a six-man tag."
"Is that like six men on each side or-"
"Three on each," he chuckled, "six total."
"Got it. You win?"
"We did, actually. What, do you not watch your best friends on the biggest show of the year?"
"It's really expensive!" she laughed.
"You could get the Network, it's $9.99 a month," he teased.
"So $120 a year for something I never use."
"I have it."
"You have it? You work for them!"
"Exactly!"
"Oh my god," she rolled her eyes, "I did hear Nikki and Brie got on the show after all. I know they were worried."
"Yeah that's such a shame, you work hard ya shouldn't have to worry if you'll even maintain your spot on the card. I mean it happens to the best of us, but it's fucked up."
"You've been cut?"
"More times than I can count. Or demoted to the preshow or a dark match, uh, that's like after the cameras go off."
"Gotcha,"
"But your girls have it happen to them a lot actually."
"Must be hard, being a woman in an industry like that."
"I wouldn't know."
Renee laughed but her eyes fluttered to her phone screen as it buzzed. Dean's stomach dropped. She smiled lightly, and then just simply turned it over.
"Who's that?"
"Just uh…a guy."
"New boyfriend."
"No! Definitely not! Just… he's fun."
"Fun is good."
"Yeah, it is. Fun is good."
XXX
August 2013
The summer was a slow time at Renee's work. Sure there was Baseball, but people didn't really get as hyped for that as football or basketball. In Summer Olympic years there was plenty to cover over there, but it would be another 3 years before she covered one of those at this job. So she ended up spending most of the lazier summer taking weekend trips to her friends down the Jersey Shore. It was nice to stretch out on a porch with a cold drink in her hand and a chambray shirt half buttoned over her bathing suit.
"So, boys?" asked Alana, her redheaded best friend.
"Why is that the first thing anyone asks me about?" Renee laughed, half-offended.
"Well, babe, you are nearly 30."
"I am not nearly 30. I'm 28. 29 and 11 months is nearly 30."
"Glad you have your youthful spirit," Brian, Alana's husband said with a slightly nasty laugh.
"Yeah, good thing,"
"I have some friends at the club who might be interested if you want some introductions."
"Thanks, Brian, but I'm not really into guys who play racquetball."
"It's the Racquet Club, it's not a literal racquet club."
"Pass."
"Thanks for offering, though," Alana said, squeezing his hand, and it took everything in Renee's power not to roll her eyes.
"I've been seeing a couple guys."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Chris from my gym, he's fun he's just, honestly he's kind of an airhead. The conversations are less than stimulating."
"But the sex is great?" Alana giggled.
"Oh, obviously."
"Guys!" Brian wrinkled his nose.
"Sorry, he's fun but there's not much there."
"Anyone else?"
"Ehh, the twins were definitely trying to set me up with one of their co-workers."
"A wrestler? Really?"
Renee shrugged, "he lives in Philly."
"The Bellas have to realize eventually that no one else understands or wants to understand their lifestyle," Brian scoffed. "Why would they think you'd want to date a wrestler?"
"I dunno. It is pretty funny."
"It's ridiculous," Alana agreed.
"Right."
XXX
December 2013
Renee hated the cold. It was days like this that made her question why she ever left San Diego. The wind was wiping her hair across her face and the snow made its way down any opening in her jacket. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to get on a plane and go home to the sunny little Californian town where she grew up. But it wasn't in the cards this year. Bowl games had her busy all the way through the holidays. She tried not to think about that, or the ice sliding down her back. From off in the distance, she saw a figure waving towards her as she came up to the front door of the apartment, and she recognized it as Dean and Moxley instantly.
"Merry Christmas," he said as he caught up to her.
She faked a smile, "yeah, merry Christmas,"
"What's wrong?" he asked, carrying Moxley onto the elevator when he wouldn't move fast enough.
"Oh, nothing," she dismissed, "you know the story, not going home for the holidays, woe is me."
"Aw, sorry to hear that. Everything, you know, cool?"
"Yeah, yeah I just have to work basically every day around it and it's a serious plane ride so. It's fine, I'm just gonna get some sushi and watch some movies."
"Oh. You sure?"
"I don't really have a choice," she chuckled, "but uh, enjoy yours."
She left him alone in the elevator as she stepped off on the 4th floor, and could feel his eyes following her all the way until it dinged and the doors shut in front of him.
Christmas night, she was doing just that, scrolling through a sushi menu on her couch. She was stretched out in a pair of leggings, a slouchy sweatshirt thrown over a sports bra. The gym had been empty, that was an upside. On the television, the Grinch was playing, and there seemed to be no shortage of viewing material tonight. She hadn't even sent in her order when a knock came at the door. Confused, she opened it to Dean's smirking face.
He held up a big bag of takeout and grinned, "thought you'd enjoy some company,"
"Hi," she said, stunned, "I thought you'd be home..."
"Nah, my mom just got remarried so they're doin' their own thing. Roman offered but he's got a kid and I'm shit at lying about Santa Clause. Seth too but he's got a new fiancé and they'd probably prefer to be alone so…"
"So you're here?"
"If you let me in," he shrugged. "I mean, what are friends for if not bringing you sushi on Christmas?"
She laughed, "okay, what'd you get?"
"Little bit of everything, wasn't sure if you were an authentic snob or more of a Philly roll type." He put down the bag on her kitchen table and started pulling things out.
"Didn't assume the California girl would go California roll?"
"I try not to jump to conclusions."
She scoffed, making herself a plate of her favorites.
"What?"
"Nothing just… you kind of do. A lot." She slumped down onto her couch and kicked up her feet on the table
"I don't-"
"Literally anytime you see me with a guy,"
He laughed and rolled his eyes as he sat down next to her, a safe distance away.
"I'm invested in your happiness, so sue me."
"You're nosy."
"Same thing really." He shoved an entire sushi roll into his mouth, "so any luck lately?"
Renee laughed, "not even a little. Thinking maybe a break is in order."
"Oh yeah, a break?"
"What, you don't think I can do it?"
"I didn't say that, you said that" he pointed at her with his chopsticks. "Maybe you're projecting."
"yeah, maybe." She took a bite of the California roll from her plate. "What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Any women sticking these days?"
Dean laughed out loud. "Nah, nah I don't really date."
"At all? I'd think girls would be lining up to get a piece of the United States Champion."
"Oh they are," he smirked, "but uh, it's hard, you know, being on the road all the time. Some dudes pull it off, but you really gotta be cool with not seeing her again."
"That not your style?"
He shrugged, "it's a lot of work, the chase. I need a little more consistency than that."
"Hmm. Well then here's to not dating."
"Cheers."
"So no siblings?"
"Brother, haven't talked to him in a while."
"What's a while?"
"Almost a year, my mom's wedding. Even then things were…testy."
"What happened?"
He let out a long sigh,
"Sorry, just curious. You don't have to answer that."
"It's a long story."
"You don't have to-"
"He's always blamed me for leaving when things got tough. We were supposed to be in this together, right? But I had other plans, and he never forgave me."
"How old were you?"
"Eighteen. I knew I was nearly there with starting my career, and he's older than me, I thought he could handle it all on his own. I guess I was wrong"
"And your parents?"
"Dad split when were kids, Mom was always kinda flighty. I put it all into wrestling but Nate didn't have that. All he had was us, me."
"Sorry,"
Dean shook his head, "nah it's what it is, I've tried to make things right but, something else always comes up with us."
"That must be hard."
"Yeah well," he shrugged, "just means that holidays aren't really my thing. I've always found them kinda lame."
"Oh," she laughed nervously.
"But uh, this is alright. I like sushi."
"Better than ham?"
"Depends on who's making it."
"Well I'm a terrible cook,"
"Ah well, then definitely." He picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels, looking for a new movie to watch.
"Hey Dean?"
"Hey Renee."
"Thanks,"
He looked over to her, his eyes blue-green still and calm.
"Yeah, no problem."
XXX
June 2014
That fucking asshole. That stupid, shortsighted, selfish, moron of a man. Dean collapsed down onto the hotel bed. Not too long ago, before the fame, before the championships, before the money, that he would've played rock-paper-scissors in a room just like this one to decide who had to share. They had to put on that manly front, but actually, he didn't mind it that much. Roman and Seth were his best friends after all, and it made him feel like the childhood camp memories he never made to nudge Seth in the middle of the night to make fun of his hair. But that was gone now. Seth had made his decision, a right stupid decision, but Dean couldn't change it. And now he was all alone.
From the pocket of his sweatpants, his phone began to buzz. Her face popped up, a picture they'd taken when he'd invited her to a Flyer's game with a couple of his buddies.
"Tell me your heat's not broken this time," he teased as he picked it up.
"What?" Renee asked, confused.
"Because it's uh…it's June. Never mind. What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to see how you were."
"How am I?"
"Yeah, I saw what happened tonight, was that real? I know you guys drum things up sometimes…"
"No, no it was real," he sighed, "I'm fine, my back's a little sore-"
"Dean,"
"Renee," he chuckled, "I appreciate what you're trying to do, you're a good friend. But you gotta know that's the last thing I wanna talk about right now."
"Okay, what do you wanna talk about?"
"I dunno. What'd you do today?"
"Uh we had our early morning show for the Monday commuters. Had the Philly Phanatic on…"
"Oh that sounds…fun."
"It was awful."
"Yeah," he laughed, "sorry,"
"No, it was a funny kind of awful. I've been promised better guests in the fall."
"God I hope so, it's been getting unbearable to listen to."
"You listen to my radio show?"
"You watch my TV show."
"Yeah, it's almost as if we're real friends who actually support each other."
"Friends?" his stomach dropped a bit, but he laughed it off, "what's that?"
"It's like drinking buddies but you actually care about each other's feelings."
"Weird. But I suppose I could make it work."
She chuckled and for the first time that night, he smiled, "good."
"Yeah, good."
"Listen, this was nice and all, but I'm beat."
"Right, no, of course, goodnight."
"We'll catch up when I get back."
"Okay, definitely."
"Bye, friend." Part of that felt sour in his mouth, but another part of it was warm, familiar.
"Bye, Dean."