chatty and not really his type – Maria was quieter, more contemplative, and obviously intelligent.
And now? He observed Maria as she tried to figure out whether she wanted to stay or go, continue the conversation or say good-bye. He said nothing, giving her room to make her own decision. Instead, he concentrated on the feel of the breeze and the sound of the waves. Staring down the pier, he noticed that most of the people who’d been fishing had cleared out; those who still remained were packing up their gear or cleaning their catch.
Maria leaned a little farther over the railing. The darkening sky cast her face in shadow, making her appear mysterious, unknowable. He watched as she drew a long breath.
“What other things?” she finally asked. Colin smiled inwardly.
“As much as I enjoy working out, there are times when I’m just not in the mood. But knowing that I have a match coming up, and knowing I have to train for it, gets me off the couch and into the gym.”
“Every day?”
He nodded. “Usually two or three different sessions. It takes a lot of time.”
“What do you do?”
“Almost anything,” he said with a shrug. “A big chunk of my training is centered around striking and grappling, but after that, I try to mix it up as much as I can. I do Olympic and heavy lifting, but I’ll also do spin classes, yoga, kayaking, circuit work, running, rope climbs, stairs, plyometrics, body-weight exercises, whatever. As long as I can break a sweat, I’m happy.”
“You do yoga?”
“It’s not only good for flexibility and balance, but it’s great for me mentally. It’s like meditating.” He nodded at the water, burnished red-gold in the last rays of the sun. “Kind of like being out here after a shift.”
She squinted at him. “You don’t look like a guy who does yoga. Guys who do yoga are…”
He finished for her. “Skinny? Bearded? Into things like incense and beads?”
She laughed. “I was going to say they’re usually not into violence.”
“Neither am I. Not anymore. Obviously, injuries can happen during one of my fights, but I don’t necessarily want to hurt anyone. I just want to win.”
“Don’t the two go together?”
“Sometimes, but not always. If you get your opponents in the right submission hold, they’ll tap out and walk away good as new.”
She twirled the bracelet on her wrist. “Is it scary? Walking into that cage?”
“If you’re scared, you probably shouldn’t be getting into the ring in the first place. For me, it’s more of a rush that gets the adrenaline flowing. The key is to keep the adrenaline under control.”
He began reeling in his line.
“I take it you’re pretty good.”
“I’m all right for an amateur, but I’d struggle in the pros. Some of those guys were NCAA-level wrestlers or Olympic boxers, and they’re out of my league. But I’m fine with that. It’s not my dream to go pro – it’s just something to do until I graduate. When the time comes, I’ll be ready to walk away.”
Instead of casting again, he fastened the hook and lure to the pole, then tightened the line. “And besides, teaching and cage fighting don’t exactly mesh. I’d probably scare the little kids like I scared you.”
“Little kids?”
“I want to teach third grade,” he said. He bent over, reaching for his tackle box. “It’s getting dark,” he added. “You ready to head back? Or would you like to stay out here a bit longer?”
“We can go,” she said. As Colin set the pole on his shoulder, she noted the restaurants lit from within, lines of people already forming at the doors, the faint strains of music filling the air. “It’s starting to get crowded down here.”
“That’s why I asked to work the day shift. It’ll be a zoo on the rooftop tonight.”
“Good for tips, no?”
“Not worth the aggravation. Too many college kids.”
She laughed, the sound warm and melodic. They began to retrace the steps they’d taken earlier, neither
And now? He observed Maria as she tried to figure out whether she wanted to stay or go, continue the conversation or say good-bye. He said nothing, giving her room to make her own decision. Instead, he concentrated on the feel of the breeze and the sound of the waves. Staring down the pier, he noticed that most of the people who’d been fishing had cleared out; those who still remained were packing up their gear or cleaning their catch.
Maria leaned a little farther over the railing. The darkening sky cast her face in shadow, making her appear mysterious, unknowable. He watched as she drew a long breath.
“What other things?” she finally asked. Colin smiled inwardly.
“As much as I enjoy working out, there are times when I’m just not in the mood. But knowing that I have a match coming up, and knowing I have to train for it, gets me off the couch and into the gym.”
“Every day?”
He nodded. “Usually two or three different sessions. It takes a lot of time.”
“What do you do?”
“Almost anything,” he said with a shrug. “A big chunk of my training is centered around striking and grappling, but after that, I try to mix it up as much as I can. I do Olympic and heavy lifting, but I’ll also do spin classes, yoga, kayaking, circuit work, running, rope climbs, stairs, plyometrics, body-weight exercises, whatever. As long as I can break a sweat, I’m happy.”
“You do yoga?”
“It’s not only good for flexibility and balance, but it’s great for me mentally. It’s like meditating.” He nodded at the water, burnished red-gold in the last rays of the sun. “Kind of like being out here after a shift.”
She squinted at him. “You don’t look like a guy who does yoga. Guys who do yoga are…”
He finished for her. “Skinny? Bearded? Into things like incense and beads?”
She laughed. “I was going to say they’re usually not into violence.”
“Neither am I. Not anymore. Obviously, injuries can happen during one of my fights, but I don’t necessarily want to hurt anyone. I just want to win.”
“Don’t the two go together?”
“Sometimes, but not always. If you get your opponents in the right submission hold, they’ll tap out and walk away good as new.”
She twirled the bracelet on her wrist. “Is it scary? Walking into that cage?”
“If you’re scared, you probably shouldn’t be getting into the ring in the first place. For me, it’s more of a rush that gets the adrenaline flowing. The key is to keep the adrenaline under control.”
He began reeling in his line.
“I take it you’re pretty good.”
“I’m all right for an amateur, but I’d struggle in the pros. Some of those guys were NCAA-level wrestlers or Olympic boxers, and they’re out of my league. But I’m fine with that. It’s not my dream to go pro – it’s just something to do until I graduate. When the time comes, I’ll be ready to walk away.”
Instead of casting again, he fastened the hook and lure to the pole, then tightened the line. “And besides, teaching and cage fighting don’t exactly mesh. I’d probably scare the little kids like I scared you.”
“Little kids?”
“I want to teach third grade,” he said. He bent over, reaching for his tackle box. “It’s getting dark,” he added. “You ready to head back? Or would you like to stay out here a bit longer?”
“We can go,” she said. As Colin set the pole on his shoulder, she noted the restaurants lit from within, lines of people already forming at the doors, the faint strains of music filling the air. “It’s starting to get crowded down here.”
“That’s why I asked to work the day shift. It’ll be a zoo on the rooftop tonight.”
“Good for tips, no?”
“Not worth the aggravation. Too many college kids.”
She laughed, the sound warm and melodic. They began to retrace the steps they’d taken earlier, neither
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