NASH
“How did Jaden get a hold of you?” The boy was bull-headed, but it obviously works for him.
“He DM’d me on Instagram.” She laughed. “I kind of liked that he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“I didn’t think it would be cool of me to give out a teammate’s number. You never know what kind of crazies are out there.” We watch Wyatt and Jaden pull one crawfish out of the pot to taste test the spice. “Jaden is a good guy, though. I wouldn’t scare any of my friends away from him if they were interested.”
She gives me a shy glance. “I might be.” I teasingly bump her shoulder with my arm.
“I would love to have you in the stands with me cheering the boys on. Especially now that I’m state-side, I’ll be able to go to way more games.”
“Well, now that you’re officially dating, I’d imagine you’d go to as many games as possible.”
“It’s a blessing and a curse that football and volleyball season are at completely different times. The downside isthere’s only like two months a year where neither of us are in season.”
“You’re going to have to be flexible. That’s for sure.”
“Right now, I’m most concerned about our season and making sure there’s a team to play for next year, and the year after that.”
“It shows in how you play.”
“I just don’t understand why volleyball hasn’t gotten big here like it has in so many other countries. What is it that hockey, football, baseball, and basketball have that we don’t? It’s fast-paced, it’s action-packed.” I pause, thinking. “Is it the lack of contact? That can’t be it. Baseball isn’t a contact sport.”
“Women’s sports have always had to fight harder for recognition. I think now’s a great time for us to go big, though. The WNBA is in their prime with their new draft class. They’ve proven that women’s sportscangarner the views.”
“We have to find a way to get a piece of that.” I look out over the party, teeming with athletes and their wives who are the new influencers. “For people to pay attention to us when it’s not Olympic sand volleyball.”
“We’re going to make it, Nash. We’re starting to put it all together.” We better. Or I’d better get my resume polished for the first time since high school.
The boys make their way back to us and I can’t help but look over at Wyatt while he walks, he’s got on a fishing-style shirt, billowing in the wind, blowing the floppy part of his hair around as he runs his hand through it while talking animatedly to Jaden. I get to have my best friend here. I want him to stay in Texas. I want him to embrace it. Maybe even love it for however long he stays with the Hurricanes.
Traditionally, crawfish are eaten standing up. When Jaden approaches the newspaper-covered table with the metalboiling basket, I whip out my phone to take a video. This is my favorite part of a crawfish boil. I hit record as he tips the basket over and thirty pounds of crawfish plus potatoes, garlic, corn, sausage, and mushrooms pour steaming onto the table. No plates, no utensils, just crackers for the garlic, which gets creamy and delicious from being boiled with Cajun seasonings.
Everybody digs in immediately, picking up one crawfish and beginning to disassemble it, or using their arm to sweep a small pile toward them. I take a potato and a corn for myself. The corn soaks up more spice than anything else in the pot. It’ll set your mouth on fire, and I’m eager for the burn. I look at Wyatt standing still next to me. He’s staring blankly at the crawdad in his hand.
“Like this,” I say, taking the tail in one hand and twisting it away from the body. He mimics me with his own. I peel a few shell segments back to reveal more of the meat. “Now pinch the tail and pull the meat out.” Mine wiggles free and I show him the little piece of meat.
His eyes go wide. “That’s it?” He takes in the huge pile in front of him. “I’m going to have to eat like a million of these.”
“This is a social meal; you’re not supposed to get full on them. Eat more corn and potatoes. If you’re still hungry later, we can pick something up.”
“What now?”
“Now, youcaneat it, but I don’t like the idea of eating shit, so I peel off the mud vein. That’s controversial, though—true Cajuns eat it all.” I discard the grossness and pop the clean tail in my mouth. I pick up the body and put it to my lips. “I do suck the head, though.”
My gaze meets Wyatt’s as I pull the juices from the chest of the crustacean. When I discard it, my lips glisten with spices,and I lick them clean. Wyatt’s pupils blow wide, and he quickly looks away. “Show me again.”
I pick up another and start the process over.
Wyatt downs three more potatoes, and I tease him when he tries the corn and has to start gulping beer. “I forgot the only spice they use in Wisconsin is black pepper!” I pat him on his back as he coughs up the spice. That shit tickles the throat. “You poor thing. Thank God you’re here to learn what good food really is.”
He throws a crawfish shell at me. “What would I do without you?”
I can’t help myself as I say to him, “It’s a good thing you don’t have to find out, dear boyfriend.”
Chapter Thirty-One
WYATT