Tristan asked me to meet him at the diner because there was something important he wanted to share with me.

He slid in the booth about five minutes later than the original time we were supposed to meet.

"Sorry, Aunt Sofie held me up a little."

I gasped lightly in excitement, "How is she?"

"She's good, she asked about you before I left. Oh and she was very insistent that I tell you if you need a summer job, then she wants you at the bakery with her."

"Aw no way! Is she joking? Because I would absolutely take that offer up in a heartbeat." I said genuinely.

"No she was very serious... and kind of threatening."

I put my hand over my heart. Like I said, sweetest soul alive. I took a moment to appreciate this and then asked Tristan what he wanted to talk to me about.

"I sat down with Tate last night and we did the numbers."

"What numbers?" I asked, leaning forward in my seat and ready to listen.

"The amount of my money my father owed Lachlan. And I'm almost done."

"Wait really? Does that mean you don't have to fight for much longer?"

"If I throw in an extra fight on Sunday nights, I can be done in exactly two weeks time."

"Extra fights?" I asked nervously, "What happens if you get hurt during one of these extra fights?"

"Then I get hurt and it takes me more time. But we're thinking positive thoughts here Adelaide." he said while nodding his head slowly.

I matched his head nod with my own, "No, you're right. It'll be fine and you'll be done in two weeks time"

And then I thought of something I never even bothered to ask him before. "Tristan..." I hesitated, "why do you let him force you to fight?"

He ran a hand through his hair and a dark look shadowed over his expression before looking back up at me, "Like I said Ada, these people aren't good people. Lachlan isn't a good person, and he can easily use the people I care about against me. He hasn't done it and I don't need to give him a reason to."

I nodded my head in understanding. "You are really good at it though. Is there any part of it that you actually enjoy?"

He shook his head at that, "just because I'm good at it doesn't mean I enjoy it." and then after a moment of thought he added, "I don't know, maybe if it wasn't so forced into my life I might have."

I sensed there was something tense in his voice and it was upsetting to hear. "I'm sorry that you had no choice. I wish there was something I can do to help you." I said suddenly feeling hopeless. I reached across the small table and placed my hand on top of his.

He looked intently into my eyes before he flipped his hand over and caught my hand in a snug grip, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.

"You do help Ada," he said, "without even trying. You just had to be there, and you have been, even when I tried to push you away." The genuine tone in his words made my heart skip a beat and I felt my cheeks warm slightly.

"Are you deliberately trying to make me blush?" I asked in embarrassment, trying to hide my face with my shoulders while my hand was still in his.

"Nah, that's just a bonus." He replied casually.

A laugh slipped out of my mouth and then the moment was interrupted as someone slid into the booth with us.

"What are you doing here Tate?" Tristan asked, his voice laced with an annoyed undertone.

"I'm actually here to talk to you." He looked straight at me.

"Good to see you Tate, but why?" I asked slowly.

"Braedon Beck, the brother that has less humor. I asked around about him from his other fighting locations, the dudes undefeated."

"Undefeated? I had no idea he was even good."

"Yeah he's better than good. This man is a star in the making. He was recruited to this location."

"Recruited by who?" Tristan asked.

"Take a wild guess."

Lachlan, I thought, and Tate confirmed it out loud.

"So he's willingly fighting for the piece of shit." Tristan noted.

"Yeah man, and rumor has it that he wants you to fight Braedon in the ring."

"Well that's not happening. I already have all my scheduled fights and then I'm done."

"Wait, Tristan, you did talk to him about this didn't you? Lachlan knows that you're almost cashed out or whatever?" I asked him.

"He's going to when I talk to him about it tonight. Don't worry." He assured me.

"Yeah and I'll be there for moral support." Tate said with a sparkling grin on his face as he threw an arm around Tristan's shoulder.

"Very assuring." I mumbled under my breath and neither of them heard me.

The waiter came with our milkshakes and Tate ordered a box a fries. I guess he was officially inviting himself to our table. The milkshake and fry combination made me think of him and Leah, which led to my next question.

"So anyway, what got you so creative with your date night ideas? I heard your taking Leah to a drive-in."

I took a sip of my milkshake as he answered, "All up here." He tapped his head.

"I basically gave him the idea." Tristan said to me.

Tate immediately corrected himself, "all right here," and gave Tristan a big slap on the shoulder.

And that gave me a mushy feeling on the inside, because who knew grumpy could be so romantic?

"Help me out though Adelaide, what is Leah's favorite flower?"

"A rose. She gets annoyed when people tell her that's basic, but it's her middle name."

"Wait basic or rose?"

Tristan snorted and I stayed silent in hopes he could answer that one for himself. I swear, sometimes I felt that him and Carson were on the same level of crack.

✨Authors Note✨

So I completed the official "outline" for this story, and IF everything goes how I planned, this story will have a total of 34 chapters!

Which means the climax may be soon approaching...........

Anyway thanks for reading, I appreciate you all! See you in the next update