Page 12 of NYE in The Cayman Islands

“So, boys, tell us your names and what college you’re at, because you don’t look old enough to be out of diapers yet.” I wink at Bella who looks to be finally relaxing and having fun.

“Oh, you’re fucking hilarious,” one of them replies but then continues. “This is Ken, Dylan, Ross, and I’m Mac. We all grew up and live in Chicago and attend college there.”

“No fucking way!” Mason bursts out laughing. “This just got better.”

The boys all look weirdly at him.

“What are you studying?” Gray asks with a glint in his eyes.

“Us three are all studying medicine at University of Illinois College of Medicine and the odd one over there in those god-awful pineapple shorts is studying mechanical engineering at the same college, which sounds boring if you ask me.” Mac is pointing to his friend Ross.

Makes perfect sense, they are cocky enough to be pre-med. Not that I’ll admit it, but they remind me of us when we were their age.

“Well, well, well, a bunch of bright sparks. Now let’s see how much you can put those brains of yours into use on the court. Pick your best two and we will get started,” I tell them and watch as they huddle, and Lex and I move to our side of the court together.

“Don’t let me down, Mr. Perfect,” Lex taunts. “You talk a big game about how great you are at everything, so you better not make me look bad.” He looks so serious that all I can do is start laughing.

“It’s just a game, Lex, who cares if we win or lose?” Which I know is crap because I never like to lose.

“Keep telling yourself that.” Lex starts bouncing the ball up and down.

“Okay, old man, start the game.” Mac and his friend Dylan are the chosen two.

“Best of three sets,” Gray calls from the sidelines. “You can swap out at the end of a set for another player if needed, because I know you boys will tire easily.”

“Won’t be us that will need to tap out for a replacement. But yeah, whatever,” Mac yells across the net.

“In the spirit of good sportsmanship, you guys can serve first,” I say as Lex gives me the death stare and reluctantly throws the ball across the net to him.

“Why do I doubt you old men play anything like good sports.” Everyone bursts out laughing because Mac is probably right.

The first twenty minutes has the points going back and forth, and it’s now ten points to us and nine to them in the first set. The winner is the first to get to eleven and winning by two, so we are in major danger territory here. As much as Lex and I were talking the big talk, these kids are good, and if we aren’t careful, they will wipe the floor with us.

“We need to win this game, otherwise we are in danger,” Lex grits at me through his teeth so they can’t see what he is saying.

“Roger that,” I reply, and it’s my turn to serve.

Bouncing the ball and hitting it over the net, Mac hits it straight back to me. We rally a few times back and forth, but he hits the next one a little higher and toward Lex, and without any hesitation, Lex smashes the ball down so hard it bounces on their side of the court but rebounds so high that neither of them can reach it.

“Yeah, that’s set point to us. Tough luck, boys.” Lex points at them, and to be honest, I’ve never seen him so invested in a game, not even our weekly basketball games. “Do you need to tap out and hope your friends have better luck playing the real men?”

“Nah, we are just warming up, old man. Now let’s get going,” Dylan says, and I can see they are pissed they lost the first set.

To be honest, I wouldn’t mind substituting with either Mason or Gray, but I’m not game to even mention it to Lex who is so focused and relying on me.

Taking a quick drink of water, we are back into the next set, and it goes downhill fast. These boys weren’t kidding when they said they were just warming up.

“I believe with the score being ten to five, that if we win this point, that will give us the set, gentlemen.” I just want to wipe the smug look off Mac’s face.

“Just serve the damn ball, man,” Lex yells at him in frustration.

“Oh, now that we’re winning, I’m a man and not a boy.” Ughhh, this kid is killing me.

The moment he serves the ball and it’s in play, Lex and I are trying so hard that I hit the ball and it goes flying off to the side and we lose the point.

“Fuck!” I’m so annoyed at myself.

“It’s okay, Tate, you’ve got this, babe. Show them who’s boss,” Bella calls out from the peanut gallery where the girls have been giving us shit the whole time. I thought our wives were supposed to be on our side of this grudge match.

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