Open To the Idea

Chapter 1

Tara Jones had been friends with Nick Nelson since before he stepped foot on the professional field. When she came out as a lesbian during secondary school many of her peers showed their true colors but Nick never left her side with his dopey smile. Her and her girlfriend Darcy could never repay him for that.

Tara met Charlie late one night in the uni library. She was in the queer section when she saw a floppy head of curls reading Angels in America curled up in a ball on the floor. She knew then and there she had found a friend. Their friendship started slowly and when Tara introduced Charlie to her girlfriend Darcy, Darcy was able to pull out a side of Charlie that Tara never saw. Charlie was hilarious, kind, and outgoing. Most importantly sassy when he wanted to be. It took Charlie nearly a year of their friendship to tell Tara and Darcy he was a widow. Tara looked at him with curious soft eyes and Darcy asked "how'd it happen?"

Charlie dreaded that question, but he sighed releasing some anxiety and mumbled his way through the story. When he was done there was a heavy silence that lingered in the air. After a while Charlie slowly looked up from his shoes which had kept him occupied for a few minutes. He made eye contact with both the girls and they nearly jumped at him in a bear hug. He was tense, at first, but Darcy then followed with "do you want to go to the cinema? I heard that Jacob Elordi is shirtless a lot in the new Saltburn movie" and immediately all the tension left his body. Charlie let out a giggle while wiping his eyes and Tara simply smacked Darcy in the arm.

"Oi! What?!" Darcy exclaimed while Tara scolded her girlfriend. Tara just rolled her eyes and turned to whack Darcy again but she had already linked her elbows with Charlie and began strolling down the street rambling about a shirtless Jacob Elordi. Tara watched in admiration and she heard Charlie say "Isn't that a horror movie?" Darcy shrugged and kept dragging Charlie towards the cinema. Charlie didn't think it would be that simple, but he was grateful it was.

Several months later, Charlie mentioned he was considering dating again to Darcy and instantly the thought of Nick Nelson immediately popped into her head. Darcy was boasting about Nick when Tara came in and nudged her girlfriend. "Uhhh Darc, Nick's straight." Tara whispered in Darcy's ear. Darcy simply shrugged and said "Not important" before returning her attention back to Charlie. Tara and Darcy didn't tell Charlie that Nick was a professional rugby player, but they did tell him that he was fit, kind, and a good listener and actively looking for a partner. When Charlie asked what his profession was Darcy simply shrugged with a mischievous grin and said "I can't tell you everything."

Tara didn't tell Nick that Charlie was a boy. She didn't even know for sure if Nick liked boys but she was pretty sure Nick also did not know if he liked boys. She did tell him that Charlie was a recent graduate looking for work as a nursery school teacher. Nick's eyes dilated softly when she mentioned nursery school. Nick wanted kids more than anything. He wasn't in a rush but he would be lying if he said he didn't have baby fever. The couple also told Nick that Charlie was a widow. Nick's eyes softened and his eyebrows furrowed for a moment. Then he whispered out the words "Charlie is a pretty name."

On the day of their blind date Nick sat nervously in a coffee shop sipping his tea. His first game back on the field was in a couple days and he really should be training, but he didn't want to miss the opportunity to meet Charlie. He quickly glanced around him to make sure no one had recognized him. He was well known in Europe, but he's been off the field for months. He just wanted to meet Charlie and get back on the field.

When Charlie entered the coffee shop he scanned the place looking for his blind date. He didn't know exactly what Nick looked like, other than he was fit and a ginger. His eyes stopped scanning the place when he spotted a professional rugby player his dad boasted about when he was home from uni sipping tea in the corner. He continued to scan the place searching for Nick, when he registered the ginger hair and toned back and arms. Was he his date? He looked around one more time for anyone with his description and who may have looked like a Nick. His heart began to flutter and his palms started to sweat. Professional rugby player Nick Nelson was his date.