Fighter and the Fae

"Hello there! I'm Calypso Fae. No. I'm not a fairy, but I am a fairy godmother of sorts. I am a twenty-four-year-old wedding planner who has dreamed of my wedding day since I was a little girl. I am the woman who makes hundreds of women's dreams come true by planning the perfect happy-ever-after. I love the idea of love. At the same, I hate it too. I am a perpetual bachelorette. Guys are afraid to approach me. Either, because they think I am a snob, or they think I am too much of a goody-two-shoes. I actually try my best to be a nice person.

I'm just extremely shy when it comes to the opposite sex. So shy that it's painful. Other than that, I'm a ball of lace and sass. The perfect southern bell. I guess that comes off as snobbish at times, but it's who I am and I'm proud of it. My mother always taught my sister and me three things; be kind, be happy, be classy.

Everything else will fall into place.

Here's why I'm like kryptonite to men. I don't hang out at bars, sleep around, or date. Ever. Not that I don't want to date. Guys my age just don't ask out little miss perfect when there are so many bad girls to go around. So, to put it bluntly, guys think I'm boring. Ever heard of always the bridesmaid, never the bride? I'm more like the love guru who can't catch a man, even if I could cast a spell on them. This is my life..."

***

((RING! RING))

Calypso pulled her long blonde hair into a messy bun and tapped the office phone to the hands-free speaker.

"Thank you for calling Fairy Godmother Events! I am Calypso Fae. Fae, as in the name for fairies. More specifically, I am your modern-day fairy godmother, ready to grant you a wish. How can I make your dreams come true?"

"Oh, my gosh! You're really Calypso Fae! I can't believe it! You are the wedding planner for the stars! I loved you on that reality show about MMA ring girls. You are my favorite Ring Bella on Ring It In. I'm a huge fan!"

Calypso rolled her eyes, hearing the overdramatic girl on the phone gushing over her. She figured some reality show superfan caught wind she now owned a private business. Calypso was an event planner in Miami, Florida, but before that, she was a member of the Ring Bella's. Ring it In was a reality show about the ring girls of the MMA. She was a pseudo-celebrity in her own right starting at the young age of eighteen with her former job as an MMA ring girl, model, and reality show star. The Ring Bella's was a unique MMA ring girl troupe. They danced and performed between matches to entertain fans.

After a freak accident regarding a fan, Caly retired from the MMA world and went on to be Miami's most up-and-coming event planner. Although she was becoming well sought after for her skills in wedding planning, love was something that eluded her in her personal life. The truth of her dateless days had been displayed out for the world to see on national television. It was just two sessions of the show, but it was just enough for her to feel like she would never find true love. The producers set up faux dates for Calypso, making her look even more undateable. She left the show feeling more broken than ever and knowing the dreams of her perfect wedding day were far out of reach.

While Calypso's friends had found true love on the show, or within the MMA community, she was still lonely. Being the wedding fairy godmother to others' dreams left her little time for her own happy-ever-after. She missed her old life on stage. She was an MMA ring girl and professional model for six years, even former Miss East Coast. Caly had been in the limelight since doing pageants and dance competitions as a kid. Grand events were her drug of choice in her business planning, but popularity in wedding planning was what really took off. It seemed to be some sick joke the universe was playing on her. Plan everyone's big day but fail miserably to attain it for herself. This was the curse that laid upon her.

Caly loved the exhilarating rush a great event brought. Especially when she was the one on the stage or in front of a camera. Unfortunately, the life of a performer had been behind her for a while now, and she was finally starting to settle into the reality of her new life. Surprisingly to her, she enjoyed every second of it. When seeing a couple so truly in love that their wedding meant something, it was a thrill.

Looking at the large binder on the shelf in her office brought her a great pang. Her own book with every detail of her ideal wedding day. It sat there, mocking her as she heard the woman on the phone gushing over her.

"Thank you, dearest. I love to hear from a fan. How can I help you?" Her southern accent slightly came to the surface as the person on the other end of the conversation started to annoy her.

"Miss Fae. I'm getting married, and I would love to have you plan my wedding. I want you to plan everything. The engagement party, bachelorette party, wedding. The works. Oh! And, I want you at the wedding. My maid of honor! That is if my best friend Caly still remembers little ol' me. With her new business being all the rage and all, I barely hear from the ol' gal these days." A very southern accent rang out through the phone.

"Huh? Who is this?" Calypso, aka Caly, was taken back. She didn't recognize the voice. In her defense, she had been busy running her new business.

"I know you have been MIA from the MMA, but I want --"

"Wait! Roxy? Roxy Cline? Is that you?" she asked her sassy best friend from her years as a ring girl in Las Vegas.

Caly had moved there years before when she was working her way to dance on the strip in one of the casinos. When she realized half the dancers in the US were there to do the same, she took a job as a bartender and MMA ring girl.

"You bet you're sweet little behind it is, doll face! I miss you, Caly. I heard you're doing great since you left the ring girls. Our crew hasn't been the same without you, darlin'."

Caly smiled at her friend's saucy spunk. She was the only person she knew that had a thicker southern draw than she did.

"I'm doing okay. I miss my Ring Bella's though."

"We miss you too. How's your neck? Since your accident, I haven't been able to be there for ya. I'm sorry. You are my best friend and I feel like I just up and abandoned ya."

"It's cool, Roxy. I'm getting better. I'm back in the gym, and doctors say I'm healing well. My mom and sister were there for me through my last surgery. I love Miami and found a great place by the beach just out of town - like I always wanted. I know you're busy and have to work. You can't drop everything for me. Spice says you blame yourself, and that's why you have been afraid to visit, since the surgery. It wasn't your fault a drunken fan rushed our stage at the weigh-in and pushed me off it. It was a fluke accident."

"Oh, Caly. I was right there. Spice is right. I do blame myself. I should have stopped him. I panicked. The Bella's aren't the same without ya, and I feel like it's all my fault," Roxy said in her deep southern drawl.

"Sweetheart, it's not your fault. Listen, I love planning events, and my business is picking up. I'm in no place close to being a celebrity wedding planner, but I'm doing well. You never know. I might go back to the ring one day as an event coordinator or promoter. I always thought that would be something I would be good at. Now... What about this wedding? Are you serious, or were you just messing with me?"

"Absolutely serious, chickadee," Roxy said with a giggle.

"Wow. You weren't even dating the last time I saw you. Who is the lucky guy?"

Caly looked at the binder of her perfect wedding day taunting her on the shelf. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Let me guess. That promoter from LA finally hit on you enough to wear you down. He's a charmer," Caly laughed, knowing the older heavyset man gave Roxy the heebee jeebees.

"Hardly. He's a creeper. Nope. Actually, Kevin did have a hand in this. He introduced me to one of the top fighters in the league. And the sexiest."

Calypso sat up in her chair, suddenly interested in the juicy gossip. "No freaking way! Your super crush? Maven Hendrix?"

Calypso heard a kissing noise and then a man's voice over the line. "Awe, baby. Super crush. That's cute."

"Hush up, Maven. Yes, Caly. I'm marrying Maven Hendrix. We've been together a while now. I've been meaning to call you for the details for months. You're a hard gal to reach. Maven popped the question over the weekend after he won his big title match. I'm so happy."

With a heavy heart, Calypso imagined Roxy hugging Maven and snuggling into his arms.

"Okay. So, I guess we need to meet up and discuss the plans. When are you thinking?"

"June."

"Okay, June next year... let me look at my book..." Calypso flipped through her calendar.

"No. This year."

Caly's eyes widened. "Huh? That's just two months away."

"Right. We thought ya might be able to come to the next big fight in Vegas and hang with us. That way we can discuss everything. Mavin is going for the Light Heavyweight Championship. We can go over the basics, and you can meet his groomsmen. The Bella's off that weekend and we're going to support our guys."

"Okay, so basically the whole KO Gym team is his groomsmen. Am I right?"

"Yep. So. Are ya in? Maven said he'll pay for everything. Just show up."

Caly grimaced as she flipped through her calendar. "I don't know Rox. My schedule is tight right now."

"You have to. It wouldn't be the same without ya."

"Hmm? It looks like I have the weekend clear. Vegas trip for free? Well... I can't pass up a free vacation. I'm in! See you in a couple of weeks, sweetheart."

"Thanks, doll face. You're the best!"

Calypso was rushing frantically around the room, trying to get things ready for the meeting with the bride and groom. Cake styles, venues, flowers, the works were laid out on the table. Caly's eyes started to go blurry looking over all the info. She had been up half the night trying to prepare so to make everything perfect for her friend. This wedding was a huge deal for her professionally too. Maven was a big celebrity fighter, and it could mean great things for her business.

Maven had booked her a room at the hotel they were staying at, so it made things easier for her to focus on her work. Mavin was always pretty thoughtful, and he was a perfect guy for the kind-hearted Roxy. He was one of the few guys from KO Gym Caly approved of.

The KO Gym was the girls' routine hang out, along with all the local MMA fighters. They were a tight-knit group. The gym owner had even given the girls a room of their own that was transformed into a dance and photo studio. Roxy was a photographer as well as a ring girl and took all the fighters' promotional photos. The rest of the ladies in the troupe of five girls worked in the gym as fitness gurus or office staff.

Caly, with her dance experience, started the troupe and brought the idea to the gym owners' attention. They decided it would be great to bring in extra brand marketing for the gym. He soon brought the concept up to Las Vegas promoters to liven up the fights, and the fans ate it up. The women were as talented as they were beautiful.

Caly arranged her books and wedding samples, as a knock came to the door.

"Just a second! I'll be right there!"

She looked around, making sure she had everything. With a smile, she turned to answer her hotel room door.

As the door slid open, her eyes went to a broad chest of a man far bigger than Maven. The man was resting his arm on the door, facing with legs crossed at the ankles. He wore a black fitted tailored suit looking like a fashion model that just walked out of the pages of GQ. Calypso's mouth went dry as her mouth fell open in shock. This couldn't be who she thought it was. If it was, she was sure she would die right then and there. The old shy Caly was going to be screaming for an escape, but there was nowhere to run to.

Slowly, her eyes raised to meet his, and a shiver spread over her. Up, her eyes roamed to a stubble along his strong jawline, resting on the most luscious lips she had ever seen. The corners of those lips creasing into a slow, sly smirk. Farther, her eyes roamed as they made contact with the dark brown eyes that made her lonely nights seem a little less tolerable. Fantasizing about the man in front of her was what made her bachelorette life what it was. It was a blessing and a curse.

No other man compared to what was standing in front of her, and her social life suffered for it. The glorious Thornton Prescot.

"Caly. Looking good." He pushed a lock of his dark hair from his face. His modernized style with a length on top with short undercut perfect for the man who always looked to have it all together.

"Tha... Tha.. Thorn? Wa.. wa.. What are you doing here?"

He reached over, cupping her chin with his big hand, gently. "Awe. Isn't that adorable? You still stutter when you see me. Do I still have that effect on you, sweet cheeks?"

Caly shook it off and pushed his hand away. "Don't flatter yourself, Thorn. You just threw me off. I wasn't expecting you. Where are Maven and Roxy?"

Thorn pushed past, looking around the room with a cocky swagger. He turned back with his hands shoved in his jeans with a wide stance, grinning at her.

"They couldn't make it. Maven's weigh-in was pushed up early. They asked me to come to take you to lunch for having to wait."

"Um? Why? I can just stay here until they're ready."

"No-go. I have my orders from the Bridezilla herself, and I am not going to piss her off... Again."

The man was starting to get to her. If he kept looking at her that way, her inner Fae was going to scream like a banshee to run like a scared cat. Caly was about to have one of her notorious panic attacks. As much of an extrovert that she was on stage, she played off her shyness as best she could. Inside, the stress of someone with high functioning anxiety was like an atomic bomb about to blow. Unfortunately, no one but Thorn could make her feel as excited and painfully panicked as she was right now.

"Okay. What did you do? Pull the short straw?"

Thorn's smile dropped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Thorn. None of you guys have ever wanted to hang out with me unless the other girls were around. I'm a dead fish, remember? The boring sidekick with no personality. Little-miss-goody-two-shoes that you guys wouldn't give a second notice to. So, what gives?" She crossed her arms over her chest that he had been gawking at since he walked through the door.

"I volunteered. You just assumed no one wanted to hang out with you. I for one think you're pretty interesting."

"Why? Did you lose a bet or something?"

"What kind of question is that? I just wanted to see you again. Is that okay?"

Caly looked to the table with all the hard work she had put in. She had hoped to avoid the KO crew as long as humanly possible. "I just want to know why you would want to even be seen with me."

Thorn walked over and smiled sweetly down at her. "Do I need a reason to want to spend a few minutes with a beautiful lady?"

"Cut the crap, Prescot. Why? Tell the truth. No one else wanted to come, did they?"

Thorn looked away, starting to get a little annoyed. "Yes. Okay. None of the other guys wanted to come. You tend to be a little hard to talk to. But -"

"But what?"

"I thought they were being assholes. So, I told them all to fuck off, and I came myself."

"Why would you do that?" she said, softening her tone.

"Because sometimes people aren't what they seem. I know firsthand that big boobs and a pretty face can only go so far. Trust me when I say those other girls may have been more of the life of the party type, but when a man decides he needs more than that, he looks for girls like you and Roxy. Someone with substance. You don't give yourself enough credit, Caly. Girls like you are a treasure."

"I thought that the party girl type was your thing? Didn't you marry, Slone Carter? She was the biggest groupie of the MMA. I don't think she would want you to have lunch with me. She hates my guts."

"Slone and I are divorced now."

Caly felt like her heart just did a backflip. As much as she wanted to hate him, she still felt a little excitement knowing that small piece of information.

"Divorced?"

"She left me. I haven't seen her in over a year. It's been almost two years since I've seen you. Come to lunch with me. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be."

"You sure? No tricks. The last time..."

"Damn it, Caly. How many times do I have to tell you I had nothing to do with that night?"

"But, you were there and..."

"And? I happened to be there at the same time it happened, and you still think I was involved in that prank? I would never do something like that. I know you don't believe me, but it's true."

Caly dropped her head, remembering the laughs from the other fighters. The most humiliating night of her life was supposed to be the best. "I trusted you."

Thorn went over and took her hand in his, pulling it to his heart. "I hope one day you will again."

Caly sighed. "Fine. Lunch. But, if you do anything -"

"If I do anything wrong, you have my permission to punch me in the nuts."

"That's a given." She giggled.

***

Caly sat down at the bistro, taking in the hustle of the Vegas strip.

"I almost miss this."

Thorn looked around at all the commotion and groaned. "It's too much if you ask me. I like things simple and quiet."

"I said almost. I wouldn't give up my house on the beach for anything. I like my quiet space. I just miss all the fun things to do here and dancing with the Ring Bella's."

"It has sort of lost its luster for me," Thorn said as he waved over a waitress.

Caly shifted nervously, not making eye contact. "That's because you grew up here. You are desensitized to the glitz and glam of it all."

"Caly, stop."

"Stop what?" She asked, looking at him with a surprised look.

"Stop fidgeting and thinking the worst. I'm not going to do anything. I hate that you think I'm such an asshole."

"I don't."

He chuckled, not believing a word of that. "You don't?"

"No. I just think you and the guys would rather not have me around. It's no big surprise to me. Roxy and Spice are the only friends I have. There is a reason for that."

"You would have had one more friend here if you remember correctly."

"Until that night you stood me up and sent a guy in a pig costume wearing a tuxedo to my room. I was really excited about the gala, and that night really hurt me. Then you all stood down the hallway laughing at me."

Caly wanted to cry remembering that night. The night the whole KO Gym turned her into a laughingstock. They aired it on the reality show and took months for her to recover from the humiliation and media firestorm that followed.

"I told you, Caly. It wasn't my idea. I didn't have any idea those guys planned that. Besides, it wasn't any of my friends. It was the rookies. We would never do that to our girls."

"That's bullshit, and you know it. Everyone hated me."

"No. Not everyone."

Then why did you marry her? Caly thought but didn't have the guts to say out loud. Caly got up from the table. "I don't think this is a good idea. I'm going back to my room to take a nap. Tell Roxy to call when she's ready for me."

Thorn stood, looking like he wanted to stop her. "Caly. Please?"

"No. It's okay. I know when I'm not wanted. Tell the guys not to worry. I'm here to do my job. I won't be ruining their fun this weekend."

***

Caly walked away, and before Thorn could stop her, his phone rang. He watched as Caly exited the bistro, sad that she still blamed him. He had to fix this. But how? He hoped when she knew the truth, it would change everything. Answering the phone, he heard the desperation of the person on the other end.

"Hello?... Is she okay? Alright, I'm on my way."

Caly sat across from her friend in the hotel suite seating area. She sat glaring at Roxy with her arms crossed over her chest while tapping her foot on the tile floor.

Maven and Roxy just sat looking at her with guilt written all over their faces. Maven was almost sure Caly wanted to kill them by the death glare she was giving them.

Finally, Maven tried to break the silence because the quiet was killing him. Reluctantly, he said. "Sooo. Are we...?"

Caly narrowed her brows at him, and Roxy nudged him in the ribs. "Shh!"

"Ouch, babe! What was that for?"

"Do you want her to beat the snot out of you? Hush up."

Suddenly Caly jumped to her feet, storming around the room. "I can't believe you two! How could you ambush me with that man showing up here? Thorn Freaking Prescot! You have got to be kidding me!"

Roxy cringed. "Sorry, honeybunch. We thought you would realize he was Maven's best man. They're best friends. We asked Gage to come to get you but --"

"And he said no, obviously."

Roxy looked over at Maven, confused. "No. The other guys wanted to go to the casino and Gage said he would come to have lunch with you."

"That's bullshit because Thorn said no one wanted to come. As usual. They all hate me."

"Well. They didn't exactly agree to come to meet you. But not for the reasons you think."

"Then why did Thorn show up here? Did he draw the short straw? Or maybe he lost a bet at the card tables down at the casino?"

Maven cleared his throat, trying to cover up a chuckle, and Roxy grunted at him. Caly's head wiped back to his direction, clearly ready to tear him to shreds.

"What? I didn't do anything? It's just funny to see you mad. You're never mad at anyone."

"Forget big mouth over here, Caly. Thorn didn't want any of the guys to come to talk to you."

"Becuase they hate me."

"No. That's not it."

"Okay smart girl. Then why did you let Thorn come here?"

"Well, because he was being an ass and refused to let them come. He's not entirely convinced that the other guys would treat you properly. You know how he can be. He's as stubborn as an ol' mule. He is just overprotective of you, baby girl."

Maven nuzzled Roxy's neck. "I love that cute accent."

"Hush, ya old fool. Don't you see my bestie is having an emotional crisis?"

Caly gave a half-hearted laugh. "It's not all that serious. I just can't bear seeing him again. I just know Thorn had something to do with what happened the night of the charity gala."

Maven looked confused asking, "You still think he planned that?"

Both girls glared at him. "Yes!"

"No way. I still am on Thorn's side with this one, and nothing will change my mind. Thorn is my best friend and he's not like that. I've never known him to do anything mean-spirited to anyone."

Caly flopped down and sat back in the chair, pouting. "You weren't there, Maven. You didn't see how they laughed at me. He just stood there, watching it, and didn't say a word. They had a man dressed in a freaking pig suit and a tuxedo for gosh sakes! It was humiliating. Then they..." Cally sucked back tears and covered her face as they started to flow.

Roxy rushed to her side to hold her in her arms. She looked at her fiancé with pity for her friend, hoping he could help make this better. "The guy in the pig suit ruined her dress by throwing a pie in her face. She had planned for weeks for that night. Everyone knew how special going to that gala was to her. Caly helped plan the whole thing and didn't even get to go."

Maven walked over to crouch in front of Caly, taking her hand in his. "I promise, I'll find out who was behind it. I swear Thorn and the guys were not involved. I think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Caly sucked air, trying to talk through the tears. "H... he... just didn't want to go with me. He wanted to be with Slone."

"That's not true. Thorn was crazy about you, Cal."

"Why did he have to marry her?"

"That's something you will have to talk to him about. But I can tell you this, if he knew how you really felt about him back then, things would have been different." Maven wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"You're a good man, Maven. I'm glad you're marrying my best friend."

"Yeah. I'm pretty spectacular. I think they will eventually erect a statue of me," he said with a chuckle. "Maybe a picture in the dictionary next to the definition of the perfect man."

Roxy giggled, "You're also very humble, too, huh?"

"Absolutely, babe." Maven winked at Caly. "Feeling better now, sweet cheeks?"

"Ah-huh. I'll be okay."

"Good. Let's get down to planning my big day. I want a rock band and I get to wear my tennis shoes."

Roxy slapped her hand on her face, shaking her head. "Heavens to Betsy. No rock bands. I might go for the tennis shoes though if I can wear them too."

Caly giggled at the couple. They were too cute and two peas in a pod. "Why am I not surprised? Let's get to planning."