“Jackie, come on already! I told Jon a half an hour ago that we wouldn’t be that much longer before we left. It seriously can’t take you this long to put on makeup and boots!” I sighed in frustration as I walked into her bathroom without knocking. She turned to look at me and I smiled, forgetting my aggravation. “Damn girl, you look hot. I think the guys will think so too, let’s get out of here, yes?” she nodded and went to grab her overnight bag. She grabbed us both water bottles and we were on the road.
“So, who are these mystery guys? If you were anyone else I wouldn’t have bothered to get all classy,” she started in on me about ten minutes away from her apartment. I knew then and there that it would be a long drive. I decided to go with the truth so that she would have time to react about who they were before going all fan-like by screaming in their faces or something.
“Why don’t you take a look at my last text message’s contact,” I smiled to myself as she unlocked my new iPhone that I connected yesterday and opened the text.
“No way, you cannot be talking about meeting Jonathan Toews and the Blackhawks! There’s no way that you met them yesterday when you went to the game!”
“Too bad I did, they are all super nice and real too. They said I was one of the most normal people they’ve met after a game in a long ass time, hence tonight’s invitation to join them!”
“Did you tell them about me? Oh wait, I can just look at your text history. Come on, all you said was that I was his age or so? Really? You couldn’t have said that I’m a hot blonde who is legal to drink? Nothing that sounded good about me was said. How rude of you!” she complained as we slowly merged into high way traffic.
“Look, I wasn’t going to talk you up because they have met a lot of people in their days as professional athletes. You do not want to be seen as an easy lay, am I right?” she nodded and I saw it in my peripheral vision as I was the one who was driving. “Then don’t complain that I didn’t say anything good and or bad about you. I was leaving it up to them to make a decision about you. You will make an impression, that’s for sure.”
“Thanks, Soph. I never remember how smart you are with guy problems. Remind me again why you don’t have a boyfriend, like, ever?”
“Because I know how a guy’s mind works and I don’t need him to be complete. I just need friends like you and the Blackhawks, and then I’m complete.” We shared a chuckle and then cranked up the radio to Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood to blast out and sing along to for the rest of the ride. “Hey, text Jon for me that we are there in 20?” she nodded and sent it out.
“Good afternoon, Miss, are you parking your car today?” I nodded as I got out of the small compact car.
“She’s paid for, by me,” I heard that strong Canadian accent from a few feet to my left. I smiled when I saw Jon pull money out of his pocket and hand it to the valet. “She’s only here until tomorrow, get a good spot please,” the valet accepted the money and pulled my car away once our bags were out.
“Jon, meet my cousin Jackie. Jackie, I think you know who this is. Hey guys,” I said to the rest of the team while Jackie introduced herself further to her favorite player. “Y’all should take me to this room you got me. I think they could be talking for a bit,” I chuckled and linked arms with P. Kane and M. Kruger. They just followed my lead into the hotel and to the elevators. But they led me to the high rise elevators instead of the low rise which surprised me. And they surprised me again when Patrick swiped a room key and then hit the capital P. “You didn’t get the penthouse, did you?” Kaner looked at me and smiled.
“You are rolling with some of the highest paid athletes in the city, you thought you weren’t getting a penthouse?” I shrugged and smiled. Sharp wrapped his arm around me and led me out of the elevator when we reached the penthouse. He showed me around and told me to get comfortable on the couch while he set up the TV to Sports Center while we waited for Jon and Jackie. They filled me in on their day and what our plans were for the night.
“Look who we found downstairs wanting to join us,” Jon said as he, Jackie, and Corey Crawford all came into the penthouse.
“Hi, Sophie. How are you?” Corey asked almost immediately after sitting next to me on the couch.
“Great, yourself?” he smiled and went into detail about how great things have been for him. I felt like I already knew these guys. It was incredible how well we all got along in such a short time of knowing one another.
“Who’s ready to party?” Kaner asked 15 minutes later. We all shrugged and went with the flow into the elevator downstairs. We hopped into two van cabs to the Pier. I got stuck with Kruger, Crawford, and Kaner.