“What the fuck?!” Riley nearly screamed jumping out of the barstool that she was sitting in.

It had all happened so fast that she didn’t even know how to react. The man that Tyler had hit was knelt over holding his obviously swollen jaw, and Tyler stood beside Riley holding his obviously swollen knuckles.

“Are you alright?” Tyler whispered in her ear ignoring the fact that his hand was throbbing.

Riley nodded her head still shaken up. “I’m fine, are you okay?”

It was the first time he had looked at his hand since he had punched the guy, honestly he didn’t think he had hit him that hard but by the blood seeping through his knuckles obviously said otherwise. “I’m fine,” he laughed trying to lighten the mood.

Riley wasn’t having it though; “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“You don’t need to do that,” he shook it off. “Why don’t we just leave? Someone will check me out tomorrow at the rink.”

Hesitantly she grabbed her purse throwing a five dollar bill on the bar, before grabbing his hand.

XXX

Monday morning rolled around a lot faster than Riley had hoped. As much as she loved her job, it was starting to get tiring do the same 9-5 hours, and then the occasional staying late until a game was over.

“So how was your weekend?” Emma smiled, the tone of her voice teasing, as she looked over the cubical wall.

“Shut up,” Riley grumbled.

Obviously being in a bar with Tyler Seguin had hit the Internet as soon as they walked in, and then of course bar fight that had occurred had made local news stations.

Emma let a laugh escape her lips. “So what even happened?” She asked the question that her and the rest of New England were dying to know.

Riley looked up from her computer, needing a break after working since she had gotten in, “I honestly couldn’t tell you, I’ve blocked the whole thing out.”

And she did, after Tyler had hit the man that was invading her personal space, they left the bar, and ever since then she tried to keep the thoughts out of her mind, until now when Emma was bringing them up.

“Well as long as you’re alright…” Emma trialed off, her line of vision seemed to trail off among the sea of cubicals towards the front entrance, Riley grew curious to her blank stare and followed her vision. There stood Tyler in jeans and T-shirt, holding a bouquet of flowers and his hand all wrapped up in medical gauze.

“Well isn’t he just the prince charming,” Emma smiled. But Riley was just too preoccupied that he was even here to hear what she had said.

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered.

She shut down her computer before pushing her chair and sauntering over him nonchalantly, hoping that none of her co-workers would notice that he was here.

“Hey,” she whispered, excitement in her voice. “What are you doing here?”

He bent over to give her a hug, again taking in that she smelt of peaches. “Well I’m benched for the week,” He laughed exposing his stitched up hand. “Thought maybe you could escape and catch some lunch?”

She was super busy, but the grumbling in her stomach told her that she should ignore the stuff that she had to do, and take his offer, now was as better time as ever, who knew when she was going to get another opportunity to eat today.

“Alright, let me just get my coat.”

XXX

The two had ventured out of the garden and towards the North End to a small café that would serve them quick, but still give them enough time to talk.

Since meeting they both felt as if they had known the other person their whole lives. Tyler had broken the wall down that Riley had guarded up since meeting the first time in the tunnel, she was fun, smart, sexy, witty, everything that he liked in a girl, except this one was off limits. He knew that he had to take it easy for her, but in all honesty he’d do anything for her, even if it did mean he was in the friend zone. He basically screwed up his hand protecting her in the bar over the weekend.

“So what’s the dalais on the hand?” Riley smiled motioned towards Tyler’s bandaged hand while taking a mouth full of burger.

“Easy there tiger,” he laughed, taking a napkin and wiping the corner of her lip where ketchup had squirted out. “Just a couple of stitches and a broken finger, but other than that it’s fine,” He continued.

“So how long are you out for?” she grumbled mouth full of food.

She didn’t know why but around him, she could literally be herself all the time.

“Probably about a week, depending on how the stitches heal.”

“Well that’s good, what are you going to do with all this down time, like you can’t practice or play right?”

“Yeah, it kind of sucks but I was invited to a wedding in Canada so it kind of all works out.”

Tyler had been nervous ever since he saw her, like almost every time that he is, but it had grown to the point where the nervousness he felt was almost comfortable.

“I was thinking maybe you could come with me? Just as friends, it’s my aunts wedding and I’d make me super happy if you came with me.”

Riley let the food fall out from her mouth, trying to contain the laughter at his attempt at asking her. “Super happy, Ty?”

“Alright maybe not super happy, but pretty please,” he stuck out his lower lip, giving a little pout and something about it made Riley melt.

“I guess so.”