Never mind that Ali had lied. She loved James, yes…that wasn’t the lie. It was that she wasn’t any better. In fact, she didn’t feel better whatsoever. She lied about it so James could focus on his games coming up, and his team needed him. She envisioned the whole thing: if they fought and her fears took center stage, then James’ performance on the ice would suffer. He wouldn’t be himself, and his teammates would notice. That would piss him off, then he’d take his anger with him on the ice. She knew this because she’d seen it before.

Sure, she felt bad at first. Really bad. That’s probably why the tears had come again, but she worked through it. Deep down, she was nervous as hell, and needed more time to think. So….she lied. Whether it was the right move or the wrong one, she needed to buy more time.

James left the next morning for the first of his four road games. Ali saw him off, despite how early it was. He’d given her a kiss she surely wouldn't forget over the course of the next week, and it made her miss him before he even pulled out of the driveway. When she got back to the bedroom, she removed the sleep shirt that she was wearing and replaced it with one of James’ t-shirts. It took her no time at all to find sleep again.

The rest of the day went about at a normal pace. After getting up, she went for a five mile run, showered, ate, and headed to work. The entire process was uneventful. When she was at work, her mind was always jumping back to the issue that lay dormant in the back of her mind. If she gave it too much room though, especially at work, it’d come out to bite her.

At her place behind the front desk, Ali watched couples come and go. People from the lounge trickled in and trickled back out again. Passengers of delayed flights asked her for help, and she gave them everything they needed. Pilots from various airlines looking tired and worn mumbled hello to her, then went on their way to their rooms for sleep.

Ali kept her phone next to the mouse of her computer, and every now and then, she’d check the screen for new messages. After three hours of doing so, she saw a message from James:

Made it and already missing you. Hope work is going well. I think my parents are coming tonight, so they’ll be missing you, too.

The text made her feel good, but she honestly wasn't sure what she expected. She wished she could just end the weirdness she felt and stop worrying. Was it because of the losers she dated in the past? Or was it because she didn't think she was enough of a girlfriend to sustain a professional hockey player?

“If you stare at that computer any harder, you might burn a hole through it.”

Ali looked over to see John had returned from his break. “Sorry…My mind is all over the place today.”

“It’s okay, hun.” There was a bit of question in John’s statement, but he didn’t press. “So….I keep forgetting to ask you since we’ve been busy, but a couple of us are going out later for drinks. You’re welcome to join if you’d like.”

“Who’s going?” She already knew her answer would be ‘no’, but decided to feign interest.

“Well…..let’s see…” John’s eyes went to the ceiling as he counted on his fingers. “Becky, Tamra, myself, and possibly a few others, but those are the only two who have gotten back to me.”

She shrugged, staring at the counter top. “I don’t know, John…I’m not really in the mood.”

“That’s EXACTLY why you should go!” John said. He put a hand on his hip and faced her. “Miss Disarelli, you get out of the this funk this instant and you come out and share some Patron with me.”

Ali cracked up at the sight. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Precisely why I drink Patron. It only enhances my….persona….” John waved a hand around his head rather flamboyantly. “So, what do you say? Come out, pleeaasse?”

She looked at him, assessing the potential that the night could be fun, and could be the distraction she needed. “Okay. I’ll come.”

“Yes!” John clapped once. “7 o’clock, down at Mattie’s on 22nd.”

“Oooo, Mattie’s. Fancy.” Ali said with a flare in her voice.

“Top shelf, baby.” John gave her a wink.

With the prospect of having something to do later on, Ali began to feel a little lighter. It would be nice to hang out with some of the other people who worked at the Hyatt as well. John was who she shared almost all her shifts with, so she rarely got to spend time talking to a lot of the other staff. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

* * *

Indeed, Ali was right: her night was off to a great start. Mattie’s was a fantastic bar and restaurant, with a young, fresh feel about it. Because of the slightly upscale atmosphere, it wasn’t exactly somewhere people often suggested going to just have a beer and catch up.

Dressed in a gray sweater dress over black tights and boots, hair pulled up out of her face, Ali made her way through the tables of the restaurant back to the bar area where John had said they’d be. When he saw Ali, he took her in for an excited hug.

“Oh I'm so glad you decided to come out after all!”

“It was your persuasion that did it!” Ali replied with a laugh. “Oh my god, Tamra, it’s been like…what? A month since I’ve seen you?” She leaned to hug her other coworker.

“Just busy with the kids, you know how it goes” Tamra replied. “Not all of us have our time devoted to one of the Pittsburgh Penguins.” She gave Ali a wink.

Becky was the next to hug her. “We chose this side of the bar since it has a tv…just in case you wanted to see him. How is everything, anyways?”

She was about to answer her when John swooped in and handed her a glass of tequila. “Courtesy of your favorite coworker.”

Ali took the drink gratefully. “You have no idea how I need this.” She took a long sip, feeling the soothing warmth of the liquid as it spread through her. Just as Becky said, a small flat panel tv was located across the room. The volume was turned down, but the game was in full force. White jerseys with black numbers zipped by on the screen, and every now and then, Ali would catch #18 as he flew down the ice.

Although she was tempted to keep a close eye on the game, Ali made a point to give her attention to her friends. She nursed her tequila, and slowly the anxiety she held over her relationship temporarily faded. On occasion, she lifted her gaze to the tv just to check the score or to catch James when his line was on the ice.

Across the table, John was telling a rather animated story about a vacation he took during the summer. Ali stood up, motioning to the others there. “Anyone need a refill?”

They shook their heads, so Ali headed back through the maze of tables to the bar. Complimenting the modern feel of the atmosphere, the bar itself contained four levels of various liquors on glass shelves, back-lit by a bluish-white light that illuminated the entirety of the bar area. As she waited for the bartender to finish with another patron, a man appeared to her right and smiled at her.

“Excuse me, do you work at the Hyatt at the airport?”

He wasn’t very tall; maybe just a couple inches taller than her, with short dark hair and hazel eyes. His crisp white button-down hinted at firm arms beneath the cloth. Studying him, her brain tried to place the man, but he didn’t look familiar to her.

“Um….I’m sorry, do I know you?”

The man laughed. “Actually, my name is Ryan Young. I thought maybe you would remember me…I’m a pilot for Delta? I checked in the night of the Rangers-Pens game?”

As soon as he said that, it dawned on Ali who she was now talking to. “Oh my god!....Ryan, yes! The native New Yorker, right?”

“Yes! And you’re James Neal’s girlfriend….Who could forget that?” His smile was polite and genuine… and rather intoxicating. It seemed to imply he knew more about Ali than he actually did, and she felt naked in front of him. It was a bit much, but given the amount she’d already had to drink, she rolled with it.

When the bartender arrived and asked what they were ordering, Ryan pointed casually at Ali. “Whatever she’s having.”

“Patron…straight please.” Her eyes met his, and she smiled.

“I…..guess I’ll be having that as well!” He looked rather surprised at her choice of drink. “Do you always go hard?”

“More than you know” Ali answered. She held Ryan’s gaze, his eyes reading hers for the hidden meaning in her words.

“Two Patrons, straight” the bartender said, pushing two glass tumblers towards them. “That’ll be 16 dollars, or do you want to start a tab?”

“Tab, please.” Ryan winked at Ali. “All drinks are on me tonight.”

As he handed over his credit card to the bartender, Ali took a good, long drink. She wasn’t sure what was even going on, but she was enjoying it. He seemed nice, and she was looking for a distraction, and if the drinks were free……

“So what brings you back to the ‘Burgh?” she asked, hoping to draw the conversation in a new direction.

Ryan stared down at his glass. “Just a layover tonight. On my way to Germany tomorrow.”

“Germany? Nice!" She nodded in approval. "Do you always fly the same routes?”

“Not really…but lately I’ve been on a Salt Lake City-Pittsburgh-Europe regime.” He took a drink, but his eyes never left Ali. Hers, however, went in the direction of the television on the wall.

“Hard to tear yourself away, I’m sure” Ryan said, pulling Ali’s attention back to him. "What’s it like?”

Ali stared at him. “Dating a hockey player?” Ryan nodded, and she had to laugh. If only he knew the irony in the timing of his question. “Oh….it’s interesting, to say the least. And pretty fun. No, definitely fun.”

“I bet it’s tough, though. All the traveling and all the groupies after him.”

Ali almost choked mid-swallow. “They mostly swarm Crosby” she quickly replied, adding a bite to her tone. She was beginning to think Ryan was a bit forward for only knowing her because of his hotel choice.

“Well…I know this goes without saying, but he’s a damn lucky man.” There was a gleam in Ryan’s eyes as he said this. “A beautiful woman like you, a multi-million dollar contract, living the dream…If I were him, I’d be counting my lucky stars if I got to come home to you every night.”

Every inch of Ali’s face rose in shock. She took another drink, draining the glass. “Another?” she asked.

Ryan smiled. “Anything you want.”

As he flagged down the bartender for another order, Ali’s eyes went back to the tv screen. Crosby was being sent to the penalty box, and a power play was underway.

“Enjoy, beautiful” Ryan said.

Uncomfortably, Ali took the drink with a smile. In order to avoid the intense stare of Ryan, she allowed her gaze to once again drift back to the game, only have her heart caught in her throat.

“OH MY GOD.” She leapt out of her seat, eyes locked on the screen.

A body was slumped over on the ice with two refs kneeling close-by. The camera changed angles, and it was clear that it was James who was hurt.

Ali shook her head rapidly. “No no no no no….” She watched as James tried to get up, but doubled back over in pain. Malkin and Kunitz skated over, watching after him as they waited next to the refs. Ali silently pleaded for James to get up. He was at least speaking with one of the refs now, and it seemed he would be okay. With some help from Malkin and Kunitz, they were able to get James on his feet again. Very slowly, the three of them skated back to the bench.

“Jesus Christ.” Ali looked down, feeling somewhat stunned.

“Ehh….they get hurt all the time” Ryan said flippantly. “If he’s as big a boy as he comes off as, then this is nothing.”

Ali glared at him. “Excuse me?”

“Neal always acts like such a big shot” Ryan said with a shrug of his shoulder. “He’s only as good as Malkin is.”

“And just what the fuck do you know about it?” She watched as Ryan’s face twisted with insult. “Thanks for the drink, but I’m outta here.”

She set her glass down with a heavy thunk and pushed past Ryan. Anger was rising in her body, making her face hot and flushed. When she reached the table her coworkers were at, they immediately noticed the change in her demeanor.

“Everything okay, hun?” John asked.

Ali tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I hate to run like this guys, but I have to leave.”

She slung her purse over her shoulder and headed out of the bar.

* * *

One hour later, Ali’s phone finally rang. “James? Holy shit….what happened out there?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” His voice sounded strained on the phone. “I just got the wind knocked out of me for a sec….They think I may have tweaked my knee, but it doesn’t look bad in the long term.“

This relieved her a little, but she continued to pace in their kitchen. “Are you in a lot of pain? Did they give you anything?”

“Oh, it hurts…” James said with a laugh. “It’s nice how worried you sound, babe, but really…my trainer is all over this. He’ll have me fixed up in no time.”

“Will you play in the next game?” She leaned back against the sink in attempts to not wear a rut into the floor from pacing.

“Not 100% sure on that one.”

Ali sighed. “That scared the shit out of me. I don’t think I’ve seen you get hurt like that yet. I was out with John and some other coworkers when it happened.”

“Oh, you went out?” James asked. “Where to?”

“Mattie’s….It was John’s idea.” Ali thought back to Ryan and his smile and his rude-as-fuck statement.

“Did you guys have fun?”

“Sorta. I didn’t stay long.” There was some movement on the line, and James groaned softly.

“Sorry if I ruined your groove” he said, exhaling heavily. “….goddamn brace.”

“You’re wearing a brace? Jesus, James…”

“Protocol, babe…it’s nothing.”

She rubbed her forehead. “You just sound like you’re in pain, and I’m not a huge fan of that. I wish I was there so I could do something.”

James’s smile was evident, even on the phone. “I know you would. It’s why I love you.”

There was a long enough pause for Ali to take notice of how tired she felt. “So you’ll call me tomorrow and let me know everything goes?” she asked, heading towards the steps that lead upstairs.

“Every hour, on the hour.”

She chuckled. “Okay, that might be a bit excessive."

“Every two hours?”

While he didn’t see it, Ali rolled her eyes and smiled. “Get some rest, James. The team needs ya.”

“I wish you were here.”

The simplicity in his statement made Ali sad. “Me too, babe” she said glumly. “Sleep well.”

“You too. Night.”

They hung up, and Ali had never wanted sleep more than she did at that moment.

* * *

James spent most of the next morning with a pair of the team’s road trainers. One of them focused on the muscles, the other focused on the joint of his knee. He spent two hours laying on a hard treatment table while they went through the paces with him: bending, stretching, testing his strength, his pain tolerance, and his ability to flex. All in all, they found that his injury was, as he thought, not a total deal-breaker.

The only bad news was that he wouldn’t play in the game against Detroit, just for safety measures. James met with Coach Bylsma after he received his final diagnosis, and they agreed to a single game absence. He’d participate in practice once they got to Vancouver, then go from there.

Once the Pens arrived in Detroit and made it to their hotel, the team had an afternoon skate scheduled. James stayed on his hotel bed, watching his roommate get his gear together.

“The only thing worse than a long streak on the road is a long streak on the road without being able to play” James said.

Matt threw on a hoodie, pulling on the collar to straighten it. “There’s no way you’re playing in Vancouver either, dude.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” James attempted to readjust his knee, but winced.

“Bullshit, eh?” Matt laughed at him. “Look at you. You can’t even move the damn thing without making a face.”

“Oh come on, Nisky. You know how much it fucking hurts after an evaluation like that.” James resigned to leaving the leg as it was on the pillow before him, and rested his head back against the headboard. He hoped Matt wasn’t actually right, but he’d gotten the clearance. Sure, it hurt, but it was temporary. A few injections of cortisone and he’d be good as new.

Matt slung his gym bag over his shoulder and stared at James. “You should take a shower, too. Your hair is horrible.”

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you” James said with a smirk.

“Whatever you say, Nealer. See ya in a few.”

Matt headed out the door, leaving James alone to his thoughts. He knew he should rest for the next few hours, but he wasn’t tired. He also knew he shouldn’t get up if he didn’t need to, so shitty tv and his bed were his only options. He flipped through the channels trying to find some kind of game to watch, but he was out of luck with that, too.

Putting the tv on mute, he grabbed his cell phone off the table next to his bed and dialed up Ali.

“Hey! How are you feeling?” was her greeting.

Two simple statements from her, and James already started to feel better. “The trainers checked me out, and said there was no permanent damage, only a small sprain. They say I should be able to play in Vancouver.”

“So a no-go for tonight?” Her voice sounded worried.

“No-go tonight” James answered. “Guess you’ll just have to just talk to me all night so we’re both not bored watching the game.”

Ali laughed. “Whatever makes you feel better! I’m glad everything’s okay, though. I was thinking about you all morning.”

He smiled against the phone, playing with the drawstring of his shorts. “You’re not disappointed, are you?”

“Oh my god, of course not! I’m just glad it wasn’t worse.”

James was thankful for that. He knew injuries came with the job, but he hated missing games. He hated that Ali had to see him injured even more.

“So what did they prescribe you?” she asked.

“Naked pictures of my girlfriend.” He heard Ali laugh again. “What? It’s true!”

“Oh I’m sure that’s the remedy they gave you.”

“You’d be surprised at what heals me” he said with a smirk.

A comfortable silence hung on the line. James actually loved just being on the phone with Ali. If it was the only way to be with her, then he’d take it, and take it gladly. He liked to picture her on the couch or bed and being focused only on him, just the way he was focused on her.

His phone vibrated against his ear. Quickly, he lifted the phone away just to see who it was, but it was a text from Ali. “Oooo, what’s this?”

“Open it! You’ll see.” On the other side of the line, Ali got excited. She bit her lip, waiting for James’ reaction.

James cleared the screen to get to his text messages. When he opened the message from Ali, he let out a surprised laugh. “Holy shit. Did you just take that?”

“Yep. Is that what your trainer prescribed?”

James stared at the photo of Ali’s ass. She had pulled her pink panties down enough so he could see just a hint of her bare pussy. Her legs were closed, but the heart shape of her ass still allowed her most precious spot to make an appearance. Even with the slightly fuzzy resolution, the picture turned him on.

“It’s damn close, but you’re still keeping the best part a secret.”

“Ah, ahhh…don’t be greedy.”

James caught the innocent voice that he knew wasn’t innocent at all, and it just made him want more. “I still feel a little pain…so you should probably send me another.”

At home in their bed, Ali settled back into the pillows. “What would you like? I take requests.”

“I’m not picky.” From his sitting position, James could see himself getting hard.

More silence was heard while Ali pulled the shirt she had on over her head, exposing her bare breasts. The cool air in the house immediately hardened her nipples. All the better she thought, and held the phone above her. She snapped a picture from the waist up.

James felt the vibration of a new message and swiftly checked it. This time, it was the ample curves of Ali’s breasts and erect nipples that were the forefront, but it was her taunting smile and the way she bit her lip when she took the picture that turned him on the most.

“Fuck, you’re sexy.” He felt himself getting harder still.

“Send me one” Ali said. When she heard James hesitate, she laughed. “Don’t worry, no one will see it. Promise.”

She read him like a book, and James couldn’t deny her. In less than 30 seconds, Ali received a text. She busted out laughing.

“James!”

“Yes?” He was smiling from ear to ear.

“I don’t care about your hair!”

“You send to send you a picture, so I did!”

“Ugh.” Ali should’ve known better, coming from James. “Okay, so allow me to specify: I want to see your dick.”

“Ahhhh……well that’s a little more clear” he replied. Since he wasn’t wearing anything else beneath his shorts, he pulled down the waistband and grabbed his dick. He was proud of his size, and he knew Ali was too…so he snapped a pic without any regard and fired it off.

“Goddamn.”

James got even harder hearing that. “See what you do to me?”

“You should see what you’re doing to me.”

“Picture, or it doesn’t count.”

“Don’t tempt me…”

“One more, and then I’ll quit” James said. He waited, and the silence on the line made him feel victorious. Finally, he felt the vibration and immediately looked at the picture.

“Muh…ther….fuck.”

Ali giggled. “Seeeeee?”

“Uh…..uh-huh.” He stared at the picture, actually surprised Ali had taken it. It was as full of a picture as she could take lying on her back on the bed. She was now completely naked….with at least one finger inserted inside her pussy.

“Does your knee feel better now?” she asked.

“Yeah, but now my balls hurt.” He heard her laugh, but his dick really was hot and hard in his hand, and he was yearning to jerk off to the new material he just received.

“Well then I guess naked pictures really were the prescription after all” Ali said. “Now go do what I know you’re gonna do and enjoy yourself.”

James grinned, realizing she may be the coolest girl he’s ever met. “Thank you, Nurse Ali.”

“You’re welcome. Have fun.”

James ended the call, and ended the pain in his balls shortly thereafter.

* * *