Chapter 12

Josh and her father met us at the restaurant. Geno had made the reservations and the manager wouldn't sit them at the table. They stood waiting in the lobby when we arrived.
“Hey Josh, Mr Proulx, glad you could join us tonight.” I spoke to them formally.
“You can call me Michale, you don't have to keep calling me Mr. Proulx.’
“OK well lets find the crew and eat, I am starving.”
“Mr Crosby, thank you for joining us tonight.”
“Yeah” I walked by him catching Geno looking up from the table. He stood waiting for us to make our way over.
“HEY!” he spoke and picked Steph up twirling her around. “I miss you.”
“I have missed my big Russian too.”
“What I don't get any love?”
“Max?”
She hugged him and then pulled back looking at his face.
“What happened?”
“I took a puck to the face in practice, so I got a few days off. Thought I would spend one here with you.”
“Lay off Max.” I spoke grinning at him.
“Everyone this is Mr. Proulx, Steph’s father and her brother Josh.”
They all stood as he stood there staring. “ This is great. I get to meet all of you guys.”
“Flower” I pointed to Fluery
“Nealer” I pointed to Neal
“Tanger” I pointed at Letang
“Duper” I pointed to Dupuis
“Geno” I pointed to Malkin
And this is “Max..”
“Talbot” he exclaimed. “Sure hate to see you in that orange. Why the Flyers?”
“I like Pennsylvania but there were no girls left here in the burgh so I moved on.”
Steph checked him in the chest telling him to be nice this was her dad.
“Stephanie, I am OK, I was a young man once.”
I saw her cringe. “I thought the women would be here?”
We decided to just keep it to the boys tonight and they had a charity event to go to. This gave the boys a way out. You are that important to them.”
“She make you good man.” Geno chuckled.
“I doubt that Malkin” she shot right back at him.
The dinner was great and the highlight of the night was her dad shhhhing Max as he was talking Flyers hockey.
“Well thats a first. I have never been shhhed by a fan.” Max laughed.
“My dad doesn't talk Flyers Hockey EVER.” She explained. “When you left the Penguins your sweater was taken down off the wall.”
“You mean Sidney wall.” Geno pointed out.
“Max, you always had a special place in the restaurant until you went and became a fucking Flyers player. Orange is not a good color for anyone.” Her dad laughed.
“I will retain your Penguins sweater for as long as you play and maybe it will go back up eventually.”
“Thanks for that. I guess you haven't seen the Flyers sweater your daughter owns.”
Stephanie's eyes widened as her father turned to look at her. “You have a Flyers Sweater?”
“Yes, Talbo all but forced it on me when I was at a low place in my life. I haven't ever worn it. I promise.” the whole table erupted in laughter.
Her family fit in so well and her dad had the time of his life. He sat with my boys and chatted hockey like he belonged. Maybe one day he would.
We dropped her dad and brother off at the hotel and then met the boys at the bar just down the road. We picked a place we usually don't go hoping to avoid the bunnies.
“So you arent ever going to wear my sweater?” Max jostled to get next to her.
“I don't think that Sidney would ever allow it.” she joked with him.
“If you feel the need to wear a Talbot Jersey at least wear a Penguins one.” I chuckled.
“Nope, I think the big Russian’s sweater will do just fine. Who doesn't want to be part of Malkinmania?” She smiled broadly over at him.
“Whatever makes you happy Steph.” I pulled her chair closer to mine and smelled her coconut lotion.
“You make me happy.” she smiled over at me there were gagging noises from all around the table.
“I love that you are here with me.”
“Where else would I be?”
“Doing inventory?” she laughed and punched me playfully on the arm.
“Sidney fucking Crosby would never allow my life to be that boring.” she grinned back at me.
I had forgotten how beautiful she was. Her smile would light up the darkest room and I was glad that she was mine.
I watched her watching Talbo as he chatted up some girls.
“Come with.” she grabbed my hand as she stood to walk over to Max.
“You’re Sidney Crosby?” one of the girls looked up at me with wide eyes.
“Yes I am.” I smirked back at her.
“Yeah, well this is Max Talbot. He is way hotter.” The blonde bunny pulled Max closer.
“Oh so your Herpes isn't flaring right now?” Stephanie asked him.
The look on his face was priceless. “My what?” he asked her
“You know the herpes you caught while you were sleeping around here in Pittsburgh, or was it gonorrhea?”
“No I don't have any idea what you are talking about.” he raised an eyebrow and cursed at her in French. “Que la baise essayez-vous pour faire ici ?” (What the fuck are you trying to do here?)
“Je vous ai promis un bloc de coq et maintenant j'ai rempli ma promesse.” (I promised you a cock block and now I have fulfilled my promise.) The shock on my face and Max’s must have been evident as the three blondes walked away from us.
“That is just totally unfair, you speak french?” he questioned her.
“My dad is French Canadian and my last name is Proulx. Why is that a surprise?”
“It just is.” he laughed.
“You speak french?”
“I think we have already covered that Captain Obvious.” She smirked up at me.
“I have been waiting a long time to do that to you Maxime Talbot. Consider yourself free.”
“I don't think I will ever get laid in Pittsburgh again thanks to your girl. Wonder how long it will take for that little juicy nugget to hit the news.”
“Max I’m sorry, it was just all in good fun, I can go get them and tell them that if you would like.” she frowned
“Nah, its all good. I didn't need to stay the night with a chick anyway. I hate sneaking out of rooms in the morning.”
“Thats too bad, Why not find you a girl that you could take home?”
“He met you first.” he smiled and leaned in giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Don't be a stupid dick with this one.” he slapped me on the arm as he walked by.

The rest of the night we just talked about a lot of nothing. Max did leave with the blonde girl even after all that was said. Guess she didn't care even if it wasn’t true.
“Can we go home? I am exhausted and it is after eleven. I have been up forever and traveling is hard..”
“Whatever you want love.” I smiled down at her. I leaned in and gave her a small peck on the lips.
“You dinner Geno, Kat tomorrow.”
“Yes.” she smiled at him
“Bye Tanger, Flower, Nealer and Duper. It was great to see you guys.”
She had been gracious all night dealing with the cameras that had found us and even the puck bunnies. She had stood patiently as I signed autographs outside of the restaurant with the rest of the crew for almost twenty minutes. She was trying so hard to fit into this lifestyle and She looked amazing doing it.
“I want to get you out of that dress.” I whispered as they brought my Rover around.
“That could be arranged.”
On the drive back to Sewickly, She fell asleep in the car and I didn't want to wake her so I just laid her in bed climbed in behind her and slept.

“Hi” she smiled down at me. She had obviously been up already, her breath was minty fresh.
“Ugh” i rolled over wishing I had not had those extra three shots with the boys last night.
“You OK?”
“Yeah just tired and I have a meeting and practice at ten, then the game tonight.”
“Oh, sorry I should have let you sleep. I was just wondering if I could run around the neighborhood?”
“Yeah give me a few and I will go with you.”
“You don't have to do that. Lay here and sleep, I am a big girl.”
She pulled the covers back up to my neck kissed me gently then was gone.
I awoke about an hour later to the smell of pancakes.
“You made all of this?”
“I was bored. I didn't want to wake you so I cooked.”
Her hair was wet. I guess she had showered when she got back from her run.
“I usually just have a protein shake on game days.”
I didn't want to hurt her feelings but I never changed anything I did on game days.
“Oh.”
“Its a stupid superstition.”
“Then by all means, tell me how to make it and I will.”
“That is a lot of food.”
“I will just call Malkin I am sure he would eat my cooking.” she smirked at me.
“Go ahead, I bet he drinks his breakfast too.”
I knew this because we had stayed in the same rooms several times on road trips.
“OK then,” I reached and pulled the powder out of the cabinet, grabbing the peanut butter and skim milk out of the fridge.” You mix this into here and then put a tablespoon of the peanut butter in and mix.”
“Well thats easy enough.”
I poured it out of the blender and took a sip offering the cup to her.
“Umm no that is not for me but thanks.” he nose was curled up and she looked a little green.
“You get used to it. We will eat a big pasta dinner before the game so that usually will fill us up, but dinner is really after the game.”
“How long are you going to be gone?”
“I usually don't come back after I go into town, You can meet Nat, Mario’s wife and maybe hang out with them for the day.”
“That would be nice, I don't want to mess you up?”
“It is just going to take some getting used to. Maybe I should buy another car so you have something to drive while you are here?”
“You know I can take a cab.”
“I know but I would rather you had your own wheels. Its not that I can’t afford it.”
“Thats not the point Sidney. It is silly to spend money on a car for me to drive when I am here. I can rent one if that would make you happy, it just makes more sense.”
“I need to shower and get dressed, Thank you for breakfast.” I complimented.
“Your welcome.”
When I got out of the shower I could hear her singing very loudly in the kitchen and I smiled to myself.
She was placing the last of the dishes into the dishwasher when I walked in.
“I am going to go get dressed and pack a small bag.”
“A small bag?”
“Yes I don't want to wear a Malkin sweater all day.”
“Why not wear a Cosby sweater all day?”
I pulled the sweater out from behind me and handed it to her.
“My very own that I don't have to promise to the wall gods later.” she laughed
“Yeah I have a Fleury for your dad and a Letang for your brother. Figured I might as well suit them up for the game.”
“My dad brought his Oceanic Sweater.”
“Wait, he took it off of the wall?”
“Yes, he wanted everyone to know that he has followed you your entire career.”
I laughed out loud. “He really is my biggest fan.”
“Was your biggest fan.”
I kissed her before she disappeared into the bedroom. I grabbed the phone just to clear with Mario that it was OK for Steph to hang with them.
“Hey Mario do you mind if Steph hangs with you guys today?”
“No son that will be fine. Things going well I hope?”
“Better than well.”
“Thats good to hear. Should we expect her in just a bit?”
“Yes, I will drop her off on my way in.”
“Ok see you two soon.”

I sat in my stall wondering about the game.I had done everything the same except woke up with Steph this morning. My peanut butter and Jelly sandwich was normal. My walk around the entire arena to avoid the visitors locker room and even my cup. I had it all the same.
“Get out there boys and let’s handle this. Flower you are in the cage. 71,58,9,18,87 you guys are on the ice. Lets do this.”

Geno and I did our usual handshake and head bump the walked up the corridor to the ice.
I skated out to the large Pittsburgh crowd that never disappointed us.

Our warm up went well and the game started.
Twenty seven seconds in, they let Geno and I out in front and it was one - nothing. The crowd erupted into loud cheers. The game was fun and exciting Geno put another in the cage and I put in the third.
The locker room was filled with shouting and celebrating but I just wanted to go out with my boys with my best girl on my arm.
“Make short night game tomorrow.” Malkin chuckled
I walked out of the Locker room immediately looking for Steph. She was talking to Tanger’s girlfriend and was smiling softly at her. I walked up behind her wrapping my arms around her waist.
“Hey beautiful”
“Hey.” she smiled up at me over her shoulder.
“We are going out to celebrate.”
“OK.”
She seemed a little distant but I just assumed she was tired.
The bunnies were out in force tonight and we all had a hard time trying to keep hands out of awkward places.
“Did she just grab his ass.”
“Yeah, she did. Why do you think mine is planted in this chair, with you astride it?”
She smiled down to me and kissed me softly on the lips.
“Can we get out of here? I am really tired.”
“Yeah, Later guys.”
I pulled her through the crowd and climbed into the Rover.
The drive home was quiet and I had some things I needed to say so i took this opportunity to say them.
“Thank you for being there.”
“Always.”
i pulled her hand to my mouth placing soft kisses to each of her knuckles
“Do you know how lucky I feel right now?”
“As lucky as I do?” she laughed
“Don't get all gooey Sidney on me. I like rough Sidney so much better.”
“I want the intensity you have on the ice. I want to be directed and told what to do.”
Her eyes burned into mine and the tone was set for the rest of the night.

I rolled over in the bed and she was still out. I looked at the clock and it was just after six. I climbed from the bed making my way to the room that held all of my workout equipment.
I ran on the treadmill for an hour then made my Protein shake. I was spread out on the floor with one of my legs in the air stretching when she walked in. Her hair was pressed into a 'we had way too much fun last night' style.
"Good morning love."
She leaned down to the floor and kissed me softly.
"Thanks." She said softly curling into my side. I continued to stretch, it was a little harder with her crowding my space. I didn't mind though, I liked her close.
"What's the plan for today same as yesterday?"
"No I have worked out this morning so I don't need to go until around 5."
"So we have the whole day."
"Well yes mostly, I will need to get ready and focused around lunch time.. Maybe one or so?"
She smiled “Maybe you should just focus now. I can find things to do around the city. I don't want to mess up your rituals. I get it Sidney."
"Just hang with me. I usually just watch some videos or something."
She stood walking out if the room.
I found her a half hour later in running shorts eating a bowl of cereal.
"I would have run with you."
"I would rather you shower with me." She smirked.
“I wish I could but focusing on the game in the shower is going to be really hard.”
“Yeah I guess you are right, there is always a little after game celebrations right?”
“If we win.”
“When you win.”

I'll see you afterwards I kissed her softly then disappeared to start my normal rituals. I took the time walking around the Consol Energy Center to bring my focus front and center. Ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and gave Geno a head bump.
The skating was fast and hard. The coyotes coming at us with all they had. Geno passed to Tanger for as assist and put us on the boards.

Stephanie's point if view.

The arena was wild and people were going crazy.
"This is wild" my dad screamed, "what a life it must be."
“Thats the truth.”
“Why do you say it like that?” his focus turned from the game to me.
“I just don't know dad. I mean it is crazy all the time, unless we are at his house.” I frowned.
“Don't frown honey, this is an incredible place you are in. You have the opportunity to do so many good things. I think you should take the job in Philly. You could still pull for the Penguins.”
“Dad I just don't know if I am ready to leave North Carolina. It has been my home for years.”
The crowd roared over us just as Tanger put one in the cage.
We stood clapping and I got a small wink from Sidney which made the girls in front of us swoon.
“He winked at me...” she went on and on. My dad was laughing and I was fuming.
“It is part of the life Steph. You love him, so love all of him. This is a big part of it.” He waved around the center.
“I will be ok”
“Maybe it is time for Jon to come help me, you have put your time in.”

I felt better after the conversation with dad and knew I had to accept the job in Philly. I just wasn't sure how I would tell Sidney.

I walked down to the players area and took my place against the wall waiting on Sidney as Dad spoke to Flower.
My dad was laughing at something Flower said and had pulled my attention away from my phone.
“Flower more interesting than me?” Sidney's voice broke across my face.
“Well he is more bendy.” I smirked up at him.
“I don't know about that.”
“Oh I do have you seen him stretch?”
“You are killing me here. I cannot even put you in the stands.”
“Well what do you want me to say, there is just something hot about a guy that can do a split.”
He laughed and pulled me to him. “I can show you mine later.”
I felt my stomach twist at the thought of what was to come.

We stayed out too late, drank to much, had great hot shower sex and stayed in bed all morning.
“Can we talk about something?”
“Sure” I could see the alarm on is face but I kept talking
“Itookajobinphilly” I said it really fast and jumbled the words, trying to make it come out.
“You what?” he smiled
“I took a job in PR in Philly.”
“When did you do that?”
“This morning while you were still sleeping.”
“How long have you known about this job?”
“I applied a few weeks ago, there was a rep in Raleigh and I interviewed there and now I have a job in Philly. I thought it would be good since at least I know someone there.”
“You know someone in Philly?”
“Yeah, Max.”
He smiled at me “Oh no, not Max.”
“Oh come on Sidney” I smiled
“You shouldn't hang out with Max, He is a bad influence.”
“You hang out with him.” I stated flatly
“I have high Moral standards.” he smirked
“Well I do too.”
“Couldn't tell that in the shower last night.”
“I popped him hard across the chest. He groaned rolling up in a ball to cover it.
“Don’t be an ass.”
“Fuck, that stings.”
“Serves you right.”
“Whatever you can dish out I can take.”