The next morning Heather woke up to the smell of fresh coffee brewing. She sat up in bed, had a good stretch and climbed out of Sidney's bed. She had slept very soundly and very well next to the handsome team captain. Something that she looked forward to continuing in the future. Heather grabbed the Penguins shirt that Sidney had been wearing the previous night and put it on. She entered the ensuite and had a quick hot shower washing the sweat off from her from the previous night's workout. She had hoped that Sid would be up for round two in the morning, but being an early riser Sidney had other plans. She forgot to bring her things into the bathroom with her from her overnight bag so she just used what was in Sidney's shower. Making quick work of cleaning up she got out of he shower and wrapped a towel around herself. Entering the livingroom she called out to Sidney

"I hope you don't mind Sid but I used some of your..." She stopped dead in her tracks as she felt three pairs of eyes on her "Oh hello" she said embarrassed as she suddenly felt very exposed. She tried to cover up as much as she could in the small bath towel. It seemed that Sidney had failed to mention that he had invited Paul Martin and James Neal over for breakfast. "

"No need to hide from us sugar. I'm sure we will be seeing your girlish charms soon enough" James said with a wink before taking a swig of his coffee. "And from what The Kid says here you've got nothing to be ashamed about" James looked her body up and down slowly as Heather sent a harsh glare at Sidney's face. "

"I said nothing" Sidney said raising his hands in innocents.

"Yeah, give the kid a break" started Paul Martin "Flower was the one power texting us last night about his little show." He said laughing as he flipped some eggs in a pan. "Eggs?" He offered her. "

"No thanks" she said uncrossing her arms from her chest. "Sid I'm just going to go get dressed." She said still a little embarrassed. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her body. Quite the opposite. She worked hard to maintain her athletic yet soft physique. It was more the embarrassment of not knowing that company would be there. She put on her black yoga pants and a red long sleeved tshirt with her hair in a ponytail. She went back into the livingroom where the three guys were now sitting on Sid's couch watching an old episode of Friends. Not interested in listening to Sid quote word for word again the episode where the girls lose the apartment to the guys

James turned to Heather and said "Red's your colour" with a big smile on his face. "But I liked the towel better" he added with a grin as she playfully hit his shoulder. "So what are your plans for today?" He asked her genuinely interested.

"Well, I have to pack for the roady, maybe do some shopping. Do you think it'll be hot enough in Florida for a bikini?" She asked. Without even looking at her Paul called over

"better be. How else will we compare with the Bolts and Panthers who's specialist is hotter?" Heather rolled her eyes

"you know there is more to me than just a body you know."

"Yeah, Sidney said you're a performer." James said to her genuinely interested. "Well he would know after all. Lucky bastard getting the first go." Paul said sounding a little resentful of his team captain.

"Not like that." Sidney said tearing his eyes away from the tv. "She sings and dances." "

"A singer eh?" Asked James. "Well it just so happens we are having a karaoke night tonight. Wanna come?" He asked his blue eyes sparkling. "It'd be a great way to get to know the guys." He added hopeful. "

"Well Mario did say I should spend some time building up a rapport with you guys. But it sounds like fun." She said with a smile. "

"I hope it's better than last time we went." Paul said with eye roll. "

"Why what happened?" Heather asked curiously. "

"Paulie lost the Shootout drill in practice." Sidney started with a giggle "he was karaoke boy for the night and had to sing whatever requests we had." "

"Hey it wasn't that bad." James said

"Says you!" Paul cut in "you didn't have to sing a medley of Baby got Back and Bootylicious dedicated to Sid's ass!" The three other in the room burst put laughing

"that I would've loved to have seen!" Heather said barely able to form a sentence from laughter. "

"So can I pick you up at 9?" James asked deciding to be a bit forward

. "You better" Heather said with a wink. "I've got a bit of shopping to do before the trip so I'll see you boys later?" She asked reaching for her coat.

"Looking forward to it." Sidney said sounding a little dejected. Heather left with a little wave

. "Hey Neal what was that all about?" Sidney asked. "

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Shouldn't you have let me ask her to tonight as the captain?" Sidney said brooding.

"Sid relax, the kid doesn't got much game, let him get what he can." Paul said ducking a pillow thrown across the room by James. "

"That's not the point." Sidney said. "Mario is counting on me to make her feel comfortable and welcome." Sidney said scrolling through his iphone opening an email from Mario sent just that morning "See," he started holding up the email reading it aloud "

"Sid I trust you had a good night, I assure that you will make Heather feel comfortable at all team functions..." He was cut off by James

"which is exactly why I invited her. What better way to make her feel comfortable than another player inviting her as his date?" Sid opened his mouth but nothing came out. He was stumped.

"He's got a point." Paul said leaning back against the couch with his arms crossed.

Having spent the day close to maxing out her credit card Heather was excited to get home and get ready for her night outing. She put on dark wash skinny jeans with a purple fitted sweater showing off just enough of the girls to tease. Heather's modest but comfortable apartment wasn't far from Sidney's. About a 5 minute walk. She could've easily went with him. But something told her to accept the invite from Nealer. She heard a knock at her door and suddenly got excited to answer it. She opened her door and James was standing there in jeans, sneakers and a penguins hoodie. "Hey" he said with a smile.

"I got this for you" he said handing her a single red rose.

"Aww how sweet." Heather said taking it from him giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Just let me put this in some water" she said stepping back so he's come in. "

"Nice place. Did you pick it out?" He asked her looking around the small but adequate one bedroom apartment. "

"The organization had it ready for me. Furniture and all" she said emerging from the small galley kitchen. "Shall we?" She asked reaching for her coat. "Sure." He said offering her his arm.

"The bar isn't far from here. Would you like to walk?" He asked her "

"Sure. Gives us a little chance to chat." She said with a smile as they headed into the elevator. Once they got out to the street James felt that it was colder than he expected. "

"Here" he said taking her hand in his and placing their hands together in the front pocket for warmth. "I like your sweater. " he said. "Purple is my favourite colour." He added slightly embarrassed.

"Thanks." She said smiling. "It's my favourite one." She added "so you're a Whitby boy?" She asked him. "I lived in Oshawa for a few years growing up." "

"Ahh yes, the dirty 'Shwa" he said laughing. "Sid said you had an interesting upbringing." He added. "

"You could say that." She started. "My parents were evangelical pastors." She said a bit embarrassed

. "Oh wow" he said wondering if he should've brought it up. "How do they feel about this job?" He asked her "maybe I shouldn't have asked that." He said. "

"No, it's ok." She said. "They don't really know what I do." She said. "But let's just say I have some skeletons in my closet so this job may not surprise them." She said "

"I see" he added not probing further. "I think I have my karaoke song now" he added with a smile as they got to the bar "

"Oh yeah?" She asked "

"Wait and see" he said with a smile opening the door for her.