Kara slept better that night. Not good, but at least a little longer and she didn’t look like death the next morning. Of course Benoit had occupied her thoughts while she’d been asleep and her dreams as well.
The first thing she did when she got up was take a long, hot shower which helped her get her mind off things. She quickly dressed and blow-dried her hair. First food, then she would pack her suitcase. There wasn’t a lot to pack anyway, since she’d only gotten out what she’d needed yesterday and today.
After putting on a light pair of jeans and the HUMMELS soccer jersey her father had gotten her after the Euros this year and a beige cardigan, she went downstairs to get some breakfast. She could have eaten upstairs in her room but she didn’t want to sit there all by herself. Having some people around was what she needed.
Only that hardly anybody was down there.
“What the hell?” she mumbled to herself looking around. Was everybody still asleep? She sighed. So much for her plans of not having to be all by herself. She didn’t want to have someone to talk to, just someone around that she could maybe focus on to keep her mind occupied.
She sat down and looked at the menu. Everything sounded delicious, but that was probably her empty stomach talking. When the waiter came, she ordered water, orange juice, scrambled eggs with bacon and a few bread rolls.
While she waited she decided to send Mika an e-mail from her phone. She couldn’t call her, because it was only six in the morning in Los Angeles. Well, she could make that call, but Mika would either not answer or not listen to her.

Hey Schätzchen,
First of all: Sorry I didn’t call you, but I’ve got news for you, you might like. At least I think you will, because YOU were the one who told me to man up, be like one of the heroines in my books. Guess what: I did.
Kinda… So, before the game two days ago I went to the locker room and stayed there. While the Coach talked to the team, but I can’t remember anything he said. The boys filed out of the room, but Benoit stayed behind AND I COULDN’T MOVE! I just stood there. He asked me what had happened the night before and I told him that I didn’t know.
Then he kissed me and I can’t remember the last time felt that good. Oh wait, I did yesterday. When he kissed me again in the freaking hotel pool. Two days ago he had a hockey game to play. Yesterday, Adam interrupted us and Benny had to stay in the water a little longer.
You know why? HE HAD A BONER BECAUSE OF ME!
You see, I’m going totally crazy. I can’t wait for you to come to Boston to bring me back to m sense. I really can’t.
I know that I have Madison here and I talk to her about a lot of stuff, but it’s different from talking to you. I miss you!
Miss you

Kara took a deep breath, put her phone down and took a sip of her water. Now that she was finished with writing that e-mail the smell of bacon made her stomach growl. It smelled and looked so delicious that she wanted to stare at it a little longer, but she knew that she had to eat it eventually.
“Mind if we join you?” Kara looked up to see Greg and Tyler Seguin in front of her table. No Benoit, which was probably a good thing considering her current state of mind.
“Not at all.” She smiled up at them. Maybe they would help her get her mind off Pouliot.
“Where’s Benny by the way” Or not. Tyler looked at Gregory and dug in his food. “You should know where your Siamese twin is.”
Gregory shrugged his big shoulders: “Probably working out again. The last couple of days he’s been working out more than usual.”
“Trying to become the best or what?”
“I think something’s going on, but I don’t know what.” Greg took a bite off his bread roll ad looked over at Kara who’d listened to them in quiet, trying to enjoy he breakfast. “Do you have an idea what might be going on with him?”
“Me?” She looked up abruptly. This was a joke, right? “Why would I know anything? Why do you think that?”
Her reaction was a little odd. “Well, you’re a woman. And you talked to him yesterday for example. I don’t know what you talked about.”
“He asked me about my tattoo and that was basically it.” She was telling the truth. She had a vague idea what might be going on with Benoit, but she wouldn’t discuss this with the two guys across the table from her. She’d much rather enjoy her breakfast and get back to her room now. Why had she wanted to eat down here again?