Headin over to Jon’s to help set up
See you there?

Alisa read the text as she brushed her teeth in her Manhattan apartment. Placing her pink toothbrush on the counter she texted back a reply and rinsed her mouth. Her plane was leaving to Chicago in an hour and with the time difference she would be on time to Jon’s party. After pulling on a pair of tan shorts, she stood in the middle of her room contemplating the blouse. This would be the first time Patrick would ever see her outside of her usual business wear or what she considered ‘casual’ attire, besides her pajamas that he had seen occasionally. Alisa decided that a barbeque would be the perfect time to shed the professional garb for some shorts and a tee. Picking out the pale pink shirt she slid on her gladiator sandals and headed out to the local Starbucks for her quick fix.

*

“Where is your woman at Patty?” Big Buff asked slapping his friend on the shoulder, a beer in his other hand.

“What woman? Kane’s got a woman?” Patrick Sharp asked shoving past the boys walking over to the grill.

“Yeah she’s a real charmer, a wrinkly old thing that bakes him cookies.” Adam Burish snorted.

“Pat’s dating a grandma?” Brent Seabrook asked in astonishment from his place on the large patio.

“You’ll meet her, she’s almost here.” Patrick smiled ignoring his friends’ remarks as he read Alisa’s text, “And she isn’t wrinkly.”

“How come we haven’t met this girl Kaner?” Burish asked raising his eyebrows at the young player.

“I dunno,” Patrick shrugged, “Tazer’s met her.”

“She’s cool,” Jonathan nodded flipping a steak as Angel handed him a beer.

“Cool?” Angel exclaimed, “She’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to Patrick and he’s a dumb fuck if he doesn’t see that.”

The chorus of “oohs” made Patrick’s cheeks flare into a bright pink tone as he glared at Angel.

“Laddy throw me a beer!” Jonathan shouted to his teammate who stood by the cooler mingling with a girl.

“She’s here.” Patrick whispered his head snapping to the side as he put his phone away.

“Everyone!” Adam Burish yelled, “Patrick’s woman has arrived.”

“Stuff it Bur,” Angel warned pinching his arm. Alisa walked out into the patio area and all eyes fell on here.
“Diane? Let me call you back.” She mumbled into her iPhone turning it off and dropping into her bag.

“Doing business on a Sunday?” Patrick asked wrapping his arms around her.

“No,” She lied through a smile.

“You’re short.” Patrick commented taking in her breathtaking tan legs in the miniscule shorts.

“Don’t remind me.” She giggled leaning up to kiss his cheeks. Someone coughed behind them making them pull away from each other and scan the room.

“Oh, hello.” Alisa smiled at the faces she had not yet met personally yet knew very well.

“Damn.” Adam Burish swallowed taking in Alisa, inch by inch.

“You did good Kaner.” Big Buff said his eyes focused on Alisa’s midsection.

“Eyes up top cowboy.” Patrick warned.

“Guys this is Alisa,” Patrick smiled, “Babe, these are a bunch of pointless losers.”

“Adam.”

“Dustin.”

“Hey, im Patrick.”

“Sup, im Brent.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Alisa smiled slipping her hand into Patrick’s back pocket.

“Hey rat,” Angel smiled giving her friend a hug, “You look hotter than me, I should go change.”

“Cut it out,” Alisa laughed, “I’m famished.” She added with a sigh placing her hand across her torso.

“Oy!” Angel exclaimed looking over at Jon, “Get on with the food, will ‘ya?”

“Calm down woman,” Jon laughed flipping another steak while his teammates laughed.

Alisa stood on her toes kissing Patrick’s cheek making him blush and shift awkwardly on his feet.

“How was your flight?” He asked brushing his lips against her forehead.

“Fine, as usual.” Alisa shrugged as Patrick took off his hat to scratch his head before slipping it back on. “Oh my gosh!” Alisa squealed gaining the attention of everyone on the patio. “You finally cut off that grotesque [b]mullet[/b]!” She flipped off his cap running her fingers through his short hairs “Oh thank Jesus.”
“Oh stop.” Patrick laughed pushing her hands away from his head, “It wasn’t that bad.”

“You’re right,” She said, “It was beyond awful. You looked like dirty-hippie-white-trash.”

“Hey now.” Patrick frowned, “Be nice.” He added poking her side.

“Truth hurts pretty boy.” She chuckled pulling his lips to hers. Patrick didn’t have long until Alisa’s next exclamation echoed through the yard.

“Niemi!” Alisa giggled running across the lawn to where he was sitting with Niklas Hjalmarsson enjoying a beer.

“Hey!” Antti smiled as Alisa leapt into his arms giving her a huge hug. Patrick rolled his eyes at his girlfriend’s mild crush on the goalie, and grabbed a beer for himself.

“What’s with them?” Jon asked as his friend stood by him near the grill.

“She’s a fan girl for him, apparently.” Patrick shrugged, “Adores the guy.” Jon laughed at his friend’s unamused expression.

*
After the everyone ate dinner a heated volleyball game had ensued.

“I pick, Alisa, Niemi, Jalmmy, and Sharpie.” Angel listed picking her team.

“No way, we get Sharpie.” Burish argued making Jon nod his head.

“Yeah, we get sharpie or we are not playing.” Jon stated.

“Fine, we get Ben!” Angel declared making Ben Eager lug himself out of his chair and out onto the large backyard, now equipped with a volley ball net.

“Alright bring it!” Adam yelled making the competitive blood boil.

“Oh it has already being brought.” Niklas said making Angel giggle.

Adam, Jon and the two Patricks were ahead of the other team by a good seven points and it was Alisa’s turn to serve.

“Come on Princess!” Adam shouted, “Show me what you got.” Patrick laughed at his girlfriend’s sour expression.

Alisa caught the ball Angel threw at her and went to the serve line tossing the ball up in the air a couple times. She threw the ball high in the air and pulled her right arm back waiting for the perfect moment to hit it. She gave it a powerful whack sending it over the net to land right in between Adam’s leg.

Both teams looked at her in shock and amusement.

“I played volleyball all through high school and my team made it to championships in college.” Alisa shrugged, “And don’t call me princess.” She added making Patrick’s jaw drop open.

*

“You never told me you played volleyball.” Patrick said walking into his apartment later that evening.

“You never asked.” She giggled.

“I never thought to ask, you don’t seem like the sporty type.” Patrick smiled as Alisa pulled on one of his t-shirts and climbed into bed with her phone pressed to her ear.

“Hi Diane, if its not too late we can go over the benefit plans right now. Okay great.” Alisa went on blabbering for what seemed like hours in Pat’s mind as he lay beside her drawing circles on her thighs visible because of her pajama shorts. He loved the side of her he had seen that evening, so carefree and fun; and short, he never thought she was that short. He fell asleep moments later still beside her to the sounds of her voice talking some sort of business arrangement, but Pat didn’t care. All he heard was her voice.

Notes

sorry its been a while! comments?