Ali pulled up to the restaurant where James and his buddies were grabbing lunch after their workout. Having been to Whitby and the greater Toronto area frequently in the past two months or so, she was beginning to learn her way around these parts to the point where she felt comfortable doing it on her own. Canada wasn't all that different from the States, but a unfamiliar city was an unfamiliar city. But by the first week of August, it wasn't all that unfamiliar anymore.

In a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a fitted light blue t-shirt, Ali quickly threw her hair up in a ponytail and inspected herself in the rearview mirror. No sooner did she get out of the car did she hear her name being called from somewhere on the outdoor patio.

"Babe!" James was standing up, one hand in the air to flag her over. "Up here!"

Ali gave him a wave and trotted up the steps that led straight to the patio, skipping the inside seating area. Passing by a few tables already filled up with mostly younger patrons, she came to the table of guys.

"Hey ladies" she said ultra-sweetly.

"Heeeyyyy Aaalllliii" they echoed.

It was the usual summer training crowd, consisting of James' fellow NHL friends: Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Jeff Skinner, and Jordan Staal. They all looked like carbon copies of one another: sleeveless Nike or Reebok labeled workout t-shirts, mesh shorts, and hats. James leaned towards Ali to kiss her, but she pushed him away the minute he was within inches of her. "Holy shit, you came out in public smelling like that!?!?"

Stamkos almost choked on his sandwich. "Easy, Ali - cut him a break. We all came out in public smelling like that."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I worked out today and I don't smell half as bad as this one." She thumbed in the direction of James in the chair next to her. Knowing his feelings might be at stake, she patted him on the thigh. "Still love ya, though."

"How's the cabin coming along?" Jordan asked her. "Nealer says it's going to be the ultimate summer party house."

"Oh did he?" Ali turned in her chair to face her husband.

James smirked, his ocean-blue eyes glinting rather mischievously. "I told them."

"I see that" she said. It would eventually come out that her and James had bought a chunk of property along Lake Ontario shortly after they got married. Since then, they'd been paying a contractor to build a smaller-sized cabin that would function as their summer home while James trained with Gary Roberts and the guys. The main construction finished about a week ago, and since then she and James had been spending all their free time working on painting, decorating, and adding the final touches.

Ali looked at the guys rather proudly. "I don't know about ultimate summer party house, but it's pretty bad ass."

"Big enough for all five of us?" Jeff asked. "If not, that's gotta change. Hands down."

The guys laughed. Ali gave James a smile, and he rubbed the back of her neck tenderly. "Tell 'em babe. Might as well."

"Might as well" she repeated with a shrug. "It's not HUGE-huge, but it'll sleep you five and at least 10 more. Maybe." She lifted a finger, her elbow resting on the table. "But no one's sleeping there until he and I have the first party."

John's eyes grew wide. "Haven't even christened it yet, Nealer?"

"Shut up, you know better" James chirped back.

"Yeah, John. You know better." Ali's brown eyes took on a naughty look, which was not at all unlike the one in James' eyes.

John popped a potato chip in his mouth. "Sawwrry."

"So if it fits as many as you say - we need to call more people to fill it" Jeff said. He knocked Jordan in the side. "How about your wife and some of her friends?"

"I could always call some of the guys, too" Steven replied. "Neal, why don't you have Sid and Geno and some of the others come up one weekend? Geno's still in Pitt, right?"

James rolled the bottom of his beer bottle lazily on the table as he thought about it. "Yeah he's still in town, but Sid's back in Halifax. Probably banging his--ouch!"

Ali elbowed James in the rib cage so hard that he made a weird noise from his nose. She quickly flashed her large smile at the others around the table. "We could probably get the guys up here at some point - but remember, It's not totally done yet." Her eyes shifted to the side, making sure James wasn't planning on letting anything else slip out. His expression was now apologetic, so Ali squeezed his knee beneath the table to let him know she saw it.

"I gotta admit, it's pretty damn exciting" James told them, recovering nicely from his slip. "And getting to share it with my girl is even more exciting."

Jordan and Jeff both made gagging noises, and James shot them both a glare.

"All I need to do is finish painting one more room" Ali said, moving past the chirping going on between the guys. "Then I think it's party-worthy."

Steven downed the last of his water and set the glass on the table with fervor. "Well then, it's settled. Your cabin is damn near finished, and we need to round up the boys who aren't in town."

"Whatever, Stammer!" James laughed loudly. "You fuckers aren't taking over my new cabin before I even get a full weekend in there without appliances and shit laying all over the place."

Ali stole a french fry off of James' plate and laughed as Jordan chirped him hard about being in a "nesting mode". Her heart was still beating fast from James' slip-up about Sid, but she didn't suspect any of the guys had caught it. Lucky for James, she thought to herself.

As time went on, each guy finished eating and slowly split up to head back to their respective homes. That left James and Ali together alone while Ali still finished the salad she'd ordered later than everyone else.

"So what the hell?" James rubbed his side as if it still hurt, which Ali knew it didn't.

"Do you know how close you were to saying something about Sid and Piper?"

James searched her gaze. "Right, but I mean, it's just these guys--"

"You said yourself that it's Crosby, and he doesn't normally do this--"

"--Okay, okay." He held up his hands in a surrendering mode. "I fucked up."

"Almost" Ali said, one sharp eyebrow flicking upwards. "Lucky for you."

James broad grin appeared. "You're fiesty today."

"And you love it."

"I do." He leaned in and Ali pushed him away once more.

"And you still smell."

His face drooped a little. "But my hair?"

"Oh - that's sexy as hell." She stabbed at a cherry tomato and pointed it at him. "But it doesn't make up for the stench."

"I love you" James said, kissing her on the head.

She smiled. "Love you too, babe."

* * *

Promotional shots. Commentary for TSN. Instructional videos with Andy.

Sidney sighed.

Birthday dinner at Mom and Dad's.

He leaned his head back against his couch and closed his eyes. They were fatigued, and he had a headache. It didn't help that every time he had a headache, his nerves got the best of him. No matter how many times he'd been cleared from past concussions, his biggest fear always came back to him whenever he got a headache.

With two fingers he rubbed the bridge of his nose, willing the pain to leave his head but there it stayed. Water. Ibuprofen. Food. Nothing was working.

Maybe I went too hard today.

Sid mentally replayed the workout he had earlier that morning with Andy and some of the guys. It wasn't terribly different from any other workout, but his weekend with Piper had definitely put even more of a bounce in his step; more so than the bounce he had in Vail….which was enough that the others had almost caught on to it.

This time, he was wiser. Sid went about his workout showing nothing on his face but produced every extra ounce of good-feeling energy into his drills. Every muscle responded as if he'd had a jolt of the strongest caffeine injected into his body. He was quicker, stronger, and more focused. Whatever Piper did for him, it was now translating into his sport.

By the time he made it home and showered, the headache was there. He changed into a baggy pair of gray fleece pants and a t-shirt, then shuffled downstairs. He popped two more Ibuprofen and slumped onto his couch. Once there, all he could do was sit in front of a silent television and run through the list of things he still had to do before he went back to Pittsburgh.

He changed his train of thought and pictured Piper's lively face, her gorgeous eyes, the tiny amount of pale freckles that kissed her cheeks from the summer sun - all of her…everything that made her her.

Picturing her wasn't helping either. Sid's head only seemed to throb more, but at least he knew the reason why.

I wish she was here.

It occurred to him that perhaps he was like someone coming down from a high, because that's how he felt. He was so high, so happy, so in a completely different world when he was with Piper…that now, coming back to 'reality', the pressure of it all was making his brain hurt.

Or you never healed from your injuries.

Sid's heart rate spiked at the thought, so he quickly talked himself down until his heart rate resumed it's normal steady beat.

His heart jumped again when his phone tore into the silence in the room he was in. Reaching towards the coffee table where his feet were propped, he breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw who it was.

"Hey beautiful. Just thinking about you."

"Ooooo, was I clothed?"

Sid smiled. "This time - yes."

"Borrrriiiinnnng." Piper laughed jovially on the other line. "What's going on?"

"I have a headache…so not much. How about with you?"

Piper made a small noise of concern. "Headache? Not a bad one, I hope?"

"It's not" he lied. "But let's not talk about it."

"No, no - I have an idea." She cleared her throat loudly. "Ready? Because I should charge you for the knowledge I'm about to project onto you."

Sid chuckled. "Yes. Absolutely, positively ready for your knowledge. Lay it on me." He listened as Piper went on to explain some sort of therapeutic move she used in some of her classes.

"So basically, you just press upwards and hold" she said, finishing. "Wanna try? I can wait while you put the phone down."

This girl. Sid couldn't stop smiling. He knew Piper was only trying to help, but Sid had been to more physical therapists in his lifetime than she likely realized.

"You don't believe it'll work, do you?" she asked.

Sid's mouth fell open in protest. "I do! I swear!"

"So do it, you big baby!"

"Fine, fine - hang on, okay?"

"Put me on speaker phone. I'll walk you through it."

Sid rolled his eyes while he set his cell phone on speaker. "Hear me?"

"Loud and clear!" Piper sounded excited. "Okay, so with both hands, push gently upwards along the back of your neck…."

Mimicking everything Piper was instructing, Sid went through the motions as she directed him.

"…Now when you get to the base of your skull, tilt your head back…."

Sid did as she said. "Okay."

"….So both sides of your spinal column - feel the meat?"

"Is that code?" Sid smirked when he heard Piper giggle.

"Focus!"

"Yes, yes - focusing."

"Press on the meat at the base of your skull on both sides. Head still tilted back, right?"

"Right." Sid groaned when he pressed harder, feeling a tremendous amount of relief happen somewhere in his temples in just this one move. "My God, Piper…."

"Good, isn't it?" Her voice was giving life to the smile Sidney couldn't see. "So now, if you need more, use just your thumbs and push upwards even more--"

"--Ohhhhhhhh fuck." Sid closed his eyes and felt even more relief spread through the muscles in his jaw and up his temples to the crown of his head. "Piper!"

"What!?!? Does it feel okay?"

"Does it feel okay!?!?" He began to laugh. "This is the best thing I've felt in a long fucking time--"

"--Told ya, so." She sounded proud. "I'll fix you up yet, Crosby."

Eyes remaining closed, he rolled his neck slowly from side to side, feeling the tension slip away. "Where'd you learn that trick, anyway?"

"Secret stays with me" she replied. "But I know all kinds of tricks that could make you feel good."

Piper said this and Sid almost moaned out loud just thinking about all the tricks she'd shown him so far that made him feel really damn good. Her hips swiveling over his, her unbelievable body using his for her pleasure, combined with her unrestrained whimpers, her breath panting against his skin, her hair in his hands as he forced her head back while he took her--

"Sid?"

"Hmm?" He cleared his throat. "Yeah?"

"My mom and brother are here, so I gotta go."

"Oh, oh yeah...sorry." He sat up so he was bent over his knees, hearing a young boy's voice calling for Piper in the background. "Is that him?"

"Thaaaat's him alright."

Sid listened while Piper told him to hush, and it made him wonder what she must look like taking care of a little kid. It was probably as animated and adorable as everything else she did.

"Talk to you later?" she asked. "Sorry about this."

"It's no problem. I'll call you tonight."

"Hope your head feels better" she said sweetly. "Bye for now."

He hung up and stared at the phone for a second. His thoughts went in the direction of wanting to meet Piper's little brother and how he suddenly wanted to impress her with how he could get along with him. It was something he kept in his mind for the next time he visited her in Maine...which he hoped wasn't too long from now.

Setting his phone on the table, Sid placed his hands back on his neck and pushed upwards, just the way Piper instructed, to the base of his head. A rush of relief came to him again, and he quietly thanked her again, though she didn't know it.

*

"What's this?" Piper asked, tossing her phone on the kitchen table.

Her mother held a stoneware baker covered in aluminum foil. "I made chicken tetrazzini last night, and Bailey insisted I save you some."

"Awww, what a sweetheart!" Piper lifted Bailey into her arms, propping him up on her hip. "High five?"

"You bet!"

Bailey's hand slapped Piper's. "Right on, buddy! Thank you."

The boy milled around the kitchen for a time before heading into the living room, leaving April and Piper alone in the kitchen. While she placed the leftovers into the fridge, April took a seat the table. Because it was another pleasant day in the coastal town, Piper had her windows open in the kitchen. The slightest breeze fluttered at the plants she had along the windowsill, passing over and lifting April's hair from her shoulders. Since it looked like her mom was going to stay for a visit, Piper came over with two cups of coffee, offering one to her mom.

"On the house" she said with a smile.

"Thank you." April hugged the cup with both hands. "So did you fall off the face of the planet this weekend, or were you that busy?"

Piper smiled. "I was that busy, Mom."

"Ahhhh." She took a sip of coffee, her blue eyes crinkling happy. "Busy with workouts and such?"

With a nod, Piper lifted her mug to her lips. "You could say that..."

Bailey came running into the kitchen at that moment, pulling both of their attentions towards the entryway. The young boy was holding a black Pens hat in his hands, waving it towards Piper. "Where did THIS come from!?!?"

Piper immediately snatched the cap from his hands. "Can't you leave my stuff alone?"

"It's not YOUR stuff - you don't wear hats!"

"Well I do now, okay?"

While the two siblings argued, April snatched the hat from her daughter and took a long look at the logo. "Ahhhhhhhh......well now it makes sense...."

"What does?" Piper pretended her mother wasn't sharp as a tack. It was a futile attempt every time she bothered trying it.

"Sidney." April lifted the hat onto her head, pointing the bill backwards. A small, embroidered Pittsburgh Penguins logo at the center was visible now, the black color standing out drastically against her blonde hair. "I wasn't born yesterday, dear."

"And you really don't wear hats" Bailey added, crossing his arms over his small chest. His Cheshire grin grew when his sister's focus turned back to him.

"Good job then. You should be a detective" Piper teased. She couldn't be mad at her brother if she tried. It was bound to come out that Sid had made a surprise visit, although she wasn't all that enthused about letting her mom in on the secret just yet.

When she looked over, April was smiling. "Piper."

"Mother."

"You can let me in on your love life, you know."

Love life? Is that what this was?

"Ewwwww." Bailey scrunched up his face. "Girls have cooties."

"Not as many as boys do" Piper said, ruffling his hair. "Now go watch cartoons or something so I can hang with Mom for a bit."

"Okaaayyy."

Off he went, and Piper looked at April with a guilty expression written all over her face. April knew her daughter better than she would ever admit, and she wasn't requiring her to admit anything. Piper would tell her about her relationship with Sidney in due time, but she could tell just by the way she carried herself that something positive had gone on. Not only that, but her kitchen was surprisingly clean...which wasn't normal.

"Can I have my hat, please?" Piper held out her hand.

April smiled. "But it smells like him."

Her jaw fell open. "Mom!"

"Kidding! Relax, hun." She tossed her daughter the hat and laughed. "But really - why is this such a secret? So what if you spent all weekend with him?"

"How do you know it was 'all weekend'?" Piper placed the hat Sidney had gifted her on her head, where it should be....always.

April shrugged, casually glancing about her daughter's small home. "I don't know....maybe that rosy glow you have?"

Piper touched her cheeks, wondering if her mom was playing her into a confession. What do I have to hide anyways?Somewhere inside her mind, she remembered what Sidney told her, about being private and needing to keep privacy about him because of who he was.

Why should I hide it from my mother?

"Yes" she said, coming out of her thoughts. "He surprised me on Friday by just showing up out of blue...." As she told her mom this, she felt excited all over again. The fact that Sid had thought of her and arranged to make that happen - it was almost too much for her to handle without bursting into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. "...And he stayed all weekend."

April's eyes seemed to dance. "All good signs, yes?"

"Yes."

"So is it safe to say this is a real thing now?"

"Yes" Piper said again.

April clapped her hands. The amount of elation on her face could hardly be contained. "So my daughter IS dating the Prince of Canada!"

Piper's phone beeped, barely interrupting the happy dance her mom was currently doing in her chair. She half expected it to be Sidney again, but instead saw a text from Ali.

"When can I tell your father?" she asked.

"YOU CAN'T." Piper winced; she said it a little more loudly than she wanted. "I mean.....I really don't want this to be a huge topic of discussion--"

"--But this is huge. Can't we be happy for you?" April's eyes now turned sad. "You've just always seemed to date really big jerks, Piper. None of them ever made you this happy."

"No, you can't." She flashed her mom a grin as she read Ali's text:

A: We need to talk!

Putting the phone face-down on the table, Piper looked at her mom. "Look. Sidney's private. So this has to be private, okay? It's not that I don't want to tell you, and it's not that I'm hiding anything, I just....I just have to respect what he wants. He's kind of a big deal. Comes with the territory."

"I know." But April's face changed a little, and her mouth set just firmly enough that Piper noticed.

"What?"

April shrugged. "What about what Piper wants?"

The words hung in the air, circling around Piper as if it were a dark cloud ready to burst. Any minute now she'd feel the cold rains of reality wash over her, snapping her out of the mini-dream she'd been living the past few weeks.

Standing up, April finished the rest of her coffee and set her cup in the sink. "Come on, Bailey! Time to go!"

Piper sat dumbly, not sure what to say or if she should say anything at all. Her mom gave her a sympathetic look as Bailey came out into the kitchen.

"Bye Piper." He fell into his sister's arms, giving her a tight hug.

"Bye, pal. See you soon?" She looked at her mom. "And you too?"

April nodded and led her younger son out towards the driveway. "Enjoy the leftovers, babe."

"Thank you." April's words lingered even she and her mother left, the screen door swinging shut behind them. Hugging herself, Piper suddenly felt at odds. Her mom's question held more weight than she wanted them to, and yet she knew better. She wasn't the one who played hockey. She wasn't the one who was a big deal. She wasn't the one traveling between two countries for appearances, training, and soon....games.

And yet....

"What about what Piper wants?"

She slid low in her chair, trying to think of what it was exactly that she wanted.

I want more weekends like the past couple.

I want to meet his friends.

I want to watch him skate.

She figured she could make those happen...but whether it would happen at her pace or his, she didn't know. All of it was unnecessary at the moment - that she most certainly did know. The relationship was still new, and she and Sid would work it out. She knew they would.

Picking up her phone again, Piper noticed another text from Ali. This one was a lot less alarming than the first:

A: It's not bad or anything. Sorry. :-P

She smiled, hitting the button that would dial her old roomate up to see what all this was about. In just one ring she picked up.

"Hey! That was fast!"

"You caught me at a good time" Piper said. It wasn't entirely true, but it wasn't entirely false either. "What's up?"

"Two things: one, James and I built a cabin."

Piper gasped. "What! A cabin? Where??"

"On the banks of Lake Ontario, where else?"

"Really!?!?" He eyes went wide. "Well holy shit, that's awesome news! Did you just buy the land or what?"

"No, we literally just built it. The leads me to number two: we want you to come up and bring Sid and we'll all party and get drunk and sleep together."

Piper burst into laughter. "Sounds like a truly magnificent time, my friend."

"So your answer is yes?"

"Well...." Piper propped her feet up on her kitchen table, flip flops and all. "When are we talking, exactly?"

"Guess that depends on Sid's schedule" Ali answered, a question in the tone of her voice.

"What about what Piper wants?"

She couldn't shake her mother's words. I want Sid to come with me to the cabin, that's what. "I don't know his schedule" was all that came out.

"Well girlie - you need to find this business out!" Ali said with a giggle. "It's no big rush...we're only in planning mode right now. Just let me know, okay? I definitely want to hang out with you. Sid or no Sid."

It made Piper feel good to hear that. It was the friendship reboot they both wanted, and this would be a great chance for her and Sid to be out and about together. And meet a bunch of his friends, too. The thought was an instant pick-me-up.

"Alright - I'm in" she said, a smile finally coming back to her face. "I'll be there, Sid or no Sid."

Ali laughed. "Yes!! Now I'll have someone to counterbalance all the testosterone that will be there. THANK YOU."

"Thank you for the invite! Should I ask Sid, or will you or James?" she asked Ali.

"James already texted him, so you can bring it up - sure."

Piper nodded, mulling the scenario over. For all she knew, Sid would be up for it. These were people he knew, in a place she assumed he'd been before. Maybe his privacy thing would take a backseat and the trip could be a fun one. Although she'd heard somewhere before that a true test of a relationship was traveling somewhere for the first time with your significant other. If Piper considered that to be true, then she had it made. Her and Sidney's entire relationship so far felt like they were taking turns vacationing with one another.

Ali casually asked how her and Sid were doing, so Piper gave her just a vague run down of that weekend. Ali was as elated for her as ever, and it made Piper's last bit of sour mood lift permanently.

As the pair hung up, Piper retrieved the bakeware her mom delivered earlier and grabbed a fork. Leaving the foil in the house, she hip-tapped the screen door open and went out onto the porch. With just her thoughts and her mother's chicken tetrazzini, Piper slid into her chair and began to eat. She enjoyed the quietness of her tranquil home, the woods about her, and the amazingly cheesy dish that she couldn't stop eating….telling herself she needed to clear her mind before she talked to anyone else that day.

* * *

Piper talked to Sid that night on the phone for an hour. During that time, Piper said very little and listened very much. Sidney was gradually opening up to her like he said he would, even telling her it was his birthday later that week. He also told her she would not be buying him anything, because he tried to stay low key on birthdays.

Piper would have to try and change that.

Once she woke up the next morning, she already knew how her day was going to go. It would start with the usual: breakfast made of oats and berry compote, a quick shower, then off to work. Once there, she would try and find Dani and hook up with her for lunch to discuss all topics needing caught up on. She very briefly gave her the rundown of her and Sid's weekend together, and Dani had gone bonkers over all of it. In fact, if Piper had to put money down on it, Dani was more excited for her than she was for herself.

But one thing stuck out in her mind that she'd need to talk to Dani about, and that was hiring another yoga instructor. If things were getting more serious with Sid and there would be more travel to Nova Scotia (and soon, Pittsburgh)...she needed another person to help her and her girls out with instructing and covering shifts.

First though, she wanted to be totally immersed in her class that morning. More often than not, Piper felt more of a student than an instructor. She paid attention to her own voice as it calmly instructed the others. She paid attention to her moves probably moreso than those seated in front of her. Yoga always put Piper back in balance, and balance was what she needed most that morning.

With her mind clear and her body feeling at its best, Piper exited the first class of the day feeling 100% better. She remained in her office, taking care of paperwork business until the next class, which was Danika's. When she heard the chipper voice of her pal, she stepped out into the lobby and flagged her down.

"There you are!" Dani rushed over and the two girls hugged. "I thought maybe you left with him and changed nationalities."

Piper rolled her eyes. "I've just been trying to get my shit together since he left."

"You mean get your body back together?" Dani smirked. "Trust me, I don't mind if you're off being all rosy-glow-in-the-face with your new beau."

"This is why I love you" Piper replied, pulling gently on the arm of her long sleeve top. "In here though. Big business stuff."

While Piper closed the door behind them, Dani dropped her gym bag and took a seat. She readjusted her light blond hair into a messy bun, redoing the purple band that had been around her head to keep the loose hairs from falling in her face.

As Piper came around her desk, she was smiling the whole time as she watched her friend. "Really, Dan...it's just me. No need to get all spiffy for me."

Dani snorted. "Thanks, next time I won't get so dressed up."

They laughed, because they both looked somewhat of a mess. Piper had a braid that fell over one shoulder, a blank spandex top and black yoga pants with a light blue fold-over band. Dani was dressed similarly, with messy hair, light makeup, and a pink top on to match her pale gray bottoms. It was the required uniform at any yoga studio; another reason Piper was blessed to have the job she had.

"Okay, so here's what this little pow wow is about." She slid her chair closer to the widest part of the desk, which Dani sat across from. "We need to hire someone else to help us out."

Dani's brows pinched together. "Why?"

"Mostly because I feel a little guilty for calling you or Amy to fill in for me while I traipse all over Canada." She took the ends of her braid in her fingers, idly playing with the ends. "And I don't think the traipsing is going to lessen any, so....we need more people."

"Just one, right?" Dani asked.

"Just one." Piper sat back in her chair, swiveling side to side slightly. "So you want to help me choose her?"

"Well now wait" Dani said, holding up a hand. "How long do you really plan on being gone? Every weekend? Every other weekend? Week days??"

"I don't know, that's my problem." She exhaled heavily, her bangs floating upwards as they often did. "Uggghhhh, I don't know what else to do, Dan! It's either hire someone else, or tax you and Amy to the bone--"

"--Hang on, slow down." Danika's voice was calming, almost to the point of the very zen-like tone she used when instructing. "You hire someone else, and I'll help you choose who it is we hire. You'll train her, I'll split classes with Amy, then the new girl can fill in the rest."

Piper smiled with relief. "That's exactly how I hope this will go."

"Unless the new girl sucks."

"She won't suck - I don't hire people who suck." She gave her friend a sassy headbob to emphasize her meaning. "So chill. We won't have to worry about that."

"Good."

Both girls looked at one another across the dark brown desk separating them. They began to nod slowly as pictures of how their lives may cool down a little with the addition of a fourth instructor came slowly to their minds. It would give everyone there a chance to enjoy more of the summer that was so short to begin with, and it would allow Piper the chance to visit with Sid more.

"So how about we advertise this week, and then begin interviewing next week?" Piper asked. Dani gave her a thumbs-up, and that was all she needed.

Since Dani had to be to her class soon, the pair walked to the door of Piper's office together. Before leaving, Dani turned to her friend with a brand new looking smile on her face.

"So you're going to visit him then this weekend, I would guess?" She knocked Piper in the hip with her own. "Huh? Huuhhh?"

Piper knocked her back. "Not sure yet. It's his birthday....so I mean--"

"--UMMM. I mean what? You're GOING." Dani blinked once with exaggeration. "Right!?!?!?"

Other people started to come into the lobby in clusters of two and three, and they all waved to both Piper and Dani as they stood nearby. A few more ladies trickled in, and Piper nodded in the direction of the classroom.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" she teased.

Danika lifted her bag handles over her shoulder. "If you show up this weekend for class, I'll be very disappointed in you."

"I'll try not to disappoint then." Piper watched as Dani blew her a kiss and then walked briskly off to the room where her next class began.

As she leaned against the door frame, Piper thought about the coming weekend. Would Sid have told me about his birthday on purpose? Or was he just trying to be conversational? She shook her head. He didn't seem the type who craved attention, although he did enjoy all the attention she gave him. Something about the birthday mentioning didn't seem intentional, other than to clue her in on more of his personal side. He talked about birthdays as kids, his first birthday in the NHL, etc....But never once did Piper assume he was looking for attention.

More ladies walked through the front glass doors of the studio. They all gave Piper a wave as they walked by, as some of them had attended her classes as well.

Maybe Crosby needs a little more attention on his birthday than usual, she thought, waving back to the ladies. Maybe that's just the thing he needs.

* * *

Notes

Thanks again to all of you for your comments and votes. You're the best!