Dallas

“So we got glass seats by the team’s bench for the game right?”

I laughed as I towel dried my hair. My roommate Alex had kept asking me the same question all day, mainly because she didn’t believe me that I got the tickets.

“For the last time. Yes.”

“Who are they playing again?”

“The Ducks.”

“Doesn’t your “friend” Shea play for them.”

She used her fingers as quotation marks when she said “friend”, because every time we were together we acted more like a couple than just friends. We had been this way since I lived in Washington and he played for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

“Yeah he does. As a bonus the Ducks are playing the Stars again in two days so they’re staying here so we can hang out with him.”

“Why are they playing them so soon?”

“‘Cause Bettman is an ass.”

Alex shut up, because she didn’t feel like having a rant about how big of an ass Bettman is. As I finished towel drying my hair and making it look good I saw my phone go off.

Hey babe! My plane just landed at the airport. Can you please come and save me from the guys?-Shea

Sure thing hun be there soon.-Me

“Hey Alex I’m going to go give Shea a tour of the area. His plane just landed at the airport. Meet me at the rink for the game alright?”

“Alright! I was gonna go hang out with James anyway.”

James was the only guy on the football team that wasn’t try to sleep with Alex or I so we were cool with him. I grabbed Shea’s old Thunderbirds jersey that he gave me and my keys and headed out.

*AT THE AIRPORT*

I parked my truck and headed towards the baggage claim area. When I got in and saw a big group of tall and tan guys with hockey bags in their hands and I knew it was the Ducks players. I spotted Shea and I moved in for the attack. Some of the guys saw me but I put my finger to my lips to keep them from saying anything to Shea. Once I got in reach of Shea I quickly grabbed his sides which made him jump and his teammates laugh. He turned around with a confused look but smiled when he saw me.

“Carrie!! You’re here!”

He picked me up and hugged me almost as tight as he possibly could, but put me down as if I were some fragile thing with a doofy grin on his face.

“What’s with that grin Theo?”

“I haven’t seen you in forever!...And that tight TCU shirt is looking really good on you.”

I laughed and looked down at my faded purple TCU shirt then back at Shea and put my hand on Shea’s arm.

“Maybe I put it on just for you.”

Some of his teammates oohed and nudged Shea making him go a little red.

“Well I’m glad ‘cause I really like it on you, but you wanna know what?”

“What’s that?”

Shea leaned in closer to me looking at his teammates then back at me with a grin on his face.

“It’d look better on my floor.”

I laughed and took his hand.

“Come on let’s go.”

We both looked at his teammates and he waved with his free hand.

“See ya guys later.”

As we walked towards the exit one of his teammates yelled at us.

“HEY THEO I HOPE YOU’RE TAPPING THAT!”

I laughed and turned to them with a grin on my face.

“MAYBE HE IS!”

When I turned back around I could feel Shea’s eyes on me so I looked up. He had the biggest grin on his face.

“We could if you want to.”

“That’s funny Shea.”

“Can’t blame me for trying.”

I laughed and shoved him a little as we walked towards my truck. When we got to my truck Shea’s jaw dropped.

“This is your truck!?”

“Yeah. I got it as a late birthday present from Alex and James.”

“Oh yeah I got you something too. I wanted to give it to you personally.”

I watched Shea as he took out something rectangular that was badly wrapped out of his bag. When he handed to me I couldn’t think of what it was.

“What is it?”

“Just open it Carrie.”

I slowly opened it and smiled when I saw it. It was a picture of us the last year when we lived in Washington and we were at Ocean Shores. The picture was Shea and I with Shea behind me with his arms around my waist and his head on my shoulder, both of us had huge smiles on our faces.

“Oh my god Shea I love it!”

I hugged him and then let him put his stuff in the back of my truck. When we both climbed in I put on my sunglasses.

“So where do you want to go?”

“How bout you show me where you go to school? I kinda wanna see the campus.”

“As you wish my love.”

When we got back to campus we pretty much spent the whole time hanging around and just walking around. Shea got to meet some of my classmates and a couple of friends.

“So this is where you spend your day?”

“Yup unless I’m working out for cheer. I really don’t do that much.”

“Well you could work out with me.”

Shea winked at me which made me laugh. I playfully shoved him but he pulled me close to him.

“You know you like it.”

“Oh shut up Shea.”

We both laughed and I saw it was time for us to head to the rink.

“We better get going I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

“Yeah coach wouldn’t be too happy if I was late…”

We headed back to my truck and drove to the rink telling jokes, laughing and blaring the radio just like old times.

*AT THE RINK*

“Hey Carrie!”

I saw Alex and I made my way over to her.

“So did you enjoy your day with Shea?”

“Of course I did!”

We made our way to our seats and got settled in. I was wearing Shea’s old Thunderbirds jersey since I really didn’t like the Ducks. When the game started and the Ducks skated out I was the only one that waved at Shea, who grinned when he saw me in his old jersey. As the game was playing I noticed that Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin kept looking over at where Alex and I were sitting. I tried to ignore it but how can you ignore those two checking you out?

The game seemed to go by super fast and the next thing I knew Shea scored the only goal in the game with 1 minute left in the third. I stood up and cheered, making some people around me included Alex to give me really dirty looks. Since the goal was right in front of where Alex and I were sitting Shea turned to me and pointed at me and smiled as his celly.

When the final buzzer sounded I couldn’t help but feel happy for Shea, I mean he was the only one to score a fucking goal in the whole game. I looked at Alex with a smile.

“You want to go party tonight? Who knows we could meet some of the players if we’re lucky.”

“Yes because if we are lucky like that I’m taking one of them back to our room.”

“Warn me if that does happen?”

“Deal.”

We both laughed as we headed out of the rink. Neither of us expected what was about to happen to both of us at the bar.

Notes

Carrie's Truck: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/cc/52/c6/cc52c647598e4aefe91f4a3d2edccf6a.jpg