Caught in the Middle
No Matter What Happened
*Ring Ring Ring*
James heard his phone from his suit pants pocket. Stuffing his right hand in the pocket to fish out his phone, he stopped walking just as he was going to exit the dressing room. Looking down for a brief moment to see who was on the other line, he saw that the caller ID photo was the warm smile of Laura.
The picture of his hometown friend from last summer. Large black sunglasses hide her stunning blue eyes. Her light blonde hair was in a messy bun with a red banana around her head to keep some of it out of her eyes. Laura was in a bright hot pink bikini and she had a red Solo cup in her hand.
James hit the green answer button. Knowing that if it was anyone but Laura, he would have it the red button.
“Hey Nealer.”
James let a small smile appear on his face upon hearing her voice.
“Hey Laura.”
“How are you holding up?
“As good as I can be right now. You watched the game?”
“How could I not support my second favorite team?”
Evgeni walked up behind his nonmoving friend and wrapped his arm around James’s shoulder, and lead him out of the dressing room and down the hallway of the arena.
“Still second to the Habs?”
“You know it.”
“Who is on phone?”
Evgeni asked in his thick Russian accent as him and James walked together. He dropped his arm from James’s shoulder, still looking out for him as they walked. James moved his mouth away from the speaker to answer Evgeni.
“Laura.”
Evgeni’s mouth made an ‘O’ shape then a smile replaced it.
“I like her.”
“You and me both bud.”
“How are you holding up?”
James asked turning his attention back to the conversation with the girl back in Whitby.
“Alright. Just really tired is all.”
“Then go to sleep.”
“No I have to meet up with someone later.”
“Whoa now. Got a date missy?”
“Maybe. Look I’ll see you when I can I have to run.”
“Alright. It’s nice to know you care.”
“I do care James. Sorry about what happened. We’ll make it. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks.I’ll see you soon. Bye Laura.”
“That all depends on you Mr. Neal. Bye you.”
James hung up and put his phone back in his suit pocket. Evgeni pushed open the door and the pair where outside in the cool Pittsburgh night air. He hit the unlock button of his key fob, then the lights of his Audi R8 lit up.
“Everything okay with Laura?”
“Yeah. She watched the game.”
“Well that not okay.”
“It’s alright G.”
After nothing else was said between James and Evgeni. They walked separate way to their vehicles. James opened his door and was about to get in when Evgeni called his name. Turning to see Geno by his white Porsche 911 Turbo.
“Beers? Your place?”
He asked with a comical smile on his face and his thumbs up.
“Why not?”
James said with a smile of his own. Evgeni laughed and got into his car, James did the same. Starting his sports car James closed his eyes and rested his head on the head rest.
Another season came to a crushing end. This time it was at the hand of the Rangers and a game seven. All he wanted to do now was to crawl into a hole for five months and await to see what would happen to the organization come regular season start.
Opening his eyes he let out a sigh and grabbed the steering wheel, put the car into reverse, then speed off to his house. Not waiting Evgeni to get there before he did.
~*~
Turning the corner James came into the coalsack where his house sat.
“Almost home. Then I can…”
Looking ahead he saw two things that caught him off guard.
One, Evgeni had beat him and was leaning on his driver side door, waiting for him.
Two, Lights were on in the house.
Pulling into the driveway James turned his car off and got out. Evgeni was already on his way over to him when he was getting out.
“Were the lights on when you got here?”
“Maybe you left on?”
James nodded and with Evgeni they walked up to the front door of the house. Flipping through his keys, James grabbed the house key from the ring, placed it in the keyhole, and unlocked the door.
Opening the door something was off in the emptyish house that James called home. Lights were on, what sounded like a Coldplay song was coming from somewhere in the house, and it smelt like food.
“Smells good. You sure this is your house?”
Evgeni said in a joking tone of voice as he hit James’s shoulder.
“The hell?”
James said looking around at what he could see of his house. There was the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen then a short blonde girl came around the corner with a goofy grin on her face.
“Hey strangers.”
“Laura!”
Evgeni said in his booming voice as he opened up his arms for a hug. James’s look of worry was wiped clean. There stood Laura in the hallway of his house.
“How-What? Why?”
“I made the trip this morning. I thought you would need a drinking buddy no matter the outcome of the game.”
Laura said as she walked over to him and Geno. She hugged Evgeni first, which was a mistake. He pulled her in for a bear hug, picked her up off the ground, and spun her around before returning her to the floor. She let out a laugh at the large Russian.
“I miss you Laura! Come have beers with you, no?”
Geno said as he walked off to find some beer for him and his friends, leaving Laura and James alone in the entry hall.
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know. But I kinda wanted to. Sorry I didn’t come sooner.”
She said giving him a hug.
“How long was the drive?”
“About 6 hours. Stopped in Buffalo for about an hour or so. Other than that I booked it straight here, all for you.”
James smiled into the hug and kissed the top of her head.
“Thanks. I don’t know how to feel about this right now.”
“James it’s fine. I got this. I have my awesome chocolate chip cookies in the oven. I made some steak and a spinach salad. Oh and I bought some Ben and Jerry’s on the way in.”
James smiled again and lifted her up into the air. His hands were on her waist as he spun her around in a circle. Both of them letting out laughs as he did this.
“I love you right now!”
James exclaimed as he placed her down on the ground. Laura smiled and looked up at James when she was back on her own two feet. James looked at her at the same moment. His hands were still firmly on her waist and they weren’t moving. By instinct James had her pulled into his chest, and he couldn’t think of anywhere else for her to be right now.
“I know you do.”
She said, not taking her eyes off of James green and blue orbs that were staring her down.
“I don’t think you understand ho-”
“Got the beer! And looked what I have with it!”
Evgeni said when he rushed back into the room. In his large hands was a red plastic basket with beer, vodka bottles, rum bottles, tequila bottles, and all kinds of bottles of liquor one could think of.
“James?”
Laura said moving away from him, her eyes now locked on the basket in Evgeni’s hands.
“What? That must be leftovers from something a while ago.”
Laura laughed and walked over to Evgeni and pulled out a bottle of Captain Morgan. She studied the bottle then grabbed another bottle of Gray Goose, then she walked with the two bottles in hand to the kitchen.
“Dinner should be ready soon.”
She called out. Then the sounds of her grabbing a glass from the cabors, placing ice in the glass, then the sound of a bottle opening and being poured into the glass.
Evgeni hurried into the kitchen and tried to open a beer at the same time, leaving James in the entryway alone this time.
James looked at his feet and cussed himself out under his breath. Kicking his dress shoes off and leaving them where the fell. He looked towards the kitchen hearing Laura and Evgeni laughing about something. He couldn’t get Laura out of his head. He hadn’t had her out since he saw her over Christmas.
He never thought that a girl from back home would be on his brain like this. He had money, he had staus, he had looks. He had women throwing themselves at him wherever he went. Whether it was downtown at a club, on a road trip, or even after a game. James could have a pick from almost every single woman in the whole city. He knew that none of those meanless girls wasn’t going to make Laura leave his head. None of them where good enough to kick her out.
“James? You coming?”
Laura called from the kitchen. He snapped out of his daze and looked up to see her standing in the hallway once again. This time with a glass in her right hand and her left on her hip.
“Yeah.”
He said walking towards her. Laura smiled and walked back into the kitchen with James right behind her. Walking into the room James was shocked. The table was set with three large plates piled with steak and salad. A glass of red wine was to the right of every plate. In the middle of the table was a vase of tulips and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Evgeni was already sitting at one of the places and he was eyeballing the food in front of him.
“This…”
“Is amazing. I know.”
She said then hitting her hip against his frame. She walked over to the table, James watching her every step. His eyes were glued to the what seemed like painted on white shorts. Evgeni cleared his throat, breaking James’s focus. He locked eyes with his friend who gave him the ‘know what you’re doing’ look, then he gave James a thumbs up and a wink. James laughed and followed Laura to the table.
With the three of them sitting down at the table they all took their glass of wine into their hands and Laura started a toast.
“Well, with the Rangers moving on there is only a few things to say,”
Both James and Evgeni let out a few boos at her words, but Laura rolled her eyes at them and continued.
“One, we’ll get ‘em next year and two, we get a longer summer. Finally let’s go Habs!”
Again boos from the two men at the table. Laura took a drink of wine anyway then raised her glass again for a proper ending.
“Fine. Here’s to getting drunk off our asses and having random hook up all summer long baby!”
This finally got the men cheering and they clinked their glasses together and took a drink.
James looked at Laura again, but this time Evgeni caught his eye and a sly smile on his face.
This is only the beginning. She’ll have completely under her spell in a week, what can she do to me in a whole summer?
James thought as he picked up his steak knife, still looking at Laura out of the corner of his eye.
~*~
Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/untitled_21/set?id=122013673
James heard his phone from his suit pants pocket. Stuffing his right hand in the pocket to fish out his phone, he stopped walking just as he was going to exit the dressing room. Looking down for a brief moment to see who was on the other line, he saw that the caller ID photo was the warm smile of Laura.
The picture of his hometown friend from last summer. Large black sunglasses hide her stunning blue eyes. Her light blonde hair was in a messy bun with a red banana around her head to keep some of it out of her eyes. Laura was in a bright hot pink bikini and she had a red Solo cup in her hand.
James hit the green answer button. Knowing that if it was anyone but Laura, he would have it the red button.
“Hey Nealer.”
James let a small smile appear on his face upon hearing her voice.
“Hey Laura.”
“How are you holding up?
“As good as I can be right now. You watched the game?”
“How could I not support my second favorite team?”
Evgeni walked up behind his nonmoving friend and wrapped his arm around James’s shoulder, and lead him out of the dressing room and down the hallway of the arena.
“Still second to the Habs?”
“You know it.”
“Who is on phone?”
Evgeni asked in his thick Russian accent as him and James walked together. He dropped his arm from James’s shoulder, still looking out for him as they walked. James moved his mouth away from the speaker to answer Evgeni.
“Laura.”
Evgeni’s mouth made an ‘O’ shape then a smile replaced it.
“I like her.”
“You and me both bud.”
“How are you holding up?”
James asked turning his attention back to the conversation with the girl back in Whitby.
“Alright. Just really tired is all.”
“Then go to sleep.”
“No I have to meet up with someone later.”
“Whoa now. Got a date missy?”
“Maybe. Look I’ll see you when I can I have to run.”
“Alright. It’s nice to know you care.”
“I do care James. Sorry about what happened. We’ll make it. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks.I’ll see you soon. Bye Laura.”
“That all depends on you Mr. Neal. Bye you.”
James hung up and put his phone back in his suit pocket. Evgeni pushed open the door and the pair where outside in the cool Pittsburgh night air. He hit the unlock button of his key fob, then the lights of his Audi R8 lit up.
“Everything okay with Laura?”
“Yeah. She watched the game.”
“Well that not okay.”
“It’s alright G.”
After nothing else was said between James and Evgeni. They walked separate way to their vehicles. James opened his door and was about to get in when Evgeni called his name. Turning to see Geno by his white Porsche 911 Turbo.
“Beers? Your place?”
He asked with a comical smile on his face and his thumbs up.
“Why not?”
James said with a smile of his own. Evgeni laughed and got into his car, James did the same. Starting his sports car James closed his eyes and rested his head on the head rest.
Another season came to a crushing end. This time it was at the hand of the Rangers and a game seven. All he wanted to do now was to crawl into a hole for five months and await to see what would happen to the organization come regular season start.
Opening his eyes he let out a sigh and grabbed the steering wheel, put the car into reverse, then speed off to his house. Not waiting Evgeni to get there before he did.
~*~
Turning the corner James came into the coalsack where his house sat.
“Almost home. Then I can…”
Looking ahead he saw two things that caught him off guard.
One, Evgeni had beat him and was leaning on his driver side door, waiting for him.
Two, Lights were on in the house.
Pulling into the driveway James turned his car off and got out. Evgeni was already on his way over to him when he was getting out.
“Were the lights on when you got here?”
“Maybe you left on?”
James nodded and with Evgeni they walked up to the front door of the house. Flipping through his keys, James grabbed the house key from the ring, placed it in the keyhole, and unlocked the door.
Opening the door something was off in the emptyish house that James called home. Lights were on, what sounded like a Coldplay song was coming from somewhere in the house, and it smelt like food.
“Smells good. You sure this is your house?”
Evgeni said in a joking tone of voice as he hit James’s shoulder.
“The hell?”
James said looking around at what he could see of his house. There was the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen then a short blonde girl came around the corner with a goofy grin on her face.
“Hey strangers.”
“Laura!”
Evgeni said in his booming voice as he opened up his arms for a hug. James’s look of worry was wiped clean. There stood Laura in the hallway of his house.
“How-What? Why?”
“I made the trip this morning. I thought you would need a drinking buddy no matter the outcome of the game.”
Laura said as she walked over to him and Geno. She hugged Evgeni first, which was a mistake. He pulled her in for a bear hug, picked her up off the ground, and spun her around before returning her to the floor. She let out a laugh at the large Russian.
“I miss you Laura! Come have beers with you, no?”
Geno said as he walked off to find some beer for him and his friends, leaving Laura and James alone in the entry hall.
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know. But I kinda wanted to. Sorry I didn’t come sooner.”
She said giving him a hug.
“How long was the drive?”
“About 6 hours. Stopped in Buffalo for about an hour or so. Other than that I booked it straight here, all for you.”
James smiled into the hug and kissed the top of her head.
“Thanks. I don’t know how to feel about this right now.”
“James it’s fine. I got this. I have my awesome chocolate chip cookies in the oven. I made some steak and a spinach salad. Oh and I bought some Ben and Jerry’s on the way in.”
James smiled again and lifted her up into the air. His hands were on her waist as he spun her around in a circle. Both of them letting out laughs as he did this.
“I love you right now!”
James exclaimed as he placed her down on the ground. Laura smiled and looked up at James when she was back on her own two feet. James looked at her at the same moment. His hands were still firmly on her waist and they weren’t moving. By instinct James had her pulled into his chest, and he couldn’t think of anywhere else for her to be right now.
“I know you do.”
She said, not taking her eyes off of James green and blue orbs that were staring her down.
“I don’t think you understand ho-”
“Got the beer! And looked what I have with it!”
Evgeni said when he rushed back into the room. In his large hands was a red plastic basket with beer, vodka bottles, rum bottles, tequila bottles, and all kinds of bottles of liquor one could think of.
“James?”
Laura said moving away from him, her eyes now locked on the basket in Evgeni’s hands.
“What? That must be leftovers from something a while ago.”
Laura laughed and walked over to Evgeni and pulled out a bottle of Captain Morgan. She studied the bottle then grabbed another bottle of Gray Goose, then she walked with the two bottles in hand to the kitchen.
“Dinner should be ready soon.”
She called out. Then the sounds of her grabbing a glass from the cabors, placing ice in the glass, then the sound of a bottle opening and being poured into the glass.
Evgeni hurried into the kitchen and tried to open a beer at the same time, leaving James in the entryway alone this time.
James looked at his feet and cussed himself out under his breath. Kicking his dress shoes off and leaving them where the fell. He looked towards the kitchen hearing Laura and Evgeni laughing about something. He couldn’t get Laura out of his head. He hadn’t had her out since he saw her over Christmas.
He never thought that a girl from back home would be on his brain like this. He had money, he had staus, he had looks. He had women throwing themselves at him wherever he went. Whether it was downtown at a club, on a road trip, or even after a game. James could have a pick from almost every single woman in the whole city. He knew that none of those meanless girls wasn’t going to make Laura leave his head. None of them where good enough to kick her out.
“James? You coming?”
Laura called from the kitchen. He snapped out of his daze and looked up to see her standing in the hallway once again. This time with a glass in her right hand and her left on her hip.
“Yeah.”
He said walking towards her. Laura smiled and walked back into the kitchen with James right behind her. Walking into the room James was shocked. The table was set with three large plates piled with steak and salad. A glass of red wine was to the right of every plate. In the middle of the table was a vase of tulips and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Evgeni was already sitting at one of the places and he was eyeballing the food in front of him.
“This…”
“Is amazing. I know.”
She said then hitting her hip against his frame. She walked over to the table, James watching her every step. His eyes were glued to the what seemed like painted on white shorts. Evgeni cleared his throat, breaking James’s focus. He locked eyes with his friend who gave him the ‘know what you’re doing’ look, then he gave James a thumbs up and a wink. James laughed and followed Laura to the table.
With the three of them sitting down at the table they all took their glass of wine into their hands and Laura started a toast.
“Well, with the Rangers moving on there is only a few things to say,”
Both James and Evgeni let out a few boos at her words, but Laura rolled her eyes at them and continued.
“One, we’ll get ‘em next year and two, we get a longer summer. Finally let’s go Habs!”
Again boos from the two men at the table. Laura took a drink of wine anyway then raised her glass again for a proper ending.
“Fine. Here’s to getting drunk off our asses and having random hook up all summer long baby!”
This finally got the men cheering and they clinked their glasses together and took a drink.
James looked at Laura again, but this time Evgeni caught his eye and a sly smile on his face.
This is only the beginning. She’ll have completely under her spell in a week, what can she do to me in a whole summer?
James thought as he picked up his steak knife, still looking at Laura out of the corner of his eye.
~*~
Outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/untitled_21/set?id=122013673
Notes
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Sounds like it will get interesting - keep going!
6/4/14