My Hero

"Do you want anything?" Tyler asked. I finally had the chance to really look at him. He was tall, thin, muscular, his biceps were huge and covered in tattoos, he had really nice brown eyes and a scruffy beard to top it off.

I shook my head no. I couldn't speak. I was in awe of what had happened the night before. We sat there for three minutes. "Did he... you know..?" I whispered

Tyler was quiet for a minute. "No, I stopped him before he brought you in the cab." He smiled, "I also beat the living crap out of him." He showed me his knuckles which were completely cut up and stained with dry blood.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, It was about 9:30, I went over to the bar to pick up a burger for dinner, they have great burgers by the way," he laughed obviously trying to make me feel better. I let on a very small smile. "I got my burger, and while I was about to walk out I saw him slip something into your drink. I wasn't positive that I saw it, or else I would have gone up to him sooner. I am sorry."

"You saved me." I said, tears were starting to roll down my face, "Thank you." The tears continued as he moved closer to me to give me a hug.

"I then went outside with you guys and punched him, carried you here, and got you dressed."

I blushed a little bit at the dressing part.

"Do you want me to call the police, you can file a report. I'm not really sure how this whole thing works." He said while standing up.

"No, nothing happened. What day is it?"

Taken back by the normal question after all this drama, he took a minute to answer. "Saturday I believe, yes, I don't have practice today. Why do you ask?"

"I have a wedding tonight." I answered.

"A family member?"

"No, a client. Tyler could I possibly use a shower please?"

Tyler nodded and told me to follow him. We went into the bedroom where I laid last night and to the right of the bed was a huge bathroom. There was a tub, a huge shower, two sinks, and vanity. Tyler opened a small closet door next to the tub and handed me a towel.

"Sorry I just moved in a couple of months ago from Boston. I am completely alone here."

"It's okay thank you." Tyler closed the door behind him and I locked it. I had realized after I stripped that I had no other clothing to put on. Maybe I could just wear my black dress and heels. I turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up.

I was a lot more calm about the whole situation than I though that I would be. I knew that because of Tyler, I was safe, and hopefully "Doug" would never see me again. I also knew that I needed to thank Tyler a million times over for saving my life. I did not want to file a police report because that meant that my parents would want me to come back to Nashville where I grew up.

The hot water felt great on my skin. I washed my hair with some shampoo and conditioner that Tyler had in his shower. I also washed my body with some... dove? Why would a big guy like tyler have dove? I smiled a little bit. I turned off the shower and put on the towel that Tyler had given me. I stepped out into the attached bedroom to retrieve my dress and heels.

Instead of my dress and heels was an outfit picked out for me. It included a x Dallas stars T-shirt, a men's hoodie, and some leggings. Also was a pair of converse.

"What the hell?" I murmured to myself.

"Sorry." Tyler walked in and I pulled up my towel a little bit more, "It's mostly my ex-girlfriends stuff but the t-shirt is new. I don't really know why I had them but they are yours now. She's all the way back in Boston. If your too creeped out, theres a GAP right down the street I could walk over there and get-"

"No, it's fine, you've done so much already."

"Okay, i'll give you some time." He said and closed the door.

I could see the pain on his face when he mentioned that the leggings and shoes were his ex-girlfriends. I returned to the bathroom with the clothes and put them on. I knew immediately that the zip-up sweatshirt was his. I quickly ran my fingers through my wet hair and put it back in a braid. I made my way back to the kitchen where Tyler was waiting. His face perked up when he saw me.

"You look nice." He said.

I let out a small laugh, "I do don't I?"

"Would you like to get some lunch?" He asked I looked at my phone time- 2:00. The wedding I needed to go to started at 6:30 and it was only 20 minutes away. I was fine- and starving.

"That sounds really great actually. I know a place right down the street."

We walked out of the apartment, I had left my dress and heels there, but I had my purse with me still. It was a very nice apartment building- right in downtown Dallas. The lobby was incredible- nothing like mine. There was marble flooring, a bell hop, and a doorman. All of the workers however, seemed to stop when Tyler came into the room. He didn't seem to notice, so I pretended not to as well.

He opened the door to the cool Dallas weather. About 50 degrees or so and I was thankful for the hoodie he had given me. He was in front of me and slowed down once we got outside.

"So, Sarah, what are you in the mood for- comfort, mexican, italian..." He drifted off.

"You know, comfort food sounds really really great right now."

"Great I know a bbq place right down here. It has good burgers and ribs and crap." I noticed that Tyler had a canadian accent along with a touch of Boston. He led me into a nice restaurant a couple more minutes of walking through downtown Dallas. I honestly can't tell you the name- something with the words "Texas" and "BBQ" in them.

We sat down in a nice booth against a burnt orange wall that had pictures of cowboys, cows, and of course- rodeo's. It was a total cliche but, I loved it also.

"I forgot to ask what do you do? You mentioned that you had a client's wedding tonight." Tyler asked happily with those big brown eyes.

"Oh, yeah, I plan weddings. I just came here from Nashville" I laughed

"Really? That's so cool. What's the name of the company?"

"Hoffman brides." I said and Tyler nearly choked on his soda that the waitress had placed in front of us. I had a confused look on my face.

"No way. Some of my friends' fiancees have been trying to get their wedding's planned by Hoffman for ages. I thought it was only in Nashville?"

"Well, my parents started a new franchise here, and gave me money to keep it rolling after college, which I did a couple of months ago and it's going pretty well.

"Wow that's so interesting. And you have a wedding that you planned tonight? Where?"

"Yes, the Glenn wedding is tonight at the aristide villa. It's very small only about 150 people."

"That's small?" Tyler laughed.

"Yes, for the weddings that my family have planned, it's tiny. What do you do Tyler?" I could see him blush at my question.

"I play hockey." It all made sense, the Bruins and Stars shirts, the fans, the big fancy apartment.

"For the Stars?" Duh Sarah, of course for the Stars. He nodded. Thankfully, our server came over and took our order, I had decided on the chili and Tyler ordered a burger.

"Do you only eat burgers?" I laughed after the waitress had left.

"It seems so, " Tyler chuckled at my observation, "I really like anything. Although, between you and me, the food in Boston is better." He whispered.

I smiled and laughed and he looked around, hoping no angry Texans heard him.

"How was the move from Boston to here?" I asked sipping my Diet Coke.

"It was hard. Everything was different, the food, the temperature, the fans. I miss Boston but there is nothing I can really do about it. I am in a business that doesn't really care about the players feelings, they just wanna win in any way possible. But, I do love hockey and the stars are doing really well."

"I'm not that much into hockey, my dad liked it, the Predators."

Our waitress had set down our food, and it looked delicious. Tyler had asked me more about my career and I asked about his. We fought over the check, but I ultimately won saying that he gave so much to me already. He also put his number in his phone saying that "He owed me a dinner."

We went outside and I gave him a huge bear hug while he hailed a cab to take me to my apartment.

"Thank you Tyler, I really don't know where I would have been if it wasn't for you."

Tyler looked down at me while still embracing me. "Please text or call me. I really would like to see you again."

And with that, he put me in the cab, paid the cab driver (much to my disagreement) and waved as the cab flew away from Tyler in his hands in his jeans, a sweatshirt, and a stars cap.

I sat back in the cab watching the city whizz by on the way to my apartment, which is only a couple of blocks from Tylers.

"How did I get such a hero?" I asked myself while closing my eyes in the back of the cab.

Notes