One Shots

“Seriously Tyler,” I huffed as I shut the door to my office. To say I was annoyed was an understatement. “Are you going to do that every time I talk to a guy?”
“Yes,” Tyler said like we were discussing what we were having for dinner rather than us having a hushed conversation in my office after he practically threaten a guy for talking to me.
“Come on Tyler, we’ve talked about this.” I groaned, “Don’t you trust me?”
“Yes, I trust you, it’s them,” he said pointing towards the door, “I don’t trust.”
“Well if you trust me then you should know that I told him I have a boyfriend, I always tell them that so that they have no excuse to expect anything. And that is what I tell myself that you tell every girl you talk to, right and that is why I trust you when you talk to other girls.”
“Yes, I know, and I told you that I trust you. It is them I do not trust, because I am a guy and I know how guys are.”
“And what I don’t know how girls are around you?” I spat, as I tried to keep my voice under control knowing that one slip and everyone would hear us. “I’ve seen what girls write about you, what they want from you.”
“Yea, well, that’s not the same.”
“Not the same?” I took a deep breath trying to calm my voice, “How is that any different than me talking to a guy.”
“Because I don’t flirt with them in front of you,” he spat.
“You think I’m flirting with them?” I ran my hand though my hair trying to keep my voice even. “I’m being friendly, what am I supposed to do, ignore them?”
“Yes,” he stated, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
“What, am I just not supposed to talk to anyone?” I questioned, “Because talking to people is part of my job.”
“Yea, talking to the team not every guy that you meet.”
I didn’t even know what to say, it wasn’t like I went around trying to get into the pants of every guy I met. Shit I barley even talked to a guy unless he approached me and every time Tyler acted like I was never supposed to talk to anyone. I didn’t have to take this, especially from my boyfriend, the one person who should trust me more than anyone. “I’m sorry Tyler but I can’t do this anymore.” I whispered, before I could stop myself. This wasn’t how I wanted things to end with him, but if this was how he was going to act every time I talked to another guy, then I wasn’t going to do it. No guy can tell me who I can and cannot talk to.
“Brittany, please don’t do this.” Tyler practically begged as I turned my hand on the door knob. “I am sorry.” He said which cause me to stop, but just for a second. “I’m sorry, I just…” he took a deep breath, “I got, get jealous. I don’t want to lose you and I know how you are when it comes to hockey players.”
“Yea, that’s why I probably settled for you.”
* * *
I sat crossed legged on my couch later that afternoon replying the conversation Tyler and I had earlier that day. I had two hours before I had to be back at the rink for the game tonight, two hours to pull myself together before I had to pull everyone else together. With a deep breath I stood up, just as my phone buzzed and Gabe’s picture flashed on the screen. “What does he want?” I groaned as I picked up my phone and placed it to my ear, “Hey Gabe?”
“Brittany, hey,” he paused, most likely gathering his words, “is it true?”
“Is what true?” I asked as I unscrewed my cap and took a sip from my water that sat on the table.
“That you and pretty boy broke up?”
“First of all don’t call him that,” I sighed, no wonder Tyler didn’t like him I thought, “and second of all, where did you hear that?”
“So it’s not true.”
“I didn’t say that,” I sank back down onto the couch, “now where did you hear that?”
“It’s all over the internet.”
“Seriously,” I groaned, it really shouldn’t have surprised me I guess, it has been three hours, what I wanted to know was who was spreading this story, but it was not a question I wanted answered now. “Gabe, I really appreciate this, but I can’t do this right now. I have to be back at the rink in two hours and so this has to wait.”
“I’m sorry, I just had to see if it was true, and make sure you were okay.”
“Thanks Gabe, but I’m not going to dwell on it too much right now.” I exhaled, “But if you don’t mind, I might need to talk later.”
“Okay,” I could hear the smile in Gabe’s voice. “Well I have a plane to catch in about an hour. So I’ll talk to you later then.”
“Sounds good Gabe, have a nice flight.”
“Thanks Brit.” I rolled back onto the coach as I heard the phone click before it went silent.
Now what was wrong with being friends with a guy? I mean yea, Gabe is super nice, and a total hottie, but he’s more like that brother I never had. I have always been that girl who has had more guyfriends then girlfriends, it’s nicer that way, or so I thought.
Knowing that I couldn’t dwell on this right now I pushed it to the back of my mind as I stood back up and made my way to my room. I grabbed my jeans from my draw and then opened my closet only to be caught with a dilemma. I stared at my Benn jersey, then at my Seguin jersey, the jersey he bought me after I agreed to be his girlfriend, the one that I have worn since I told him yes. Not wanting to stir up the rumor mill more than it was already stirred I grabbed my Seguin jersey and hung it over my arm.
* * *
“Hey guys.” I smiled, trying to play it cool as I entered the American Airline Center which was easier said than done when everyone was watching you as if they expected you to break down any minute. It shouldn’t have surprised me that everyone knew what happened that afternoon.
It also shouldn’t have surprised me that that’s what it was like for the next couple of days. I would go to work like nothing was wrong, talk to Tyler only when I had too, well making sure that all my boys were okay. I still helped with drills when I needed to as well as gave my pep talks when they were needed. I will not lie and say I was okay, because it did hurt every time I looked at Tyler and saw the hurt in his eyes. I also missed when he would just come over and we would talk but most of all I missed waking up with him in the morning, my bed seemed so big without him.
For the most part though, I was okay. Until one day after practice when Horcoff called me over to ask some stupid question that I noticed Tyler staring at me as if he was seeing me for the first time. His brown eyes held a joy in them I haven’t seen for a while along with something else that I couldn’t quit pinpoint, possibly longing.
After that I couldn’t help it, I finished my conversation with Shawn and then retrieved my things from my office. I barely made it out of the arena before I broke down. As I sat on the bench outside I dialed the number that I knew was waiting for my call.
“Gabe,” I sniffled the second I heard the phone pick up.
“Hey Brit,” his normally playful voice turned serious. “Are you okay?”
“No.” I smiled because it was such a stupid question. “I think I broke his heart.”
“You think you broke pretty boy’s heart?” Gabe questioned, and I knew he was confused not knowing the whole story.
“Scratch that, I know I broke his heart.”
“Well that is usually what happens when you break up with someone.”
“Gabe, I know, but we didn’t actually break up,” did we? “At least we never actually said we did.”
“So you had an argument.” I heard the words click in Gabe’s head.
“Yes,” I closed my eyes, “we had a big one.”
“Well that’s easy enough to fix.”
“You think so?”
“Yes,” I could see Gabe smiling as if it were that simple. “I can hook you up with someone on the team and we can make pretty boy jealous. That always works, right?”
“Gabe that is ridiculous.”
“No its not,” Gabe retorted. “I can hook you up with Mr. Duchene.”
“Gabe I do not want Duchene.” I laughed despite the seriousness of the issue. That was always something Gabe was good at.
“I know you want pretty boy.”
“Don’t call him that.” I said, he knows how much that annoys me, but I guess it was a fair trade because that was also Tyler’s nickname for Gabe. “And yes, I do.”
“So then what’s wrong with my plan?”
“We are not going to make him jealous, that is what got us into this mess in the first place.”
“You had an argument because he got jealous.”
“Yes Gabe,” I sighed trying to keep my voice even so that he could understand me.
“Well what did he do to get you mad, besides the whole getting jealous thing?”
“He got mad at me for talking to other guys,” I ran my hand thought my hair realizing just how ridiculous this probably sounded, “and practically called me a slut.”
There was a pause as Gabe let that sink in. “Have you talked to him about this?”
“Yes, the first two times it’s happened.”
“Well I think Tyler needs to come up with a really good apology?”
“Yes, a very good apology,” I sighed, “did you just call him Tyler.”
“Well yes Brittany, we were having a serious conversation here.”
“I guess we are, aren’t we.” I smiled because I don’t think Gabe and I ever had a serious conversation.
* * *
For some reason, realizing that Gabe didn’t think I was over reacting made this whole thing a little better. Gabe was right I thought to myself as I finished packing my clothes for the next three days. Tyler is the one that needs to apologize, and if he couldn’t do that then he’s not really worth my tears.
Which was easier said than done I guess, considering I had no idea what I wanted. I mean did I want to get back with Tyler and run the risk of having this happen again, or was I better on my own. The sad thing was I knew the answer before I even finished the question.
A knock at my door brought me back to reality. I took a deep breath wondering who that could be as I made my way to the door.
“Tyler,” I stammered, to say I was shocked was an understatement. He was certainly one of the last people I expected to see at my door. “What are you doing here?”
“I came…” he took a deep breath and ran his hand though his hair, a jester that was so normal yet this time looked so different, “can I come in?”
“Sure,” I stepped aside, because what else was I supposed to do. He brushed past me, and first the first time he looked out of place. All my anger disappeared as I saw the slight shake of his hands and the nervous bounce in his step. “Would you like something to drink?”
He shook his head as he studied the room, and I wasn’t sure if it was to avoid looking at me, or the surprise of me actually letting him in.
“I’m sorry Brittany,” Tyler said so quietly after a moment that if I wasn’t looking at him I probably wouldn’t have caught it. “I was stupid and I said some things that I know I shouldn’t have said, but I was jealous and I know that’s no excuse.” He took a deep breath never taking his eyes off mine. “What I guess I am trying to say is that I trust you and if I have to worry about anything, it’s not you cheating on me.”
“Yea,” I snorted, “better late than never I guess.”
Tyler cracked a smile with a nod of his head. “I already told you I was stupid, right?”
“At least you admit it.” I smiled, finding it harder and harder to be mad at him. Now that he was standing in front of me, it seemed stupid to be mad at him.
“Does that mean you forgive me?”
“Yea,” I nodded, knowing there was no way that I couldn’t forgive him.
“Good,” Tyler sighed, “Because I got something for you.” He pulled a little velvet pouch out of his pocket and handed it to me. “And I won’t take credit for this one; this was the team’s idea.”
I opened the pouch to see the burgundy and blue studded ring. “What is this for?” I asked knowing that last time I brought up the Avalanche ring, or anything Avalanche he flipped on me.
“It’s a promise ring, not that kind of promise ring.” Tyler stuttered, probably noticing the look on my face. “It’s to promise that I trust you, and if you want to talk to a guy I will not chase them away. I will be jealous, because I can’t help that, I’m a guy, it happens, but I will not be a prick about it. I trust that you will always come back to me.”
“Well in that case, I’m sorry too; I might have over done it a little.” I slipped the ring back in the pouch realizing that he might not be the perfect boyfriend, but he was trying.
“You didn’t,” Tyler reassured me. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
“Well Tyler, then you should know I did talk to Gabe about all this.” I took a deep breath not really sure if I needed to tell him this, but I figured it was probably better if he hears it from me rather the Gabe or anyone else.
“I know,” Tyler tucked a strand of hair behind my ear with a knowing smile.
“You know?” I asked, “What do you mean you know?”
Tyler cleared his throat with a quick look at me before quickly shifting his eyes back to his shoes. “Well I figured you were talking to someone,” he pulled at his ear lobe, still not looking at me “and Jamie said you weren’t talking to him so I just assumed it was Gabe.”
“You just assumed it was Gabe?” I smirked as I took a step closer and laid my hand on his cheek so he had to look me in the eyes.
“No,” he groaned as he closed his eyes. “I don’t even know why I try to lay to you anymore.”
“Me either.”
He opened his eyes, took a deep breath and looked into my eyes. “I heard you talking to him this afternoon.”
“You heard me talking to him?” My heart pounded in my chest. “Did you hear the whole conversation?”
“Yes,” his cheeks turned a slight pink.
“Tyler you have to realize that whatever you heard was just Gabe being Gabe, he didn’t mean anything.”
“I know I should probably thank him though?”
“You want to thank him?” I questioned making sure I heard him right. Tyler apologizing to Gabe was almost as amazing as Gabe calling Tyler, Tyler, but I guess weirder things have happened.
“Yea, because that talk made me realize something.” Tyler smiled as he pulled me into him. “You turned down a chance to go on a date with the wonderful Matt Duchene, for me.”
“I told you that I’d always pick you, didn’t I.” I pulled away so that I could look him in the eyes.
“I know,” he leaned down and kissed me.
After a moment I pulled back with a smile. “This couldn’t have worked out any better,” I leaned in, giving him a peak on the cheek. “It’s almost of if I set this up.”
“Yea,” he shrugged, “I guess it is.”
“You didn’t.” I was shocked, I didn’t think Tyler had it in him, but his gaze told me otherwise.
“Not all of it,” he ran his hand though his hair with a lope - sided smile.
“Tyler.”
“Yea, well I told Jamie I was going to meet him for lunch so…” Tyler slowly backed away.
“Well Jamie is just going to have to wait, now isn’t he?”

Notes

This is my first story, so I apologize if it isn't very good, but I am deciding if I should make this into a story or not.