Hat Trick

"I don't want to be the goalie!" yelled Deacon "You all hit me on purpose."

"But you suck at all the other positions" taunted Devon.

"Yeah" replied Daylon "Unless Pauly wants to play goal."

"Can I be the goalie?" asked Micah. The boys stared at her suspiciously. "I've never played before."

"You need shoes and a stick" laughed Paul as he crossed the hedge row "I'll grab one from the car. No, it will be too big. Daylon go get her a stick." Daylon took off towards the house. Micah pulled on her bright red toms near the door. Daylon thrust a stick at her. Micah looked at it. She then looked at the others sticks. Including Paul's. Why was hers different?

"That's a goalie paddle" explained Pauly. "Lesson one: goalie sticks are different from all the rest of the sticks."

"Got it" answered Micah "What next?"

"Mike!!" said the boys exasperated "Get in the goal." She looked at the net on the opposite side of the patio. She saw Deacon drawing a large blue area in front of the goal with sidewalk chalk.

"Stay in the blue" said Deac "Don't let the ball in. You'll be fine. We'll take it easy on you because you are a girl."

Paul and Deacon were playing against Daylon and Devon but Mike was the goalie for both teams. Paul let Deac and Daylon face off. Deacon ended up on his face. Paul picked him up and dusted him off. The play resumed. Daylon's first shot hit Micah in the stomach. It stung a little, but she would survive. They went back and forth until Pauly declared it a draw. He sent them into to the showers. He reminded them of the pizza and swag. They were all pushing trying to get the shower first.

"Deacon downstairs bath, Daylon use your bath, and Devon use your mom's" called Pauly "No fighting and use soap. I'm going to go grab the swag and drinks. The pizza won't be here for 20 more minutes. I told them 7:30."

Micah went in and pulled her hair free from its knot. She sat on her bed and ran a brush through her hair. She decided to braid the front of her hair into a headband to keep it out of her face. She pinned it down. She slicked on a little lip gloss and called it a day. Paul had already saw her as a drown rat and ugly crying. No mystery left here. She found Paul in the kitchen opening a bottle of wine.

"Sorry made myself at home" he said shrugging.

"Please do" replied Micah coming to stand beside him. He surprised her when he pulled 2 superhero tumblers out of the cabinet and poured the wine. Micah raised an eyebrow at him.

"No need to show our entire hand. And after today you could use a drink" explained Pauly "So we all drink out of superhero cups."

Pauly heard the door bell and went to get the pizzas. Micah came into the living room with her wallet. Only to find Paul signing the credit slip. She heard the delivery guy tell Paul he hoped he resigned with the Pens. Paul told him he hoped to as well. He handed the pizzas to Micah and called to the boys. Paul had turned on the Mighty Ducks for them when he came in. The boys wanted to eat in the rec room. Paul and Micah fixed them plates and drinks and they settled into the floor of the rec room.

"How much do I owe you?" asked Micah as Paul came back to fix himself a plate. He shook his head. "No, really Paul. You have saved my life." Paul laughed. "I'm serious."

"You can fix dinner one night" he replied.

"So you aren't booking a redeye flight to Minnesota to get away from us." said Micah taking a drink of her wine. Somehow drinking good wine out of a Thor cup made her giggle.

"Nope. What's so funny?" asked Paul

"The absurdity of drinking wine out of a Thor cup with a pro hockey player while watching Mighty Ducks." she replied. He just smiled at her.

"I'm easy" said Paul he nodded towards the rec room. They sat on the loveseat flanked by end tables. "Plus, I really love this movie. Minnesota and all."

"I think everyone loves the Ducks."

"Mike, no one likes the Ducks." said Daylon.

"Then why are we watching them?" asked Micah

"He's talking about the hockey team in California" explained Paul "and he's right we don't like them."

"So who do you like Paul Martin?"

"The Pens" he answered "And one of the Predators, when he behaves."

"Is that it?"

"Team USA!" said Deacon "Pauly was in the Olympics."

"No, I was on the team on IR"

"That's still good, right?" asked Micah.

Daylon groaned "Think we can teach her?"

"I think so." said Paul winking at her.

They finished dinner and cleaned up the mess. Paul had poured them more wine before giving the boys 3 Pens bags. The boys all had a Sid jersey signed by everyone. A puck from G, and various other things the guys had tossed in. The boys were super excited. They wanted to watch Mighty Ducks 2. Paul cued it up. As the movie started he went in the kitchen and rummaged around. He sat down on the love seat and motioned Micah closer. He handed her a t-shirt and jersey. Micah looked at both items.

"That's one of my alternate third jersey’s" explained Paul "not many around. The other is just a practice shirt. But it will keep you from totally embarrassing the D-men. This is the part where you say thanks Pauly and don't argue."

"Thanks Pauly" she parroted. Paul laughed. Micah didn't bother to scoot back across the loveseat. Paul was watching her more than the movie. She was beautiful in a girl next door way. Her hair was gorgeous. It was bright red and came down to the small of her back. He couldn't remember the last time he saw girl with hair that long that wasn't extensions. He could so see a smattering of freckles across her fair skin. He liked that she didn't cover them up. She finished her wine and leaned across him to put her cup on the end table. She steadied herself on his shoulder. Dear lord he was solid. She maneuvered herself back into her seat beside him. Between the wine and the chaos of the day she was spent. Her eyes kept drifting shut. She knew she probably looked like one of those dolls that eye blinked.

Paul watched her nod off beside him. She'd had a hard first day. Paul looked at his watch. It was after 9pm. The boys had school in the morning. Paul told the boys to head to bed. They whined but followed orders. He told them to not wake Micah up. He promised Deacon to make sure Micah got upstairs and that he would lock the doors. The boys headed up to their rooms. Paul knew they were tired they were nearly asleep in the floor.

Paul flipped off the movie. Micah stirred beside him. She then snuggled into his chest. Paul moved her hair so she wouldn't suffocate. He then put his arm around her. He flipped over to HBO and waited for the new episode of Game of Thrones. He pulled the throw off the back of the couch and covered her. Paul sat on the couch cuddled up with her until the episode was over. He really didn't want to wake her up but she needed to sleep in a bed. Plus he didn't want to explain to the d-men why he was still here in the morning.

"Micah" he said quietly "You want to wake up or do you want me to carry you up?”

Micah's brain was foggy. She was warm and content. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to stay snuggled up to the hard male body. Oh hell. She sat straight up and stared at Paul. She looked for the boys. They were missing.

"Hey calm down" soothed Paul stroking her back "They are in bed. You've only slept through an episode of Game of Thrones."

"Sorry" she replied looking at him."I am a horrible hostess."

"Nah, I like cuddles." he teased "The bus will be here at 7:10 am or I probably would have just hung out. I should go. I put my number in your phone. It seems fine after its foam bath. Call me if you need me. If not come over around 9 and I'll fix breakfast and we'll grocery shop." He stood up to leave. Micah found herself not wanting him to leave. "Check the locks after I leave." She walked him to the patio door. He put his flip flops on and grabbed his cap from the table. "Night Mike."


"Hey Pauly" she called before he made it out the door. He stopped and turn towards her. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks for everything. I appreciate it."
Paul gave her a squeeze "No big deal" he answered. It was a very big deal. Micah went up on her tip toes and kissed the edge of his mouth.


"It's a very big deal to me." she said near his ear "good night Pauly." She shut and locked the door behind him. She then checked the front, back, and garage door. She checked on the boys who were sound asleep. She quickly pulled her hair up and laid in her bed. She set that alarm on her phone and yawned. She then found the contact Paul had added to her phone. She didn't know why but she needed to text him.


Mike: Hey it's Micah. Did you make it home?
Paul: Yep. No problems. You locked in.
Mike: Yes checked all the doors. Set the alarm. Set an alarm for school. And I'm in my bed.
Paul: Night Micah
Mike: Night Paul
Paul: Pancakes or French toast
Mike: French toast.
Paul: See you at 9.


Micah smiled. She had a breakfast date with Paul Martin. Okay so it wasn't a date. But it was thought that lulled her to sleep.

Notes