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Jamie: Hi.

Elle giggled again, nervous, at Jamie’s message. The people on the train around her were starting to stare and she couldn’t blame them. She was a well-dressed business woman acting like a giddy 12 year old. She pressed her lips together to calm herself and replied.

Me: Hey.

Jamie: This is Elle, from the airport, right?

She would have laughed if she’d allowed herself to. She smirked as she responded.

Me: This is Jamie, from the plane, right?

Elle waited a long moment for the reply to her flippant text, hoping she hadn’t turned him off or confused him with her turnabout. She wasn’t disappointed.

Jamie: God, I hope so. Else this is going to be really awkward.

Elle giggled again.

Me: Can’t be any more awkward than the look on my face right now. I look like a tomato and I can’t stop giggling.

She had another long moment to wait. As the seconds ticked by she mentally kicked herself for the message. That sounded ridiculous, like she really was some tittering twelve year old talking to her first crush. Dammit Elle, she cursed herself. Her fears were unfounded, however.

Jamie: Sorry for the delay. Getting changed atm.

Her head thunked heavily against the carriage window as she imagined Jamie peeling off that well fitted suit. He’d have his own hotel room, she knew. She also knew that she’d never seen him in anything except for dress clothes or his uniform on a TV. Her life felt infinitely empty without the first hand memory of the man stripped bare before her. God, Tyler was right. She was fucking gone.

Jamie: Got some plans for today. Sort of in and out of the hotel.

Elle’s heart constricted with the thought that he was changing for another woman. Where had that concern come from?She shook her head and hoped he wasn’t seeing someone. He was on Tinder, after all. But, if he did, she didn’t want to know and she was pretty sure flirting lightly on Tinder was harmless.

Me:Oh yeah?Hot date?

Jamie: Lol, sure. My mom looks great for her age. Her and my dad are in town for the day. It’s his birthday next week.

Me:Ahhh, gotcha. I thought maybe you were meeting up with someone else-

Elle deleted the message, finding it too insecure sounding. She typed in something more neutral.

Me:Gotcha. I hope the weather isn’t too bad.

Jamie: Oh man, I’m totally swinging by a store for warmer clothes. I might even grab Segs something for turning me onto your Tinder profile. Sort of a thank you.

And there it was. The visual confirmation that Jamie Benn had wanted to get in touch with her, away from work. She grinned, both because that was fucking awesome, but also because she really wanted him to get in touch with her in more ways than through messaging on an app.

Me: I would also like to send him a present. I’m thinking a fruit basket. Do people still do fruit baskets?

Jamie: I think so. At least, my uncle still gets my parents and my other aunts and uncles one every Christmas, so maybe? I used to steal the nuts out of everyone’s baskets until they figured out it was me and started hiding them.

Elle laughed at the mental image of a tiny Jamie Benn sneaking nuts before being reprimanded. She wanted to know more.

Me: Tell me about Victoria. About your family.

That was how she spent the ride back to Richmond, reading about the adventures of both Benn brothers as children and laughing at their antics. She’d gotten over the mild embarrassment of her crush but still felt like hiding her face from the other passengers as she chatted with Jamie. She swore the pleased grin on her face gave away her activity and she felt like there was a giant sign overhead reading, JAMIE BENN IS FLIRTING WITH ME ON TINDER.

As the train pulled into the Richmond Centre Station, Elle stood and adjusted her outer wear. She lived a handful of blocks away but she knew the weather was still going to be bitter. She’d been chatting with Jamie for thirty minutes and she wondered if he was warm and toasty in his hotel room.

Jamie: Hey. I don’t want to bail, but my parents just got here. We’re off to lunch. Can I text you back in a bit?

She frowned, understanding that it was rude to text in front of visiting family but sad that their chat was cut short. She felt bereft; she’d just spent a half hour laughing and grinning like a fool. Now it just felt like the carpet was being pulled out from under her.

Me: Yeah, I’ll be around all day.

Jamie responded with a goofy smiley face and closed the program. Elle spent a long moment staring down at the screen with the dimmed profile picture until someone behind her cleared her throat. She looked up to find that the doors were open and people were waiting. She hopped onto the platform and started the walk home.

-------

Jamie didn’t want to shut down the app and he certainly didn’t want to ignore any possible messages from Elle; his mom was firmly against tech during family time however. As she swept him into a tight hug, his phone was forgotten in his pocket.

The trip from Victoria to Vancouver took three hours by car and involved a ferry ride. His parents had been traveling since almost 6 AM and he knew both of them would want to stretch their legs. When greetings were concluded, his dad immediately started making noises about lunch and Jordie suggested the steakhouse downtown. It was a short four block walk from the hotel but by the time the Benn tribe got inside, the brothers were cursing the temperatures.

Their parents bemoaned the fact that their children had lost their cold, northern blood so far south. That shut both of them up quick, neither wanting to defend their life in the sun to their parents. They’d been down to visit Dallas and both Mom and Dad had loved it so if they wanted to make fun of Dallas, they could. Jamie could also show them the most boring places on their next visit too. His mom smacked his arm lightly when he made the idle threat.

He was pleased that his parents were there. The Stars usually played Vancouver around their dad’s birthday every year and it was kind of a tradition to meet up close to the day. Last year they’d spent the entire afternoon at the zoo, but no one was really in the mood to be outside for that long in this weather. Instead they enjoyed a calm lunch with the obligatory inquisitive discussion from their mother.

“So. Jamie. ” His mom had a gleam in her eyes that made Jamie lean away.

“So. Mom. ” He took a deep drink of his iced tea.

“Jordie’s been dating Michelle for almost a year now. When do you think he’s going to propose?”

All three Benn men choked on their various drinks or food. Jamie thumped his brother on the back hard a couple of times while their dad attempted to catch his breath from the startled laughter the question had forced from him.

“Ma! You can’t just-“

Their mom held up a hand and kept her gaze locked on Jamie. Jordie was never one to disclose personal information without the conversational equivalent of a jack hammer but Jamie was different. Jamie could never hide anything from their mom when she could see his face. He was getting better on the phone, but when those identical brown eyes stared him down, he folded like he had a handful of 9’s.

“Jamie?” Next to him, Jordie elbowed him in warning. He felt like he was starting to sweat under their mom’s gaze.

“Um. I, uh- I’m not sure what’s up with that. I think he was looking at rings a few weeks ago. ” Jamie’s voice lowered in defeat with each additional word. Jordie had been looking at rings. Jamie wasn’t about to lie to their mother. He turned his gaze down and shoved a forkful of food into his mouth to keep from saying any more. Jordie deflated in terror. Their mom pursed her lips in mock irritation.

“You should ask him about his girlfriend, Mom. She’s pretty awesome. ”

Jamie choked again at Jordie’s words. “I do not have a girlfriend-“

“Says the guy who’s been texting someone all morning. ”

If they’d been in private, Jamie would have had Jordie in a headlock so fast the older brother wouldn’t have known what to do with himself. As it was, he acted like a total adult and kicked him under the table. “I don’t have a girlfriend. That was just a regular friend. ” That he’d really like to get naked, he added mentally. Not a lie at all.

“Then what’s up with the girl from the airport? You turned six shades of fifteen year old when you saw her on the runway this morning. ”

Jamie groaned as his head hit the table. He couldn’t look at Jordie for fear that he’d catch on to the fact that the friend he’d been texting and the woman from Jetz were the same person. He wanted to keep this relationship, really this conversation, under wraps for a little while. Lord help him, he knew as soon as the team found out he’d been chatting up Elle on Tinder his love life would be fair game. He really wanted to keep this tentative attraction to himself for a while.

“Jamie. Jamie, what girl? What is he talking about?”

He just rolled his head back and forth, blocking out his mom’s incessant questioning.

-------

Elle really loved her days off. Without any obligation at the airport past her early morning call, she caught up on her housework. Three loads of laundry, a vacuum in the living room, and a clean bathroom later, it was well after noon.

A knock sounded on her front door right as she was about to pull over leftovers for lunch. She frowned momentarily, entirely unsure who would know she was home. She hadn’t heard her phone go off. She looked through the peephole and a smile crossed her lips.

She threw open the door with a shout. Nicole lived down the hall and was one of her dearest friend. The redhead blew in like a hurricane, carrying a bag of take out and talking a mile a minute. When Elle had the door locked and followed the other woman into the dining room, Nicole was finishing up a rant about Bridget, from Accounting at Nicole’s firm. “I swear she wears the worst perfumes. I can’t come within ten feet of her without sneezing myself stupid. ”

She kissed Elle’s cheek and started to pull out boxes. Elle knew it was really better to just let the storm run its course. She fetched plates and a couple of beers. Nicole had taken a half day, citing mental needs. Beer was compulsory.

-------

The Benn family got in late. They’d done some window shopping after lunch and then caught a film. It was so nice to just relax during this short break and their dad was very pleased with the new grill they’d picked out from the mall. After an early dinner, the brothers parted ways from their parents with hugs and the promise to see each other before the game tomorrow.

Their parents were staying in the same hotel, so after an awkward good bye, have a safe elevator trip up to your floor, the brothers bee-lined for the bar. A couple of the guys were already there, enjoying a night cap. They played the next day, so absolutely no one would have more than a couple, but it was good to bond on the road like this. Jamie bought a round and then dug his phone out of his pocket.

He sent a smiley face to Elle, hoping that she was free and could talk again. He’d spent most of the afternoon thinking about her and what he wanted to say to her. He blacked out the screen while he waited for her reply, focusing on one of Kari’s fantastical goal tending stories.

Almost an hour passed without a reply. Jamie was disappointed. She had her own life, though, he rationalized. There was no way he could expect her to be sitting by her phone, waiting for him to get a hold of her. He actually knew very little about her beside what he’d seen while she’d been working. Maybe she had another job. Maybe she even had a boyfriend keeping her busy. That thought made him frown.

It wouldn’t surprise him, though. A woman as beautiful as Elle couldn’t be single. Thinking about her in alone in an anonymous bed somewhere just didn’t jive with the image he held of her in his mind. She’d have a man with her; Jamie desperately wanted it to be him. He took a long few minutes thinking about the miles of creamy skin she was sure to be hiding under those expensive work clothes she always wore. He would trace every inch of her with his fingers, catching on the swell of her breasts and the soft shape of her hips.

His pants tightened uncomfortably and he was jarred back to the present. Moe and Demmer were discussing the last trip to Vancouver and an unfortunate incident with a fan at a burger joint around the corner. Jamie’s thoughts were entirely inappropriate for the location.

He stood from the table, the three beers he’d put away warming his chest. His teammates closed tabs behind him and they moved to their floor as one. He had a good group of guys that didn’t party too much and certainly looked up to their captain as a symbol of good behavior.

Fifteen minutes later, with his hand around his dick and hot water pouring down his wide back, Jamie thought they’d laugh him out of the hotel if they knew what he’d been thinking about while they were joking around down stairs. He finished himself off quickly, not entirely satisfactorily, and got out of the shower. His phone was still quiet and he put it on silent before he went to sleep.

-------

Elle was a gross and sweaty mess by the time Nicole poured them both into a cab sometime around 2 AM. It was rare that they went out by themselves but day drinking had turned into pre-gaming. That had turned into an evening of dancing. Elle was around 30% sure there’d been a joint mixed in there somewhere but she wasn’t entirely clear on the details. She was positive that she should have invited Jamie. They weren’t so far from his hotel. She actually would have invited Jamie if she hadn’t forgotten her phone at home.

He was probably a really mediocre dancer. He had joked around in the player lounge before; she’d seen his moves. Elle giggled, thinking about it, and leaned into her friend. “I swear; working for the airline has to have gotten me at least twenty good behavior points for not jumping some poor guy. Do you have any idea what hockey ass looks like in dress pants?”

Nicole scoffed down at her and pushed the drunk brunette against the far door. The non-sequitur wasn’t that uncommon when Elle had alcohol in her. “Yes yes, Miss Hockey Ass. I get it. Your job is awesome. But you, my friend, are uptight. ”

Elle let out a horrified gasp, falling back into Nicole when the driver took a corner particularly fast. “I’m not uptight. ”

“You’ve had that gig for like a hundred years but you haven’t fucked a hockey player yet. And you’re gorgeous so I know you’ve been propositioned. BUT, if you had fucked one of them, I’d know about it and since I know nothing, you haven’t. Hence you’re uptight. Too much of a stickler for rules. ”

Elle had to nod. Nicole was right. “I was biding my time. Had to be the right guy. ” Had to be him. Elle wanted to climb out the taxi window and shout to the pedestrians that she was heading home to sext Jamie Benn.

Nicole side-eyed her hard. “Had. As in past tense?” Elle giggled. “What happened? Who was it? Who’s in town right now?” The redhead thought hard for a moment before her face lit up like a kid at Christmas. Drunkenly, Elle thought that Nicole shared a lot of the same facial expressions as Tyler, both of them going wide-eyed and giddy at the thought of her and Jamie.

“NO FUCKING WAY! You hooked up with Benn?! JAMIE BENN!?”

Elle just laughed, pleased with herself and completely unconcerned that Nicole was shaking her violently.

The badgering continued until they made it all the way up to Nicole’s door. “This better not be drunken wishful thinking and you better be coming clean tomorrow. ” Elle got a finger in her face, wagging threateningly. Nicole turned to open her door up and spent a good five minutes digging around for her keys. “Fuck. Ellllle. ” She dragged out the consonants in Elle’s name like a plea.

“Come on, dumb ass. Spend the night. We’ll call maintenance in the morning. ” This was far from the first time Nicole had locked herself out of her own apartment. At this rate, Elle should really have spare keys.

Nicole went straight to the guest room, shutting the door behind her with a wobble. A thump followed shortly after before she called out that she was fine. Elle shook her head, wobbly on her own heels as she went to fetch her phone. It was under a discarded shirt on her bed, right where she’d left it. She opened it up and smiled at the single smiley face Jamie had left her hours ago.

If she played her cards right, she might still see him tonight. It wasn’t that late. She sent back her own smiley face. And then another. And a third. Almost a half hour passed while she drank a couple of full glasses of water and brushed her teeth. Elle delayed bedtime a little by poking her head in on Nicole. The red head was fast asleep, still clothed and star-fished on the bed.

Jamie still hadn’t responded by the time she was pulling off her clothes and climbing on to her own soft mattress. The let-down wasn’t as hard with the alcohol but she still felt like he could at least let her know he’d gotten the smiley face. He wasn’t like the type to wait x-amount of time to respond, was he? She set her phone out of her reach and closed her eyes, a frown on her face as she drifted off.

She woke up with a massive hang over. Her phone was tucked up under her cheek. It stuck to her face momentarily when she lifted her head to look at her clock. The display read 8:27 AM. Not too bad for a wake up.

Mornings were rough. This one was made rougher by tiptoeing around her apartment, lest she wake Nicole. It was Saturday, so the redhead didn’t have to work, and Elle knew better than to rouse the sleeping bear.

She was almost through her second cup of coffee before she bothered checking her phone. The toast she was munching on was slowly turning to crumbs when she opened the Tinder app and almost threw her phone across the room in horror. She scrolled back up through a novella of text she’d sent to Jamie.

It had started off as a couple of smiley faces. She remembered those.

She sent him a comment about his ass. She did not remember sending that.

She’d sent a picture of the picture of herself on a beach in Greece, taken the previous summer during her copious free time. The bikini was miniscule. In fact, just her bottom half was covered. She had been face down in the sand and topless in the picture. She’d never put it on line. The only way to see this very specific picture was by visiting her apartment. Or apparently getting it via Tinder message. Elle’s face burned. Jesus fucking Christ. She didn’t remember any of this. How the hell had she gotten so drunk the night before?

The messages continued.

Me:I just saw a picture of you when you were drafted. You won the puberty lottery. Hot damn.

Her head hit the counter, hard. Holy fuck.

The last message read something along the lines of her taking care of herself if Jamie wasn’t going to get back to her and that she didn’t need no man because she was a strong woman.

Elle looked up and away, tears of anger and embarrassment burning in the corners of her eyes. It was then that she noticed the dry erase board tacked to the kitchen wall for notes. Her grocery list had been erased, god dammit, and a short message read: UPTIGHT! MADE YOU SEEM MORE LAID BACK! YOU LOOK HOT IN THAT PHOTO! - Nic xoxoxo

-------

Jamie pulled Segs to the side as they headed down to breakfast. His expression was perplexed when he shoved his phone, Tinder already open, into Segs’ face. “Is Elle secretly crazy? Is that what’s going on?” If anyone could explain what Jamie had woken up to, it would be Segs. He was the Tinder expert. He was also the Elle expert, having been friends with her for years.

Segs eyed Jamie warily but read through the messages Jamie had found in his message folder that morning. Strange, rambling messages. He could tell the moment Segs hit the picture that Elle had attached. The other forward’s eyes almost popped out of his head and he held the phone even closer to his face. “Hoooooly shit dude. Fuck she’s hot. ”

Jamie snatched his phone back. He glanced down at the smooth expanse of Elle’s back in the photo before he shoved the offending object into his pocket. “Seriously, though. She didn’t respond all day and then all of a sudden at 6 in the morning she’s sending me this. What does it mean?”

Segs rolled his eyes and pulled out his own phone. He typed fast and furious, his tongue peeking out between his lips. It was the look of extreme concentration Segs only got before big plays. Or when he was trying to sweet talk his way into a woman’s bed. His fingers stilled and a moment later his face lit up. “Ha! As I suspected. ”

The message on Segs’ phone was from him to Elle.

Me: Did you, by any chance, get drunk and message Benny this morning inappropriately? You know, there’s a code on Tinder, girl. A code.

Elle: Drunk, yes. Messages, no. I had a friend over last night and she sent them while I was sleeping.

Jamie let himself relax for the first time since he’d woken up that morning. That explained it.

Segs was still typing away with Elle, it seemed. Jamie pulled out his phone and checked Tinder, just to send her a message. Her profile appeared off line and he looked over at Segs. “Are you texting her? Do you have her actual number?” Jamie made a move towards Segs, ready to grab his phone and get her number.

Segs guffawed, sharply and dastardly, before taking off down the hall. Jamie followed, ready to tackle Segs if needed. He had to talk to Elle.

Notes

I'm having this weird formatting issue when I post where all the spaces after the periods disappear and then I have to go back and reenter them manually. If you know how to fix this, please let me know.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR READING SO FAR! It's been a while since I've posted anything up here and I'm glad the reception has been warm :)