Tread This Fantasy

“Melanie Kay, you let us in or I’m calling your mother.”

Mel slipped off the sofa and unlocked her door to let Kate and Sophie into her apartment. Kate pushed inside and looked around the living room. A blanket was spilling off the couch onto the floor, a pile of tissues were crumpled up on the coffee table with a lone glass of wine rising out of the sea of white, and the television was tuned into the Hallmark channel.

“This is disgusting,” Kate said.

Sophie looked at her friend’s face. Mel’s eyes were slightly red and she looked tired, worn down. “Are you okay?”

“What are you two doing here?”

“You’ve been locked away all weekend. Sophie called me because she needed back-up.”

Mel threw herself back on the sofa. “I’m fine. Just grieving.”

“Grieving for what? Your flippin’ dignity? Jesus, Mel.” Kate kicked at the blanket and sat down beside her friend.

“Sidney called me a few minutes ago and asked me to talk to you. He said he fixed things.”

“He what?”

“He called me,” Sophie said, lowering herself in the armchair. “He pretty much begged me to ask you to call him.”

“It’s not going to happen,” Mel replied. “I can’t do this. It’s just going to end up bad for me. I’m going to fall for him and he’s going to flit off to some other city or some other girl. And then I’m just going to be... here. Alone.”

“Mel, don’t...” Sophie started to say.

Instead Kate interrupted. “Holy shit, let me call Lisa and tell her that her partner in crime just turned into the biggest chickenshit ever. You’re breaking up with him because you’re afraid he’ll break up with you in a year or two?”

“I hardly think I have a two year shelf life with Sidney Crosby,” Mel replied dryly.

“Selling yourself short again,” Sophie said.

“He’s the star of the NHL. I’m an assistant.”

“You’re an intelligent woman who is a financial advisor in training,” Kate corrected. “And you’re hot and he’s probably head over heels for you.”

“She’s right,” Sophie said. “He sounded desperate, Mel. I think you should call him.”

“I can’t.” Mel slumped over, defeated.

“Is what Sophie said true? Did he resolve the work thing?”

Mel nodded weakly. “Thing One and Thing Two called me upstairs this afternoon and apologized for encroaching on my personal life. Or something to that effect. They said they didn’t see a problem with me seeing Sid personally as long as we didn’t discuss business outside of the office.”

“Fuckin’ A,” Kate said, throwing her hand up. “Problem solved. He’s superman.”

“He cared enough to call them and stick up for you,” Sophie added. “That’s huge, Mel. Huge.”

“It’s great, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m going to get discarded. He’s jet setting and breaking hearts every single day. He’ll get bored with me.”

“You’ll never know where the ride will end until you get on it,” Kate said, placing a hand on Mel’s knee.

“It ends right where it started.”

“Or it doesn’t,” Sophie said. “Give him a chance.”

“Look, I haven’t put out yet. I’m a challenge. The minute I give up the goods, he’s going to carve another notch in his bedpost and move on to the next lucky girl.”

Sophie frowned. “Melanie, you’re being unfair to him. He seems like a nice guy. All the things you said he did for you. Why don’t you remember any of those right now?”

“Because she’s a coward,” Kate replied, pulling her hand away from her friend. “He’s someone who could mean something to her and she’s just afraid of getting hurt.”

Mel felt like weeping again. She’d been a wreck since Friday afternoon. Her life had gone from fairytale to hell. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Kate stood up and motioned for Sophie to join her. “Come on, Sophie. Let’s leave her to wallow in her self-pity. Any other girl would be counting her lucky stars that Sidney Crosby cared enough about them to go out of his way and set things right. But not Mel here. She’s just going to be distrustful and afraid of anything real.”

“He just did it to get in my pants,” Mel blurted.

Kate laughed. “That’s bullshit, Melanie Kay. It’s bullshit and you know it. I can see it in your eyes.”

Mel shrank back into the sofa cushions. It was bullshit. Sid had never tried to rush her; he’d always respected her boundaries. He’d done absolutely nothing wrong, and she was just scared shitless because the last few days made her wonder if she was falling in love with him.

Kate opened the door and then looked back at Mel. “Call me when you grow a spine, Mel. Really.”

Sophie leaned down and gave Mel a quick hug. “Call him. Promise me you’ll call him.” Sophie’s blue eyes were wide and she looked so earnest.

“I’ll think about it,” Mel said.

It was enough to get Sophie to leave with Kate. They closed and locked the door behind them. Kate sat on the sofa and stared blankly at the television. A man was handing a woman a rose. The woman smiled and threw her arms around him.

Mel grabbed the remote and flipped the TV off. Maybe they were right. Maybe she was just a chicken. Maybe she was thinking the worst of him when he’d given her no reason to. Maybe she was just self-conscious and afraid of getting hurt because she was starting to care about him too much.

She smiled to herself. He must have reamed Paul’s and Patricia’s asses because they were nervous as hell when they spoke to her that afternoon. They stopped just shy of offering to pay for her next date with Sid. Of course, Mel had decided there shouldn’t be a next date, even though Mike had encouraged it right before she left for the day.

“He cares about you, Mel. Give him a call,” he’d said.

Everyone seemed to be telling her to call him. Maybe that meant something.

She picked up her phone and turned it over in her hand, rubbing the screen with her thumb. Before she could talk herself out of it, she pulled up her recent calls and touched his name. The phone rang once before he answered.

“Mel,” he said. She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“I’ve missed your voice.”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Sid exhaled. “No, I’m sorry. They shouldn’t have put you in that position. I don’t want you to have to choose between your job and me.”

“Thank you for sticking up for me.” She laughed softly. “I don’t know what you said, but they were so sick they looked green when I went up to talk to them.”

“It doesn’t matter what I told them. What matters is that you’re not in trouble and I’m not in the do-not-touch category.”

She smiled. He had a way of making her relax. Any doubts she had about him always dwindled away when he was talking to her. It was like she was the only person in the world in those moments. “You’re pretty touchable.”

“I’m practically screaming to be touched,” he agreed. “Why didn’t you call me?”

Mel sighed. “I was being stupid. Kate and Sophie kicked down my door and called me an asshole.”

“Good. I knew I could count on Sophie.”

“How was your day?”

“Pretty shitty until right now. Actually, the last three days have been terrible.”

She felt like a jerk. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. But I expect you to make it up to me on Saturday. I’m still coming over for dinner.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Anything you’re making. Just don’t add a stick of butter to it or my trainer will murder me.”

Mel laughed, pulling her feet up onto the sofa and tucking them underneath her. “When do you get back into town?”

“We’re playing Toronto tomorrow night and then flying back right after. I’ll get in after midnight, probably. Practice Wednesday morning and then a press dinner that night.” He paused. “I wish I could see you Wednesday, but the dinner starts right after you get off work.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. But how about we get something to eat after work on Thursday. You bring your friends and I’ll bring my friends. A group thing.”

“Serious?”

“Totally serious. I’ve got to meet your friends sometime, don’t I? Especially when they’re sticking up for me and talking some sense into you.”

***************************************

Mel went into work Tuesday morning with a much lighter heart. She was scanning her inbox when Mike walked in.

“Morning,” he said.

“Morning,” Mel replied.

“You look better this morning.”

“I got some sleep.”

“Talk to Crosby?”

She smiled. “Mind your own business?”

“Hey, I’m trying to play fairy godfather here. Did you call the kid? He was losing his mind over you.”

Mel blushed, turning away from Mike. “I called him,” she mumbled.

“Good.” That said, Mike strolled out into the hall.

That afternoon while she was eating a salad at her desk, an unfamiliar man knocked on her door. He was in blue slacks and a white shirt. “Melanie Kay?”

“Yes?” she said.

“Delivery.” He handed her a box and had her sign a sheet on his clipboard. “Have a good day.”

Mel nodded and flipped open the cardboard box to find a two pound box of chocolates wrapped in a bow. A single rose was laid across the top. She couldn’t stop the smile. There didn’t even need to be a card; she knew who it was from.

Her call went to his voicemail so she left him a message. “Thank you for the rose and the chocolates. I can’t wait to see you on Thursday.”

He called back an hour later to ask her if she’d tried the candy.

“Maybe one or two,” she said. “Or four.”

He laughed softly. “I can’t wait to see you. This has been the longest week ever.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to watch the game tonight?”

“Sophie is coming over and we’re going to have a re-do of Friday night since it got messed up.” As soon as she said it, she remembered their phone conversation that night. Mel’s cheeks flushed with color and she was thankful he couldn’t see her.

“I had a good Friday night.”

She laughed nervously. “Hush. Good luck with the game; we’ll be rooting for you.”

************************************

“Where is this place?” Lisa asked, fixing her hair in the side mirror. Her boyfriend Don was driving and Mel was in the backseat.

“Why don’t you just park over there. The garage will be cheaper.”

“Fuck that,” Don said, “I’m having the valet take care of it. It’s not every day you get to meet Sidney Crosby.”

“Aww, baby. You’re so romantic,” Lisa said. “We go out for dinner, you make me walk five blocks in heels. Sidney Crosby asks you out and you pull out all the stops and go for valet service.”

“Babe, it’s the Penguins.”

“I know. That’s why I love you.”

Mel made a gagging noise. “Get a room. I’m dying back here.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “I’ll remember this moment when you’re making moo-moo eyes at Sid the Kid.”

“I don’t make moo-moo eyes.”

“You do. It’s disgusting.”

They left the car with the valet and stepped inside the restaurant. The hostess showed them to a private room. Kate and her fiance Tommy were already there, seated across the table from Sophie and Brandon Sutter. They looked up when Mel walked in with Lisa and Don.

Pascal Dupuis was standing by the door with his wife and Chris Kunitz was across the room helping his wife pour drinks for everyone.

“Melanie?”

She looked over to see that Dupuis was talking to her. “Hi,” she said. “I think we met at the practice facility.”

He nodded. “We did. This is my wife Carole-Lyne.” He inclined his head. “This is Mel.”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” Mel said, shaking the woman’s hand.

“A pleasure,” Carole-Lyne said with a warm smile.

“Sid is going to be late. He had a couple interviews and they ran over.” Pascal said.

Carole-Lyne took Mel’s arm. “Let me introduce you to Chris and his his wife Maureen.”

The two women were very nice and welcoming, but Mel was anxious to see Sid. Everyone was grazing on the cheese and crackers laid out on the table at the far end of the room and helping themselves to a few bottles of wine. Sophie and Brandon stayed at the table with Kate and Tommy. Chris and his wife settled down with Lisa and Don. This left Mel sitting with Pascal and Carole-Lyne. They asked her about how she met Sid and what she did for a living.

Pascal joked that he’d have to come see her and make sure his advisor wasn’t screwing with his money. Just then the door opened and Mel looked up to see Sid. He grinned and walked over to the table. She stood up to give him a hug. His strong arms felt so right as they wrapped around her.

“I missed you,” he whispered softly in her hear.

“Back at you,” she said.

“Hey, break it up, lovebirds,” Pascal said, waving his hands in the air.

Chris Kunitz wolf-whistled before yelling, “Get a room!”

Both their wives admonished them with smiles. Mel blushed and sat down. Sid made the rounds and shook hands with her friends, introducing himself.

Finally, he sat down beside her and they ordered dinner. He and Pascal started talking about the home game the next evening while Carole-Lyne just rolled her eyes at them.

“Always with the work talk,” she told Mel.

Mel laughed. “Does it get old?”

“I put up with it because I love him.” She patted Pascal on the back.

“Are you telling her about my bad habits? I never leave toenail clippings in the shower. She’s a liar,” Pascal said.

“Gross,” Mel and Sid said together.

Carole-Lyne gave her husband a dirty look. “Honey, try to be civilized.”

Their food arrived and they spent the next half hour chatting about shopping in Pittsburgh and how much of a pain Mel felt it was to work Downtown. Really, she didn’t mind at all. The parking was ridiculously expensive, but the bustle of the Downtown area always made her feel more connected with the world. The other two tables joined in on the conversation until it felt like one big yelling match--people talking over people, talking over people.

At least everyone is getting along, Mel thought, watching Lisa’s boyfriend laughing over something Chris Kunitz had said. Brandon Sutter was holding Sophie’s hand under the table. They were trying to be discreet, but Mel’s seat allowed her to see the sweet display that was out of sight of everyone else.

She wanted to turn to Sid and talk to him and only him. It felt like ages between their last date and now. But they were in a room filled with their friends and it wouldn’t be appropriate to ignore Pascal and his wife in favor of staring into Sidney Crosby’s brown eyes.

“I’m going to go to the little girls’ room. I’ll be right back,” she said, slipping out of her chair and leaving the private dining room. A waiter walking by pointed her down the hall to the restrooms.

It was a nice restaurant with an even nicer powder room. The stalls had actual doors and walls that went from the floor to the ceiling. There was no looking under doors or seeing the feet of the person in the stall next to you. The vanity was lit with flattering, pink-tinged bulbs and the back wall of the room was lined with a plush sofa and two armchairs with an ornate table between them.

“This is nicer than my apartment,” she mumbled, stepping up to the vanity and fixing her hair. She was in a strapless chiffon dress. The top was white and the skirt was black, falling just past mid-thigh. She’d thrown a black shrug on to keep warm, but had taken it off before dinner because the room was toasty.

Her makeup was fine, but she did touch up her lip gloss and apply a coat of mascara. She rubbed her lips together while she tucked the makeup away in her purse. The door opened and closed, but Mel didn’t look up to see who had entered. It wasn’t until his arms were around her that she realized it was Sid and not another woman coming in to use the facilities.

“Oh my God,” she said, grabbing his arms as they wrapped around her mid-section. “You scared me.”

“Sorry,” he looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She looked up and watched him. “You’re in the women’s bathroom.”

Sid raised his brows. “I know,” he whispered, grinning.

“You’re not allowed to be in here.”

“Are you going to tell on me?”

She giggled. “No.”

He nuzzled his face into her hair and neck. “You smell good.”

“Secret, smelly girl things.”

“I need you to come roll around in my bed and make it smell like this.”

She almost choked on her tongue at the idea of rolling around in Sid’s bed. “You know, if you weren’t so hot, that line would be super creepy.”

“Mmm, glad I have my boyish good looks on my side, then.”

Mel turned in his arms. “They’re going to wonder where we are.”

“Let ‘em talk,” he replied, lifting her up so she could perch on the edge of the vanity. He stepped between her legs, letting her dress ride up her thighs. “I’ve really, really, really...” He kissed her lightly on the lips before continuing, “...really, really, really....” And then he ghosted his lips over her ear. “....really, really missed this.”

She gulped and tried to tamp down her hormones. “What? Making out in the bathroom?”

“Totally,” Sid said with a smile. “Do I get a status report or are you going to force me to peek?”

Mel pulled her head back and looked at him. “What?” Suddenly it dawned on her. “Oh, I see.” She laughed lightly. “Pink and black paisley boyshorts with black lace.”

“Paisley?”

“The pattern.”

He furrowed his brows. “What does that look like?”

Mel laughed and tried to ignore how hot his hands felt on the outsides of her bare thighs. “I don’t know. It looks like paisley.”

“Is it like dots?”

She laughed again. “Are you serious? You don’t know what it looks like?”

“I swear I don’t. Scout’s honor.”

Mel narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you just pulling my leg?”

He shook his head, chuckling. “Do I look like a fashion expert?”

She rolled her eyes and clutched the chiffon skirt of the dress in her fist, pulling one side up about two inches.

Sid’s eyes dropped her her legs before he looked back up at her. “Wait. Are you really going to show me?” His eyes were gleaming. “Oh, please. Do it.”

Mel giggled and pulled the skirt up a little more. He stepped back to give her room to maneuver. She took a deep breath and shifted her weight onto one hip, turning the other hip toward him before jerking the hem of the skirt up to reveal the outside of her thigh and hip with the paisley-printed boyshorts. With a giddy squeal, she pulled the skirt down again.

“I didn’t see it,” he said.

“Liar.”

Sid laughed. “I swear. I was looking at your leg. Show me again.”

“Now you really are putting me on.”

“Come on,” he whispered, stepping up and putting his hand on her thigh. He slowly pushed the hem up a few itches. When she didn’t stop him, he kept going until his hand was at the top of her thigh, touching the lace edging of the panties.

He lifted his gaze to hers and she could see the liquid heat in his eyes. Woo, boy. She’d need a cold shower before she left this bathroom. “I thought you wanted to see them, not feel them.”

“Can’t hurt to do both.” He carefully lifted the skirt up and dropped his eyes to her hip and the panties stretched over it. “Oh, paisley. I know what that is now.”

Mel busted out laughing and smacked his chest with her hand. He caught it and pulled her into his body, kissing her while both his hands were up her skirt. His fingertips were lightly dancing over the lace edging of her underwear.

The soft swish of the door opening made Mel jerk away and look up. Carole-Lyne was standing there, her eyes wide. “Oh,” she said.

Sid removed his hands from Mel’s legs while she jerked her skirt down and hopped off the vanity.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt. As you were.” Carole-Lyne backed out and the door settled into its closed position.

“Oh my God,” Mel mumbled.

Sid was laughing, outright laughing. His high-pitched giggle was infectious and she couldn’t help but join him. When they had both exhausted themselves, he said, “We should go back before they send a search party.”

Notes