Laura's POV-

I rolled over in bed and hit the snooze again on my alarm. I didn't have to work and just kind of felt like laying in bed. I wanted the memories of Dallas...of Pittsburgh...and of James Neal out of my mind.

I grabbed the remote to turn on a show when my phone started ringing, "hello?"

"Laura, don't hang up..." James Neal's voice on the other end surprised me. "Can we talk?"

"Talk. You have five minutes." I said

"I meant in person... I don't want to do this over the phone. I have a lot to say..."

"Four minutes."

James sighed "Laura, can we please be adults about this? Meet me for lunch? I can pick you up...or we can meet somewhere..."

"No. Three minutes."

"Laura, really? I know I screwed up...but you owe me at least a talk. So I can explain...I mean there is no excuse for what I did, but I'm sorry, Laura, just please meet me. At the coffee house by the grocery store? At 4?"

"Times up, James. Good-bye." I said hanging up

I know it might sound like I was being cruel, but meeting with him was the last thing I wanted. Anything he had to say to me, he could say over the phone. He hurt me. A lot more than he realized. And his bullshit "I'm sorry." Meant nothing to me.

I picked my phone back up and dialed Katie's number "hey, Laur! What's up?"

"You gave him my number didn't you?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked

"You gave James my number, didn't you?"

"No...he must've got it from someone else..." she replied obviously lying

"Bullshit. Just admit you have it to him!"

Katie sighed "fine! I gave it to him. I'm sorry. I know I promised, but he seems really sorry, Laura. Also he deserves to know what happened!"

"That is my business and is for me to decide! And I have decided that James Neal doesn't need to know!" I sighed "I'm not mad you told him, Katie. But I'm not going to talk to him. I said I didn't want to speak to him again and I meant it."

"But Laura..."

"No! I don't want to talk to him."

"It's been five years...you guys were both young and dumb the least you can do is hear him out..."

"And I gave him five minutes. That's all he gets."

"Laura, you're kinda being unreasonable..."

"No. What was unreasonable is that he was only away from me for a few weeks and he was already letting other girls into his pants! I'm not the bad guy, Katie. He is. He's a fucking asshole and I just don't want any more bad memories to be brought back."

Katie sighed "okay..."

"I gotta go. Bye." I said hanging up. I pulled my blanket over my head and I felt Caleigh climb back in bed with me. I wanted to forget James Neal, but as usual he found some way to make it so I couldn't...

James' POV-

I sat at a corner table at the coffee shop I had asked Laura to meet me at. I knew chances were slim that she'd show up, but I held out hope that she would. "Nealer!" I heard from across the way

I looked up and saw Marc-André Fleury walking towards me, "hey flower."

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh coffee." I said nodding to my cup

"Why do you have two cups? Are you on a date?" He said looking around

"No." I replied

"Hi James!" Veronique Fleury said walking up behind flower

"Hey Vero." I smiled

"Long time no see." She said holding her arms open for a hug. I smiled and stood up giving her a quick hug "oh! Who are you with?" She said nodding towards the cup I'd bought for Laura

"No one..." I sighed

"What's wrong?" Flower asked

"I ran into someone...from my past. I asked her to meet me, but I don't think she will."

"Why not?" Vero asked

"It was when I was first traded to Pittsburgh...I was dating this girl from dallas...when I got traded I...I cheated on her and she broke up with me. I haven't seen her since then...until yesterday. I ran into her at the store."

"Whoa what a small world..."

"She won't speak to me... I just want to talk to her. Apologize, you know."

Vero nodded sympathetically "I'm sorry she didn't show..."

"I figured she wouldn't have. She's angry...I guess she's just not ready to forgive me yet...and I'm not quite sure she ever will be."

"You don't know that Nealer." Flower said

"Yeah, James. Stranger things have happened. I think maybe the city that never sleeps might have some magic in store for you." Vero smiled

I half smiled back "I hope so, Vero."

Laura's POV-

I don't know what possessed me to show up at the coffee house, but I did. I parked my car and walked inside, seeing James standing by a table with a tall guy and a girl. "Laura?" he called, spying me across the room

"James." I replied flatly, walking over to him

"Uh, Vero, Flower this is Laura. Laura this is my friend and teammate, Flower and his wife Vero." James said motioning to the couple standing beside him

"Nice to meet you." Vero smiled "Marc and I better go. We'll see you, James." she said pulling the guy away

"You came."

"Yeah."

"I got you a coffee, but it's probably cold..."

"That's fine, I don't want a coffee. What did you want to talk about, James?" I asked taking a seat

James sat down "How have you been?"

"I've been fine."

"That's good...listen, Laura..."

"I know, James. You're sorry. You keep on saying that, but to be honest, it doesn't mean shit."

"I know I deserve this, Laura for what happened, but can you please hear me out?" I nodded and he continued, "You're right. I am sorry and I know it doesn't really mean anything, but I am. I screwed up. There is no excuse for what I did..."

"You're right, James. There isn't! I trusted you. You betrayed me."

"I know, Laura...and I am SORRY. I don't know what else you want me to say..."

I sighed "To be honest, James...there is nothing you can say that can fix what happened...but...I am willing to at least let you try."

"You what?" James asked that confused expression forming on his face

"We live in the same city...and apparently close by. I can't avoid you forever, so we might as well be civil to one another."

"Uh...okay."

"How have you been..." I asked looking over at him

"I've been okay. I got traded from Pittsburgh...then Nashville chose not to protect me and then they couldn't make a deal to save me, so I got selected by Vegas."

"So you've been moving a lot?"

James nodded "That's how the game goes. What have you been up to? What brought you to Vegas?"

There it was. The one question I feared he would ask "Just needed a change of scenery."

"That's great. How long have you been here?"

"About four years... Did you just get in?"

"A couple weeks ago...training camp starts next week."

"Great...um listen, James...I have to go..."

"Oh okay. Can I see you again?" he asked those blue-grey eyes looking straight into mine

"Okay. I'll call you."

"Alright. It was nice seeing you, Laura."

"Yeah, you too." I said heading back out to my car. I drove back home and headed inside, calling Katie.

"Hello?"

"So, I talked to him."

"You did?!" she asked, surprised

"Yeah. I mean, we live in the same area...I can't avoid him forever."

"Did you tell him?"

"NO!"

"Laura...you have to tell him."

"No, I do not. I moved here to avoid that conversation...he doesn't need to know. Telling him won't do any good."

"I think it will help your healing process if you..."

"I am FINE, Katie...it has been five years. I am healed."

Katie sighed "Fine. If this is what you truly want."

"It is. James doesn't need to know about the accident...promise me you won't say a thing to him!"

"I'm pretty sure he was only calling me to get a hold of you..."

"PROMISE, Katie! And mean it this time. I do not want him to know about what happened. It won't make things any different. It won't erase what happened."

"Okay, okay I promise...but I still think he should know..."

"Noted. I don't think he should know. I gotta get going...are you still coming on Monday?"

"Yeah, that's the plan."

"Alright, I'll see you then." I said hanging up. Just before I sat the phone down, a message flashed on my screen.

James- It was nice catching up with you today, Laura. Thanks for meeting with me.
Laura- Same to you, James.
James- Goodnight. Hope to see you soon.
Laura- Goodnight.

I sighed and sat my phone down, laying back in bed. Part of me knew Katie was right. He should know about what happened...the real reason I left Dallas, but on the other hand...telling him would not make a difference. It wouldn't change what happened. It would probably make things worse...he'd be angry I kept this secret from him. He'd be hurt that I never told him...

Notes