Crazy for the Alpha (Sequel to Tutoring the Alpha)

Chapter Nine: I Would For You

Benny's POV

             Eventually, my pacing began to annoy even me. Several of the players' wives and girlfriends and children had been shooting me glares and irritated glances for the past hour, and Ross had told me to take a seat about a dozen times before he'd fallen asleep on a couch in the corner of the lobby, but I couldn't stop. The game had been amazing, and Mickey had even gotten twelve minutes of playing time, which was a big deal for a rookie. It hadn't ended until nearly midnight, though, so the rest of the pack had headed back home, leaving Ross to wait for Mickey with me. I didn't have a clear idea of what I was going to say to him; I didn't even have a clear grasp on why I had come to the game.

I'd been lying in my room earlier that evening, with my TV turned onto ESPN, where the warm-ups were being shown, when I'd suddenly realized how stupid I was being. Sure, I was pissed at Mickey, and he was pissed at me. Sure, we'd had our fair share of problems as of late, but he was still my mate and I still loved him. I'd made a promise to him, and it was childish and petty of me to betray that promise over a stupid fight. So I'd hopped in my car and driven all the way to Anaheim from our house in LA, making it to the game just in time.

               Finally, I thought as I breathed a sigh of relief at the opening of the sliding hotel doors and the arrival of the team. It had been almost two hours since the game had ended, a victorious 103-84 win for the Lakers, and we'd been waiting in the lobby of their hotel ever since. I jumped up on my tiptoes to see over the sudden swarms of cooing moms and squealing children, my eyes searching frantically for Mickey. I finally caught sight of him, shaking hands with some coach, before heading to the elevator, running a hand over his face tiredly. He clearly didn't expect anyone to be waiting up for him, which broke my heart a little as I hit Ross over the head to wake him up and dashed across the lobby. My excitement and enthusiasm surprised me as I bumped into muscular arms and sweaty duffle bags. I almost knocked a lamp over when some giant guy turned around suddenly and his bag hit me squarely in the chest, sending me flying into a little coffee table. Magazines scattered all over the floor as I struggled to steady myself, and Ross was behind me to catch me before I completely wrecked the hotel lobby. Gasping, I made it to Mickey red in the face and starting to sweat a little.

"Benny! I...I didn't think you'd....Hi." Mickey's exhausted features morphed into a brilliant smile, one that coaxed a wide grin out of me as well. I was beaming with a happiness that I didn't think possible, given how crappy my life was at that moment, but I stopped myself short of flinging myself into Mickey's arms. Were we there yet?

"Um... yeah. I just thought I'd, you know....yeah. Hi," I stammered, and now my face was practically glowing. Why do we sound so stupid and awkward? I felt Ross's presence behind me, and watched as Mickey's eyes moved up from my face to one much further above my head.

"Hey man, great game," Ross grumbled, his voice thick with sleep, and he moved past to me to shake hands with Mickey.

"Thanks, and thank you for waiting with Benny. You can head on home now," Mickey said, moving to hit the elevator button as the lobby began to steadily empty out. Most of the team had moved up to their rooms with their respective significant others, and only a few guys and a coach or two were left.

Ross shifted uncomfortably beside me. "Uh, I rode here with Benny."

Mickey wrinkled his brow, clearly not understanding what Ross was implying, and I seriously didn't think I could blush any harder.

"She's my ride. I can't leave unless I take her car."

Comprehension dawned on Mickey's face as the shiny gold elevator doors opened with a ding!