Crosby

Chapter 4

"Repeat the question?" Freddie said as I made us lunch in my kitchen.

"Do you want to go out tonight?" I said slower, turning my back to him as I put our sandwiches onto the panini press.

"I don't know Ty, I'm feeling pretty awful." he said, laying back down on my couch.

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic actions and put my hands on my hips. "It's fine if you don't want to, I-"

"Alright fine, you convinced me I'll go." he said, throwing up his hands.

"Maybe you'll get lucky tonight." I teased.

"I can get lucky whenever Tyler! Ask Griffin, he'll tell you." he said, getting up and strutting towards me.

"Right, sorry." I replied sarcastically. He frowned and held out his arms for a hug, an action that he often did. He was a very touchy-feely kind of guy and hugged me often.

I accepted and let him pull me into his chest. "You looked like you needed a nice bear hug." he said quietly. He could always sense when I was even the slightest bit sad.

"I just was thinking about Sean. I wonder what things would've been like if..." I trailed off not wanting to finish my sentence.

"He doesn't deserve you, and he never did. If things didn't turn out the way they did, I would've made sure that you never spent your lives together." he said, squeezing me harder.

"Thanks Freddie." I said as he released his grip. I turned back to the paninis and took them off of the grill.

"Now what do you think I should wear tonight?" Freddie began as we both dug in.

******
I sat at the bar in black skinny jeans and a white long sleeved shirt with a leather jacket over top. Freddie insisted on picking the outfit out himself and paired it with a pair of black heels. He pretended he had a good fashion sense, and I just went along with it.

"Long time no see." I heard a deep voice say beside me. I turned and saw Sid sitting there, a grin stretched out on his lips.

I laughed and turned my body towards him. "What brings you here stranger?" I asked with a smile.

"I made plans with a pretty lady but she was a no show so I guess I'm stuck with you instead." he teased, nudging me in the ribs.

"Harsh Crosby, harsh." I said, shaking my head.

"Just kidding. So how are you?"

"I'm pretty good. Getting tired of watching Freddie suck faces over there." I jerked my head towards Freddie who had two girls drinking with him and fawning over him.

"Wow he can really get it eh?" Sid said, raising an eyebrow and taking a sip of his beer.

"He thinks he can." I said with a roll of my eyes. "I bet those girls feel bad."

"You sound a bit jealous." he said with a mischievous smile.

"Not at all Sid. If I really wanted to, I could get any guy in here." I said sarcastically. He gave me a look and we both burst into laughter.

"I take it the bar scene isn't really your thing?" he asked.

"Not really. I come here with Freddie a lot but he leaves and I'm stuck here alone, fending off drunk guys that like to hit on me. I'd much rather be at home watching a movie." I said with a shrug.

"I'd like that better too. It's weird having time off from hockey. I'm so used to playing all the time and having it be the only thing on my schedule."

I took another sip of my beer and set it down on the bar. "Is hockey your full time occupation?"

"Yup." he said proudly. "I've been playing ever since I can remember. It's always been my thing. I love it."

"Well once your healed, I'm gonna have to come watch you play! What team is it?"

He coughed and spluttered out his beer, his face going red. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?!" I exclaimed, patting his back.

"Yeah." he managed to say in-between coughs. "It went down the wrong way."

"Could I get a water?" I asked the bartender, giving him a five dollar bill. He came back with a bottle of water and I handed it to Sid.

"You didn't have to pay for that." he said, looking semi-shocked.

"It's okay! You needed it." I said, waving it off.

"Hey you wanna get out of here? I can't offer a ride to my place but if you drive I have food and a movie that I can offer." he said suddenly.

I had always had a rule that I was never gonna get involved in the least bit with a client, but something about Sidney was different. I couldn't help but shake my head.

"I'm gonna go find Freddie and tell him and I'll be right back!" I said, searching for my friend. I couldn't find him, so instead I just texted him what was going on and headed back to the bar where Sid was just walking away from.

"Ready?" he asked as I approached him. I smiled and nodded, wishing I had brought a thicker jacket to wear on the cold night.

"You cold? Here." Sid took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders as best he could without dropping his crutches.

I tried to hide my deep blush once again as he opened my car door for me. "After you." he said, waiting until I got in to shut the door.

We made idle chit chat as I drove back to his apartment, a pretty nice one at that.

"You can park here." he said. I swung into the spot and we hopped out, heading up to his apartment.

I walked inside and my jaw dropped. He lived in a ridiculously nice apartment. Maybe hockey wasn't such a bad career after all.

"Wow." I said softly looking at all of it.

"You like it, eh?" he said in his Canadian accent.

"I love it! It's a lot nicer than mine." I said with a laugh.

"It's not much but it's home. Come on, you can pick out the movie." he said, motioning me over to the black leather couch in the open living room.