Hooking Nash

Unexpected Gifts

"I know!"

"Wait a minute, when? Not tonight right?"

"No," she grinned and made a face like I was stupid, "I'm cooking aren't I?"

"That's why I asked."

"No, tomorrow night. Keith is taking me out."

"Oh."

I was about to remind her about the Empires game when she stopped with her hand up in the air. "I know the game is on Friday, and I already told Keith I can't go until it's over. He was cool with that."

"Hm, he sounds like a pretty good guy."

"I know!" she squealed. "I am so excited. Hockey and a date! Both in one day!"

I laughed at her excitement and clinked my wine glass to hers.

"Good for you, Sammy!"

"Thanks!"

It occurred to me that if she was going on a date with Keith after the game, I would be on my own with Nash. My heartbeat started to pick up. Did that mean I was going to hockey and a date too? As much as I would have liked for that to be the case, I knew we were catching up like old friends.

Sammy finished the rest of the wine in her glass and poured some more into it. I was amused by her behavior, she usually never drank wine during the week and she was already tipsy. I put my glass down on the counter and took out plates and utensils to set the table.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot," she giggled, "there is a package for you on the table. It came by special delivery earlier."

"For me?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah." She waved her hand in the direction of the kitchen table like I didn't see it.

I set the table and picked up the package. It was a large cardboard box addressed to me. There was no sender on it, but it had an Empires logo on the side.

"Is it something from work?" Sammy asked as she walked in behind me with a tray of lasagna in her hands.

"I don't think so." I shrugged my shoulders. "I really have no idea what it is, but I am about to find out."

Sammy laughed as I took a good grip on the package and tried to tear it open. It wouldn't budge.

"I think you need a pair of scissors."

"I think you are right."

I took the package with me into the kitchen and used a pair of scissors to cut open the tape on the top. From there it was easy to pull the rest of it open. I reached for the red and white material inside. It took me a few seconds to realize that they were Empires jerseys. Two of them to be exact, with Reed stitched on the back.

"Oh my god," Sammy yelled. "Nash sent us game jerseys?"

"It looks that way."

"That is so freaking awesome." She took another swallow of her wine and focused her eyes on mine. They glinted with amusement as she asked, "What is Josh gonna say about that?"

"Ugh... I ... what?"

I didn't know how to respond to that. Would it be awkward if we went to the game in Nash's jersey? It shouldn't. Nash and I were longtime friends, even though Josh was the first one to invite us to the game.

"Don't you think Josh would want you to wear his jersey?" Sammy asked in the same teasing tone.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know."