Ashley's POV:
It was New Years Eve and I was wearing a dress to the teams party at Shaw's house. I wasn't bringing a date. I showed up alone and hung out with all the girls.
Patrick brought a girl. She was stunning. He was drinking a lot, at midnight, he grabbed his girl and kissed her. I was shocked that Dylan kissed me at midnight. I kissed him back and Patrick totally saw.
A drunk Patrick approached me.
"So you like Dylan?"
"It was just a kiss.. You're drunk.." I said walking away
Patrick went back to his girl and I hung out with Tazer and Crow.
Guys were leaving and Patrick's drunk girl was going to drive home.
"She's not driving and neither are you.." I said to Patrick
I took his keys and he tried to grab them.
"You're drunk and so is she." I said
I forced them into an Uber and I drove myself home.
Q gave everyone the next day off as most of the guys were hungover. Apparently, Patrick was pretty serious about this new girl. He'd been with her for a week.
A couple more weeks passed and Patrick proposed to this new girl. Her name was Brianna, she was twenty-three. She was a model for Victoria's Secret.
The all-star game rolled around and this year it was me, Patrick, Duncs, and Crawford going. We were sitting on the plane and the turbulence was awful. I was scared. The all-star game was in Minnesota.
My whole family was going to be there. We got to our hotel rooms and the three boys were in a hotel room and I had my own room.
"Ash, would you mind if one of us stayed in your room?" Duncs asked
"No.." I said
"I'll go.." Patrick said
That surprised me..
"Okay.." I said as he walked into my room
The door shut and we were alone.
"Don't think this means anything because it doesn't.. I'm engaged." Patrick said
"We all know you're engaged to a model.." I said as there was a knock on the door
It was my older sister, Allison.
"Hey, Ash" She said hugging me
"Hey.." I said
"Allison, this is Patrick, Patrick, this is my older sister, Allison.." I said
Patrick looked at her and they shook hands.
"You look just like Ashley.." Patrick said
"So we've I've been told." She said smiling
I noticed Patrick slipped off his engagement ring.
"Are you two in the middle of something?" She asked
"No.." I said
"Good, since today is a do whatever day, you're coming to hang out with us and Patrick is coming with."
"Okay.." He said smiling
We got into my sisters car and she drove to my parents hotel. We went to the room where the kids were staying and my brother was so happy to see Patrick.
"What should we do?" My little sister asked
"I don't care, nothing that is physically exhausting.." I said
"I don't care, either." Patrick said
"Somewhere where there isn't a lot of people.." I added
"Okay, so we are going snow tubbing. I would say skiing, but I don't think your coach would like that."
"Fuck Q, we're going skiing!" Patrick said excited
Patrick and I didn't have winter stuff, so we went to the store quick and bought snow pants, boots, hat, mittens, etc.
My sister drove all of us to a ski hill and we all paid and got all ready. I went up on the lift with my older sister and my little sister went by herself and my brother went with Patrick.
"How are things with the two of you?" Allison asked
"There isn't anything going on. This is the first time that he's even talked to me in the past couple of months."
"Hey, that's a start." She said
We got to the top and we were taking pictures. My parents showed up and we all went down the hill to meet them.
They took more pictures and Patrick and I avoided each other the best we could.
My sister decided to sit by him on the way up and they both kept looking back at me.
"Patrick is so cool!" My brother said
"You like him?" I asked
"Yeah, and you like him.."
"Not really.." He said
We ate lunch there and hung out for a few more hours and it started to get dark.
Patrick sat by me on the ski lift and he said, "We need to talk"
"Okay.." I said
We were on our way up and he said, "Are you mad at me?"
"Yes and no.." I said
"Well, I'm sorry.." He said
"Whatever.. It's fine.."
"Ash.. He said
"No, after this all-star game, I don't want to talk anymore.. Can't we just be teammates?"
"I can't be just teammates.. I think of you every single time I look at my wrist " Patrick said
The ski left suddenly stopped.
We stayed stopped for a few minutes and they announced, "Sorry folks, we are having some technical difficulties, hang tight. We should be up and running in a couple of minutes."
"Great.." I said
I didn't talk to Patrick hoping we'd be off soon.
About ten minutes later they announced, "Well, we are calling maintenance and it's looking like an hour or so before they get here.."
A few minutes later, I was freezing.
"It's cold.." I said
Patrick said, "Move closer.."
I moved closer to him carefully and he put his arms around me and held onto me.
"I'm scared.." I whispered
"Of what?"
"Freezing to death and falling.." I said
"I won't let you freeze and I won't let you fall.."
"Those are two big promises.." I said
"Two big promises that I can promise you that I'll keep." He said
"Why did you take your engagement ring off when my sister walked in the room?" I asked
"You noticed?" He asked
"Yes." I whispered
"I guess it's nothing something I'm ready for people to know. Especially not your family."
"Why?"
"Because it's weird for me to be almost thirty, engaged, and hanging out with you.."
"And it's not weird if you're not engaged?" I asked
"True, but I don't being engaged is weird. Like I am going to spend the rest of my life with Brianna. She's the one that will be the mother to my kids. She will be the one that knows all my secrets, the one I spend every holiday with, she'll be with me forever..."
"Yeah, that's what marriage is.." I said
"Are you and Dylan together?" he asked
"No, that was just a kiss..." I said
"He's a good guy, Ash.. He's close to your age, he is good for you.."
"I just don't like him like that.. I said
Patrick stayed quiet and he said, "I like your family, okay.."
"Okay..." I said back
"I'm the guy that loves his family. I love spending time with my family, no matter what we are doing. I don't get to see my family a lot and you understand how that feels. Your family reminds me of my family. Your mom is so kind and welcoming, just like you. Your brother is the little brother I never had and your sister is like the big sister I never had. You little sister is just like one of my sisters and your dad. I could talk sports with him for hours. Usually, dads scare me, but your dad doesn't scare me. Your family feels like family to me, like my family and I love that. It's like I get to see my family more.."
That brought tears to my eyes...
"They love seeing you Patrick.. You care welcome anytime, but where do I fit in?"
"That's the problem.. You don't..." He said
I looked at him and he said, "You're more than a sister to me.."
Suddenly, the lift started moving and we got off and returned the ski's and went to my parents suburban.
They turned the heat on and we were all piled in the backseat.
My sister was parked really far away.
I was sitting on Patrick's lap and my sister was sitting on her boyfriend's lap. We were all taking off our wet snow gear.
"Dad, one of Conner's friends is going to take my car back to the hotel.."
"Okay.." He said
I crawled into the third row of seat and so did Patrick and my brother.
"Can we stop and get food?" My brother asked
"I'm starving!" I said
We stopped at some small cafe that was open 24/7. We all went inside and ordered food. I was still freezing and Patrick took his sweatshirt off and said, "put this on.."
I did and I said, "Thank you.."
We all talked and were laughing about how we all got stuck.
We all ate a they brought the bill and Patrick grabbed it and paid for everything.
"Thank you Patrick, but you didn't have to do that." My dad said
"I know, but you guys let me crash your day together as a family."
"You are welcome to crash anytime.." My mom said
We went back out to the car and my dad dropped us off at our hotel.