KENNEDY
The first few days at my new job flew by. I was so busy getting to know the job and my way around, that I didn't have time for anything else. I learned the subway, found a good breakfast place, and figured out my way around the maze that was my new workplace.
The place was constantly buzzing and I learned so much in such a short amount of time. It was stressful and the pace at which New Yorkers moved was insane, but I loved it. The new colleagues were helpful, at least for the most part. There was a couple of grumpy employees, but I didn't let that bother me. There were always a few at every job, and the rest of them were supportive.
Nash had texted me on Tuesday afternoon to see how the new job was going and asked me and Sammy to come to the game on Friday followed by dinner as his guests. We happily agreed, of course. I didn't hear anything else from him during the week, but it was understandable since the Empires had to travel for an away game that Wednesday. I watched the game on TV from the couch in the apartment.
Sammy did have a newfound love for hockey but with her work schedule she wasn't able to stay up and watch it. She watched the first period with me but she kept yawning to the point where I finally told her to go to bed. She did and I shut the TV off and watched the remaining periods in my room. Nash played good of course, but he wasn't as on fire as he had been for the last home game.
I got a text from Josh after the game, offering Sammy and me the same seats again for the Friday game. I declined. I had hesitated for a few seconds before I sent the response deciding whether I should tell him that Nash had already given us tickets. In the end, I decided it was the right thing to do. It was a lot better to be upfront and honest about things even if they were uncomfortable, than to just tell half-truths.
Josh took the news better than I had expected. I ended the conversation by telling him we would see him at the game.
******
When I came home from work on Thursday evening, Sammy was busy in the kitchen making some kind of baked pasta dish. I could smell the sauce as soon as I opened the door and it made my stomach growl.
"That smells so freaking good!" I shouted as I pulled my shoes off and left them by the door.
Sammy peered her head out from the kitchen and smiled. "It should be ready in five minutes."
"Awesome. I'll go change."
I hurried into my bedroom and changed into a pair of leggings and a fluffy sweater. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and walked into the kitchen.
"Do you want a glass of wine?" She seemed to be asking just for the sake of it because she had already poured me a glass and held it out to me.
"Ugh, are we celebrating something?" I asked and did a mental inventory of her birthday and any other important date I might have missed. As far as I knew, there was nothing. It was very unusual that she was awake since I had gotten home late and even more so that she had cooked dinner.
Sammy giggled and nodded her head. "Kind of."
"Okay," I responded and took the glass from her while I waited cautiously for her to continue.
She raised her own half full glass to mine. "Cheers," she grinned and took a long swallow.
"Cheers."
I took a zip while I studied her. Something was definitely up. "What are we celebrating? What is going on with you tonight?" I asked. She was usually never this excited when I came home.
"I'm going on a date!" She practically bounced on her toes and her smile was so wide I could see all her perfect teeth.
"Oh, good!" Her excitement made me chuckle.
"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."
"I think he is gonna be pissed!" she snorted and barked out a loud laugh.
"Seriously Sam? Why?"
"Because he is into you."
I had a feeling that she was right and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. He was a very attractive and successful guy, but he didn't make my heart-rate increase the way someone else did.
"Let's eat," I said to avoid answering. "It really looks delicious."
"Fine. I know what you are doing but I'm letting it go," she responded. I didn't miss the elaborate eye roll.
We had a nice dinner together just the two of us. Sammy told me she had been texting with Keith all week and even met him for coffee one day. It turned out that Keith didn't work too far from Sammy's bakery.
I gave her a summarized version of my first week at my new job. I told her how much I liked it and that I was happy that I made the move.
We finished eating and started to clean up the kitchen. Sammy poured the last drops of the wine into my glass, grabbed the empty bottle and was about to throw that out together with the box that the jerseys had come in, when she stopped and straightened up.
"Hey, there is an envelope here too," she said and handed it to me.
I ripped open the envelope thinking it was just a note from Nash, but it wasn't. It was so much more than that. There were season tickets inside. For two.
"Oh, my god," I screamed.
Was he really that crazy that he got us season tickets? By looking at the section and seat numbers they were incredible tickets too.
"What? What is it?" Sammy demanded.
I held the tickets out so she could see.
"Oh my god!" Her eyebrows rose high above her eyes as she stared at me. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes! Oh my god is right."
"Man. He is so awesome. I can't believe that."
Sammy started to jump up and down next to me. I didn't know what else to say. These tickets were not easy to come by and they were not cheap by any means. They must have cost him a fortune and what kind of strings did he have to pull to pull that off?
"Listen, Kennedy," Sammy started and I could tell from her voice that she was a little tipsy from the wine. "Josh is out and Nash is in. This is so freaking supercool."
I couldn't help but start laughing. She was just as excited as I was.
I sent Nash a quick text after dinner thanking him so much for the jerseys and the tickets. Including telling him that he was crazy. His response was immediate. "Can't wait to see you wear my name and number again."
"I will be wearing it proudly," I responded. It was the truth. I would definitely be there to support him from now on, and I was very proud of him.
"Good. I will be on the lookout for my favorite supporter from now on."
"I'll be there. Always."
*******
I came rushing home after work on Friday evening. I was running later than anticipated because of a last minute meeting I had gotten called in for. Sammy was already dressed and ready for the game. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a cute blue sweater with the Empires jersey over it.
"Are you going out for dinner like that?" I asked as I hurried into my room to get out of the skirt and blouse I had worn to work.
"No. I'll come back here and change. Keith is meeting me here after the game."
She followed me into my room and leaned up against the door frame as I changed.
"Oh, that is convenient."
"Yeah, it's easier that way. What are you gonna wear?"
"I guess I'll have to wear jeans and a cute top underneath the jersey. Nash didn't say what we were doing for dinner."
"You could always come back here and change if you are going somewhere fancy," she suggested.
"That will take time though." I sighed, but knowing Nash he probably wasn't planning anything too fancy. It was just the two of us so I assumed it would be laid back. At least I hoped so because that was what I ended up dressing for.
The game had already started by the time Sammy and I arrived to the arena. We were greeted by ushers who showed us to our seats. They were very close to the seats where we sat for the last game, when Josh had invited us.
"These are your freaking seats!" Sammy grinned.
"They are our seats," I corrected her.
"Oh get real, Kennedy, they are yours." She gave me a knowing look. "Nash gave them to you and you just brought me along."
I put my bag down on the floor in front of me and turned to her.
Was she right? Were these just my seats?
"It is fine, Kenny," Sammy continued. "I don't mind at all as long as you bring me. Now that I'm all into hockey and stuff."
I laughed and promised to bring her to as many games as she wanted.
There was some commotion on the ice that caught my attention. It was only about five minutes left of the first period and the Toronto Tartans were in the lead by two to one. It took me a few seconds to find Nash. He was in the booth in front of us with his back towards us.
"Let's get going, Empires," a loud man shouted a few rows behind us. The entire area followed suit and began to shout, "Let's go, Empires, let's go." They were stomping their feet and clapping their hands as they continued to shout, "Let's go, Empires, let's go."
Sammy was bouncing up and down next to me, clearly enjoying the game and the atmosphere.
The players skated over to the box to switch and Nash was up and out on the ice in a flash.
"Come on, Nash," I yelled, and I must have been really loud because I startled Sammy so she jumped and started to giggle. I cringed at myself. Was I becoming that loud obnoxious fan? The kind that was so embarrassing? It didn't keep me from watching him, though.
My eyes were glued to his back as he skated down the ice. What were the chances he had heard me anyway? It was very loud in the arena with the crowd cheering. Nash had said he could pick my voice out anywhere, but I wasn't so sure that was true.
I watched as Nash picked up speed. He was zooming up the ice, circling the goaltender, twisting around the other players, and turning back towards the goal, and all of a sudden he was wide open. I held my breath as the puck was passed to him at the right time and he easily tipped it into the net behind the Tartans goaltender.
The buzzer sounded, signaling the goal, and the Empires crowd went absolutely wild. Sammy and I bounced to our feet and cheered with all the other spectators. The lights were flashing and the music was blasting through the speakers. Nash's handsome face appeared on the big Jumbotron screen above the ice as they announced his goal. I was so proud of him.
I knew I had a huge smile on my face as I looked from the screen to Nash. His teammates were surrounding him, slapping his shoulders and yelling. His eyes caught mine as he looked up and I could see a small smirk on his lips. I raised my hands up and clapped my hands above my head so he could see that I was supporting him.
Nash ended up having another phenomenal game. He was everywhere at once. It was unbelievable. By the time he scored the winning goal at the end of the last period, the entire crowd inside the Madison Square Garden were on their feet and going completely nuts. The music was blasting, the lights were blinking and the crowd was jumping up and down cheering and banging on the stands.
"That was some freaking goal," I mumbled. "Holy freaking shit."
"Yeahhhh!!!!!" Sammy yelled. "That was awesome!" She was bouncing up and down, her blond ponytail swinging behind her, as she clapped her hands. " I freaking love hockey" she shouted, making me smile even wider.
Nash had a huge grin on his face as well as he made his way into the booth. He looked up at the audience and when his intense green eyes locked on mine he mouthed "for you."
What?
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Sammy grabbed a hold of my arm and squeezed it. "Did you see that Kennedy? Did you freaking see that?"
"Yes." It came out as a whisper.
Did friends do that? Dedicate the winning goal to each other?
Nash was stopped by reporters and TV crews as soon as the game ended. They all wanted an interview with the star of the evening and they didn't even let him get off the ice before they addressed him. The Empires coach was very pleased with the win. He slapped Nash on the shoulder as he headed off the ice. It was clear from the look that they shared just how much pride and appreciation they had for each other.
"I'll wait with you," Sammy said as we headed out into the same waiting area we had been in the previous game. It was more of a crowd this time. There was an older couple sitting on the couch, two couples about our age were off to the side, and few younger guys were waiting by the chairs.
"It's getting late, Sam," I told her. "You really don't have to wait for me. You should probably go."
"I feel bad leaving you here on your own."
"I'll be fine. Just go. We don't want Keith to think you're standing him up."
She started to chuckle but must have realized there was some truth to it because her facial expression changed and she was suddenly serious. "I guess you are right."
"I know. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Go enjoy your night."
"Okay," She nodded her head. "Have fun with Nash!"
"I will. Just do me a favor and text me if you aren't coming home tonight."
"Oh," she giggled and I watched as she turned a light shade of pink. "Yeah, I promise." She gave me a quick hug and hurried down the corridor.
I stood off to the side while I waited for Nash to get ready. I checked my phone and noted that the sports networks already had the interviews of Nash posted on their websites. The large TV in the waiting room was set to ESPN and it was showing the commentators gushing over what an incredible game The New York Empires had and how Nash Reed seemed to have single handily turned the game around. I smiled to myself and felt a sense of pride. The game had been amazing and it was the best I had ever seen Nash play.
"You're supporting Reed, huh?"
I looked away from the TV to see that the area had gotten even more crowded. There were a few more couples, most likely parents or family members to one of the players, and a couple of women who were all waiting for the players to come out of the dressing room. I noticed the guy who had spoken. He was sitting with a couple of friends on the chairs over to my right. He was a little on the heavy side with a goatee. His eyes were still fixed on my face and there was a cocky smirk on his lips. He appeared to be somewhat intoxicated.
"Ugh, yeah, and the rest of the team too," I answered a little taken back.
"Aha." He snickered as he looked me up and down with a condescending smile. Like he expected that I was one of the desperate girls that were just looking to hook up with a famous athlete. The way he checked me out made me uncomfortable.
Was that what people thought of me when they saw me waiting? That I was some puck bunny just waiting to jump Nash or one of the other players? That I was trying to become his flavor of the week?
"He had a great game, man," one of the guy's friends commented.
"Yeah, I know and he has plenty of girls after him already too," the guy chuckled.
What an ass!
I didn't bother answering or reacting. I took my phone out of my bag and clicked on Instagram.
A couple of minutes later the door to the dressing room opened and the first players came out. One of them was greeted by an older couple and it was obvious that they were his parents. He had the same facial feature as his father and the same sandy blond hair. Josh came out a minute or so later. He smiled as he spotted me in the group.
"Hey, Kennedy," he said as he came over and kissed me on the cheek.
"Hey, Josh."
"The Empires jersey looks good on you. It's the wrong number, though," he teased with a sexy smirk on his face.
I laughed, feeling a little unsure of how to respond.
"What are you doing here?" he continued. "Are you coming to the bar with us?"
I shook my head. "Not that I know of. Actually, I really have no idea. Nash and I were gonna catch up. We haven't had a chance yet."
"Oh," his face fell, but he resumed his composure. "Alright, well if I don't see you later. Have a good night. I'll see you around."
"Okay. Have a good night, Josh."
I caught the guy with the goatee out of the corner of my eye. He was still snickering with his friends. I had no idea what he was saying, but he just seemed like such a jerk. Who was he here for anyway?
"Kenny," Nash's voice rung out as he pushed through the door, followed out by some of his teammates.
"Hi, Nash."
I couldn't help but smile at his big grin. He walked straight up to me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lifted me from the floor. His cheek was up against mine and I was surrounded by his strong warm body and by his clean and very masculine scent.
"That was an incredible game, Nash," I said, my voice a little hoarser than normal. "I think that's the best I have ever seen you play!"
"All thanks to my good luck charm," Nash chuckled and put me back down onto my feet. His eyes met mine again and there was a smile on his lips. He looked happy and at ease.
"Yo, Reed," one of his teammates yelled and interrupted us, "see you at the bar."
Nash whipped his head around to the man who had spoken. He almost seemed a little embarrassed when he said, "I'm not sure, man. I think I'm gonna skip tonight."
"Oh, come on, Nash," Larsson, one of the defensive players, came up to us and put his hand on Nash's shoulder, and peered down at me. "She's cute. Bring her along."
My eyes widened and Nash sighed and ran his hand through his hair that was still wet, messing it up. "I don't think so, not tonight."
"Come on, Nash. One beer."
"You should go," I encouraged him. "You had an amazing game, Nash. You should go and celebrate with your team. You deserve it. We can catch up another night."
Nash's forehead wrinkled as he studied my face. "I'm not going without you. We need to celebrate your new job."
"Then bring her along," Larsson commented, "but let's go."
"Kennedy!" Mitchell shouted as he came through the door and strolled over towards us.
"Hi, Mitch."
"Don't you look stunning!" Mitch grinned and bent down to give me a hug.
"Thank you!" I giggled.
"What's going on?" Mitch asked and straightened up to his full height. He looked from me to Nash to his other teammates who were also watching us with big grins.
"Convince Reed to bring the lady, Mitch."
Mitchell grinned back at his friends. "Lady?" He raised an amused eyebrow and looked back at me. "Where to? The bar?"
"Yeah."
Mitch's face split up into a huge grin. "Let me see what I can do."
The players left and Mitch looked from Nash to me. "Where were you going?"
"Our for dinner. To catch up."
"Oh, come for a beer and go after. I want to catch up with Kennedy too."
Nash looked slightly uncomfortable but realized the easiest way to get out of this predicament was to go for a beer first.
"Is it okay if we stop for a drink first, with the guys?" he asked me.
"I..." I was suddenly uncomfortable and not sure how to respond. I wasn't dressed to go out to the bar with the players who were all in slacks and button up shirts. "I don't know, Nash. I don't think I am dressed for that. You can go. We can catch up another day."
His eyes scanned down over me taking in the brown suede ankle boots, the dark skinny blue jeans and the cream colored blouse I was wearing. I had my brown leather jacket over my arms and the jersey was folded and safe in my purse. There was a smile on his face as his eyes met mine again.
"You look beautiful, Kennedy. Just one drink." He gave me the Nash Reed special puppy dog look and I knew I would give in even before Mitch decided to join in on the begging.
"Yeah," Mitchell said and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Come on, Kennedy."
"Fine."
I held my hands up in surrender which got a laugh out of the guys. I caught the eyes of the goatee man as we left. His mouth was slightly open and his expression was no longer condescending.