sooo @tonyspep and i have created this whole verse that you’ve only gotten a taste of so far through my fic without a doubt, my heart will lead me to you (two) and gina’s if home is where the heart is, then i’m homesick for you! this fun little fic is part of the same verse! we don’t get to see the mini macs aka noah, kat or miles here, but this the softest moment of nate and the reading falling in love and i had fun writing this. happy holidays!
there’s PLENTY of background built for this verse already so my asks are open for any and every question in relation to this eek!
hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx
word count: 1.6k
~~~~~
Denver received the season’s first dusting of snow yesterday, signaling winter’s anticipated arrival. It meant the holidays were right around the corner and your favorite day of the year was finally here.
You couldn’t mark the specific date on the calendar, but no matter when the first snowfall happened, it meant you’d be spending the next day decorating the bakery. Stringing up colorful lights, putting gifts under a small tree, hanging ornaments and cutting paper snowflakes. Everything from the display case to the front windows and anything in between got some kind of holiday decoration.
Today was that day. And unlike the last few years where you’ve done it all by yourself, you get to share the tradition with someone else now. Someone you love more than anything.
“Nate, can you grab the strand of little snowflakes please?” You ask from atop the little step stool you’re currently standing on, a finger pointed at one of the many boxes on the floor. He nods, a soft smile on display across his lips as he finds said snowflakes in the box.
“Where do these go?” The question is gentle like he’s memorizing where every single one of the decorations go so he remembers in the future. That thought alone makes your heart swell. You might have only been dating for a year now, but something about Nate feels like forever. And you’ve never shared decorating the bakery with anyone else, not even your best friend, so the fact he’s here right now with you putting up lights and tiny Christmas trees and making snowflakes is proof he’s special.
“Across the top of all the windows. So it looks like it's snowing.” You reply with a giggle, leaning down to kiss him. “If you want to get started on the other side, we could meet in the middle so that way these are done quicker?”
“Sounds like a plan, babe.” Nate smiles, kissing you one more time before getting to work on the opposite end of the front windows with his own string of snowflakes. The cutest look of concentration crosses over his face as he carefully hangs the decoration and your heart swells at the sight.
The soft notes of Christmas music fill the bakery and the golden glow of fairy lights make the scene feel even more magical than it usually does. Except you think that has more to do with the man who is taking part in your yearly tradition than anything else. You keep sneaking peeks at Nate, hoping he doesn’t catch you, and it’s another reminder of just how lucky you are.
He’s humming “Holly Jolly Christmas” to himself as he focuses on decorating, his sweater riding up just enough to expose a sliver of his toned stomach. A long, gold strand of tinsel hangs around his neck and his cheeks are tinted the cutest color pink either from blush or how warm it is in the bakery. There’s that familiar glint of pure joy evident in his blue eyes that not many get to see, but you do and you’re forever grateful for that.
You almost can’t believe that a year or so ago, Nate was a stranger. Someone who walked into Colorado Cookie Company, shy as anything, to compliment the batch of cookies you made for the Avs charity event. Never in a million years did you think he would become this important, take up this much room in your heart.
And yet, here you are.
“Done!” Nate exclaims, putting his hands up in a mini celebration as he steps off the stool to admire his work. “Not so bad if I do say so myself.”
“Nathan MacKinnon. One of the NHL’s biggest stars and secretly amazing at decorating for the holidays. Quite the tiny snowflake expert.”
“Hey,” Nate pouts dramatically, picking up on your teasing tone and playing along. You can’t help but giggle at the look on his face but join him to look up at the snowflakes now hanging about the big front windows.
Before he gets the chance to say anything else in response or think of a comeback, you pull him in for a soft, gentle kiss that speaks volumes without a single word being uttered.
“I love you. Thank you for doing this.”
Nate is floored. He might still be getting used to the idea of really, truly being in love (although he knows he is) and the kiss might have caught him by surprise, but it just occurs how much this means to you.
Decorating the bakery, a place that’s another home to you, isn’t something to take lightly. This is another step in your relationship, a big one. Nate knew it was important when you invited him to join in on the tradition, but it’s just occurring to him that this is something he could be doing every year for the rest of his life.
And my god, he wants that so bad.
“I love you too. I’m happy to be here. Nowhere else I’d rather be.” And he means it because every word is true.
The sweetest smile appears on his lips before the two of you share a few more kisses. But you playfully push him away a minute later, your beautiful laugh making Nate undeniably happy.
“Save those for later. We’ve gotta get this done.”
“Okay, okay. What’s next?” Nate questions, following you to another box of decorations where you hand him the small Christmas tree that will be full of holiday wishes soon and a little menorah for the counter.
It only takes a couple more hours of dancing together to whatever Christmas song was playing, sharing kisses and making sure every inch of the bakery was covered in holiday spirit to finish decorating. Even if you do this every year, the final product always takes your breath away.
“It’s beautiful,” Nate murmurs, kissing the top of your head and wrapping his arms around you from behind. A comfortable moment of silence settles as you both take in the scene together.
“There’s just one thing missing.”
Nate’s brows furrow in confusion as you leave his tight embrace. What else could possibly be missing? He’s never seen a place as decked out as your little bakery is right now. But before he can say anything in response, you’re holding up a small bundle of mistletoe.
“Oh,” is all Nate says, the cutest blush spreading across his cheeks. You can’t help but giggle at how bashful he suddenly is.
“Wanna help me hang it up?” You ask in a soft tone. Nate nods, stepping closer and carefully taking hold of the plant. “Right in the doorway.”
Without any other direction, Nate somehow puts the mistletoe in the perfect spot. He flashes a beaming smile towards you, proud of his work, and a feeling of comfort like no other courses through your veins. You rush into him so fast that he lets out a little “oof” at the impact before pulling you in closer as you hug him as tightly as possible.
It isn’t until you look up at him a few moments later, heart full of indescribable love, that you realize where you’re both standing. Under the mistletoe in the doorway.
“I think,” Nate starts, cheeks becoming pink again as the cutest smile appears on his face, “this is the part where we kiss. Mistletoe and all, you know.”
“Well then, handsome, what are you waiting for?”
Nate doesn’t waste any time leaning in and closing the space between you. He feels you smiling against his lips as he deepens the kiss, pulling you impossibly closer. It’s a kiss like no other and you can’t place why, but you try to commit every detail to memory. The warmth of Nate’s hands on your hips, how you can feel his emotions through the kiss and how at home you feel right now; it’s something you didn’t think you’d ever get to experience.
When you pull away, you find Nate’s blue eyes full of a kind of fondness you haven’t seen before. He kisses you a few more times underneath the mistletoe, earning warm laughs from you in return.
“I can’t wait to do this with our kids one day.” He says suddenly as you’re carding through his hair. The words shock you for a second before the thought enters your mind. Little feet running around the bakery, helping decorate the small tree and Nate lifting them up to string lights around the windows. Handprint Christmas tree art hanging on the wall next to the family pictures and the sound of happy baby laughs mixed with holiday music.
You can see it all. And standing here, in Nate’s arms under the mistletoe after sharing one of your dearest traditions with him, makes it feel a little more real.
“Our kids?” You tease him, giggling at the expression on his face.
“Yeah, our kids. Can’t you see it?” The look of love and hope are hard to miss and it’s enough to make those recurring thoughts of spending the rest of your life with him reappear.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, bubs. We’ve got a while to go until we get there.”
“But we’ll get there?”
“We’ll get there. For now, I’m gonna steal as many mistletoe kisses as I can and decorate the bakery with you until a little one comes along.” You giggle, kissing him again to which Nate sweeps you off your feet and twirls you around to the music still playing. The holidays might be the most wonderful time of the year, but you know with Nate here, it’ll be extra special like never before.
There’s a Chance That I’ve Fallen Quite Hard - T. Jost
Summary: Chloe doesn’t believe in fate…but she keeps running into a cute stranger.
Words: 1.1k
Warnings: meet cute, fluff, some bad language
A/N: there has been an abundance of josty on my dash lately and I have been incredibly inspired. And I actually have a few more ideas in mine for Chloe and Tyson, so let me know if you guys are interested?
I’m writing this on my phone so I will fix formatting issues later.
Title from Falling in love at a Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg.
Series Masterlist
Chloe Duncan didn’t really believe in fate. The idea that everything in her life was predestined to happen, completely out of her control? No thank you. She had to admit though, bumping into the same guy three days in a row in three separate locations was a little spooky.
At least he was cute, even if he was potentially a stalker.
The moment that he noticed her though, this time waiting for her drink to be made in the local coffee shop, his eyes went wide and his lips parted in surprise. Huh, the surprise looks genuine. Maybe not a stalker? By the time he had moved to stand next to her, clearly waiting for his own drink, she noticed that he had a light blush coating his cheeks. Curls and a blush? Oh he really was cute.
“Uh, hi,” he said a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“So this is either a co-incidence or really creepy,” Chloe said lightly, a small smirk playing on her lips.
He inhaled sharply, making her grin as he quickly shook his head. Bless his heart.
“No, no, definitely a co-incidence,” he insisted, eyes wide and pleading.
Oh wow. It almost felt cruel to tease him, the human embodiment of a puppy that he was. Almost.
“Hmm, I don’t know man, grocery store on Monday, bakery yesterday, and coffee shop today?” she said dryly, raising a sharp eyebrow.
“Totally random, I swear,” he pleaded quietly.
Okay yeah, that was enough teasing. For now. There was just something so pretty about the way he squirmed.
“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it, stalker,” she grinned.
The fear in his eyes eased slightly at her grin, although the blush on his cheeks didn’t budge. Huh. He liked being teased. This guy was almost too good to be true.
“Not a stalker,” he shot back.
“What should I call you then?” she asked smoothly, grinning a little more as his blush flared up even further. Oh yes, another point to her.
“Tyson. I’m Tyson,” he said, not quite as smoothly.
“Well, Tyson Not-Stalker…nice to put a name to the face,” she mused.
Tyson. It suited him. Cute to match the curls. What confused her the most though was why he wasn’t scowling or pouting at all the teasing. Most guys gave up by this point, or avoided her after the first dry comments. But not him. Why?
“Are you going to tell me your name?” he asked.
Was that hope in his voice? What was it with this guy?
“Uh, sure. Chloe,” she shrugged.
“Nice to meet you too Chloe,” he said, smiling sweetly.
He seemed to relax after that, no longer holding the bunny-in-headlights hesitance that he’d been holding throughout their conversation so far. Usually, by now, she’d stalked away from an innocent guy like this, bored by the apprehension. But there was just something about him, something that piqued her interest. She couldn’t put her finger on it, what it was that didn’t have her running for the hills, but she wanted to find out.
“Chloe!”
“Tyson!”
Ah, maybe not then. The easy silence between them broke as they both stepped forward, grabbing their drinks, but Tyson cleared his throat to get her attention, so she raised her eyebrow as if to say yes?
“Do you maybe, uh, want to sit down with me? Drink our coffees together?” he asked hopefully, “I’m new in town so I’m trying to do things other than sit in my house.”
What the fuck?
“Uh…”
At her hesitance, his face fell, and Chloe immediately felt like she’d trodden on a kitten. Fuck.
“Oh god that was stupid. Ignore me,” he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck uneasily.
“Sure, why not,” she blurted.
All she could hope was that he didn’t hear her breath hitch in her throat because what the fuck was that. When did she give in to a little awkwardness? Who was this guy?
Still, Chloe followed him over to a table, feeling off kilter for the first time since they’d started talking. She didn’t do this. She didn’t make nice with strangers, especially not sweet little lambs like Tyson. And she would put money on the fact that he didn’t usually spend time with girls like her.
She knew what she looked like, knew what people thought when they looked at her – hair bleached to the point of white, bold eyeliner, dark lipstick, leather jacket, nose ring. The resting bitch face didn’t help either. She looked harsh and cold and unapproachable, and most of the time that was just the way she liked it. Chloe had carefully cultivated a fuck you persona over the years – it had served her well – so for this guy to find it appealing? When he looked like what he really needed was a good hug? Strange. Very strange.
And yet she was still here.
“I don’t usually do this,” she muttered.
“Do what?” Tyson asked, confused.
“Sit down with people I don’t know,” she shrugged.
Who actually did this in real life? This wasn’t a hallmark movie.
“Ah but we’re not strangers? We know each other’s names!” he said, smiling.
What the hell? What did he even mean by that? But Chloe couldn’t find it in herself to be creeped out…it was almost endearing how sweet he was. Like a golden retriever, or a basket of kittens. Adorable – even if that usually gave her the ick. But not him.
“You are the weirdest guy I’ve ever met.”
“And you are terrifying,” he replied.
He promptly groaned, burying his face in his hands, and she couldn’t help but laugh. Bless his heart.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she grinned.
There was something about his unabashed cuteness that was so incredibly appealing, she could admit that to herself.
“You’re like, badass hot and mean. Why do I like that?” he mumbled.
“I have no idea. But maybe you should take my number, see if you can figure it out,” she mused.
He made a soft whining noise, nodding as he passed his phone over, eyes still wide and blush still present. It was a good look. In for a penny, in for a pound, right?
“You should call me sometime, Tyson Not-Stalker,” Chloe said simply, “Convince me that you’re not a weirdo.”
“I can do that,” he nodded. Then he winced, making her laugh, but he smiled anyway. “I will do that. I’ll call you. Take you out to dinner. Show you I’m not a stalker.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” she nodded, ignoring the butterflies filling her stomach.
Chloe Duncan didn’t really believe in fate. Who starts falling in love at a coffee shop?
Addy checked her reflection in the mirror and adjusted her top as she listened to her friend, Gina, go over the details for the evening. She was half-listening, as usual, when Gina mentioned that Tom may have a friend drop by the bar. "Wait, what?" she whined, "Gina, this isn't a set-up, right?"
"No, Addy, I swear-I don't even know the guy's name," Gina responded. "Show me what you're going to wear."
Addy sent the snap.
"No, absolutely not," Gina chided, "Let go of the athleisure wear. Wear a skirt at least."
Addy rolled her eyes, "I will compromise on a nice pair of shorts and crop top. It’s hotter than hell."
LATER THAT EVENING- INWOOD TAVERN-DALLAS
Addy walked up to the bar and leaned up against it. "Hey," she called to the seasoned blonde bartender, "Can I get a drink?" She was casually dressed in a matching black gingham crop top and shorts. A diamond pendant adorned her neck. Her curly brown hair had been tossed in a loosely styled up-do to keep it off her neck. The August Texas heat was still oppressive at night and Addy’s focus was remaining as cool as possible.
The muscular man standing next to her laughed, "Good luck with that. I've been trying to get a beer for ten minutes."
Addy glanced at him before turning back to the bartender, "It's the watch. She hates flashy watches."
Tyler looked down at his watch then back at the petite brunette by his side. "Isn't that some sort of watch discrimination. What did my watch ever do to her?"
Addy turned to face him. She took note of the fitted t-shirt and casual shorts he wore. His brown hair was slicked back and his arms were covered in tattoos. The neatly trimmed beard completed the frat boy look. "It's not the watch, but the wearer. Usually those watches come attached to annoying frat boys who demand immediate service and leave shitty tips."
Tyler's eyebrows raised, "Definitely not a frat boy."
"Well, if you look like a frat boy, dress like a frat boy, you can't be shocked if she treats you well- like a frat boy." she teased. "Let me guess," she continued, "you also flashed a black AMEX to start a tab."
His eyes narrowed slightly, "And?"
She smiled, "It completed the 'I am going to be asshole' vibe thing you got going on. What are you drinking 'Mr. I am not a frat boy'?"
"At this point I will take any cold beer," he said in confusion.
Addy yelled again, "Tess, give me my usual and the poor man a beer. Put it on my tab."
Tess nodded and poured the drinks. When she sat down the drinks, she eyed Tyler suspiciously, "You vouching for him?"
Addy turned and gave Tyler the full body scan, "Yes, at least temporarily. Don't fuck it up, okay?"
"Tyler, by the way," he said casually.
"Oh and the asshole trifecta is complete," she winked as she took her drink.
They sat in an amenable silence before Tyler cleared his throat, "So are you meeting friends here or do you just like drinking alone in dive bars?"
"Meeting friends for drinks. You?" She turned to him.
"Same," he craned his head toward the door which just opened.
"Addy!" Gina called as she walked into the dimly lit bar, "Why do you always pick the grungiest bar in town to meet?"
Addy turned with a smile, "Don't knock the bar. You'll piss off Tess."
Tyler interjected, "Yeah, you don’t want to don't piss her off."
Gina raised an eyebrow towards Addy. She was greeted with a shoulder shrug.The duo greeted each other with a hug. Gina looked around the bar that looked like not a thing had been changed in at least forty years.
"So making friends already?" Regina asked jovially.
"Gina, this is “not a frat boy” Tyler. Tyler, this is Gina," Addy answered.
Tyler stretched his hand out, "Pleasure."
"Seggy," Tom called from the door.
Tyler turned, "Monty!"
The two embraced in a bro hug. "I see that you have met my fiance, Gina, and this is her friend, Addy," Tom declared.
Tyler touched Addy on the arm, "You ready for another round?"
"Sure, tell Tess to add it to my tab," she called as they moved over to the well-worn couch. He gave her body an appreciative glance as he returned with the drinks, "I tried to open my own tab, but she wouldn't do it. Strangest bartender ever."
She scooted over to make room for him. Quickly they were engrossed in conversation about Addy's job as an event planner. She casually asked Tyler about his job and he blinked slowly. "You're kidding, right?" he laughed.
"Kidding about what?" she smiled.
"I play hockey- for the Dallas Stars…" he stammered.
"Oh, I don't follow hockey too closely. I mean- I am aware of them as a team, but not the individual players," she explained.
There was an awkward pause as Tyler contemplated her words. It wasn't the fact that she was unaware of who he was, it was that she seemed thoroughly unaffected by the knowledge. Tyler came to the realization that he was staring at her face. It wasn't a particularly gorgeous face, but was naturally pretty. Her presence felt comfortable and oddly familiar. She snapped her fingers to get him out of his trance. "Hey, Not-Frat-Boy, we are going to play pool. Do you want co-ed or men against women?"
Tyler thought quickly, "Co-ed,"
Addy poked him playfully in the chest, "Try to keep up with me, okay?
Tom and Tyler played a quick game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to determine who would break. Addy gave Tyler a wink and a smile when he won.
He made a grand gesture of bending over and bowing and indicating she should take the first shot. He walked to the opposite end of the table as she took her stick, leaned over and took the break shot. He licked his lips unconsciously as he was given a clear view of her cleavage. As the balls spread across the table, she blew him a flirtatious kiss as two balls sank. Tyler smiled when she did not sink another ball with her second shot. He stood behind her as she waited for Tom to take his shot. He whispered in her ear, "He's a great attorney, but a horrible shot." Addy felt the hairs on her arm stand up as his breath hit her neck. She shifted her weight back and forth and turned to look at him. She stared momentarily. Her gaze went to his lips. She blinked and willed her heart to stop racing. She thought of what his beard would feel like if he kissed her.
"Seggy, you're up" Tom laughed as Tyler stood, leaning on his stick, staring at Addy's neck. He imagined his mouth on the where the smooth skin of her neck met her shoulder, sucking softly.
"Snap out of it," he murmured to himself before leaning up his shot. When Addy walked away to the jukebox, the movement of her hips distracted him and the shot fizzled.
He walked up behind her and leaned over her shoulder as she made her selections. "Going old school, huh?" he joked as she made her selections.
"Can't go wrong with some Miley, " she said, laughing as the song began. "This brings back some memories." Tyler watched as she danced around the pool table between her shots, sinking a ball with each stroke as she mouthed the words.
Tyler had a memory emerge from the depths of his brain. It was fuzzy but he could feel his body respond- pulse quickened, heart rate elevated and breath slightly shallow. He was kissing a girl. She smelled like flowers and wore what he assumed was a cubic zirconia pendant around her necklace. It fell delicately on her clavicle . When they paused for breath, she smiled at him.
"Tyler," he thought he heard as he struggled to place the memory "Tyler, it's your shot."
"Huh?" He said- momentarily confused as Tom directed him to the pool table. “Oh, yeah,” he blushed.
Gina and Tom giggled as they watched Addy and Tyler get sucked into their own heads as they stared at each other, tanking their pool game. Tyler snapped out of his thoughts. He took another bad shot and promptly sunk the cue ball.
"Who wants another round?" they called as they left Addy and Tyler in the pool room, without waiting for a response.
Tyler walked up to Addy and took the stick from her hand, “Sorry about that. Normally I am much better at pool. Guess I got a little distracted.”
Addy felt her face flush and started to fan herself with her hand,"Did it get hot in here? I need some air." She turned and walked to the exit to the small patio. She pushed the door open and took a deep breath. She paced the length of the patio and ran her fingers through her hair. The desire to take Tyler's face between her hands and kiss him overwhelmed her. She was then struck by the sense of deja vu. When he emerged from the bar carrying drinks, he stopped short when she turned to face him. She stood with one hip popped up and both hands on her hips. He crossed the patio to where she stood. Her expression was almost defiant. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" she declared. When he hesitated, she took a step toward him, took his face in her hands and kissed him hard.
Tyler felt the memory come back into complete focus and the realization hit him. He stopped the kiss and asked breathlessly, "Is Addy a nickname or something?"
"Short for Addison," she replied.
His eyes opened wider, "Have you ever been to Toronto?"
"Yeah, when I was 15." she stammered.
He pressed, "Maybe to an amusement park named Canada's Wonderland?
She stepped back, "Yeah"
He stepped forward "Spend time with a hockey team there?"
She looked at him, "Yeah, with a boy named….."
Her hand went to her mouth, "Nooooo"
He nodded his head up and down.
She gasped, "You're Tyler from Toronto? No fucking way!"
He smiled, "Yep-all grown up"
She squatted low and looked up at him before crossing to him, "Kiss me again."
He did and the memory came flooding back to her. Their bodies crashed together as they kissed, the muscle memory of their first make out session came back and he pushed her against the wall. “Addison from Dallas," he moaned, "I finally found you."
SUMMER 2007
Addison stood next to her friend, Juliana, in line to the Drop Tower. Juliana eyed the ride nervously as the line inched toward the loading zone. In front of them a group of ten players from a hockey team stood and joked loudly. They were enjoying a celebratory trip to the amusement park in honor of their recent championship victory. Juliana and Addison were at the front of the group from the Prestonwood Christian Academy choir. The two girls had become fast friends during Juliana’s year of study abroad in Dallas. They bonded over boys, hockey and mocking the popular girls in their class.
Juliana poked Addison in the ribs and nodded towards the tall blonde with a goofy grin on her face. Addison looked up at him and shook her head softly. Of course Juliana set her eyes on the tallest person she could find. The girl definitely had a type-tall, blonde and cute. The line inched forward and Addison locked eyes with the lanky brunette standing next to the blonde. He gave a shy smile before turning away. The blonde noticed and gave him a shove back into Addison. “Make a move Shy Ty,” the Big Rig joked.
"I'm…I'm sorry," Tyler stammered softly before he turned and slammed the blonde on the arm.
Addison gave him a smile and mouthed, “It’s okay,” before turning to Juliana.
The group landed at the loading zone together. The ride attendant shouted at the group of teens, "You four- stand here." Juliana and Addison stood in their assigned circle with Jamie and Tyler. Juliana looked up at the ride, "Addison, if I die in Canada, my mom is going to kill you."
The blonde looked down at the diminutive girl with jet black hair and laughed, "Where are you from?"
Julia smiled broadly, "Originally from Brazil, but we’re from Dallas. I'm Juliana and this is Addison. Are you from Toronto?"
"I'm Jamie and this is Seggy," the blonde elbowed Tyler in the ribs, "We're from Brampton, outside of Toronto."
"It's actually Tyler," he corrected. He looked Addison in the face and she smiled at him. He felt his stomach flip flop.
"Tell me Tyler- are you a wimp? she teased.
He looked confused, "Uhhhhh, what do you mean?"
"I mean can you handle these rides?" she laughed, "I am stuck with Wimpy McGee."
"Yeah, I can handle these rides," he grinned.
"Good," she exclaimed as the attendant directed them to the car. "Sit next to me so I don't have to hear her scream."
Tyler's eyebrows raised, "Okay." He watched her hop into her seat and start swinging her legs back and forth playfully.
After they were harnessed in, she gave him a big grin right before the ride took off, “Here we go, Tyler.” Addison laughed as the car ascended two hundred feet in the air and nervousness spread across Tyler's face, "I thought you said you weren't a wimp?"
"I'm not- I swear," he whined.
"Need to hold my hand?" she said softly and held out her hand to him.
"Yeah," he grabbed it right before the car dropped twenty one stories in a free fall.
Addison reluctantly let go of his hand when the ride attendant came to unharness them. She jumped off the ride and waited for Tyler. When he walked up with a sheepish grin, "I swear I am not a wimp on the other rides. The height on this one gets me."
Addison leaned in and whispered, "Your secret is safe with me." She looked over to Julia who was engrossed in conversation with Jamie. "I guess we are officially ride-buddies now,” she joked as she tilted her head toward Jamie and Juliana who were shamelessly flirting with each other. Addison rolled her eyes as Jamie directed the group towards the Klockwerks ride. “That’s not that scary, dude,” Addison stated once they arrived. Both Tyler and Jamie positioned themselves to be in the inside car position. As the ride began to spin, the force of the ride pulled Juliana and Addison into their sides. Jamie artfully put his arm around Juliana and pulled her tighter. Tyler sat stiffly beside Addison as the speed increased. Eventually she put her hand on his thigh and pushed to create some separation. Tyler’s eyes flashed down to Addison’s hand and then shut tightly. He thought to himself, “For the love of God, stay down, stay down,” as he willed himself not to feel any effects of Addison’s physical proximity. He said a silent prayer of thanksgiving as they exited the ride without an erection popping up.
The group flip-flopped between Team Scaredy-Cat and Team Dare-Devil deciding on which rides to ride. With each one, Addison and Tyler stood closer and closer together in line. He passionately argued that Texas didn't have actual hockey. She questioned "Oh yeah, when is the last time the Leafs have won a cup? The Stars?" Tyler objected and Addison hit him with, "Did the Leafs even make the playoffs this year? The Stars made it.” Tyler rolled his eyes and Addison playfully poked his chest. "Admit defeat," she chided as he smiled down at her, “I’m going to make you a Stars fan if it’s the last thing I do.
He bent down and laughed, “It will be a cold day in hell before I root for the Dallas Stars.” Addison blinked as his face was inches from hers. Thankfully the ride attendant ushered them to the ride.
Somewhere between the Go-Kart Racing ride and Behemoth roller coaster, Tyler made his move and went for the hand grab. Addison simply looked down at their joined hands and back up at Tyler and smiled. Tyler’s inner dialogue of “Stay Cool, be calm- it’s just a girl. Holy shit- it’s a girl and she is letting me hold her hand” simmered under the surface.
When the foursome turned the corner and Juliana saw the tall roller coaster, she simply said, “Nope, nope, nope- I am not riding that, Miss Addison.” Jamie saw his opportunity and took it, “We can go do the swings again. You liked those.” The swings were on the other side of the park and would give him a solid hour of alone time with Juliana. Tyler also did the mental math and glanced at Addison to gauge her reaction.
Addison shrugged her shoulders and pulled Tyler towards the roller coaster. “Y’all have fun. We’ll meet you at the food court in an hour,” she called back to her friend, Juliana, who stood in a bundle of excitement and nerves. Addison turned abruptly and yelled to Juliana, “Don’t forget your PCA character!” When Juliana’s mouth dropped open, Addison laughed, “Bye!” She pulled Tyler with such force that he could barely keep up. “Come on Tyler, there’s barely any line!” she screamed as she ran in front of him. She dropped his hand as they raced up the steps. Tyler slowed his pace slightly when he realized letting her pass allowed him to watch her ass as she climbed.
When they reached the top of the stairs, they were greeted by a ride attendant. “The ride’s not quite open yet,” the young man said, “How did you get up here?” In their excitement, Tyler and Addison had missed the sign that the ride was temporarily closed. Todd, the attendant looked around, “I should send you back down to wait, but we’ll open it up in about fifteen minutes. If you promise to not bother anything, I’ll let you stay up here.”
They looked at each other and smiled, then looked at Todd, “We won’t touch anything.”
Addison squealed once Todd left. She looked at Tyler who nodded. They both spoke at once
Addison- “We get dibs on the front seat.”
Tyler- “We get to be alone for fifteen minutes”
Addison laughed while Tyler blushed, “Well, there’s that too- added bonus” They looked around the ride loading area before Addison pulled out her iTouch. Tyler watched in silence as she pushed buttons. “You like to dance, Tyler?” she asked as music started playing. Miley Cyrus - See you again - With Lyrics The music started and she started to dance. A wide grin spread across his face as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards him. “What? Hockey boys don’t dance?” she teased. “You know there isn’t anyone here. You can risk looking stupid and dance.” She dropped his hand and started dancing and singing. “I've got a way of knowin' when somethin' is right. I feel like I must have known you in another life. 'Cause I felt this deep connection when you looked in my eyes. Now I can't wait to see you again” Addison reached for his hand again and he readily took it. He sang with her, “The last time I freaked out, I just kept lookin' down. I st-st-stuttered when you asked me what I'm thinkin' 'bout. Felt like I couldn't breathe, you asked what's wrong with me. My best friend Lesley said, "Oh she's just being Miley" Tyler twirled her around the loading area with ease. When the song stopped he pulled her back and she crashed into his chest. Their faces were inches from each other. Their combined heart rates were off the charts and their chests heaved to settle their breathing.
Addison looked into Tyler’s eyes and willed his lips to move closer. They didn’t budge. He pushed a strand of hair that had crossed over into her eyes back. Internally, the lyrics of “Kiss the Girl” raced into his thoughts, “Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you too. There is one way to ask her. It don't take a word. Not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl” The mental image of the small, red crab singing and dancing raced front and center of his mind. Tyler laughed at the absurdity of it. Addison flinched ever so slightly and pulled back. Tyler knew immediately that he had blown his shot.
Addison dropped his hands and walked over the far wall where the loading zone to the front car was located. She placed her back against the wall and slowly slid down to sit. She didn’t look up when she felt Tyler approach and sit next to her. They didn’t speak for a long time. Tyler checked his watch, “They should be opening it up soon.” Addison nodded in affirmation. He moved his hand to the outside of his thigh and she felt it graze her skin. She glanced down and then back at his face. She smiled and grabbed his hand. Their fingers intertwined together. Addison moved slightly to her left and rested her head on his shoulder.
She fumbled for words, “Fun fact- we are both named after cities in Texas.” He laughed and said, “What?”
“Yep, there is a Tyler, Texas and an Addison, Texas too,” she said quietly, “They are not very close together.”
“That’s too bad,” he replied. She squeezed his hand and he swore that he felt butterflies in stomach. “So tell me about Dallas.”
He looked at her as her face lit up and she started chattering away. The sound of the slow drawl of her voice hypnotized him. Suddenly the idea of Dallas, Texas, was the most fascinating subject on earth. She rambled until they noticed that the loading area had filled with other riders. Tyler frowned as she stopped talking and stood up to climb into the front roller coaster car. She held out her hand and he took it. The smile returned to his face. “Maybe I’ll go to Dallas one day,”
She turned to laugh, “Maybe you’ll play for the Stars one day. I mean you should dream big,Tyler.”
Once they were both securely harnessed for the ride, Tyler grabbed her hand again. She looked at him through her eyelashes and then looked away. Addison was unsure if it was the thrill of the ride that made her heart race or the thrill of the boy next to her. As the clickety-clack of the roller coaster filled the air, she summoned her courage while the car moved higher and higher on top of the hill. She turned to Tyler right before the car went over the summit, “Are you going to kiss me or what?” Tyler turned to her with a surprised look before they fell into the freefall.
When the car came to a complete stop, both of them scrambled to get out of the car, for very different reasons. Addison ran past the crowd that made it to the exit before her. Tyler followed behind her. They raced down the steps and Tyler called her name, “Addison- wait up!” She had no intention of waiting for him. The look of shock when she asked him about kissing her had said everything she needed to know. She thought to herself, “It’s almost four now. I just have to find a place to hang out until we leave at nine. No biggie.”
Addison was completely lost in thoughts when she felt his hand on her arm, pulling her to a stop. He grabbed her hand and held it as he guided her past the ride exit. Tyler pulled her into a corner by the restroom. “Why are you running away from me?” he said breathlessly, “Is this about your question?”
Her eyes flashed up and then down and she nodded her head yes.
Tyler groaned loudly and bent over, putting his hands on his knees, “Girls are weird.”
He stood and crossed to her, “I do want to kiss you. It’s just that….. that” He hesitated before he sputtered, “I’ve never kissed a girl. I don’t know how.” He blushed as she smiled and laughed, “Don’t laugh at me, Addison.” She walked to him, put her hand on his neck and pulled his head so she could reach his face. She smiled and kissed him.
Her lips pressed against his and she sensed his tenson and hesitation. After a beat, she felt them relax and return the kiss. Their lips separated and then came back together. There was an awkward dance of head tilts, noses that collided and teeth clashing together. Each kiss became more intentional, more passionate and more intense. They found their rhythm of a series of kisses followed by a pause for two breaths and another series of kisses.
“Get it Seggy,” a loud voice called out. One of Tyler’s teammates stood at a distance, holding the hand of Reagan, a girl from Addison's choir. It seemed like international romance had blossomed for multiple couples.
Tyler broke the kiss and looked up. He smiled at his teammate before he looked at Addison. He searched her face for a sign of how to proceed. She grinned and rested her forehead against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she whispered, “Tell me when they leave.”
He whispered, “They’re gone.” as the duo turned the corner. She looked up at him with a goofy grin that he returned. “Ummm, we should probably go find Big Rig and Juliana,” he pushed her hair away from her face, “It’s time to meet up with them and I am starving.”
“Big Rig?” she questioned.
“Jamie,” he smiled, “We call him Big Rig because well, he is big and built like a Mack truck.”
“So you don’t want to talk about what just happened?” she asked.
“Do we need to talk about it?” he asked in return.
“Did you like it?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he replied breathlessly.
“Me too,” she blushed.
“Let’s walk there. Maybe we’ll beat them to the poutine shop and we can do it again,” he spoke as he took her hand to guide her. He laughed when she questioned what the hell poutine was. Given the unspoken enticement of potential kisses, Tyler and Addison made it to the meeting place early. They were taking a post-kiss breath when Jamie and Juliana walked up, holding hands. The two sets of friends exchanged knowing looks before joining the line. Tyler stood behind Addison as she looked at the menu. He leaned over her shoulder, “You don’t have poutine in Dallas? That might be a dealbreaker.”
She turned to look at him, “No poutine, but we have nachos and tacos al pastor which makes up for it.” She ordered her food and dug in her pocket for her money. She picked up each coin and bill and examined it closely in confusion. Tyler resisted the temptation to laugh and quickly ordered his poutine while she searched for the right denomination. He handed his debit card to the cashier to pay. Her head swiveled around, “You didn’t have to pay for my food. I have money.”
“Clearly, you do. You don’t know which is which, but you have money,” he mocked.
“It’s not my fault y’all have funny colored money,” she pouted
“You’re cute when you pout,” he laughed as he guided her to the waiting area. Addison smiled and blushed as he snuck a kiss on the cheek while they waited. Tyler took her reaction as a sign and went in for a full kiss.
The foursome found a table. Juliana began talking animatedly about the swings and the attractions they saw on their walk. Jamie rolled his eyes when she described him being scrunched up in the swing before they were lifted into the air. “So how was the roller coaster?” the brown eyed girl asked. Addison and Tyler shared a shy glance before answering, “Fine. It was fine.” Juliana looked at both of them before exclaiming, “Fine, keep your secrets.”
Addison threw a french fry at her friend. “The ride was closed for repair, then it opened. We rode it. It went fast. We walked here. Exciting times!” She also gave her a look that said that she would give a better explanation later. Tyler and Jamie looked at each other and shrugged. "Are we doing more rides or what?" Addison asked as she picked at her poutine.
"There's always the theater show," Jamie suggested coolly.
Tyler looked confused, "Why would we do that? It's lame." Jamie stared at him in disbelief until he added, "Wait, there is a new show this year. Gotta check it out. It will be good to get out of the heat."
On the short walk to the theater, Juliana grabbed Addison's arm and whispered in her ear, "So what happened?"
Addison looked back at Tyler who was not so subtly staring at her ass. "So we kissed- a lot, which was good. Reagan saw us though," she said quietly.
"Oh shit," Juliana muttered. Reagan was a known gossip who played fast and loose with facts.
"How bad can it be?" She smiled, "It was just kisses. There wasn't even a tongue involved."
"Oh, I got tongue- lots and lots of tongue," the Brazilian beauty giggled. The two spoke in hushed whispers as they continued to walk.
Tyler walked behind them and strained to hear what was being said. He was certain that he was at least partially the subject of conversation and wanted to hear Addison’s opinion of their stunted make-out sessions. Jamie tapped him lightly on the arm and raised his eyebrows, "So…." Tyler nodded yes and smiled. "Me too," the blonde replied with the goofiest of grins, "Me too."
Tyler sped up and grabbed Addison's hand casually, "Hey, my ears were burning. Were you discussing my future NHL career or were you discussing my other skills?"
Addison gave him the side eye, "Tap the brakes there, dude. You don’t go from 'I don't know how to kiss a girl' to bragging about your skills in less than an hour, mmkay?" Tyler looked dejected. She continued, "I will admit that you do seem to have a certain natural skill set in that area. Since that was literally my first real kiss, I would offer that maybe we are both bad at it but don't know any better."
"Wait, that was your first kiss?" Tyler whispered, "but you kissed me like you had kissed a ton of guys. You kissed well for a first timer."
"Well, I wanted to kiss you and you weren't taking your shot so I took matters in my own hands,” Addison shrugged her shoulders. “You were pretty good yourself."
"Do you want to do it again," he nudged her as they walked.
"Yes, which is why I am letting you take me to this lame show in a darkened theater," she teased. His jaw dropped slightly. "You're cute, but the two of you weren't subtle. If you want to kiss me, just ask."
They walked the rest of the way in silence, holding hands. As the group walked into the dimly lit theater, they split up and went to opposite sides of the back row. The row was essentially a carpeted bench attached to a carpeted wall. Addison grabbed the spot nearest the right wall.
Tyler sat next to her and tapped his leg nervously while they waited for the show to begin. She placed her hand on his thigh. He stared at her hand resting casually on his leg, oblivious to the effect it was having on him. "Do you always get this nervous around girls or is it just me?" she joked. He looked down and didn't respond. "I am normally nervous around boys, but not you," she started to ramble, "Maybe I am a little nervous. They have a place like this at Six Flags. It's called the Southern Palace. Now I know why my brother also sat in the back with his girlfriend. I never understood before, but it makes sense now."
Tyler pulled her to his body and kissed her. She was mid-word as his lips met hers. When his tongue slid into her mouth, there was a moment of mutual confusion before instinct kicked into gear. Addison wasn't sure if this was reality or a dream, but she decided to savor the moment. She knew that this was one of those life moments that would be forever etched in her memory.
Tyler's eyes remained partly open as they kissed. He glanced at her in amazement every time they came up for air. They were both twisted towards each other at an awkward angle. Addison moved so that her back leaned against the far wall and swung her legs over Tyler’s legs. Both fumbled with where to put their hands. One of Tyler’s hands landed on her right hip while the other cradled her head. He murmured in her ear, “Is it okay to touch you like this?” He felt her head nod yes. Addison’s hands traveled up his arms and back down again. Each pause for air was marked by a smile or giggle. Tyler had long given up trying to control the raging erection that pressed against his shorts. He gasped when her hands slid under his shirt which added to the ever growing bulge in his lap.
“You can touch them if you want,” she whispered.
“Them?” he asked, knowing what he hoped she meant, but waited for confirmation.
“My boobs- you can touch my boobs,” she whispered as her hands roamed his chest.
His hand tentatively touched her right breast then he chuckled in her ear, “I’m touching your boob. I’m actually touching a boob.” It was a flurry of gropes and touches with a steady stream of hard and soft kisses. His hips twisted slightly and his hard-on pressed into her left thigh. Addison looked at the source and her eyes widened. “Is that a…..,” she gasped. He froze in place, unsure of what to do. “Did I do that? What does it feel like? Does it hurt?” she rambled on until he shut her up with a kiss
“You have to stop talking about it,” he moaned, “You are making it worse.”
Her face scrunched up, “Do we need to stop? Did I do something wrong?”
“We should stop- sorry,” he sat up and sighed deeply. “Fuck,” he groaned softly. He moved away from Addison and leaned forward in an effort to conceal the evidence. She inched towards him and put her head on his shoulder.
“What do you normally do when this happens?” she asked softly.
“Depends,” he answered bashfully, looking around at the rest of the crowd that was absorbed in the show. “If I am in a crowd, I try to think about stinky hockey gear or skating drills. If I am alone, I …..take care of it”
“Oh, you jack off?” she answered, “Do you think that the stinky hockey gear thing will work?”
“Not with you sitting there- smelling like flowers and your lips looking like that,” he whispered.
“Okay then, I guess we go with plan B then,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Can I touch it?” she asked as her hand moved towards it.
“Addison!” he hissed. Her hand landed firmly on his crotch. “Holy shit…. Holy shit,” he panted, “You’re touching it.” She started rubbing her palm up and down. He watched in amazement and then looked back at her face. His hips rocked softly, “That’s good. Yeah like that” Her eyes were wide with wonder and a smile spread across her face.
“Can I see it?” she asked, “Really touch it?”
Tyler’s head swiveled around. Again nobody was paying attention to them. He was pretty sure that he was about to be woken up by the sound of his mom screaming his name to get his ass out of bed for hockey practice. There was no way this was actually happening. He nodded yes and unbuttoned his shorts and freed the erection from the confines of his boxers. The tip glistened with precum. Her eyes went to it and then looked at Tyler’s face. “Okay,” she said, “Tell me what to do.”
Her fingers went to the top and played with the slickness. Her fingers rubbed in a circular motion. He grabbed her hand and placed it on the shaft. “Rub it up and down,” he grunted softly. Her hand touched the tip. Her fingers toying it while she stared at it. “Addison,” he moaned, “rub it-please.” She snapped out of her daze and started rubbing. She wrapped her hand around the shaft and moved it up and down, using the precum as a lube. “Oh God, oh God” his hips bucked quickly, “A little faster, a little harder.” She followed his instructions. His head tilted back and his eyes closed, “Oh, oh, oh.” Addison watched as he came into her hand. She continued to pump slowly until he told her to stop. She looked at her hand and then rubbed it on the carpeted bench. He adjusted himself back into his shorts quickly. Neither of them spoke for a minute and Tyler stared ahead.
“So, is it usually over that quick?” she asked.
“No,” he blushed, “You're the first non-male hand to touch it. Usually it takes me longer.”
“But you liked it?” she asked.
“Oh yeah,” he grinned.
“Can I make a suggestion?” she poked his ribs.
“Sure,” his eyebrows raised.
“When you give the explanation to anyone about why things earlier ended so quickly, just say it was the first hand that wasn’t yours. When you said the first non-male hand to touch it, it sort implied that there have been all sorts of male hands touching it. I mean not my business, but it does invoke images of locker room circle jerks.”
Tyler laughed out loud- loud enough to gather the attention of Jamie and Juliana
“Okay, MY hand. The first person other than ME to touch it,” he smirked. “You’re a brat, you know that? A very pretty brat, but a brat.”
“Can we kiss again?” she deflected.
“I think that we should skip that,” he grinned, “It might pop up again.”
“Can I put my head on your shoulder until the show is over?” she questioned.
“Yeah, I would like that,” he answered and he grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. They sat in silence for the reminder of the show.
When the show ended, Tyler stood up slowly and held out his hand to Addison. They walked out into the night air. Tyler’s phone rang as they walked out of the theater. He answered, “Hi Mom. I thought you said you were coming at nine. It’s only seven thirty now. I know.” Addison pretended to study the show poster on the wall outside the theater. She listened intently as the conversation continued. “I will be at the gate in fifteen minutes. Wait, just a second.” Tyler called to Jamie, “Hey Big Rig, do you need a ride home?” Jamie shook his head not and tossed Juliana’s hair. “Okay, I will see you in fifteen minutes. Bye Mom,” he said finally. He lowered his voice, “Love you too.”
Addison looked at Tyler and then back at Juliana and Jamie. “So you have to leave now? Your mom is picking you up?” she asked. He nodded yes. “Oh,” she replied quietly. She silently cursed herself for not thinking about the outcome of the day. Of course, it would come to an end and she was a fool for not having thought about it. “We don’t meet for the bus back to the hotel until nine PM, but I could walk with you to the front gate. I mean if you wanted,” she looked up and saw him staring at her face. He held out his hand and she took it with a smile. She called out to Juliana, “I will call you after Tyler leaves so I can find you.”
“How much longer are you in Canada?” he asked as they walked through the park.
“We leave tomorrow afternoon,” she sighed.
“I have practice tomorrow morning,” he stated as if there were any real opportunity for them to meet again before Addison left. Today would be their first and last day together. Addison felt numb about the prospect of never seeing Tyler again.
Internally Tyler was having a similar, yet far less nuanced thought process. Part of him was still in disbelief at how the day unfolded. He would never fantasize about meeting a girl like Addison and her finding him interesting enough to kiss.
As they approached the gate, reality set in for both of them. Addison spied a photo booth set among carts selling souvenirs. “Should we take pictures?” she asked. We can use up the rest of my Canadian cash.” Tyler helped her figure out the right coins and hopped into the photo booth. Addison sat on his lap and they smiled into the camera.
“Okay, silly face for pose two,” she instructed
“Kisses,” Tyler requested for pose three.
“Smile again,” she suggested for pose four. Addison looked at the camera while Tyler stared at Addison’s face. When the pictures came out of the machine, they each took a set.
“So,” he said quietly, “Should I give you my phone number or something?”
Addison studied his face, “No, I don’t think so.”
His head snapped upward, “No? Why not?”
They stopped just short of the exit gate. She looked around at the people milling about. Addison took a deep breath, “Have you seen that movie, Serendipity? It’s a chick flick.” He shook his head no. “I figured. In the movie, a girl meets a guy and they have a fantastic day together. At the end of the day, he asks for her phone number and she says no. She writes it in a book and leaves it on a bench.She tells him that if it’s fate that they meet again, it will happen.”
Tyler listened for her to continue. “I would rather leave it like that than give you my number. You’ll probably text or call a few times, but life will get in the way- hockey practices for you and choir stuff for me. I would rather have a perfect day to remember. If we are meant to meet again, we will.”
“Are you sure?” he asked. She nodded her head yes.
“Tyler,” a young blonde called from just outside the gate, “Mom’s waiting for you.”
“Okay Candace, I’m coming,” he called to her. “So this is it then I guess,” he said as he held Addison’s hands.
“Hold on,” She ran to the exit, got her hand stamped and ran back to Tyler. “I will walk you all the way out,” she proclaimed.
Together they walked through the exit hand in hand. Jackie Seguin stood waiting by the car. Her eyes widened at the sight of Tyler walking towards holding a girl’s hand. “Mom, this is Addison. She’s from Dallas,” he said calmly. “Addison, this is my mom.” He turned and gave her a hug. He whispered, “So I guess this bye, huh?”
“Yeah, this is bye,” Addison agreed. As he walked to the car, she called, “Tyler- don’t forget to find me when you come play for Dallas. You’ll look good in green.” He flashed a smile, “Will do.”
Addison waved and walked to the bench outside of the park. Tyler started to get in the car before he turned around and looked at her sitting on the bench. He sprinted towards her and she stood up. He grabbed her face and kissed her. For a moment time stopped as they stood next to the bench, glued together. No one else existed. His mom and sisters were watching from the curb, their jaws dropped in shock. For a moment, there was no risk of their hearts breaking. And for Tyler, it was if he had been a ladies man all along.
“Okay,” he breathed finally, “I have to go or my mom is going to kill me. You’re right. Let’s just leave it as the perfect day and I will find you when I come to Dallas. Deal?”
“Deal,” she smiled.
2022
Addy felt Tyler's weight pressed against her body as she pulled him tighter to it. Her body pulsated as his mouth grazed over her bare shoulders. Her mind, however, raced with thoughts. Her Tyler from Toronto had turned into Tyler-Fucking-Seguin, noted himbo and hockey whore. She had lied to him earlier. As a single woman in Dallas, you didn't have to follow hockey to know what a playboy Tyler had turned into so she knew exactly who he was when he introduced himself. She gathered her thoughts to assess the situation. She was currently making out with the NHL superstar and about to cross the line into dry humping.
"We need to stop or we'll have a repeat of last time," he moaned. "We could stop or we could relocate to some place more private," he added eagerly. “We aren't far from my house. We can order some food and hangout."
"Tyler, we’re thirty. Let's not pretend. We are not going to ‘hang out,’" she responded. "You get an Uber. I will pay the tab."
When they went back into the tavern, Gina and Tom were playing darts. Tyler focused on his phone, ordered the Uber and looked up to see they were staring at them with bemused grins on their faces. Addy didn't make eye contact as she walked to the bar. "Tess, I need to close out my tab" she said as Tyler reached for his wallet. "Put it away, Tyler. I still owe you for my poutine." She swatted his hand away.
Tess looked up and smiled, "That'll be eight bucks, Adorable Addy."
Tyler interjected, "Eight dollars for all of it? I am coming here all the time."
Tess turned and pressed her lips together, "It's eight dollars for her. You get the Addy discount because she vouched for you. Otherwise, you would be sliding over that C-note you carry for emergencies."
Tyler pretended to be offended, "Why do you hate me?"
"You rich white boys get on my last nerves," she laughed, "but if she vouches for you, you must be good people."
Addy slapped down twenty dollars and turned to Tyler. "Let me go say my goodbyes and I'll wait for you outside," she said softly.
He pulled her to his body, "We're thirty. We don't need to pretend to leave separately."
"Says you- you won't have any consequences if people know," she pushed away and walked to her friend, "I'm heading out. Y'all have a good night." When Gina stood up, Addy whispered, "I'll text in the morning." Gina's eyebrows raised at the deviation from their standard routine. Addy shrugged her shoulders, "Not going straight home. Might be late." Gina simply nodded her head.
Tyler simply nodded his head at Tom, "Tuesday at 1? Text me the course." He placed his hand on Addy's back and followed her out of the tavern. When they arrived at the Uber, he opened the door and motioned for her to slide in first. Her leg bounced nervously as they drove off. He placed his hand on her thigh and smiled at her, "Are you always this nervous around men or is it just me?"
"It's just you," she grinned, "What about you?"
"Too early to tell," he explained, "I thought I would be less nervous this time."
"You thought about me? About meeting me again?" she asked softly.
"All the time- especially when I got traded to Dallas," he replied, suddenly serious. Both of them got quiet, not sure what to say.
When they arrived at Tyler's house, he tried to study her face. Two thoughts emerged in his brain. First, why was he so eager to bring her to his house? It wasn't his usual MO. He usually went to other women's homes which allowed for quick exits. However, that felt unnecessary with Addison. Second, why did he feel the need to impress her? Tyler had become extremely confident. Maybe too confident, he considered, but suddenly he felt unsure and shy.
Addy tried to keep her face neutral as they walked into his large home. It was everything you would expect from a professional athlete, yet somehow felt cozy and warm. He went to check on the dogs and let them out of their crates. Marshall, Cash and Gerry sniffed Addy with mild curiosity as Tyler introduced her to them. "Boys, this is Addison," he said brightly, “Dad knew her a long time ago.”
'It's actually Addy now," she said as patted Gerry's head, "I haven't been Addison in fifteen years."
Tyler turned his head, "Why?"
She stood back up and walked away from him. He watched her intently.
"Why are you no longer Addison?" he asked. He did the mental math in his head, "What happened fifteen years ago?"
"You" she whispered to herself and turned around, "It's been a long time, Tyler. It doesn't matter now."
"I think it does matter, Addison," he stepped towards her, "Tell me."
"Just drop it," she pleaded and looked down.
"No," he answered, "Does it have anything to do with why you don't follow the Stars? Or why the name Tyler completed the asshole trifecta? What happened? I thought we were good when we said bye." He crossed to her and lifted her chin to look into her eyes.
"Addison became Easy A," she yelled.
Tyler took a step back, “Easy A? What does that mean?”
Addy crossed her arms, “What? You didn’t hear? I mean our exploits were legendary at PCA. LE-GEND-ARY.”
“Addison, what are you talking about?” he asked with the confusion showing on his face.
“I’m talking about the fact that you didn’t keep your damn mouth shut about what we did in the back of the theater, more specifically what I did.” she put her hands and pushed him away from her.
“Addison, WHAT-IN-THE-FUCK are you talking about?” he bellowed.
“My name is Addy now, dammit.” she hissed as walked past him. “Thanks to your big mouth I was labeled a slut. Addison is the easy A and the easy lay. There was also 'If you want to have some fun, be sure to call Addison.' You on the other hand? I bet you were hailed as a stud with your conquest. I became a social pariah after my behavior was found to be unladylike and unbecoming. I lost my spot in choir and most of my friends."
"You think I told someone about it?" he protested. "I never told anyone what happened in the theater. Big Rig knew that we made out, but I never told anyone else."
"How did people in Dallas find out?" he added. "The guys teased me in the locker room, but it wasn't that big of a deal."
"It wasn’t a big deal FOR YOU. What did they say in the locker room,Tyler?" she challenged, "What did they say?"
"Seggy shot and he scored," he said quietly, "I didn't think it was a big deal. I mean you were in a different country."
"And you didn't correct them? You didn't think to question why they said that? I mean if you didn't say anything to anyone, how did they get that impression that we fucked? I mean, as long as you looked good it didn't matter, right?" she peppered him with questions.
"I didn't think it went beyond the locker room. If I had known it was spread around Dallas, I would have said something. I didn't know. I SWEAR I didn't know.," Tyler argued. "Addison, you have to believe me. I would have never done anything to fuck up that day." There was a sincerity and tenderness in his voice that she paused and looked at him. She walked around the living room as he watched. She stopped when a framed picture caught her attention. There in a simple black frame was the photo strip they took in the photo booth.
"You kept them? After all this time?" She turned to him with a questioning look. "Why?"
Tyler looked down and didn't answer at first. He took a slow lap around the living room and stood in front of her. "Because you were the first and probably only girl/woman who liked me for me. You believed in me and you trusted me. It was the only tangible thing I had that you were real," he declared.
"You really didn't tell anyone" she whispered.
"I didn't tell anyone- I swear," Tyler inched closer to her.
"Swear on your dick," she held her hand out against his chest.
"Swear on your dick." she smiled, "if you are lying, may you never get another erection again."
"I swear on my dick I told no one," he stepped forward.
She stepped to him and he asked "They called you a slut?" She nodded her head yes. "I'm sorry, Addison. I didn't know. Fuck, I didn't know." He grabbed and pulled her to his chest. "It was the perfect day for me. One of the top five days of my life. I feel awful it got fucked up for you."
He held her tight and swayed slowly as she rested her head against his chest. "It really was a great day, wasn't it?" she looked up and smiled. "I can't believe it's really you-Tyler from Toronto."
"Technically, Brampton- but close enough," he sassed.
She covered his mouth with a kiss. Tyler responded and started to walk her back towards the couch. He gently guided her until they were both on the couch. The weight of his body rested on her as they kissed.
"One day you'll actually let me make the first move" he murmured in her ear.
"No one is stopping you now," she remarked, "Aren't you some sort of hockey sex god? Surely, you have some moves you’ve developed."
"Oh, I have moves now," he said as he slid his hand under her shirt.
"Then show me," she purred.
"Sit up," he ordered.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Please?"
She sat up and he removed her shirt. His hands went to her bra and tugged it down. His mouth went to her nipple and teased it with his teeth before drawing a circle with this tongue. Their eyes met as his tongue flicked softly. His mouth moved down her stomach. Addison placed her hand on his head as it inched lower. "Tyler," she moaned. He smiled against her skin as his finger gripped her shorts and panties. He tugged at them and she lifted her hips to allow him to pull them down. He tossed them to the side. His lips went to her hips and began to trail down. His tongue glided along the curve of her thigh. She sat up on her elbows, "Wait, wait, wait." His head shot up. "Take your clothes off. I want to see you," she implored.
He sat up and peeled off his shirt. Addison gasped as she studied his chest. His arms and chest were covered with tattoos and she felt the urge to touch them. He stood up and removed his shorts and boxers. He smiled shyly as he moved back to her. "You're bigger than I remembered," she commented.
He looked down and grinned up at her. Addison rolled her eyes, "Not your damn cock- the rest of you. You're more muscular-larger. You look different than the picture I had in my mind all these years.”
“Is that good or bad?” he asked in a moment of doubt.
“Not either good or bad. I liked fifteen year old Tyler’s body and I like thirty year old Tyler’s body. They are just different, both hotter than hell in their own ways.” she answered
“You look the same, Addison. I can't believe I didn't know it was you right away. I guess I had given up hope of finding you.” Tyler said as he moved back to her. “You have the same gorgeous eyes and the same smile that makes my heart skip a beat. You look more amazing naked than I dreamed.” He began to kiss her neck and make his way down her torso, kissing her softly as she writhed. “You’re here and you’re naked,” he said with wonder, “I can’t believe it.” When his mouth made contact with her waiting sex, Addison’s back arched off the couch. “TYLER!!!” she panted as his tongue explored.
He looked up and smirked, “Told you that I have moves.”
She sat up on her elbows, “It’s a decent start, but let’s see how you finish.”
“Still a brat, I see,” he shook his head. He began fucking her with his mouth again. It was a flurry of licks, sucks, and soft bites. Addison felt the thrill from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Each movement elicited a moan or whimper. He had dreamed of this moment for almost half of his life. He wanted to bring her to peak and he was entirely focused. When she was able to speak, Addison would call his name. It was music to Tyler’s ears. She wove her fingers through his hair and tugged to pull him closer as her hips rocked against his face. “So close, so close,” she yelped as she felt herself submit to the pleasure. Her orgasm was loud, intense and long. She rode the wave of little aftershocks and Tyler licked her juices that flowed freely.
He slowly and gently kissed his way up her body. She trembled ever-so-slightly with each touch. There was a tenderness to his touch which was not present with the other women he had been with. She continued to run her fingers through his curls.
“Your hair is different, right? It wasn’t curly last time?” she spoke softly. Her heart raced still and a thousand thoughts raced through her mind.
“Yeah, it turned curly sometime in my early twenties- not sure why,” he grinned. When he made his way to her neck, “Are you good? You liked it?”
“Oh yeah, that move was ummmmm, impressive,” she sighed.
“I have another move if you want to see it,” he nibbled her ear.
“Does it involve my long time friend?” she joked as her hand went to his cock. She stroked it casually and Tyler groaned. “It feels the same. I am glad it didn’t change.”
Tyler sat up before leaning off the couch. He grabbed his wallet out of shorts. He opened it deftly and retrieved the condom. Addison bit her lip and closed her eyes. It was a reminder that this was no longer Shy Ty, but a man who was seasoned with hook-ups. She wasn’t sure how that reality made her feel and she tried to push the thought from her mind. He looked at her as he ripped the package. “Hey,” he said softly, “Do you want to stop? We don’t have to…….” She opened her eyes and stared at him. She sat up and straddled his thighs wordlessly. Her hand went to his cheek and she caressed it. He returned the gesture. “Seriously, we can stop. I understand.” She searched his eyes, lost in her thoughts. He smiled sweetly and she saw him staring back at her. Not the NHL superstar, but the sweet boy from Toronto who she fell in love with. It might have been short-lived, but she was sure that it was love. She was also sure that it was returned.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi,” he whispered in return.
“I missed you. I missed you so much,” she said as she kissed him gently.
“Me too-more than you know,” he kissed in return.
“I’m ready now,” she leaned and pulled him with her.
“Really? No pressure,” he said as he rolled on the condom.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she responded.
They both gasped as he slid into her warmth. It was a new and exciting sensation, yet somehow felt entirely familiar. The pace was slow and methodical at first as they explored to find the best angle and pressure for their mutual pleasure. There was muted conversation about hand placement on top of her clit- “A little to the left- yeah, right there” Tyler’s mind exploded with a hundred different thoughts, but the most pressing was that he was determined not to cum until she had again. The speed and the intensity of thrusting increased. Their mouths devoured each other as they fucked. Her legs wrapped around him and she used her muscles to clench down around his rock hard cock. “I’m going to cum, I’m going to cum,” they panted in unison. Addison exploded first with Tyler finishing just afterwards.
Tyler rested his body on top of hers in exhaustion. He was far more spent than his actions required. “Addison, that was…..” his voice trailed off. “Shit, can I still call you Addison?” he asked. She nodded yes as he showered her neck and face with kisses. “I don’t want to move. Stay here all night?” he moaned.
“You want me to stay all night with you?” she asked. She was pretty sure that was a deviation from his standard operating method.
“Let’s start with one night,” he said as he looked into her eyes.
“Okay, but I’m too old to sleep on the couch when I know that there has to be a bed somewhere in this house,” she teased. They sat up slowly and gathered their clothes from the floor. She followed him up the stairs and into the main bedroom. The bed was large and fitted with luxurious sheets. She put her things on the bench at the end of the bed. She glanced at her phone and smiled. Gina had sent a funny meme. Juliana had responded to her text. When she put her phone down, she looked up to him staring at her.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked.
“Just a text from Juliana,” she answered, “Remember her? I told her that I was with you tonight.”
“Of course, I remember her. Is she in Brazil or Dallas these days?” he inquired.
“Neither- she moved to Dallas after college, but just got a job in Seattle,” Addison answered.
“Huh, I’ll have to let Big Rig know,” he smiled.
“Where is he these days?” she quizzed.
“You really haven’t been paying attention. He was drafted by Dallas, but now he is in Seattle now.”
“You’re kidding me,” she laughed.
“Nope and he’s single,” Tyler smiled, “Not that I would try to set him up with any one.”
“Of course,” she giggled, “It would break bro code or something. Do you have a shirt I can throw on to sleep?” she asked. He threw the shirt in his hand to her. She caught it in her hands and brought it to her nose to smell. “I’m pretty sure that you’re never getting this shirt back,” she smiled as she inhaled.
“Oh really? Why is that?” he laughed.
She blushed as she put it over her head, “No reason.”
“No- tell me,” he pleaded as they climbed onto the bed.
“I want a memento from tonight,” she sighed.
He rolled over into his side and looked at her, “Why would you need a memento? What do you think is going to happen tomorrow morning?
She rolled to face him and shrugged.
He inched forward and kissed her, “If you think I am going to let you get away from me again, you are sadly mistaken, Addison from Dallas.
She smiled, “Is that so Tyler from Toronto?”
“Yes,” he pulled her close to rest on his chest, “I have big plans for us tomorrow.”
“You do?” she questioned as fingers traced his tattoos.
“A full day at Six Flags to relive our first day together,” he laughed, “Complete with a show at the Southern Palace.”
“Don’t think I am a girl who gives handjobs in darkened theaters these days,” she retorted.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, I am classy. I only give blowjobs now.” she laughed.
a/n: welcome to the first blurb of the harry's house series! thank y'all for being patient with me. i hope you enjoy! let me know what you think of this one and which one you want to see next.
They always say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.
Or, if you love something you let it go.
Or even that you’ll never forget your first love.
Maybe all three can be true at once. Quinn would like to believe so.
He still remembers the day he met (Y/N) like it was yesterday.
It was his freshman year at Michigan, and him and some of the guys were headed to a house party for halloween. He and Josh Norris had decided showing up in a yellow and pink tshirt respectively would be enough to convince people they were dressed as Spongebob and Patrick.
“Right boys. Deal is, drink a bit, mingle, and keep tabs on who you’re talking to because we do not want a repeat of what happened last year.” One of the guys said.
“The fuck happened last year?” Josh questioned as they walked in.
“Some chick thought it would be funny to convince us she had an identical twin so she could sleep with two guys at once. Clever, but messed up.”
Quinn snickered, his eyes wandering around the house, before coming to a screeching halt.
He was definitely in a dream. Or maybe some sort of sick twisted crystal ball, because right in his line of view, sat atop the kitchen counter, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
She was dressed in a green tracksuit, hair pulled tight into a ponytail. Laughing at some joke her friend said, she looked up and somehow locked eyes with Quinn.
He knew in that second he was fucked.
Sometimes, he still thinks of this moment. When he’s alone in his hotel room, or third wheeling with Brock or Jack or Petey. She was some form of paranoia, unlocked something in him he didn’t know existed. It was perfect for a while. But he knew it was too good to be true from the way he felt the moment they met.
Her sweet laugh, mysterious smile, and the delicate point of view she held about almost everything, including him. He wished he was good enough to keep her around.
“Maybe we’ll do this again, Quinn.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“Yeah, love. Maybe.” He whispered to her as he was leaving.
They didn’t do it again.
That was the last time he saw her, and all he was left with were bittersweet memories or spilling beer on her friend, stargazing on trampolines, wet dreams, and kissing by the lake.
Quinn thought about her more than he should be. Everytime he drank red wine, he remembered the way she giggled about how he always had to follow it with ginger ale.
He knew he’d move on someday, and he knew she would too. They weren’t made to last.
As he walked past a familiar bar back home, Jack and a little too tipsy Luke in tow, he glanced through a window and paused before he kept walking.
“You okay Quinn?” Sienna asked.
“Yeah, I’m ok. Just thought I saw someone.” He answered.
“Let’s go guys come on!” Jack wailed.
“Hey there, little freak.” A voice called behind Quinn.
He stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice anywhere.
this is my fic for emmie’s 2.6k writing challenge! thank you for putting this whole thing together @jostystyles ! and as always, shout out to @tonyspep for brainstorming this one with me. i had such a fun time writing this and can’t wait to share it with all of you! it might be one of my all time favorites.
selected song lyrics: “you know the bar down the street don't close for an hour, we should take a walk and look at all the flowers” from slow burn by kacey musgraves
gif credit to @goaliekisses
hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx
word count: 4k
~~~~~
Nate doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Not Cale, who is being nothing but kind as he offered
encouraging words. Not the media, who will undoubtedly ask cliche questions about why the team is in a slump and what’s happened to his play. And definitely not any of the staff members, who are mingling around the hallways doing their jobs.
He almost escapes the pitying looks and near interactions until the athletic trainer he’s almost certainly falling for stops him right before he gets into the locker room.
“Nate,” You murmur, hand catching his wrist in an effort to get him to look at you. He doesn’t. “I need to make sure your shoulder is okay and if not-”
“Y/N, no. The last thing I’m thinking about is how fucked up my shoulder is when we can’t seem to win a game and it’s my fault.”
“Woah, okay.” Your visible recoil practically breaks his heart, shatters it into a million pieces. He doesn’t want you to be scared of him. Not one bit. Yet, here he is, snapping at you and letting the anger control his immediate reactions. Nate braces himself for your departure, the inevitable moment that you give up on him despite the months and months you’ve spent flirting and getting to know each other within the trainer’s room.
Except you stand firmly in front of him, not wavering an inch.
“Come here,” You say, tugging him into the room he’s gotten more familiar with this season than he has in his entire career. He leans against one of the beds, blue eyes moving around the trainer’s room in an effort to not meet your gaze. He’s already ashamed he snapped at a person he cares about, but he doesn’t want to see how much hurt he caused.
“I have to go-” Nate starts, unsure of where his train of thought is going. But he has to get out of here. Out of the arena. Out of the place where he’s reminded he isn’t enough. He just wants to win again, get the team back on track.
Somehow, miraculously, you read his thoughts as if he said every one of them out loud.
“You know, the bar down the street doesn’t close for,” You pause to glance at the time on your watch, “an hour. We could take a walk and look at all the flowers if you want. Clear your head and just breathe.”
Nate’s breath is stolen away for a moment. It’s the first invitation either of you have made to spend time with each other outside of the arena. And even if he’s nervous, Nate knows two things. He likes you, a lot, and both a walk and a drink together sounds like exactly what he needs right now.
“Okay.” He almost whispers, eyes finally meeting yours. A gentle smile tugs at the corners of your lips and his heart rate speeds up without warning. “I’d like that a lot. Let’s do it.”
“Okay. Now, let me check your stupid shoulder and then you can shower so we can go. Yeah?”
Not even fifteen minutes later, Nate is back at the training room except now he’s void of all his bulky gear and is dressed in his gameday outfit again. The pressed slacks hug his thighs perfectly and paired with the signature black turtleneck it’s a little much to process all at once, but you can’t deny that he looks good.
And not that you know, but Nate’s thinking the same about you even if you’re still wearing jeans and the team designated polo.
“No moping, got it?” You tease with a slightly serious tone in your voice as you lead the way out of the arena. Nate rolls his eyes, but agrees. He doesn’t want to ruin this moment with his bad mood that isn’t at all connected to you.
“Got it.” He chuckles in response, already feeling lighter than he did when the game ended earlier. Without hesitation, you intertwine your fingers with his and start walking in the direction of the bar. Nate tries to hide his surprise as you work to disguise the nervousness that’s suddenly present, but the overwhelming sense of comfort envelops both of you more than anything. You realize then that you’re lucky enough to see the soft, shy side of one of hockey’s toughest and best players and that you never want that to change.
Like you mentioned, the sidewalk is lined with the most gorgeous flowers you could imagine. Nate’s never noticed the stunning colors on display, but now he looks at every single one he can as the two of you slowly get closer and closer to the bar. He’s convinced that you have helped him see the simple beauty in the world, even in little ways like these flowers. It is only one reason he knows he’s fallen for you.
When you turn towards him to ask how he’s feeling, if the fresh air has helped calm the frustration that was brewing inside him before, Nate catches you off guard by placing a delicate white flower behind your ear. The softest smile stretches across his face as he takes in how gorgeous you look.
“What?”
“Nothing. You’re just so pretty.” Nate admits like it’s the most obvious thing in the world which makes you blush. You never imagined being more than just colleagues with him, but you can tell something is going to change tonight.
“This is it,” You say, nodding towards the building that already feels like a safe haven for both of you. The moment you and Nate cross over the threshold, the rest of the real world will cease to exist and it’ll just be the two of you full of emotions that have to be discussed.
The cozy atmosphere of Brooklyn’s is much different than the arena and Nate is once again grateful for your suggestion to come here. You slide onto a bar stool, waving him on to do the same. He claims the one to your right and remains as close as he can to you, thigh pressed up against yours and brushing past each other at different moments. For the first time all day, every worry of his slips away.
“What can I get you two?” The bartender asks, completely ignoring the fact that it’s Nathan MacKinnon sitting at the bar. Nate couldn’t be more grateful.
“A Shirley Temple for me please and a beer for him. Thank you!” You reply before he turns away to make your requested drinks. You lean into Nate and you hear a gentle sigh of relief escape past his lips.
“I’m so happy to be here.” Nate confesses, the words so quiet you almost don’t hear them. But you do and you squeeze his hand in response while offering the sweetest, most genuine smile.
“Me too.”
Nate’s never been in love. At least, not really. He loves his family, his teammates, and his dog. But he’s never been in love. There have been a few times where he thought he knew what love felt like, where he thought he had fallen in love, only to realize how catastrophically wrong he was.
Except right now, Nate is pretty sure this is what it feels like to be in love.
~~~~
Holy shit.
That’s pretty much the only thought going through Nate’s mind as the team filters back into the locker room, hoots and hollers from his teammates filling the hallway. Tonight was a big game. Rivalry matchup, but more importantly, the win would mean they secure their spot in the postseason while also claiming the top spot in their division.
And even though the sixty minutes of play weren’t easy, the Avs came away with that much needed win. They were headed back to the playoffs for yet another year, keeping the postseason streak alive and getting another chance at winning the Cup again.
Except this time, it’s a little different for Nate. More so than it had been in the past. And that’s because of you.
It’s been a few years since that night at Brooklyn’s where you both finally came clean about the mutual feelings for each other. Since then, Nate hasn’t only become a better person, teammate and partner, but he’s been so inexplicably in love. He never thought he’d get to experience this kind of feeling, mostly because he’s not the easiest to love, but he wouldn’t trade what you have together for anything.
That is also the same thought that’s responsible for his recent interest in ring shopping. Not that anyone knows besides his mom.
Yet.
You walk into the locker room with the brightest smile on your face. The boys erupt into another round of cheers at the sight of who entered the room, but your gaze is locked on Nate. Everyone can sense the love between the two of you and despite the noisy celebration happening around him, everything becomes quiet when you reach him.
“Nate, baby! You did!” You exclaim, throwing your arms around his middle for a tight hug. Nate chuckles softly, feeling that overwhelming sense of adoration and pride swell in his chest. He’s quick to embrace you before leaving a kiss to the top of your head.
“I didn’t, we did.” He replies in a soft voice, earning an eye roll from you.
“Okay, yeah, the team did it. But without you out there, it wouldn’t have happened this exact way.” You lean up to peck his lips one, two, three times which only makes his grin grow. “I’m so proud of you and can’t wait to see what you do in the playoffs.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you, baby.” Nate murmurs against your lips, nothing but happiness and love rushing through his veins. Despite the fact that his teammates and other members of the staff are also in the room, you kiss him deeply in a way that pours all your emotions into the simple action. Nate’s hands rest of your hips, pulling you in closer and the victory seems even sweeter now.
After both of you agreed to go public with the relationship a few years ago, you slowly got used to showing affection in front of the team and everyone else who works for the Avs. It’s still subdued around them, you can’t imagine the embarrassment at being caught doing something too risky by anyone, but at this very moment neither you nor Nate care.
“Hey, Dogg! Get a room or something! The trainer’s room is available.” EJ’s voice cuts through the moment which makes the two of you pull away from each other. Your cheeks heat up with a wild blush knowing everyone caught a glimpse of the PDA and upon hearing EJ’s hearty chuckle, you drop your head to Nate’s chest.
“Shut up, EJ. Kissing my girl isn’t a crime.” Nate fires back, one hand rubbing up and down your back in a soothing motion.
“No, but it is when we have to see it and you’re practically giving us a show.” EJ adds while waving his hand around the locker room in a gesture to remind you just how many people are watching.
“Erik, be nice. They’re just in love and Nate deserves to get some after those two goals tonight.” Gabe chimes in, a mischievous smile on his lips as he nudges his American friend.
“Ohmygod.” You laugh ashamedly, shaking your head back and forth before finally looking up at the two men. The chirps are nothing new, but you still haven’t gotten used to Nate’s teammates being ready to tease him, and sometimes you, over anything they possibly can.
“Are you coming out with us tonight at least? To celebrate with the team?” Gabe asks, looking at the both of you as EJ moves on to bother someone else. Nate nods with a kind smile just as you respond.
“We are! Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Good. We’ve gotta get moving though so shower and get dressed, Nate. I would say keep the PDA to a minimum, but I don't give a damn honestly.” The captain laughs before clapping Nate on the shoulder and returning back to his routine.
Nate’s focus returns to you and the sight of your pink cheeks, eyes sparkling with adoration and the soft smile that can bring him to his knees, makes his heart stop. He kisses your forehead and squeezes you tight for one more hug.
“Do you wanna walk to the bar? The flowers are always really pretty this time of year and I know how much you love looking at them.” The question escapes past Nate’s lips, an odd sense of nerves making themselves known all of the sudden. You light up at the question and that familiar thought of wanting to spend his life with you enters his mind again.
“That would be perfect. Do what you need to and I’ll see you in a little bit.”
Nate rushes through his postgame routine just to be with you again. Call him dramatic or whatever you want, but he’s in love and tonight nothing is going to stop him from reveling in that. He finds you not too long after, still as happy and excited as you were when he left you earlier.
“Let’s go for that walk, yeah?” And with that, Nate reaches for your hand and the two of you start down the well known path towards Brooklyn’s. The bar has become your place over the years and as you’re pointing out all the different flowers in bloom along the edges of the sidewalk, Nate couldn’t be happier about creating another night of memories there.
But that thought still hasn’t left his mind. Without really thinking, he decides to bring up the subject without giving anything away and the perfect chance to do so is now. Just as you pick one of the colorful flowers, the words come tumbling out of Nate’s mouth.
“What kind of flowers do you want at your wedding?”
Your brows furrow in brief confusion at the random question and Nate thinks he blew it. His cheeks become rosy with blush and his stunning blue eyes almost drop away from yours until he catches the look of awe crossing over your facial features.
“You mean our wedding?”
“Our wedding?” Nate repeats, heart racing a million miles a minute. He tries to not think too much into what changing one word means, but it’s impossible when you’re looking at him like nothing else in the world matters.
“If you think I’m getting married to anyone else, you’re crazy. Thought you had a brain in there, MacKinnon.” You giggle, tangling a hand in his hair. “Sunflowers and dahlias by the way because I’d love a summer wedding in your hometown.”
“You’ve thought about this, huh?”
“More than you know, bubs. Just waiting on a ring so I can start planning a real wedding instead of an imaginary one.” Nate catches the teasing tone as you wiggle your left hand for emphasis and laughs along with you.
“Trust me, it’s happening sooner than you think.” He reveals, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. “You’re it for me, baby.”
“You are for me too, Nate.”
Nate knows then, as his fingers intertwine with yours again and you continue walking to the bar, that he’s going to propose. He doesn’t want to go through life with anyone else but you. There will be a ring on your finger soon and that thought alone makes him unbelievably happy.
~~~~
“Introducing for the first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. MacKinnon!” Deafening screams and cheers erupt from the crowd as you and Nate enter the reception hand in hand. You both have genuine beaming smiles on display, nothing but love dancing in your gazes. He spins you around, letting the beautiful white dress flare out for everyone to awe at, before pulling you in close again for the first dance.
It has been a long time coming, but you are finally married to the man of your dreams and share his last name. And Nate still can’t believe that he gets to spend the rest of his life with the woman he loves more than anything in the whole world.
Nate asked the fateful question towards the end of that summer where he said your ring was coming sooner than you thought. He was right. On a chilly August night in Cole Harbour when you were both cuddled up together by a fire looking out at the lake, he got down on one knee and asked if you would give him the honor of being his wife. The answer was a teary eyed “yes, of course” as if you even had to think about it.
The following offseason, you officially tied the knot during a small ceremony in his hometown just like you both dreamed of. Besides yours and Nate’s families, Sidney and your best friend Rose were there. Cox, Nate’s beloved German Shepherd, even got to be part of the ceremony. It couldn’t have been more perfect.
Now surrounded by a much larger group of your family and friends in Denver at the gorgeous outdoor venue purposely selected to enjoy the last fleeting moments of warm summer weather in the city, the long awaited reception is in full swing.
As the selected love song plays and the two of you dance together with everyone watching, Nate acknowledges the fact that he didn’t know he could be this happy. Winning the Cup doesn’t even come close to the pure elation he feels at this very moment. Even though the matching rings have found their home on both of your left hands for two months already, getting to celebrate with everyone important to him is nothing short of amazing.
In fact, it’s everything Nate has dreamed of for so long without realizing it.
When the closing notes of the song come to an end, you share a deep kiss that earns a loud collective cheer from the audience before making the rounds to greet everyone. The sun warms your skin and Nate notices the glow of pure happiness on you. It’s a look he wants to see you wear everyday, all the time. And he may not know it, but those emotions are only present because of him.
After the cake is cut and both the bouquet and garter toss are done (Rose caught the bouquet with the deepest blush on her cheeks and EJ couldn’t have been more proud that the garter ended up in his hands based on the smug look on his face), the focus shifts more to dancing the night away while having the best time possible.
You and Nate seem to dissolve into the background for the first time since the reception started and it’s a little relieving.
When you turn towards your husband, you find him already looking at you with soft eyes and the smile you adore more than anything. For the millionth time, the thought strikes you that he looks incredibly handsome, but going forward, this man is yours for life. He’ll be there through it all no matter what and you couldn’t ask for anyone better.
“Hey, babe,” Nate grins, pressing a kiss to your temple as he leans in to whisper. “Everyone seems to be having a really good time, I don’t think they’d notice if we slipped away.”
“Nathan! Save it for later, we’ll have plenty of time.” You exclaim, lightly hitting his shoulder and Nate can’t help but chuckle.
“Trust me, we’ll get to that. But that’s actually not what I meant.”
“Oh?”
“Wanna take a walk? Look at all the flowers? You know, the usual.” Nate asks with a teasing tone, blue eyes glistening with a sense of playfulness and love. “The bar’s open for a couple more hours, we can slip away for a little bit. Promise no one will notice.”
The idea is tempting and it’s sweet to think about spending a moment at Brooklyn’s, the place it all began, just the two of you. With one glance around, you find that everyone is preoccupied with things that don’t involve you or Nate. Gabe is dancing with Linnea, her tiny feet on top of his as they laugh together. Sidney is talking with your family, undoubtedly charming them as he always does despite the fact he met them for the first time years ago. EJ in the seat right next to Rose at the bridesmaid table, their faces close together in a conversation and matching grins on their faces.
“Okay,” You start, reaching for Nate’s hand. The glimmer of the gold band on his ring finger makes your heart do somersaults all over again. “Let’s take a walk and look at the flowers, bubs.”
Somehow, you both slip away without being noticed thanks to Nate timing the escape perfectly. Nate pulls you in for a breathtaking kiss the moment you’re out of everyone’s sight before starting on the familiar path to the bar. The walk to Brooklyn’s feels different this time. Maybe it’s because you’re wearing a wedding dress and Nate is in his tux. Or maybe it’s because it’s the first time you are taking the well known route to the bar that’s become a special place for you as a married couple. Whatever it is, you can feel it.
During this time of year, the wildflowers and greenery are gorgeous so it’s Nate pointing out the prettiest ones throughout the walk. The smile on your lips never falters and you find yourself admiring both the flowers and your husband the whole time. Your husband. It still feels like a dream.
“Here we are!” Nate says in excitement, holding the door open for you and the comforting sounds of the bar welcome you. Over the years, almost nothing about the place has changed except for the two of you. Since the first time you both came here, you’ve grown and got a little bit older and fell deeply in love. But through it all, every celebration, anniversary and special occasion that was held at Brooklyn’s felt like home.
Nate leads the way to the bar, sliding onto one of the stools effortlessly and making sure your dress doesn’t get ruined as you sit next to him. You lean up to kiss his cheek and keep your shoulder pressed against his in an effort to be as close to him as possible. A few seconds later, the bartender comes over and offers a bright grin to the two of you.
“Our favorite regulars! Congratulations! We’re all so happy for you two.” He exclaims, making Nate blush and you giggle in response. A flurry of thank you’s slip from yours and Nate’s lips, but you acknowledge the man’s kindness. “What can I get you tonight? On the house, of course.”
Nate answers without a moment of hesitation. “A Shirley Temple for her and a beer for me, please.” He smiles, glancing at you and you wish more than ever that you could freeze time. You would stay right here with the love of your life in the place that means more than words in your relationship.
It doesn’t matter that the reception is still happening without the bride or groom there. All Nate cares about is being here with you, away from the production of a big wedding. And all you care about is cherishing this special moment with him on the (second) first day of forever together.
“I’m so happy to be here.” You whisper, repeating his words from that first night you spent in this very bar all those years ago as you lean into him. Nate squeezes your hand in a silent response before placing a tender kiss to the top of your head.
“Me too, Y/N. Me too.”
Nate hadn’t ever been in love until he met you. Through the years, you taught him what it felt like to be unapologetically loved and how beautiful life could be with that special person by his side. But right now, spending a rare moment alone on your wedding night, Nate knows he couldn’t be more in love.
He waited his turn for this kind of love and still has a lot to learn, but the slow burn was worth everything. Because at the end, he got you.
september 1st is nate’s day so a fic was due!! happy birthday to one of my favorite hockeys ever. this whole idea actually sparked from the tags in a post that @sorryjustafangirl put up! and now, here it is all finished in a little adorable blurb. die a happy man by thomas rhett screams nate to me so that was also used as inspo for this concept.
hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx
word count: 940
~~~~~
“Gabe, look.” EJ elbows his best friend who is standing next to him on the back deck. It doesn’t matter that Gabe is currently in another conversation, EJ needs his attention before the moment passes.
“What?” He asks, turning around to face Erik but confused as to what the interruption is for. Without another word, EJ tilts his head towards the dock just across the large yard. Most of the team and their families are occupying the green grass for the team barbecue that Nate graciously hosted at his lake house to celebrate the team’s Stanley Cup win.
But there’s only two people on the dock. You and Nate. No one seems to notice the two of you besides Erik and Gabe, of course, and the scene that’s unfolding is a shock to say the least.
“Holy shit.” Gabe mumbles, the biggest grin blossoming across his face. “Is that Nate? Like our Nate? Dancing in a public space? I don’t believe it.”
“Somehow, it is our Nathan. You know that must mean he’s totally in love with her. He never does that, ever.” EJ chuckles, a teasing tone evident in his words, but Gabe knows it’s the truth. Over the many years the three men have been teammates, it’s been obvious that it takes a very special person to get Nate out of his shell.
And up until now, they’ve never seen him dance with a girl before let alone in front of everyone.
“He must be.” Gabe agrees without hesitation.
The conversation doesn’t go any further because the longtime friends get roped into a game of cornhole against the rookies and neither you or Nate are aware of what his teammates just discussed.
Instead, your giggles are mixing with Nate’s sweet chuckles as you dance around the dock together. When you posed the simple question of “will you dance with me?” when the Thomas Rhett song came on, you didn’t think Nate would say yes. In almost the full year that you’ve been dating, you haven’t seen him do anything remotely close to dancing so you figured him agreeing to do so in a backyard that’s full of everyone he knows would be a long shot.
You were wrong.
After an eager nod from him as a response and kicking your shoes off, Nate pulled you onto the dock and wasted no time wrapping his arms around your waist. You’re still pressed close against his body, both of you swaying together to the music without a care in the world. Occasionally, Nate will spin you outwards only for you to twirl back into his arms or he surprises you with perfect dips that make you shriek in happy surprise.
The moment couldn’t have been more perfect.
Nothing but happiness and love flowed between the two of you. In your boyfriend’s arms, everything else fades away. But you swear there has never been anything better than right now, dancing under the warm summer sun with the man who makes you the happiest. Nate’s soft smile warms your heart and he doesn’t hesitate to kiss you almost every other second while you keep dancing. Seeing the joy on his face and how relaxed he is because of the Cup win and being here with you is something you are incredibly grateful for.
And because you’re both entirely lost in each other, the knowing looks and excited whispers coming from Nate’s teammates and families in the yard go unnoticed. EJ’s smirking, trying to plan out how to ambush his friend with the big question that includes the L word. But everyone else watches on in either awe or disbelief.
“You know,” Nate speaks up for the first time since the song started, his beautiful blue eyes full of adoration as he looks at you. His voice interrupts your thoughts, but neither of your movements falter. He kisses you one, two, three times before continuing. “If I never win another cup or get to travel the world or play for as long as I possibly can in the NHL, I’d still would be the happiest man alive.”
“Why’s that, bubs?” You ask, heart melting at his sweet confession. Your fingers tangle in the short hair at back of his neck and he hums in contentment.
“Because I have you and your love. That’s all I ever need.”
“You can’t mean that. Never winning another cup? Not playing as long as you can? Those are your lifelong dreams.” You argue, brows furrowed at your boyfriend’s confession even as your heart soars with each passing second.
“Yeah, maybe. They were my lifelong dreams. Until I met you. If I never get any of those things and still have you, I’m the happiest man alive. I would die a happy man.”
You can’t stop the swell of adoration in your chest at his words. Nothing you can say will properly show how much he means to you so instead, you pull him in for a tender kiss. Nate responds within a split second, hands keeping you close and kissing you back like nothing else in the world matters.
Because right now, it doesn’t.
The Cup surrounded by his teammates on his deck isn’t a thought. How warm his skin is underneath the summer sun doesn’t even register. And certainly, the hoots and hollers from EJ aren’t heard as Nate depends the kiss.
This is what he’s always wanted. And now that you’re here, he won’t ever let you go. Because if everything else fails and life doesn’t turn out the way it should, he has your love and that alone means his life is complete.
coming in at the last minute, but this fic is finally here!! thank you to @antoineroussel for hosting the summer fic exchange once again, it’s always so much fun to be a part of. this is for @hockeylvr59! the entire idea was amazing to bring to life and i hope you love it! the title comes from taylor swift’s “everything has changed” which also fits the vibe of this fic perfectly
warnings: brief mentions of childbirth and blood, side character death. if i missed anything else, please let me know!
hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx
word count: 7.4k
~~~~~
Out of all the titles and accomplishments that can be attached to Cale Makar’s name, being a father is the one he is most proud of. But it’s days like today that he’s unfortunately reminded of how life doesn’t always go to plan no matter who you are.
His daughter is starting preschool today. Cale’s little baby girl has grown so much over the years, but this big moment in their lives is proof that time is moving too quickly. And on top of those emotions, she’s starting school without her mom here. A reminder that Cale wishes he could change with every single passing day.
He’s currently standing at the stove making Maisy’s favorite breakfast, chocolate chip and sprinkle pancakes, when all the memories rush back unwelcome on what’s meant to be a happy morning for the father and daughter.
Cale never expected this to be his life at 23. But after being asked to join the Avalanche in the middle of their 2019 playoff run, he left behind his college years and became a professional athlete in the blink of an eye. It just so happened the Avs were playing the Flames which meant Cale was heading home in an odd way. And somehow, in all the craziness of that time in his life, he reconnected with Beatrice.
Beatrice who he went to high school with and remained one of his best friends when hockey started taking over his life. Beatrice who was so happy to see him back in Calgary even if only for a short period of time. Beatrice who made the first move when the Avs got eliminated and made the two of them official.
Everything had been a whirlwind to Cale, but reconnecting with Bea was incredible. For the entirety of the offseason, their relationship was happy and full of love. It was all he could ever ask for. But as the next season approached and Cale received word that he would be returning to the team permanently, things began to shift.
The time for training, meetings, moving from one country to another permanently, and all the other requirements of playing in the NHL started to take a toll on them. Cale couldn’t stop the inevitable, so before he flew to Denver for training camp, he gently suggested that they break up and remain friends. Because after all this time, he didn’t want her to disappear from his life.
And life went on. The season started and Cale was off to a phenomenal start as a rookie which continued to stun anyone watching him play. Bea reached out frequently enough whether with a simple text or phone call. Life was good.
Then, Beatrice called that November.
The words she said all made perfect sense, but Cale couldn’t comprehend anything. Pregnant, it’s his, what are they going to do, unexpected. The world came to a screeching halt all at once. And from that moment on, his life was changed forever.
He was going to be a dad.
Despite the fact that he and Beatrice broke up, Cale insisted on being there for her during the entire pregnancy because that’s what good friends do when they’re expecting together. He wanted to help with anything he possibly could so he did. Doctor appointments, shopping for the necessities, taking care of Bea when he wasn’t on the road. It wasn’t easy to balance both his rookie season and the preparation of having a baby, but Cale found himself getting more and more excited with each passing day.
The day his little girl arrived in the world was full of more emotions than Cale thought possible. Bea’s labor was seemingly going well, not too long and not that painful, and he was there for every step of the way. Cale was in awe more than anything of Bea and the fact that their baby girl was finally here, but before either of them could soak in the moment, chaos broke out.
The next thing Cale remembers is the nurse telling him she has to push through the afterbirth. They were both terrified, but his heart dropped the second the machines started beeping and Bea began to lose consciousness. He was immediately rushed out of the room so the doctors could help, but when the nurse approached him again with a look of despair, all he heard were the words complications with delivery and severe blood loss. Bea unfortunately didn’t make it. She was gone. There was hardly any time to process the devastating news before the nurse asked if he would finally like to meet his baby. His little girl.
With tears in his eyes, Cale nodded and followed the nurse back to the nursery. The moment she was placed in Cale’s arms, he felt his heart burst and tears roll down his cheeks. Everything he will ever do will be for her, he swears right then and there.
“Do you have a name for her?” The nurse asked quietly, not following the question with a further explanation. It dawns on him then that this decision, and everything else going forward, will be completely up to him. He’s on his own.
“Maisy. Maisy Beatrice Makar.” Cale replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. The baby girl, Maisy, wrapped one of her tiny hands around Cale’s pointer finger as if in approval of her carefully selected name. Maisy was the one both Cale and Bea had picked out in advance, but there was no doubt about making his daughter’s middle name the one that belonged to her mom. It had to be.
From then on, it’s been Cale and Maisy against the world. Of course, they both miss Bea in different ways that almost no one understands, but Cale couldn’t be anymore grateful for the help he’s received over the last four years from friends, family and teammates. They say it takes a village and Cale is the first to second that statement.
Now, he’s just won the Stanley Cup, his lifelong dream, along with the Norris and Conn Smythe. Celebrating and making the most of riding out the high this huge victory provided has been nothing short of incredible. The happiness he’s felt since the Avs became champs is like nothing else in the entire world. And through the entire season, from start to finish, Maisy has been there. The win meant just as much to her as it did for him.
Except Cale thinks that her first day at preschool might be even more exciting considering how she hasn’t stopped talking about it practically all summer.
“Daddy! I lost my shoes!” Maisy’s voice breaks Cale out of his trance where he’s reliving the good and painful memories. No matter how badly he wishes that Beatrice was here to see Maisy on such an important day, she isn’t, and he’s going to make sure his little girl knows her mom would be insanely proud of her like always.
With a glance over his shoulder, he spots Maisy’s favorite pair of sparkly Converse by the door. “By the door, sweetie!” He calls back, plating the pancakes before turning around towards the kitchen island. His eyes find the flash of blonde hair passing through the room in mere seconds as Maisy runs to get her shoes.
Before he knows it, Maisy is crawling up onto a stool at the counter and giving Cale her biggest smile. Even after all this time, Cale’s overwhelmed with emotions looking at his daughter. She’s beautiful. Identical clear blue eyes like his which shine beneath her pink framed glasses, curly blonde hair that just reaches her shoulders now, a sweet smile that reminds him so much of Beatrice’s. He adores her and can’t believe how much she’s already grown.
“Chocolate chip and sprinkle pancakes! My favorite!” Maisy exclaims when she sees the full plate at her seat. “Will you help me put my shoes on and do my hair after we eat?” She asks adorably, attention never faltering from her father.
“Absolutely I can do that. Are you sure you want to wear your jersey to the first day of preschool though?” Cale smiles as he sits next to her and they start eating breakfast together. He couldn’t miss the signature burgundy and blue that adorned the top half of her body when she came down the stairs moments ago. Maisy cherishes her Stanley Cup playoffs Makar jersey over all her others now and it seems to be her outfit choice to start school.
“Mhm! I love my jersey and it’ll be like having you at school with me in a funny way.” Maisy replies with a definitive nod. Cale can’t argue with her and as long as she’s happy, he’s happy so he just smiles while love rushes through him.
Maisy pushes her breakfast plate away from her only a few minutes later, stating that she’s full and needs help with finishing getting ready. Cale kneels down to tie her shoes before getting to work on her hair. Of course, she picked out a matching bow to go with her jersey and Cale can’t help but chuckle as he tries to wrangle in her unruly curls.
It’s only when Maisy is distractedly humming to herself while her dad puts the bow in her hair that Cale spills the big surprise.
“Maisy?” He asks, earning a soft response from the little girl. “I know you’re really excited for your first day of preschool and so am I. And even though Mommy isn’t here today, she left me something a long time ago to give you. Is that okay?”
“From Mommy?” Maisy’s voice is so quiet that Cale’s heart almost breaks. It’s not like they don’t talk about Beatrice, it’s just hard for both of them for different reasons. Maisy never got the chance to know her. She doesn’t have any memories, only the stories that Cale has told her while he feels the direct pain of the loss for both him and their daughter. Cale nods, tying her bow in place before facing her. “Can we open it together before we go to school?”
“That sounds like a great plan. Stay right here, okay?”
When Cale returns only a few minutes later with a small box in hand, Maisy’s head tilts in curiosity, but she waits until her father speaks again.
“When you were in Mommy’s tummy, she decided to write you a letter for the first day of school for each year. Because today is the first day of preschool, we can open the first letter.” Cale explains softly, kissing the top of her head as he picks up a pink envelope in the front of the box and lets Maisy open it.
“Dear Maisy,” She starts reading with a smile until her brows furrow in confusion and she looks back up at Cale. “Read for me, please?”
“Dear Maisy, it’s your first day of preschool! I’m so proud of you. I hope you have your favorite outfit picked out and all the best snacks in your lunchbox. This is a really big moment! I can’t believe you’ve grown so much and I just know you’re the most resilient, funny and bright little girl in the entire world. Daddy and I are so lucky to have you. Go make some friends, have fun and I’m wishing you the best first day ever! Love, Mommy.” Cale reads Beatrice’s handwritten words from the small card.
He doesn’t notice the tears in his own eyes until he’s wiping away Maisy’s and pulling her in for a hug. A comfortable silence settles around them for a moment, but it isn’t long before Maisy’s voice fills the air once more.
“Don’t worry, Daddy. I know Mommy is with me right here,” She puts a little hand over her heart, “and that makes today even more special. I think I’m ready to go to school now.” Maisy tucks the paper in the envelope again before tugging on Cale’s hand. She puts the letter in the safest place within her backpack to have with her throughout the day and the two of them finish up their morning routine. The heavy emotions subside only to be replaced with happiness that Cale feels with each passing second.
It is Maisy’s first day of school after all.
~~~~~
That cannot be her.
The last time Cale saw Maia, they were sitting next to each other in their sophomore statistics class at UMass the day before he left for Colorado. He hasn’t seen her since. Through Instagram, he knows that she graduated summa cum laude last year and got her dream teaching job for the following fall. But other than that, she has been someone stuck in his past that he wishes he had more time with before his college career got cut short because of hockey.
Except at this very moment, she’s standing right in front of him and his daughter at her new preschool welcoming each of the children that will presumably be her students.
Ohmygod.
Gabe, ever observant, notices the longing and surprised look on his teammate’s face and elbows Cale just enough to grab his attention again. Maisy’s arms are wrapped around one of Cale’s legs as she takes in the scene around her. It’s easy to tell that she’s nervous, scared and shy all at once, her earlier excitement seemingly having disappeared for the moment. Linnea, on the other hand, is happily bouncing next to Gabe and Cale feels grateful for the millionth time that Maisy won’t be alone today because she has such a good friend in his captain’s daughter.
“Who is she?” Gabe asks, not dancing around the subject at all. Cale tries to suppress the urge to roll his eyes as he drops a hand to Maisy’s head knowing the simple touch will keep her calm until he can talk to her.
“Who?” Cale decides to play dumb, hoping to get Gabe off the topic but it doesn’t work. He gets a level stare instead. “Maia. We went to UMass together and I had the biggest crush on her. We shared a lot of classes and hung out a lot because of that, but I never acted on anything since I wasn’t sure if she felt the same way. I haven’t seen her since I left to join the team.” He admits, awaiting some kind of reaction to the shortened story he just recounted.
“Well, judging by the look on your face you wish you did something about it then. Universe works in funny ways, Cale. Give it some time. You know she’s here now and considering she’s your daughter’s preschool teacher, I’m sure there won’t be a shortage of opportunities to talk to her.”
“I don’t even know if she remembers me, Gabe.”
With one glance back towards the woman standing near the school’s entrance, Gabe catches her eyes flickering over to where the two hockey players are standing. It’s almost impossible to miss the split second change of emotions on display across her facial features when she looks at Cale.
“I highly doubt that.” Gabe responds, patting Cale on the shoulder and offering a genuine smile before kneeling down to talk to Linnea.
“Daddy?” Maisy speaks up softly, tugging at his hand and looking up at him with her big blue eyes. Cale’s heart just about melts at the sight.
“How are you feeling, Maise?” Cale asks, putting himself on the little girl’s level. She offers him a shy smile and then hugs her father tightly for a moment. He holds her close, letting her revel in the comfort of the embrace until she’s ready to say anything more.
“I’m scared. There’s a lot of kids and I only know Lala.” Maisy admits with a small waver in her voice giving away her emotions.
“There are a lot of kids here, but you’ll have Linnea to play with and I know you’ll make so many new friends. I saw a girl with an Avalanche keychain on her backpack over there and a boy who had the same coloring book you love at home.”
“Really?” Maisy says with that familiar gleam of hope. Cale only nods in response, kissing her forehead which earns him a tiny giggle. A sound he’ll never get tired of hearing.
“Really. You’ll have so much fun today and I can’t wait to hear all about it.” That seems to ease some of Maisy’s anxiety about such a big change, but he knows another question is going to follow behind so he patiently waits.
“Will we have snacktime? You packed my Teddy Grahams right?” Before Cale can answer that, yes there will be snacktime and of course he packed her Teddy Grahams, a soft female voice cuts in surprising both of the Makars.
“Snacktime is right after coloring so you’ll be able to eat your Teddy Grahams. What kind is your favorite?”
“The honey ones!” Maisy perks right up, turning right back into the happy and adorable girl that Cale knows so well. She leans right into Cale who keeps her close, but everything seems to disappear the moment he looks up at who is currently talking to his daughter.
Maia.
“Me too! Those are the best.” Maisy giggles at that, filling the air with joy just from the simple sound. And if Cale wasn’t so focused on the woman crouching down in front of them, he would’ve chuckled along too. Instead his heart is racing and he can’t form one coherent thought because after all this time, she’s right here again. The one who got away.
Her wavy hair is a little longer and darker than it was in college and her eyes are still so bright. Cale can’t help but notice how her curves have filled out since the last time he saw her and the pretty clementine print dress she’s wearing highlights that, taking his breath away. He’s in awe of how beautiful she is like he always has been.
“I’m Ms. Webber, your preschool teacher. What’s your name?”
“Maisy!”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Maisy. I love your name.” Maia responds, smiling fondly at the little girl who is already melting her heart.
“Thank you. It was picked out special for me.” She says, voice quiet with shyness but Cale can tell she’s slowly warming up to the idea of school once again. “This is Daddy! He plays hockey here. Did you know that?” Maisy continues, squeezing Cale’s arm and that’s when Maia’s gaze falls to the little girl’s father.
It is him.
Cale Makar.
When Maia received her class list at the beginning of the summer, she picked out the last name within seconds. Makar is pretty much a household name in Denver now so it wasn’t easy to overlook, but more importantly, it still belonged to the man who has held her heart since the day they first met. She tried to not get her hopes up because how could he have a daughter entering preschool at this very moment in time? Yet, here he is with that exact little girl who’s name was on her roster and looks just like her father. Not to mention, she’s full of sunshine.
“I had no idea. That’s so cool! This must be his jersey then, huh?” Maia asks, keeping the conversation going with Maisy but her eyes drift to Cale and it feels as if her heart stops right then and there. He looks almost exactly as she remembers him, maybe a little more muscular and older, but other than that he looks like the Cale she knew in college. Glasses and all. She can’t believe it.
“Well, that’s his name and number, but this is my jersey.” Maisy exclaims with a laugh and the way Cale looks at his daughter is the purest form of love that Maia has ever seen. Before anything else could be said, the school bell rings and the kids begin departing from their parents. Maia politely excuses herself to join her colleagues for the day as Maisy collapses into Cale’s arms for one last hug.
“Have a great first day, Maise. You’ll have lots of fun. I love you so much.” Cale murmurs into her blonde hair, trying to hold back the surge of emotions that have arisen in the moment.
“I love you too. I’ll have lots of fun so I can tell you about it later. Bye, Daddy!” Maisy leans up to kiss his cheek and Cale can’t help but hold onto her for just a moment longer.
There’s an unfamiliar pressure evident in Maia’s chest as she watches the father and daughter hold each other in the tightest hug before Maisy falls into step with a girl she must be friends with and together they walk backwards, Maisy waving to Cale the whole way to the door.
It’s going to be an interesting school year.
~~~~~
“Alright, Maisy. Are you getting your usual pizza today or something different?” Cale asks, looking down at his daughter who is holding his hand and bouncing with excitement. The father daughter pizza dates on Friday nights have become a staple in the Makar household and even if Cale’s on the road, they make time for this exact tradition no matter what.
“Mmm, my usual!” Maisy pipes up in response with a bright smile.
“Okay, go get your favorite seat and I’ll order.” Maisy nods quickly and skips off to the table they always sit at whenever they come to Proto’s Pizza. This particular pizza place is not only Maisy’s favorite, but it was also Beatrice’s whenever she used to come see Cale in Denver. It’s one way that her mom’s memory is kept alive through a simple act even if the cute restaurant has a new meaning to both of them now too.
Cale watches to make sure Maisy settles at the table with her coloring book before stepping up to the counter to order. Two Hawaiian slices for him and two plain for Maisy. The exchange with the cashier is almost exactly the same since he’s a regular here now, but as he moves towards the pick up area, Cale’s eyes spot the familiar brunette waves of not only his daughter’s preschool teacher but the girl he still carries an immense amount of love for.
Maia.
He hasn’t really seen her since Maisy’s first day of school almost two months ago. Of course she’s there at drop off and pick up, but it’s nothing more than about five minutes and Cale doesn’t know how to start a conversation that isn’t awkward because of all the time they’ve missed. But he wants her back in his life and so far, just Maisy’s teacher isn’t enough.
She’s reading something on her phone when Cale sidles up next to her. With one glance back to make sure Maisy is okay, which she is, he takes a moment to admire how pretty Maia looks in jeans that hug her curves and how she looks more relaxed than she is at school everyday.
And then he takes that leap of faith.
“Are you still ordering your half veggie half meat lovers pizza?” The question leaves Cale’s lips, a teasing tone evident in every word he says. Maia’s head snaps up at the sound of his voice, a look of utter disbelief on display across her face.
“Still a better choice than your beloved Hawaiian, Makar.” Maia fires back with that playfulness she always had around him. In that split second, their eyes lock, every memory from college comes rushing back and she suddenly finds herself nervous more than anything. Maia’s heart is racing with anticipation and she knows things have changed since the two of them were themselves, but she can’t stop the sense of familiarity that surrounds her as the conversation unfolds. They’ve had the same argument a million times so it’s easy to slip back into even if their lives are not the same. “Sorry, I mean, it’s still a great choice, but-”
“Not your favorite, I know.” Cale finishes, offering a kind smile to help ease the obvious tension she’s feeling. “It wasn’t then and I can’t imagine that’s changed over the years.” He teases, feeling a tug on his heart when thinking about what they shared at UMass.
“I’m more surprised you remember my go-to order honestly.”
“How could I forget? Every study date, late night snack and pizza craving you ever had was always half veggie half meat lovers. I’ll remember that order forever.” Cale admits with a chuckle, warming Maia’s heart in mere seconds. It almost feels as if no time has passed at all and they’re still those two kids just trying to get their degrees while figuring out life along the way.
Except, they aren’t and time has passed. A reminder that strikes Maia as the comfortable silence settles between them.
“Where’s your little one?”
“Oh,” Cale starts, momentarily forgetting that they’re currently in Proto's, not the dining hall on campus. “Maisy’s at our usual table coloring until our order is ready.” Maia looks towards where he tilts his head, spotting the curly blonde hair that belongs to one of her favorite students.
“She’s just like you. You know that?” Maia asks, surprising even herself at letting the observation slip past her lips. But it’s the truth. Everyday at preschool, she sees more and more of her father in Maisy and the emotions she thought were long gone have risen to the surface over the last two months.
“That’s what people tell me.” Cale replies, cheeks flushing pink as he scratches the back of his neck. He looks absolutely adorable and Maia can’t help but grin at the sight of him.
“She’s really lucky to have you. And we have plenty to catch up on already, but I would love to hear the story about how she got here.” Maia says softly, gaze flickering back to Maisy who is lost in her own world while coloring away.
Before Cale can do anything else but nod in response, both of their orders are ready. Maia steps forward to grab her pizza box, sparks flying when she brushes past Cale. Almost repeating her actions, he finally finds his voice again.
“Keep that catching up date in mind. There’s more to cover than you think.”
“Okay, Makar. We’ll do that soon. Until then, I’ll see you at school with Maisy. Enjoy your Hawaiian pizza, weirdo.”
“Make sure you eat the veggie slices first, Webber.” And just like that, with a small wave and a smile that could rival the sun, Maia heads toward the door. Cale snaps out of his little trance in seconds, bringing the pizza back to the table where his too curious daughter is waiting with lots of questions.
“You and Ms. Webber are friends?” Maisy says immediately as Cale sits down across from her and she forgets about the coloring book she was just working on. Her voice is full of what sounds like hope mixed with peaked interest.
“She’s actually an old friend of mine from college. We used to do almost everything together before I left to play hockey here.” Cale explains with a grin, his heart swelling like it always does at the thought or mention of Maia. The girl he loved then and never thought he’d have another chance with. “And then we went to your first day of preschool and I found out she’s your teacher!”
“Oh!” The little girl exclaims as she digs into her pizza. Cale chuckles at her reaction, but it isn’t long before Maisy keeps up her questioning. “Were you best friends? What did you do together?”
The innocent words hang in the hang for a moment. Despite their time being cut short due to Cale’s call up to the NHL, there are countless memories to recall of everything he did with Maia. So without any hesitation, Cale tells his daughter almost everything. About how they met, the way they became instant friends, how when they hung out time felt as if it didn’t exist, the late nights after his games, studying together in the back of the library. There’s so much history and although none of the almost’s slip through his story, the almost kiss, the almost confession of feelings, the almost being something more, Cale longs to change that now.
“I’m going to tell Ms. Webber tomorrow that she knows a famous hockey player. And my daddy!” Maisy exclaims after listening intently. Her blue eyes are alight with joy, a sight that makes her father smile like nothing else.
“You do that, Maise.” As the two go back to chatting about much simpler things, Cale’s mind wanders through every possibility. He would be stupid to not give them another shot, but he has no idea if those lingering feelings still exist for Maia or if they even existed in the first place.
That, Cale decides, is step one.
And he knows just the person to ask for advice on how to win a woman’s heart.
~~~~~
Gabe, unfortunately, beats him to the punch.
It’s a chilly November morning and as Linnea and Maisy reach for each other’s hands to walk into the preschool building together after saying goodbye to their fathers, Gabe voices the question that makes Cale freeze.
“So when are you gonna make a move, Caler?” Gabe teases, lightly elbowing his teammate and Cale’s cheeks become rosier by the second.
“I-uh, was actually going to ask you about that.”
“Me? Not EJ or even Devon? It’s an honor.”
“Shut up. EJ would make the whole thing a spectacle and Devon would probably be shocked that I even know how to talk to girls. You’re my best bet. And it’s not a big deal.” Cale replies, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets and tries to ignore how embarrassing this is. He’s 23 years old and is asking for advice on how to get the girl.
He’s won the Stanley Cup and is one of the most distinguished hockey players in the league this early in his career. But talking to one person who’s held his heart for years? That’s impossible.
“Okay, well what are you thinking?” Gabe prompts, eyes remaining on the girls as they say hi to their teacher before disappearing into the building.
“I don’t even know if she was into me back in college, Gabe. Like I can’t make a move thinking she feels the same way when it’s been years since we last saw each other and I wasn’t sure of her feelings then.”
“You have to figure out where you stand then.” Cale’s brows furrow in confusion, but his captain continues speaking. “By the way things seem between the two of you, she definitely feels the same way. But I think she’s unsure more than ever. You do have a kid in her preschool class and she might think someone else is in your life.”
“There isn’t.”
“Maia doesn’t know that. Does she?” Cale shook his head, the realization dawning on him right then. Since Maisy’s first day of school, there’s been that distance between them. The flirting and comfortableness has returned in their brief exchanges, but not like it used to be. And maybe it’s because Maia thinks Cale’s committed to Maisy’s mom since she doesn’t know the whole story.
“I have to fill her in.”
“Exactly. And I’m sure once everything is clear, you’ll both be able to admit how you feel to each other. Finally.” Gabe says with a reassuring nod, a smile creeping back onto his face. “You’re growing up so fast. Cale Makar is going to get the girl!”
“Shush! Don’t jinx anything. Nothing’s guaranteed so don’t get your hopes up. I just have to find a moment where I can tell her everything.” Cale settes, brain already racing to find a solution to that problem.
The answer comes not even days later when Maisy hands him a paper about parent teacher conferences. The meeting is used to discuss the progress of each child in class with their parents or guardians. Cale selects a time and date for the following week before making sure to tuck the paper into Maisy’s backpack so she can hand it in the next day.
And even as Maisy rambles on excitedly that night about how she met a friend who loves horses just like Uncle EJ, Cale is stuck on the fact that he’s going to have a designated time alone with just Maia. This is what he needs to finally move their relationship out of the friendzone after all this time.
But this is Maisy’s teacher he’s talking about. Maia isn’t just someone he knows and loves anymore. She’s important to his daughter too now for other reasons. He can’t overlook or forget that. And that means if this doesn’t go as planned, the hurt and awkwardness will be felt by more than just the two of them.
By time the day of the meeting rolls around, Cale is trying to desperately focus on how this is supposed to be about Maisy. The little girl who already owns his heart. It’s constant reminders of how although this is the perfect opportunity, he won’t get distracted by what’s actually at hand: his daughter’s wellbeing.
After dropping Maisy off to spend the afternoon with Nate, who was more than happy to spend time with the much cuter Makar as he says, Cale drove over to the school. The trip seems quicker than usual because before he knows it, Maia is welcoming him into the little classroom that’s colorfully decorated.
“Hi Cale.” Maia greets, her soft smile lighting up her face and Cale feels his heart swell with adoration. “Thank you so much for coming in today.”
“Hi,” Cale murmurs with a nod of acknowledgement, suddenly becoming the shy person he usually is when meeting others for the first time. “Your classroom is really cute. Decorate it yourself?”
“I did! It’s my second year teaching so I figured out what worked best last year and made this little space my dream classroom.” Cale’s gaze moves around the room, taking in every little detail about where his little girl spends part of her days now. He sees Maia’s desk in one corner, neatly organized, hand paintings from the class taped up on one wall, different signs hanging around with numbers, colors and letters on them and the small library of books nestled in the reading corner. A slow smile blossoms across his lips, making butterflies erupt in Maia’s stomach.
“I love it.” Cale says simply. And he does. The whole classroom is exactly as he imagined it would’ve looked when she talked about in college.
“Thank you.” Maia replies, tucking a piece of hair behind her hair. “Let’s sit and get started.” Cale follows her to a little table on the other side of the room and takes a seat in a tiny chair made for preschoolers. He hardly fits in it, knees bending at an awkward angle, and Maia can’t help but giggle at him. Despite everything they’ve missed over the last few years, he’s still the boy she’s in love with.
“So first off, everything I have to say about Maisy today is good. She’s a wonderful student and an even more amazing little girl to her classmates in every situation. It’s clear you’ve done an excellent job raising her.” Maia begins, her warm smile and kind words melting Cale’s heart in an instant. He still isn’t used to accepting compliments about how good of a father he is even if it’s true. He just wants to be enough for Maisy. As long as she’s happy, he did his job right.
“Thank you so much.”
“Oh, of course! There’s plenty more praise for Maisy coming throughout this meeting.” She laughs, the beautiful sound bringing a sense of happiness to Cale that he hasn’t experienced in quite some time. And he can tell Maia feels it too. “Maisy is also ahead of her classmates in several areas of her education. She’s got her ABC’s down and can write her name, her basic math skills are off the charts and she has a pretty good grasp on recognizing words which is great for how young she is.”
“Oh, really? That’s good to hear. I was worried we hadn’t done enough at home to prepare her.” Cale admits with relief, fumbling with his fingers under the table as a small distraction.
“Absolutely no worries there. Maisy is right on track for kindergarten and doing so well with things like reading and writing already at her age. We love seeing her here everyday. You and your partner should be so proud. You’ve raised a beautiful and incredible daughter.”
This is his chance. Tell her the truth.
“I- uh, it’s actually just me and Maisy. But I appreciate that. It means a lot.”
“Oh, I apologize-”
“You can stop me if this is an inappropriate time to tell you this, but-”
Both of them stop speaking, not wanting to talk over the other. Blush spreads across Cale’s cheeks as Maia’s beautiful eyes drop down in that way which quietly shows she’s nervous.
“Go ahead.” She almost whispers. “I know we’re here to talk about Maisy and we pretty much covered everything I had planned, but there seems to be a lot of other things we both have to say.”
With one deep breath and a racing heart, Cale jumps into his well thought out explanation. He tells Maia about everything that’s happened since he left UMass. Meeting Bea, the tragedy of losing her but gaining his daughter at the same time, taking care of Maisy since then while still playing for the Avs. Every word comes out in a rush, but she listens to every single bit and her gaze begins to fill with hope.
“I just wanted to make it clear that there isn’t anyone else in my life. You’ve been in the dark this whole time and that didn’t feel right.” Cale concludes, feeling the weight of his confession in the air. But the reaction he gets erases every worry present in his mind.
“Cale,” Maia chuckles, her expression soft with joy. “I was honestly so shocked to see you on the first day of school even if Maisy’s name on my classlist gave it away a little bit. But I can’t help and think that us being right here, together, means something more. We never gave ourselves a real chance back in college, but now might be the time. My feelings haven’t changed,”
“Mine either.” Cale interrupts politely, voice quiet but full of emotions.
“So do you want to give this thing another go? For real this time?” The question falls off of Maia’s pink lips, but he can see she’s still unsure if this is real. He’s wondering the same thing. They’ve waited so long for each other and now here’s the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
“For real this time.”
~~~~~
“Family, friends and community members, I welcome you to this year’s preschool graduation.” Principal Andrews announces with a bright smile while standing at the podium that’s in front of the small crowd. “These children are on their way to kindergarten in the fall and this ceremony is to recognize the achievement they have all reached during their time in preschool.”
“Crazy you’re going to have a kindergartener soon, huh?” Maia teases, bumping her knee against Cale’s. Her fingers are intertwined with his, their hands resting in his lap.
“Don’t remind me.” He rolls his blue eyes and laughs in response.
It’s been six months since the two of them admitted their feelings to each other and started dating. Despite the fact that the Avs didn’t win the Cup this season, much to Cale and his teammates’ dismay, their relationship has only grown stronger and more incredible. Maisy couldn’t have been more thrilled even if she tried when they told her, the joy of her father finally having someone and that someone being the teacher she adores was the best news. Maia fits right into their lives like she’s always belonged there, something that makes Cale’s heart all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.
Now, it’s graduation day for the preschoolers and Cale couldn’t be happier sitting with the girl he’s always loved waiting for his daughter’s name to be announced. He presses a quick kiss to Maia’s temple before they both turn their attention back to the ceremony.
“These fifteen young, bright children have grown in so many ways over the course of this past school year. And now, many would say, they’re ready for the big leagues also known as kindergarten.” The crowd laughs along to the joke, hundreds of emotions being felt at the same time. “The teachers and myself have all cherished the time we had together with these little ones so this is just as special for us as it is for you. Without a further ado, we’ll now be presenting the students with their preschool diploma.”
All the little kids stood up in front of their chairs, the biggest smiles plastered onto each of their faces. Cale spots Maisy easily. Her curly blonde hair is pinned back on the sides and her pink glasses aren’t hard to find in a small group. She picked out her favorite dress, a sparkly blue one, just for today’s event. Watching her shuffle forward on the stage, beautiful and happy, makes Cale think about how much she’s grown up. Time has passed too quickly for his liking and seeing his little girl up there now, moving onto another monumental time in her life, strikes his heart like never before.
The sadness doesn’t stick around for long though as Maisy steps up and Principal Andrews says her name out loud.
“Maisy Beatrice Makar.”
Tears spring into Cale’s eyes while he and Maia stand to clap and cheer. Maisy walks with joy in her step across the stage, accepting a tiny diploma and waving out to Cale right afterwards. With a watery smile and his usual rosy cheeks, he waves back to her. And when Maia leans into his side as silent support, the whole moment couldn’t be any more perfect than it is.
“She did it.” Cale whispers in awe and Maia giggles softly next to him.
“She did. But it’s only preschool. You have at least three more graduations to get through.”
It’s then that the entire class stands in front of the crowd with their diplomas and the principal declares them all preschool graduates. Everyone erupts in cheers, pictures being taken from all angles and Cale is pretty sure the grin on his face will be stuck there for days.
“Before we conclude our ceremony, it’s part of our school’s tradition to invite parents or guardians on stage for pictures and to represent who will be offering support to the students as they continue on with their education. So, those special individuals, please make your way to the front.”
“Ready?” The question is a mumble, but Maia hears it. She nods, grabbing Cale’s hand again. Both of their hearts are beating so fast that it’s a surprise no one around hears. Together, they walk towards the stage to join Maisy who is clueless to the moment that’s about to unfold.
“Daddy!” Maisy calls when she sees Cale come up the stairs. Her excitement is incredibly infectious, something that Maia adores about her too. “And Maia? You both came up?” She asks, obvious confusion crossing over her facial features.
“Of course. Maia is part of our family, isn’t she? We always say so.”
“She is! Principal Andrews said parents so I only thought you would come up, Daddy, but it’s way better with Maia here too. We’re a family.” Maisy says gently, warmth in each word as she processes what this means.
“We’re a family, Maise.” Maia repeats back before kissing the top of the little girl’s head and earning a giggle. Cale watches on as pure love makes his heart swell. This is all he’s wanted for so long. The girl of his dreams and his daughter. Life couldn’t be any better.
And later, when they’re settled at their usual table at Proto’s for Maisy’s celebratory dinner and Maia hands over her gift which of course is a copy of “Maisy Goes To School”, her personal favorite of all the Maisy Mouse books and fitting for the occasion, Cale is hit with a realization.
No matter what happens in his life going forward, he knows something now that he didn’t before. As long as he has these two, Maia and Maisy, everything will always be okay. And that is all he will ever need.
do i have like a million other wips i need to finish? yes. did i write this totally new idea in one sitting instead? you bet! i absolutely love this fic and it’s the first i’ve finished in quite some time which is very exciting!
this one is inspired by andy grammer’s song joy which screams nate to me and is currently on repeat because i love it that much. you’ll see some of the lyrics worked in throughout the fic too!
hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx
word count: 4.4k+
~~~~~
Me and fear, we had a thing in 1993
Told me I was wasting time with all these silly dreams
I dated doubt, she knocked me down every time I tried
“The Colorado Avalanche are proud to select, with our first pick, from the Halifax Mooseheads, Nathan MacKinnon.” Joe Sakic’s words echo throughout the Prudential Center and applause breaks out in an instant, but Nate remains seated for a few seconds longer, unable to process what’s happening.
The team he’s always dreamed of playing for picked him first, picked him over every other eligible player sitting in this very arena. Nate can’t wrap his head around it. He was just drafted first overall. After all the speculation over the last year of who would actually be picked first, names constantly thrown around by hockey analysts or general fans leading to no one knowing what to expect coming into today, Nate knows he did it.
All the hard work has paid off. His big dream of making it to the NHL and following in the footsteps of his favorite player and biggest inspiration is coming true. But even he knows this is only the beginning of a long journey.
Practically on autopilot due to a mix of shock and pure euphoria, Nate rises from his seat to hug his parents and sister and the grin on his face never wavers. It feels like his heart might burst out of his chest and there are so many emotions running through him as he makes his way to the stage to accept the special Avalanche jersey from his new team. His new home.
Nate eagerly shakes everyone’s hands on stage in front of the large crowd, murmuring “thank you so much” over and over again when each person tells him congratulations. He still doesn’t believe this is real. But it is, somehow it is. After he pulls the white away jersey over his head and they all pose for the obligatory photo, Nate finds his family who is watching with nothing but awe in their expressions.
He’s going to make them proud. No matter how difficult it might be from here on out, he owes them that for giving up so much of their own lives to get him here. This might be his own dream, but without his dad spending countless hours passing him pucks on the lake just for Nate to perfect his slapshot or his mom making extra of her home cooked meals for him to take on the road for tournaments or his sister sending encouraging texts at random times of the day, he never would’ve gotten to this very moment.
“Congratulations again, Nathan. We’re very excited for you to join us for the season this year.” Joe says after the flashes subside and the photographers are satisfied with the picture which is already part of NHL history. Nate nods, a smile still plastered on his face and starts the trek back to his family before having to do some media for the broadcast as other players anxiously await the team that calls out their name as a selection.
And just as quickly as the rush of happiness enveloped him earlier, it disappears. Anyone looking on wouldn’t think anything is wrong, but to Nate, it feels like he’s just been plunged into freezing cold water that wakes him up from this dream to bring him back to reality. Fear and doubt squeezes his heart as thousands of countless negative thoughts flood his mind.
What if all of this is just a silly dream? What if he got picked first overall and totally tanks the moment he steps onto the ice with the team? Up until today, he wasn’t even expected to be picked first and what does that say about him? About the kind of player he is? What if after all these years of playing hockey, training and pushing to be the best he can be just to get drafted were a waste of time?
These emotions are unfortunately not unfamiliar to Nate. From the first moment the hockey world noticed a young boy in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia becoming a player like no other, doubt and fear became permanent residents in Nate’s life. But, like always, he continues on like there isn’t a worry.
He’s an NHL player now and there’s not a second to waste on the potential that he might not be good enough to make it in this league.
Pressure pushed me to the edge, she worked me to the bone
And jealousy, she lied to me, said I needed things I don't
Shame, she had a way to make me hate myself inside
There it is. The Stanley Cup. Under the warm August sun, the silver trophy glitters beautifully and Nate wishes more than ever that he was the one standing in the back of that pickup truck with the beloved prize every hockey player wants to win.
Instead, he’s on the side of the crowded road watching the victory parade pass by for the second time in two years. And the one with the Cup in his hands is Nate’s best friend, the pride and joy of Cole Harbour, Sidney Crosby. He loves Sid, always has, but this time around seeing the Cup and not being the one to show it off hurts so much more than it ever has.
The Avalanche finished last in the league this season. There were no playoffs or hopeful wishes of being the champions. While Sidney and the Penguins earned the highest achievement possible in the NHL, Nate and his team wallowed in their own pity because they had hit rock bottom. There was no way they could get any worse.
And Nate couldn’t understand it. How the Avs got here. How he’s yet again the one who’s jealous and brooding on a day where every single person in the province of Nova Scotia couldn’t be any happier. All he’s wanted his whole life was to win that stupid trophy. To thrust it over his head and take a lap around the ice after finally winning, to drink alcohol out of it on the days he gets the Cup to himself, to prove to everyone that he did it. That he was worth it.
He doesn’t need the Cup to show anyone that he’s one of the best players in the league. But in reality, that’s the only thing people care about. Either you’ve won and are regarded as a successful player or you haven’t and are seen as a player struggling to just make it there. Nate hasn’t even had a taste of a real Cup run and he’s in his fourth year. The team only qualified once out of those four, a fact he’s not quick to provide when compared next to Sidney.
All he knows though is that he is sick and tired of feeling like this.
On top of his raging jealousy, a strong wave of shame seizes him and Nate doesn’t bother fighting off the hatred for himself that has only grown since the middle of the season. If there’s one thing everyone knows about Nate, it’s that he’ll do whatever it takes to win, to get better, to help the team improve in areas no one else usually sees. Most of the time, it’s admirable and something that makes him a great athlete and leader.
But now, Nate couldn’t hate himself more for the decision he influenced with a simple text. He doesn’t have that much power as an alternate captain, but enough to convince Gabe and the higher ups that certain things should happen. He’s not proud that he sent the message to Gabe saying that the team needed the young prospect out of North Dakota University for next season. The kid isn’t even a sophomore yet and Nate knows he needs more development to be the best player he can be, but the Avs cannot finish last in the league again and he has a feeling Tyson Jost will be the reason they won’t repeat that exact feat next year.
There was no questioning of Nate's logic, because he’s Nathan MacKinnon and maybe some of his teammates are still intimidated by him. Even if Tyson isn’t entirely ready to play at the NHL level, everyone agreed to the suggestion and Nate hopes that he’s right. Because right now, as he stands in the crowd of the Cup parade in his hometown, nothing but shame weighs him down. Knowing that he’s stinting another player’s potential just for his own benefit makes him hate himself more than anything.
Next season will undoubtedly bring even more pressure. Whether it’s because of the expectations of being from the same hometown as Sidney Crosby or because of Nate’s genuine talent, the pressure is only going to mount. And Nate swears right then and there that it doesn’t matter what it takes or what he has to do, but he will prove everyone wrong by leading his team to the playoffs and hopefully beyond.
I found joy on the loneliest of nights
I bought a rock, I tied the knot, and I'm making her my wife
I found joy in my life
Nate stayed true to his word. Not even a year later and the Avs did make it to the playoffs, only to lose in the first round. Despite being an improvement, it still isn’t where any of them wanted to finish the season. It’s already been a few days since the team had been eliminated and almost everyone has either gone home for the summer or are away with their significant others on a trip. Nate, on the other hand, is sitting at the bar he frequents in Denver with a beer in his hand which has gone warm and is trying not to sulk over everything that has gone wrong since he was drafted. He wasn’t expecting a storybook career, but so far, he can’t seem to catch a break no matter how hard he works or how badly he wants to win.
“Alright, what’s up with you blondie?” Your voice breaks through Nate’s thoughts like bright sunshine shining through the gray clouds on an overcast day. “I gave you that beer almost what? Three hours ago maybe? And you’ve taken like two sips the whole time you’ve been sitting here.”
Nate’s head snaps up at the sound of you talking and he tries to disguise the surprise on display across his face. No one has said a single word to him since he wandered in here earlier to get his mind off things which up until now, hadn’t worked. But to everyone’s credit, being left alone was nice despite the looks of recognition that flashed across a few people’s faces.
“And?” He answers back, the single word nothing more than a mumble. If you weren’t listening closely, it probably would’ve gotten lost in the noise that fills the bar. And maybe he doesn’t want you to pay attention to him, but something about him intrigues you in a way that you can’t just leave alone.
“So what happened? Did you get dumped? Dog ran away? Lost a bet?” You rattle off with a teasing tone, hoping he’ll answer in honesty. Even though you’re a bartender, the job requires you to be a built-in therapist as well because people who have had just a little too much to drink love to tell you all of their problems. The blonde man sitting on the other side of the bar has done neither of those things, he just looks incredibly sad and you want to fix that.
“Didn’t get dumped, dog didn’t run away and for once, I didn’t lose a bet.” Nate shakes his head, spinning the bottle around in his hands again as his broad shoulder slump even more. You have no idea who he is or what he’s actually doing here, but you know it’s breaking your heart seeing the handsome stranger look so upset.
“Then I’m not sure why you’re sitting here looking like the whole world is against you.”
“Because it is.” He replies in defeat and finally looks up at you. The moment his eyes meet yours, everything comes to a stop. You aren’t drying the glass in your hands anymore and Nate is focused on nothing but you. It’s a moment like no other except neither of you can place the significance just yet. Nate holds your gaze for longer than necessary while relishing in the warmth that’s filling his chest before clearing his throat and continuing. “Long story short, I play hockey and my team failed to make it even remotely close to winning anything this year which is my fault.”
“Well, I don’t know much about hockey, but I do know it’s a team sport so it can’t be all your fault.” You say with a soft smile, happy that he decided to open up after all. Your heart is still racing from the unspoken emotions that passed between the two of you just seconds ago and now you can’t stop admiring him. What is he doing here?
Nate opens his mouth to respond, ready to argue that it is in fact his fault, when you raise a single finger in the air to shush him. Excitement takes over your facial features and Nate can’t help smiling a little at the sight of you. He wants to know why such a pretty, smart girl is working at an ordinary bar in Denver.
He hopes he’ll get to find out.
“Don’t say another word. I have just the thing to cheer you up. You don’t seem like much of the talker type, definitely more of a brooder, huh? So this should help. Don’t move a muscle, blondie.”
And just like that, you’re moving at an impressive speed behind the bar grabbing things that Nate can’t make sense of. He’s interested to know what you’re doing and he can’t stop his mind from wandering to how whatever this feeling in his chest is, it’s one he never wants to go away. If that means keeping you in his life somehow, Nate will do it.
In less than five minutes, you’re standing in front of him again and exchange his gross beer for a full glass that’s topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Nate immediately shoots you a skeptical look, but you’re so proud and happy that he lets you speak before bursting your bubble.
“It’s a cookies and cream milkshake! My personal favorite and it always helps me feel better so figured it might be worth a try. I even used extra Oreos.” You explain, a beaming smile blossoming across your lips and Nate’s breath is stolen away. You’re so gorgeous and happiness looks incredible on you. And although the gesture makes his heart soar, the words he says don’t reveal that.
“I can’t drink that.”
“What do you mean you can’t drink that? Put the straw in your mouth and sip. It’s not that hard.”
“No, like how much sugar is in this thing? I might die and then you’d be charged with homicide to whatever degree. Are you trying to kill me?” Nate asks in all seriousness, spinning the glass in a circle like he’s surveying the shake.
“Okay, Mr. Hockey Player. Have a little fun and drink the stupid milkshake. When was the last time you had ice cream? Age five? It won’t kill you and I promise I’m only trying to help.” Nate smiles at your comments before, against better judgment, putting the straw in his mouth and drinking the milkshake that ends up being insanely good.
“Ohmygod. What did you put in this thing?” Nate exclaims, a light evident in his blue eyes that you’re seeing for the first time all night. The sight is something you want to see forever which is strange considering you just met him tonight.
“Magic.” You smirk, leaning against the counter and focusing all of your attention on the man across from you who has somehow captured your heart in no time. “Now, tell me more about yourself, blondie.”
“Blondie has a name, you know.” Nate flirts back, leaning closer to you. You can’t help but laugh at him, the sweet and happy sound immediately becoming Nate’s new favorite thing in the world. A few hours ago, he came in here sulking and hating everything about life and you somehow totally flipped that around by just being you.
“Hm, and what would that be?”
“Nathan. But you can call me Nate.”
“Okay, Nathan but you can call me Nate. Get to it. I want every life detail.”
“Nuh uh, I told you my name so now you need to tell me yours.” Nate fires back with a teasing tone, brows raising as if insulating a challenge. You roll your eyes before leaning over to whisper your name to him. And it was right then that Nate knew his life was going to change.
He met you, someone who is nothing but pure joy in human form, on the loneliest night and he didn’t know it then, but you were going to be his wife. It wasn’t until he picked out the engagement ring to ask you the big question that he realized everything he held to the highest standard meant nothing in comparison to you.
Nate found the joy in his life that night in a random bar in Denver. And nothing has been the same ever since.
And there were days I did not know
If she would pack her bags and go
But that's my girl forever though
And she knows, she knows
“Nathan, you have to talk to me. You can’t keep ignoring me because things aren’t going well for the team. That’s not how this works. That’s not how a relationship works.” You say sternly, eyes narrowing at your boyfriend who stops right in front of you. The Avs were hitting an awkward rough patch in the season and in an effort to be better than the last few years because getting eliminated in the second round is unwanted at best, Nate had been taking each loss to heart in order to keep improving.
All well and good except it was hurting you and your relationship. He hardly talked to you anymore, stewing in his own emotions most of the time. The physical touch and affection that he usually loves so much has disappeared almost entirely and it’s painful when all you want to do is hold him. He’s been training, skating and watching tape more than you can ever remember which leaves little to no time to do anything with you.
It’s killing you inside to see him do this without even realizing. And he still won’t listen to you.
“You knew what you were getting into when we started dating, Y/N. I don’t know what else to tell you.” Nate replies, his tone clipped and annoyed. You know he doesn’t mean it. Of course you knew that going in when you actually figured out who he was. But he’s upset and trying his best to pull more than he can handle for something he’s wanted his whole life.
“Nathan,” You repeat, trying to keep your voice from wavering. For some reason, Nate turns towards you and you can tell he’s ready to argue. But instead, when his gaze meets yours, something breaks inside him. “What’s going on? How can I help? Don’t shut me out when we’re doing this together.”
Nate doesn’t say anything. You’re met with silence as the two of you stand opposite of each other in the living room. He looks a lot like the Nate you met in the bar a few years ago, not your Nate today. And you won’t let this drop until you figure out why he’s pushing you away.
Before you can push any further, he’s crossing the room and enveloping you in a tight hug. His arms wrap around your body to keep you close and his head falls to the crook of your neck as he lets the feeling of comfort surround him.
“This isn’t you, bubs.” It’s those four words that get Nate to finally open up and you can tell just by the way he squeezes you a little closer and lifts his head to catch your eyes again. “Please talk to me.”
“I’m scared. Terrified, actually.”
“Of what?”
“Losing you. You deserve so much better than this and I’m just a stupid athlete after this practically unachievable dream and there’s no reason for me to be upset with you when you have nothing to do with it. Sometimes I expect to come home to your bags already packed because you can’t handle this side of me anymore, because you don’t want this anymore. Nothing is stopping you, but you’re still here. The possibility scares me so much.” The words tumble out of Nate’s mouth in one long ramble, breaking your heart into a million pieces in the process.
“Nate, babe, that’s never going to happen. I’m yours forever. I know that and so do you. You constantly show me that’s the truth and I’m in this for the long run. You are and will always be more than just an athlete. You exist outside of hockey. You’re an amazing boyfriend, son, friend, I could go on and on. I know you want to win more than anything in this world, but we need to figure out how to separate that from us. And you have to let me in. I can’t help if you keep me at a distance.” Nothing but love and honesty seep through your reassurances and a weight is lifted off Nate’s shoulders as he listens to everything you have to say.
“You’re not going anywhere?” He asks teary eyed. You smile at him before running a hand through his blond hair and shaking your head.
“Never. You’re going to be stuck with me.”
“You’re my girl forever. You know that?”
“I know.” And as the overwhelming worry subsides, letting Nate breathe again, he surges forward to kiss you. Nothing else matters right then except for you, the love that you share and the life you’ve built together. This is what Nate wants to have forever, something that will be sealed sooner than you realize.
I found joy and I kiss her every night
She gave me two more of her and I can't believe they're mine
Mmm, now I'm basking in their light
“Okay, they’re both down for the night.” Nate whispers with a tender smile as he walks towards where you’re all snuggled in bed. “Bails needed two bedtime stories tonight, but Hayden was out like a light the second she got into bed.” He continues, the light of happiness glittering in his ocean blue eyes. Even after all these years together, you couldn’t be anymore in love with Nate. He’s your husband, the amazing father of your children and most important person in your life. Neither of you knew how much would come out of that simple night in the bar all that time ago, but life has turned out even better than you could’ve imagined.
Because of him.
“What were Bailey’s picks tonight? ‘Angelina Ballerina’ again? Or are we back to the 'Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus’ obsession?” You ask with a giggle as Nate strips to just his boxers before climbing into bed. Your oldest daughter is quite the bookworm and although she’ll go to sleep with just one bedtime story when you do it, she always makes Nate read two or more. At this point, you wouldn’t be surprised if he has all of her favorites completely memorized.
“Pigeon.” Nate replies with a chuckle, the sound filling your chest with warmth like always. “She helped me do all the funny sounds tonight too. Got the whole production.”
“I can’t believe they’re growing up so fast.” You murmur suddenly while cuddling into him and that same look of adoration crosses Nate’s facial features. Since the day you told him you were pregnant, he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to be a dad. Besides playing in the NHL and winning the Cup, that was all he ever wanted. After meeting you, it became his most cherished dream along with getting married. When his two girls arrived, three years apart, his life was flipped upside down each time and he still can’t believe the two of them are his. His babies with you.
“Me either, it’s crazy how fast time has passed.”
And it’s true. Time has passed quicker than he thought was possible especially when it came to the girls. But Nate’s mind is drifting back to the day he got drafted. When the biggest aspiration and dream he had was to win a trophy important within his favorite sport. His career hasn’t been pretty, but it wasn’t all he had even if he got caught up in the wins and losses more often than not. He never pictured himself falling in love and getting the chance to start a family, settle down and be genuinely happy. Except he met you that fateful night and everything changed for the better.
“You’ve got that look again, baby.” You tease, raising a hand to his cheek to rub your thumb over his skin.
“I’m just so happy. To have you and the girls. Just being right here is all I could ever ask for. Thank you so much for being a constant source of love and joy in my life. You have been since we met.” Nate confesses, voice tender with emotion as he holds your gaze. “I didn’t think I’d ever get any of this.”
There are no words to properly say what you’d like so you just close the space between the two of you with a tender, yet deep kiss. Nate pulls you into his lap and you can feel his heart racing beneath your palm as happiness rushes through your veins. You love him and he loves you. It’s something you never saw coming, but will never give up now that it’s here.
And for Nate, who pulls away from the kiss with the biggest grin and that familiar sparkle in his eyes, he is going to cherish every moment of this love. Gone are the days where hockey controlled his every move all for one prize. He’s the happiest he’s ever been and getting to experience everyday with you and his beloved little family is like winning the Stanley Cup a million times over.
At the end of the day, he found his joy and nothing else will ever compare to the light of his life.
