Chicago City Lights

Evelyn was just putting on a pair of silver, dangling earrings when she heard a knock at her door. It was 6:30 and Ben was right on time. She smiled and walked to her door, checking the eyehole. Seeing it was Ben, she pulled the door open to let him in.

“Hey,” She said, walking back into her bedroom.

“You look… really nice,” He told her.

“Aw, thanks,” She called, giving herself a final look in the mirror.

She nodded her head at her outfit, a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a red top, and knee high black high heeled boots. She threw on her red pea coat, black scarf, black hat, and black gloves. She grabbed her purse and walked into her living room to find Ben sitting on her couch.

“I’m ready,” She told him, smiling.

He stood and held out his hand for her, which she took, and they walked down to his car.

“I see you got your Navigator.”

“I did,” He grinned. “I hope you’re hungry. The guys want to eat first.”

Evelyn grinned back, “Starving.”

They climbed into the car, sitting in a comfortable silence as they drove to the Lincoln Park restaurant they were eating at. When they arrived, Ben checked the car in with the valet and led Evelyn into the restaurant.

“Hey, Evelyn!” Adam Burish waved and yelled, as her and Ben approached.

“Gee, thanks for the greeting,” Ben laughed.

“I’m clearly more important,” Evelyn remarked.

She sat down next to James Wisniewski and Adam Burish, as they had told her they saved the seat for her. Rolling her eyes, she sent a grin at Ben, as he sat down at the end of the table, a couple seats away from hers, and across the table.

Looking around, she noticed they were a group of ten: Her, Ben, Adam Burish, James Wisniewski, Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, his girlfriend, Brent Seabrook, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane.

She had already been introduced to everyone, save for Patrick Sharp’s girlfriend, Samantha, who Evelyn found herself instantly liking.

As the dinner went on, Evelyn found herself liking the boys more and more. Halfway through her meal, she felt a hand on her knee. Looking to her left she saw James Wisniewski, or Wizzer as she was told to call him, grinning at her.

“Can I help you?” She asked, smirking.

Wizzer shook his head, grinning, “I’m good.”

Evelyn shook her head, and went back to her meal, wondering why she was okay with his hand staying there, which it did. She picked her head up, feeling eyes on her. Looking to the end of the table, she noticed Ben’s eyes darting from her to James.

When Ben realized Evelyn had caught him looking, he looked back down at his food. Evelyn sighed and kept her gaze on Ben until he finally looked back up. She smiled at him, but silently questioned what was wrong. Ben shook his head and smiled, and Evelyn had no choice but to drop it.

As everyone wrapped up their dinner, they paid the bill and left their cars at the valet and walked the two blocks to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The animals were not outside, but the entire zoo was decorated with Christmas lights.

As the group walked into the zoo, Evelyn walked ahead of Wizzer and Burish, whom she was walking with, and caught up with Ben. Hooking her arm with his, she smiled up at him, as he grinned down at her.

“Hey,” He said.

“How was your dinner?”

“Good, yours?”

“Good,” She smiled, lightly laughing at the ridiculousness of their conversation.

They walked together, in silence, looking at all of the lights they passed. Reaching a scene of pink fairies in the snow, Evelyn broke away from Ben and ran toward it, in her heels.

“Oh my gosh! Pink fairies,” She squealed.

“You are so weird,” Ben laughed, catching up with her.

Evelyn smiled at the scene, “Pink’s my favorite color.”

Ben grinned down at her, as she shivered when a particularly strong gust of wind whipped around them.

“You cold?” He asked.

Evelyn nodded, “It’s freaking cold out.”

Ben nodded, and even though she was wearing a warm coat, a hat on her head, gloves, and a scarf, she was still cold. Ben wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug.

Being wrapped in his arms, and being pressed up against his chest blocked the wind from getting to her. She smiled and burrowed further into his chest.

“Thanks,” She mumbled.

Ben nodded his head, as the rest of his teammates and Samantha came up to them. Wizzer caught Evelyn’s eye and winked at her. Evelyn lightly smiled back, before burying her face in Ben’s chest again.

“It’s freezing out,” Samantha quipped, as she had Patrick’s arms around her, keeping her warm.

As they started walking again, Evelyn was pulled away from Ben by Wizzer.

“If you were cold, I could have kept you warm,” He flirted.

Evelyn looked at him, “Ben worked just fine.”

“Ouch,” He winced, putting his hand over his heart.

Evelyn laughed and shook her head. Ben looked back at her, and she grinned, jogging to catch up with him.

“Wizzer seems to like you,” He stated.

Evelyn grinned, “I guess so.”

Ben didn’t say anything else, and neither did Evelyn. She laced her fingers with his and put her head on his arm, as they continued walking and taking in the sights.