Twenty-One and Invincible

I was in my room getting ready for Adam Burish’s Christmas party and seriously rethinking my decision to go. I knew I couldn’t back out now because of my promise to Patrick, but sitting by my vanity applying mascara was the last place in the world that I wanted to be at that moment.

I don’t know. I think I would have rather preferred to be in Azkaban or something. Anywhere but here.

I almost jumped out of my skin when my bedroom door flew open and Patrick came tumbling in. I slammed my mascara brush and tube on the counter and pushed my seat away about arms’ length, hands still on the wooden surface, trying to slow my pounding heart. Once I’d given myself time to calm down, I turned to Patrick with wide eyes.

“The fuck are you doing!”

It was more of a statement than a question.

He plopped down on my bed and shrugged his shoulders. “I had some time so I figured I’d pop over and say hello. Besides, I am your ride to the party tonight.”

“I know,” I sighed in an over-exaggerated fashion. “But did you really have to barrel into my room? I almost screwed up my makeup.”

Patrick stood up and walked over to me and examined my face closely. “You shouldn’t wear so much,” he said in a soft tone. “You’re pretty without it.”

I bit the inside of my lip and turned back to my mirror before reapplying my mascara. “Just go sit down, Pat.”

He shrugged his shoulders and sat back down on my bed. I peeked at his reflection. He wore a black suit jacket and dress pants with a white button-down shirt and no tie. I wasn’t sure if I was overdressed or not. I was wearing a fitted dark blue strapless cocktail dress that ended mid-thigh and that had sequin designs along the top and bottom. I’d matched it with a pair of black suede peep-toed pumps.

“What else do you have to do?” Patrick asked, looking at all the things on my vanity. “Does being a girl really take this much effort?”

I just decided to humour him. “Yes, Pat,” I answered. “It does.”

After I fixed my hair and made sure I looked presentable, Pat and I left for the party. It was around eight-thirty when we got to Adam’s house. All sorts of expensive looking cars were parked in the huge driveway and lining the street. Patrick got out of the driver’s seat, signaling for me to wait, before coming over to my side and opening the door for me like a true gentleman.

“Ready?” he asked.

I shivered, but not from the cold. “Yeah. I think so.”

He held out his hand to me and I reluctantly took it. “They’ll love you,” he said, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

We got to the front door and before Patrick could even knock, it was immediately swung open.

“Baby Peek-A-Boo!” Adam declared, pulling Patrick into a man-hug. “I knew it was you. I could sense it.” He turned to me. “And who is this lovely young lady?”

“This is my neighbour, Carmen,” Patrick introduced. “She lives across the street from me.”

A look of realization dawned on Adam’s face. “Oh, you’re the one that--”

Patrick cleared his throat loudly. “So, you gonna let us in, or are we going to freeze to death at your front door?”

Adam punched Patrick in the arm. “Smartass. Come on in.”

Patrick sent me a smile as we walked in together.

“Everyone, look who’s here!” someone called out from the crowd in the front foyer. A chorus of ‘Hey’s broke out.

“Who’s the lady, Pat?” someone asked. I couldn’t see who they were.

“Everyone, this is my neighbour, Carmen,” he said formally, placing a hand on the small of my back. “Be nice to her. That means you, Tazer.”

Jonathan Toews held his hands up defensively. “I am a nice person! I know you have me confused for Steegy or something because I have not done a bad deed in three months. I have been keeping track.”

Laughter rang out and Patrick directed me towards the kitchen where the food and drinks were.

Adam’s house was huge. The grand foyer had one of the highest ceilings I have ever seen and the walls were decorated with all sorts of hockey paraphernalia like jerseys and certificates and awards. The hardwood floors looked expensive and when we walked into the kitchen, the first thing I noticed was that all the countertops were made of two inch marble.

“Here,” Pat said, pouring me a glass of wine. “Don’t look so nervous. Loosen up, it’s a party.”

“Since when did loosening up become synonymous with getting drunk?”

Patrick shrugged. “No one’s forcing you to get drunk. Just have fun, it’s Christmas.”

I took a sip from the wine. It was fruity, without much of a burning aftertaste. It was nice. “Sure, Pat.”

“Come on,” he smiled, grabbing himself a bottle of beer. “Let’s go meet the team.”

The party went well. I think I met all of Patrick’s teammates and I got to see him interacting with them as friends off the ice. It was so interesting to see Patrick so social, because even though I knew he was, whenever he was around me and my grandparents, he was more of a silent observer.

Patrick had gone to get some more drinks (he promised his would be non-alcoholic because he had to drive home) and so I was left alone in the living room by the enormous Christmas tree with Jonathan.

“You know, Pat really likes you,” he stated, taking a sip from his glass. I think it had Scotch in it.

I played with the hem of my dress. “You don’t say?”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow at me. “What was that reaction?”

I sighed and shifted from one leg to another. “I don’t know. I feel like...I feel like he likes me and I like him, but I shouldn’t. You know? It’s just something that wouldn’t work out.”

“You won’t know if you don’t give him a chance,” Jonathan noted. “Besides, Patrick’s a good guy. He’s had a few slip-ups in the past, yeah, but he’s definitely learned from his mistakes and he isn’t about to make them again. Believe me, I had to do a lot of press with him after that whole cabbie thing happened. It was brutal. He’s learned his lesson.”

I bit the inside of my lip and stared off into space. “I don’t know. I just don’t think the two of us together would be a good idea.”

“Being happy isn’t a good idea?” Jonathan questioned. “Sorry for seeming to pry or something. I’m just curious as to why you think you and Pat wouldn’t work out.”

I had to stop and think for a second. “I guess I don’t really have a specific reason.”

“Then there’s no reason for you to hold back,” Jonathan stated. “You said it yourself. You like him. He likes you. Since when has that not been enough?”

I was about to comment when Patrick came back into the room with two drinks. He handed me some sort of mixed cocktail and he had cranberry juice. We chatted with Jonathan for a little while. I kept glancing up at him to make sure he wasn’t going to say anything to Patrick. He didn’t. Whenever Patrick wasn’t paying attention though, he would send me a reassuring smile.

We left the party around twelve-thirty. I think we might have been the first ones to go. We drove back in a comfortable silence, like if we were to open our mouths to speak, it would ruin the moment.

“Do you mind if I park in my driveway and walk you home?” he asked once we turned the corner into our neighbourhood. I shook my head.

“Not at all.”

And so Patrick drove his car into his driveway and parked it, then got out and opened the door for me again. We walked across the snowy road to my house and stopped at my front door.

“Did you have fun?” he asked with a bit of a crooked grin.

I blushed. “Yeah. Your teammates are really nice.”

“They liked you,” he said. “They think you’re cute. And they’re right.”

My cheeks got even redder. I prayed that he thought it was because of the cold. “I should probably head inside,” I said in a small voice.

“Before you do,” Patrick suddenly remembered, reaching into his pocket for something. I was confused until he pulled out a piece of mistletoe and dangled it over my head. I sent him a look. He pouted. “Come on. It’s Christmas.”

I nibbled on my lip for a second and peeked over to the picture window in the front foyer to make sure my grandparents weren’t spying on me. The lights were out and it was dark. Finally, I said, “Fine.”

That was all Patrick needed. He tucked the mistletoe back into his jacket pocket and gently pressed his lips against mine, placing one hand behind my neck and the other around my waist. I slid my hands up his chest and rested them on his shoulders as the kiss deepened. I started feeling dizzy. My knees were about to give out.

After a little bit, he pulled away. “Goodnight, Carmen,” he smiled, giving me another quick peck on the lips. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Pat,” I breathed as he let me go and headed back towards his house, sending me a wave as he walked away. I pulled open the front door and closed it, pressing my back against the wood and letting out a long, shaky breath.

“That was adorable!” I heard Grandma squeal from the other room. I looked over at her with wide eyes. She was wearing all black for what I assumed were camouflage purposes and had the biggest smile spread across her face. “I knew it was going to happen sooner or later! So, when are my great-grandkids coming?”

“Grandma!”