Reunited

“How about I meet you down there?”

“Do you know your way?” Jordan turned to face Simone, who had stopped at the top of the stairs.

“I’m sure I can find my way,” she assured. “I’ve been to enough arenas and buildings that it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out where I’m going. I just have to run to the washroom.”

Jordan nodded and continued down the steps. “I’ll see you in front of the locker room then.”

Simone quickly headed to the closest bathroom. She checked her makeup in the mirror and adjusted her curls. The last thing she wanted was to make a bad first impression on Jordan’s teammates. With one last look, she pushed her bangs to the side and left.

Casually, she descended the stairs, trying not to attract attention to herself. She didn’t need people asking who she was and why she was down there. It was obvious that only important people were supposed to be where she was.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Simone looked to her left and then to her right. She mentally slapped herself for not remembering which direction they had came in from. Unable to decide which way to go, she stood at the base of the stairs looking back and forth.

She was about to take out her phone to call Jordan when she heard footsteps from someone approaching.

“Are you okay?” a man asked, his Czech accent barely noticeable. “You look worried.”

Simone gave him a convincing smile and nodded. “I’m just waiting.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. He put his hands in the pockets of his black coat. “You look little lost. Are you supposed to be down here?”

“I am looking for the Oilers’ dressing room,” Simone admitted.

“Oilers’ dressing room?” he asked. “Why?”

“I’m meeting a friend of mine.”

“Do you want me show you to room?”

“I think I can find it,” Simone declined. “The arena isn’t that big.”

“I go that way too, if you want company,” the man told her. He ran his hand through his damp dark hair. “I keep going after you find room. I need to get on bus.”

“Sure, if you want,” Simone gave in.

He started walking toward the designated lockers with Simone beside him. “My name is Michal. What is yours?”

“I’m Simone. You play for Washington, right?”

The dark haired man nodded. “I play goal.”

“You did really well tonight,” Simone told him. She could now see Jordan ahead waiting for her.

“Thanks, you really pretty,” he blurted. A pink glow appeared on his cheeks, obviously embarrassed by his outburst.

“Thank you, Michal.” Simone could feel her own cheeks change colour. “Where are you playing next?”

“We fly back to Washington tomorrow. We play Flyers on Monday.”

“You better crush them,” Simone said in a serious tone.

“We plan on it,” Michal chuckled. “There is locker room.”

“Yea, it is,” Simone nodded. “Thanks for walking with me.”

“You’re welcome,” Michal nodded. “If ever in Washington, call me?”

“I would, but I haven’t got your number.”

“Oh, right.” Michal looked at his shoes sadly.

Simone pulled out her phone and glanced over to Jordan, who was watching her intently. She quickly went to her contacts and opened a new entry. “Here, add yourself to my phone. Then I’ll text you so you have my number, too.”

Michal added his number, with a slight smile on his face, as Simone waved to Jordan, who waved back and started walking over.

“I see you found your way,” Jordan commented once he was close enough.

“I got a little lost at the bottom of the stairs, but Michal seemed to know where he was going,” Simone replied, taking her phone back. She turned to the goaltender next to her. “I have to go, but it was really nice meeting you, Michal.”

“Nice meeting you too, Simone,” Michal said. “I see you again soon?”

“I’m not sure when, but I will see you again,” Simone agreed. She watched Michal nod and walk away.

“How did you manage to meet Neuvirth?” Jordan asked, leading her to the locker room door.

“When I got down the stairs, I couldn’t remember which way to go,” Simone shrugged. “I was about to call you when Michal walked up and offered to walk with me.”

Jordan nodded and opened the door. “You ready for this?”

“As ready as ever.”

Jordan pushed his way through the door and checked the room before ushering her inside.

“Damn, Ebs, who’s this one? She’s sexier than the last one.”

“You better start sharing your women with the rest of us bachelors, Jordan. Pretty soon we aren’t going to allow you to bring them in here.”

The first one to get up from his cubby was a young dark haired man. He effortlessly made his way over to Jordan and Simone. “Hello,” he said, putting on the charm. “I’m Ryan, one of Eberle’s line mates.”

“Simone,” she smiled, taking his outstretched hand.

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Ryan winked. “I must ask what everyone else is thinking. How do you know Eberle?”

“Simone chuckled lightly and looked up at Jordan. His face homed a bit of a scowl. “We’ve been friends since he played in Regina, which by the looks of you was when you were about ten.”

“I’m not that young,” Ryan attempted to defend himself as his teammates laughed. “I just look young.”

“Share the new girl with everyone else, Ryan,” someone called from the room. “She’s too old for you anyway.”

Simone held back a laugh as the grown man walked back to his locker with a pout. “Which one is Sam?” she asked Jordan in a low voice. She waved to Devan when she caught him waving from the corner of her eye.

“Dubnyk, how do you know her?”

“We met outside before the game.”

“Lucky son of a bitch.”

“Shut up Gags. Just because I have perfect timing doesn’t mean you have to be jealous of my mad skills.”

“If you guys would shut it, I’d be able to introduce her,” Jordan interrupted. Immediately the room fell silent. “This is my friend, Simone. Samo, these are the guys.”

Simone gave the room a smile and a wave.

Jordan led her from cubby to cubby, introducing her to each teammate. “Sam,” he said when they stopped in front of another dark haired man.

Sam looked up from his equipment and smirked. “It’s about time you introduced me.”

“No need to be cocky,” Simone murmured with a roll of her eyes.

“Whatever Gags,” Jordan shook his head. “You remember Simone?”

“Yea, the hot chick from the bar, I remember. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Jordan has been speaking highly of you lately.”

Simone felt her cheeks fill with colour for a second time. “He should. I’m pretty amazing.”

“You seem to be,” Sam said. He stretched a hand out for her to take. “I’m Sam, but I’m sure you figured that out.”

Simone nodded and shook his hand. “You were the one I was on the phone with a few days ago, right?”

“Uh, when was that?”

“One night when Jordan was making a sandwich. I don’t remember what day it was.”

“That’s right!” Sam said excitedly. “How could I forget? I didn’t know that was you.”

“I told you I thought it was,” Jordan reminded him.

“You also said you didn’t think she was married.”

“I’m not married,” Simone frowned.

“Why would you think she’s married?” a voice asked from beside Jordan.

“Sam was asking questions the night he answered the phone,” Jordan explained. “Samo, this is Taylor.”

“How are you?” Simone asked, shaking his hand.

“Fine, thanks,” Taylor replied.

“Your girlfriend went to Jeff’s with Jordan, didn’t she?”

Taylor nodded and gave Jordan a questioning look. “Yea, she did, but how do you know?”

“Jordan told me,” Simone confessed. “I talked to him a few times throughout his trip.”

“That makes sense,” Taylor said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I might have to steal you away so that you can tell me what you know about that trip they took.”

“What makes you think I know anything?” Simone looked at him with a cocked brow.

“You’re his best friend,” Taylor shrugged. “Why wouldn’t he tell you everything?”

“Might I remind you,” Simone started as the man led her to his locker. “He didn’t know who I was when I was talking to him.”

“Oh, he knew,” Taylor told her as he offered her a seat. “He didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to be wrong. All this time he has known it was you, his best friend from high school. The girl he called Samo.”

Simone looked across to where Jordan had continued to talk with Sam. She wasn’t sure whether to believe the information Taylor had presented her with. “He didn’t tell me much. Just that he was going to Martinsville with your girlfriend and that his teammates were keeping something from him about his girlfriend.”

“He said we were keeping something from him?” Taylor clarified. “Damn,” he muttered when she nodded.

“He’s not dumb,” Simone said.

“Obviously,” Taylor said, glancing at his phone. “How long are you here for?”

“Until Tuesday morning, I think.”

“Want to come out with the team tonight? It’ll probably be Gags, Jordan, Ryan and me. A few others might tag along, but we’ve got a lot of family men on our team, so not many go out.”

“I’d like to, but I have an early conference tomorrow and I really need to get some sleep.”

“Next time,” Taylor offered, grabbing a bag off the floor. “I better get you back to Ebs, he looks ready to go.

Simone got up from his seat and followed him back to Jordan and Sam. “I’ve got to get back to the hotel, Jordan. Business is calling me and there is stuff I need to get done before tomorrow’s conference.”

“Alright,” Jordan nodded.

After quickly saying goodbye to the team, the pair made their way out to his Equinox. Jordan slid into the driver seat as Simone buckled herself into the passenger seat.

“That wasn’t too overwhelming was it?” Jordan asked, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the street toward her hotel.

“Not at all,” Simone shook her head. “It was cool to meet another team. That reminds me.” She pulled out her phone and started typing. “The guys seem really nice. Sam’s a bit cocky, but funny too. And Ryan, he’s definitely a charmer.”

“You get used to it,” Jordan agreed. “How was your talk with Taylor?”

“Short,” Simone admitted. “He wants me to go out with you guys tonight.”

“Are you going to?” Jordan asked as Simone’s phone buzzed.

“Not tonight,” Simone told him. She looked at her phone and smiled. “I have to get up early so I better not. I’m apparently getting a phone call tonight too.”

“A phone call?” Jordan looked over at the red head with confusion. “How do you know?”

“I got a text telling me that I would,” Simone answered. She looked at her phone as it vibrated again. Her smile grew as she read the message. Her fingers started typing furiously.

“Who is the call from?”

“That’s for me to know and you to probably never find out.”