Where You Belong

It had been a rough afternoon, a really rough afternoon and as Tyler made it back to his house from TD Garden in Lucic’s car, he waved goodbye to this teammate with every intention of walking up to his house, eating an apple and heading to bed for the night. He had taken a bogus boarding penalty and they ended up losing to the Capitals five to three.

The thrilling life of a teenage millionaire hockey player.

He had every intention of flipping through the little pile of mail in the box outside his front door, heading inside and crashing - until he saw the note in a little feminine scrawl on the front door.

Dinner at eight-thirty?

He was so tired, exhausted, and his calves were screaming, but he couldn’t give up that opportunity with Anna. He hadn’t talked to her since a week earlier at the clubhouse and was damn near desperate to see her again. Besides, he couldn’t remember the last time he had a real home-cooked meal. Looking at his watch it was already eight ten. He stepped inside and hustled up the stairs to change into something better than his Bruins sweats.

A few minutes later, he had chugged a blue Powerade and was fastening the belt on his jeans after tucking his blue striped button-up into them. He tried mussing around with his hair but decided it was as good as it was going to get before spraying on some of his favorite cologne.

Am I supposed to bring something with me? He pounded down the stairs as fast as possible to the kitchen. Delivered groceries were heaven-sent. He knew that it was a traditional thing to bring wine but the truth of the matter was he was eighteen and there wasn’t one drop of booze in his house. He grimaced as he picked up two glass bottles of grape Crush. Maybe she’ll think it’s endearing.

Looking at the clock on the microwave, it was already eight oh five and he all but shoved his feet into a pair of brown leather shoes. As he stood on her doorstep, he frowned down at the two glass bottles in his hand.

“What a stupid idea.” He mumbled, ready to ditch the bottles in her dumpster waiting at the end of the driveway for pick up but she answered the door before he could make a break for it.

“Oh, I love grape Crush!” She smiled, opening the door to reveal her in a short, blue floral dress gathered around the waist with a brown leather belt and her hair down in waves.

“It’s my favorite.” He let out a sheepish grin as she ushered him into the house. She was barefoot, putting her a few inches below his six-one frame. He noticed the smell of something delicious right away, there was definitely some kind of red meat cooking in the house and it was making his mouth water.

“Dinner’s almost done.” She insisted, “pot roast and veggies okay?” She asked, stepping into the kitchen and sticking the two drinks into the fridge.

“That sounds kind of amazing.” He smiled. “I’ve been eating so much pasta and chicken lately.” He elaborated. “I don’t really know how to cook more than that.” He added.

“Oh honey, you’re going to have to learn more than that.” She laughed, making his cheeks warm at the endearing nickname. “I have a couple easy recipes from my sister-in-law if you want to borrow them.” She offered. “I had to learn when I moved out of the dorms so she sent me a bunch of quick ones.” She added.

“That would be great.” Tyler nodded as she poured him a glass of ice water from the pitcher in her fridge before pulling down a packet to make gravy.

“So how have you been? How’s life?” She asked with her back to him, knowing she might have to instigate conversation for a bit.

“Life is… life.” Tyler laughed, leaning back against her countertop, surprised at how different her kitchen looked compared to his for living in the same condominium association. “Had a shitty game tonight, we fly out to Vancouver in three days.” He added.

“Oh, Vancouver.” She tossed a grin at him over her shoulder. “Bring me home a keychain!” She laughed, making him grin. “I’ve never been but I hear it’s beautiful.” She elaborated. “I almost got to go see a little bit of the Winter Olympics, but those plans fell through.” She added with a huff. She continued to chat but Tyler had a hard time paying attention with his gaze narrowing in on the small expanse of skin between her neck and shoulder, her blonde hair pushed back and exposing it. What he wouldn’t give to kiss her there, see what her skin tasted like.

Tyler had only had two serious girlfriends in his life, one for more than four months, and another for five or six, but something drove him towards Anna like a moth to a flame. He couldn’t keep her out of his mind and certainly not out of his dreams.

“Here ya go, muscles.” She broke him of his thoughts, handing him a glass jar of gravy that she intended to mix with the small amount of dry gravy she had already whipped up. Tyler laughed, grabbing the jar and popping it open without a flinch, handing it back to her as she shook her head, spooning it into the pan carefully. “Plates are in the cupboard.” She nodded to the one on her right, “and placemats are in the drawer.” She added. He quickly went to work, placing out the mats before grabbing two plates and the folded fabric napkins before setting out silverware, reminding him of when he was much younger, helping prepare for family dinners.

Soon, Anna was setting out dishes on heat-savers upon the table and Tyler was digging into the tender, moist pot roast with zero abandon, causing Anna to watch him with an amused smile as he all but gorged himself.

“Don’t forget to breathe… or chew.” She encouraged, making him blush with a mouth full of potatoes and carrots.

“This is great.” He complimented.

“Well good.” She laughed, taking a bite of hers again before snapping her fingers. “Almost forgot the drinks.” She moved to get up from the table.

“I got it.” Tyler hopped up from his chair, grabbing the two pops from the fridge and twisting off the tops before setting them down on the table.

“Thank you, Ty.” She grinned taking a sip before setting the glass bottle down on the table. Tyler nodded with a small smile before digging back into this plate. It happened in slow motion as Anna reached for the gravy ladle, grabbing the instrument and bringing it towards her plate as she hit the glass bottle, knocking it over as the grape liquid splashed up onto her chest. “Shit.” She huffed, dabbing at the low-cut cleavage with her napkin, “I love this dress.” She frowned, but when she garnered silence from Tyler she looked up to see his gaze transfixed on her breasts.

Tyler licked his lips, thinking that he’d love nothing more than to trace his tongue along her sticky skin, cleaning it slowly and sensually.

“Up top there, Seguin.” She insisted, snapping him from his thoughts. He looked up at her and she could feel her heart skip a beat for the briefest of moments, his dark brown eyes melting into molten chocolate as they maintained eye contact. “I’ll be right back.” She brushed her hand against the back of his shoulders as she passed him to the hallway.

Was that code for her wanting him to follow her? She was coming onto him, right?

Tyler pushed his chair back, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt and clearing his throat as his heart began to thump in his chest. He stopped short in the small hallway when she exited her bedroom in a clean, yellow top and a pair of denim shorts.

“Tyler?” She asked, tilting her head softly. “Do you need something?”

He stepped up to her, only a few centimeters, his warm breath spreading over her face as his eyes flashed from her to her lips. Just as he leaned in, she placed her hands on his chest, pushing softly but not hard enough to deter him.

“Come to my game next week?” He exhaled, wishing he were kissing her instead.

“Only if you stop trying to kiss me.” She smiled softly. He gave an embarrassed grin.

“Deal.”

•••

The first week in October had come and gone and Tyler had only spoke to Anna in passing over the last few days, but tonight she was coming to the Bruins home game against the Phoenix Coyotes and he couldn’t be more excited.

“What’s with you tonight Sega?” Tyler turned at the sound of Milan’s voice and try as he might, he couldn’t keep the wide smile from coming across his lips.

“Nothing.” He tried to shrug it off, making Jordan Caron laugh and shake his head on the other side of the young rookie’s stall.

“Yeah right, come on.” Looch pressed, pulling his sweater over his head.

“I’ve got a friend in the stands tonight.” He shrugged, trying to keep as casual as possible, but his teammates could tell something was different in the deep timbre of his voice.

“Like a lady friend?” Bergeron asked from the other side of the Bruins Logo embedded into the floor.

“Like a friend who is a girl.” Tyler sat down, tying up his skates very methodically.

“Damn, Sega, you’re here for what? Three weeks and you’ve got women in the crowd?” Looch laughed loudly.

“Not women.” Tyler cleared up right away. “Woman.” He added.

“Wait, wait, wait. How old is this woman, Seg?” Caron paused his ministrations, gaining the attention of his surrounding teammates.

“Well… I mean, I haven’t asked because I know it’s rude, but she’s out of college.” The end of his sentence was met with whoops, hollers, and projectiles being launched at the eighteen year old. Before he knew it, the boys were heading out to the ice to warm up, music blaring, and fans cheering loudly.

“Come on, where is she, Seg?” Looch took to skating up beside the rookie who dabbled with a puck before letting off a shot into Tuuka’s pads.

“Uh…” He trailed, eyes scanning the section numbers, “I know she’s in section eleven.” He insisted.

“There.” Looch nodded his head to said section before Tyler could start scanning the rows. She had refused to take one of his family and friends tickets and insisted upon buying her own.

“Where is she?” Tyler mumbled to himself, eyes scanning the section over and over. Maybe she wasn’t here yet… Looch whistled lowly, snapping Tyler’s attention to the stairs where Anna was walking down the steps in a pair of black riding boots, dark denim jeans and a fitted women’s Bruins sweatshirt – her hair waved and tousled softly as she carried a beverage and a little black and gold pom pom. “That’s her.” Tyler said, a confident grin spreading across his pink lips.

“Don’t fuck with me, Sega.” He insisted.

“She’s my neighbor.” Tyler skated a circle around Looch who was shocked at the young teen’s new friend.

“Well she’s no Mr. Rogers, that’s for sure.” Looch laughed before taking off across the ice to spread the news. Anna caught his attention once again, waving her pom pom cutely with a big smile and he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Tyler’s blood was pumping through his veins when they finally took to the ice to begin the game. The game was passing in a blur and while Tyler was working his ass off trying to find the back of the net, he wasn’t proving successful.

By the time the third period rolled around, he was driven, a man on a mission. With an assist from Ryder and Thomas, Tyler finally put one away just after nine minutes into the period, sending the Boston crowd into a flurry of screams and cheers as he celebrated with his teammates.

However, the rest of period remained goalless but full of penalties, six to be exact. Tyler was jacked that they had won three to zero when he finally had someone he needed to impress and interviewed and changed in lightning speed after the game.

“Hey superstar!” Anna cheered before laying on her horn in the player’s parking lot where Tyler had given her clearance to the booth earlier that day. He blushed but laughed loudly at the few guys left who were leaving to their cars as well. Tyler had come to the Garden with Looch but was leaving with Anna, thankfully. She hopped out of her Prius, giving him a big hug and a squeal. “Look at you!” She laughed. “Awesome job!”

“Thanks.” He said, squeezing her tightly, and relishing the feeling of her in his arms before she spoke up.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” She insisted. “Want to get a bite?”

“Definitely.” He nodded, getting into the passenger seat, clad he had sprayed that extra bit of cologne before dipping out of the locker room. They didn’t eat anywhere special but at Mad Jack’s, a sports bar with a killer Italian burger and even better sweet potato fries.

“Just try it.” Anna insisted, holding up the “bull bites” she ordered, which ended up being pieces of deep fried rattlesnake.

“No thanks, I enjoy being alive. That will mess my system up.” He shook his head.

“Come on, one bite.” She waved it in his face.

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes, taking the small bite form her hand and popping it in his mouth. “Nope.” He muttered out before forcing himself to swallow. “Not again.” He shook his head.

“Oh, come on.” She laughed. “It’s not gross.”

“Too much for me.” He laughed, washing the taste out of his mouth with a big bite of his burger. A little chirp in Anna’s pocket caught his attention, especially when she reached into her pocket and silenced her phone without looking at it. “Cute sweatshirt by the way.” He complimented.

“Oh thanks!” She smiled excitedly. “I may or may not have mentioned to the woman on the Bruins catalog line that you were my neighbor… didn’t get a discount though…” She teased, making them both laugh. The phone chirped again.

“You can take that, you know.” Tyler insisted. “I don’t mind.”

“It’s not important, besides, that would be rude.” She insisted with a nice smile to know that he was just being polite.

Anna didn’t want to say that she was expecting to be bored at dinner with Tyler, but she was surprised at just how much fun she was having. For being a young guy, Tyler had immaculate manners and could tell a great story. When they reached her car to drive home, her phone began chirping incessantly and she finally caved, answering it.

“Hey, can I call you back in a little bit, I’m out with a friend.” She whispered in a hurry, piquing Tyler’s interest. “Okay, yep, bye.” She hung up, tossing the BlackBerry into her cup-holder. “Telemarketers.” She laughed, shaking her head.

“Right.” Tyler nodded, knowing better than to press the issue.

But who calls telemarketers back?