Without Doubt

Kari Lehtonen

I was running a few minutes behind, but it must have not been that bad as only a few guys had shown up at Holly’s apartment. After knocking for a few minutes, Holly opened the door with a small smile gracing her lips. She wore a black turtleneck and a pair of dark blue jeans, and mix-matching socks. Her hair was left down, curled to what I considered perfection. Clearing my throat, I held out the can of green beans that Bur had texted me to pick up. “Thanks for bringing them.”

Holly stepped back into the apartment, giving me space to walk in and close the door behind me. Feeling a surge of confidence, I called her name. Holly turned back to me, moving closer as I set the can down on the small table in the entryway. Not giving her a chance to be distracted, I slid my arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug. Even if she liked someone else, I still wanted her to be my friend. Her arms wrapped around my neck and I couldn’t help but hold her tighter. “I’m sorry for what I said the other day.”

She giggled before moving her head to face me. Holly had a smile on her face that I would forever etch into my memory, should I never get the opportunity to see it again. The surge came back, giving me the courage to lean in and kiss the corner of her mouth. Not innocent enough to be on the cheek, not suggestive enough to be on the lips. Reluctantly letting go of her, I grabbed the can and set it in her hands. She had a far off look in her eyes as she turned to go into the kitchen, and I couldn’t help but grin to no one.

~

“Yeah, sure, just head up the stairs. Second door will take you to the bathroom.”

Easier said than done with all of our teammates between me and the stairs, Holly. By the time I made it through, I wasn’t sure if it was worth it or not. Climbing up, the sound below instantly drowned out as I walked quietly through the second door. It was pitch black, but my fingers found the switch next to the door. Closing it behind me, I realized it was Holly’s bedroom. Surely she meant the first door, right?

Negatory, Kari, get a hold of yourself. There was a door on the far end leading to no doubt the bathroom, but it could wait. I couldn’t keep myself from looking around where she lived. There was a dresser on the wall opposite of her bed with a tv on it, a pile of laundry next to the bathroom door, and a nightstand next to her bed. There was a frame on it, but I had seen the picture a thousand times; it was of her and Bur when he took her with him over Christmas.

My eyes did a double take as I looked at the wall next to her bed. The notes I had sent her were taped up neatly, but my astonishment was quickly wiped off of my face as the door opened. Hoping I didn’t look guilty, Holly closed the door behind her and moved to stand beside me. “I was worried you had fallen in.”

“I did no such thing.” She laughed slightly, but her eyes were on all of the notes. I couldn’t place the look in her eyes, but it worried me.

“I’ve been getting these for a while, but I’m pretty sure it’s just Adam being a jerk.” I asked her why she thought that, because it tugged at my chest. Did she have any clue that it was me? “It started right after I told him something fairly personal. Besides, most of the guys are either married or have girlfriends. I think this knocks them off the list, yeah?”

Nodding silently, I watched her cross her arms. Maybe this was all a bad idea.

“Kari.” I jumped up, nearly knocking the skates off of the metal posts of Holly’s stall. My eyes were wide as Adam stood next to me laughing, looking at the rose I had just sat on the bench of her area. “If you don’t want me to tell her, you better have a good reason for doing all of this.”

Holly Luich

“You know who it is?” Adam rolled on his hotel bed in laughter, the crisp Colorado air obviously not giving him a headache. I couldn’t believe that he knew and wouldn’t tell me who it was. I had patched my friendship with Kari, but ever since that night I’d received a single rose every game day and it was started to get a little weird. The guys stopped making fun of me, but insisted on wearing these goofy smiles between each other. Something was up.

“I’m not going to tell you, either, because it’s pretty fun watching you squirm.” They only had two games left. The one tomorrow night against the Avs here in Denver, then they’d face the Wild in St. Paul. They had to win both games to clinch the eighth playoff berth. Considering we had won most of our previous twenty guys and were currently on a streak, it was insane. The pressure was monumental and a cup in Dallas was well over-due. “I don’t think he’d want me to tell you anyways. You’re a smart girl; you’ll figure it out.”

Throwing my pillow at him in frustration, I pulled a pair of socks onto my bare feet and grabbed the spare key before leaving the room. Glancing side to side, I saw a white post-in note and a pen taped to the door. What are you thinking?

Of course, add more confusion into the cup run mixture.

Grabbing the pen, I began to write on the mostly blank note. It was complicated to explain how I’d grown to trust the sender over the course of 4 months. Through the ups and downs, it had been the most consistent thing in my life, and I loved it. I wanted to tell them how it made me feel. It’s ridiculous to care about something without ever having met them, but it was how I felt. So I wrote that.

Kari Lehtonen

We won. There was only one game left, and it was a must win. We could do it.

Holly had attacked me in a hug when the final buzzer rang in the Pepsi Center shortly before the rest of the team dogpiled in front of the net, but it was worth it. She danced with Bur in the locker room, everyone high off of the win. However, a few people went to the small bar down the street, and Jamie had dragged Holly at my request. No questions asked.

I was starting to regret it because it was nearly twelve thirty and they still weren’t back yet. He was going to tell her tonight. The note she had written back both destroyed him and gave him hope. Maybe there was a chance. Yes, the games they were playing were childish, using notes and flowers, but seeing her smile when she saw the flower before games made his heart soar.

Holly Luich

Sliding the key into the door, there was one of the lights on, but I left it alone. I only drank a single beer, but Adam had quickly thrown himself at the bartender’s mercy, drinking whatever she had whipped up for him. He was obviously there for more than just the alcohol, though. Pulling my shoes off, I tossed them next to my suitcase before hopefully heading to my bed. Puling my phone out of my jeans, I put it on the charger next to the tv and straightened my turtleneck. It felt like it was freezing here in Colorado’s capital.

There was a Finn laying here, passed out cold, shoes tossed at the foot of the bed where he had no doubt slipped them off. Maybe it was staring at the ceiling that had put him out for the night, but who knew. Bur’s room card sat on the nightstand and I couldn’t help but let out a giggle. I’d had inappropriate thoughts about Kari before, sure, but it was something else entirely to have him at my fingertips.

Climbing up on the bed, I straddled his waist as I knew the alcohol was encouraging me. It was liquid courage, after all. His suit jacket wasn’t in sight, leaving him in the black button-up and tie he wore on occasion. Giggles were bursting to come out as I undid his tie and pulled it out of his collar. I wrapped it around my head and tightened it so the tail fell on my shoulder.

Kari groaned underneath me and I froze instantly, hoping he wouldn’t wake up. Luck wasn’t on my side as his hands drifted onto my upper thighs. My stomach dropped as the thought to run out crossed my mind. I could be out before he woke up. His fingers wrapped into my beltloops and he tugged roughly, making me blink. I needed out of here before he really did wake up.

There was a knock on the door at that moment and I don’t think I could have moved away any quicker. Practically running towards the door, I flung it open to reveal my roommate halfway making out with a girl and looking at the tie on my head. “Kari’s tie suits you. You should keep this look.”

Letting him in, I grabbed Kari’s room key off of the tv stand replaced my phone with his, and left.