A spotlight of my own

The smell of waffles and fruit circulated through the air and into my nose that Friday morning. I opened my eyes a little and noticed Bobby wasn’t next to me anymore, his side of the bed was made up as though a maid had done it. Instead of the chocolate the maids normally leave there was a note, obviously written by Bobby.

I didn’t feel like reading automatically, in case he said something like ‘I was drunk, sorry’, so I ate the waffles that were on the nightstand with milk. It was about 11 by the time I was done eating, I began showering and getting ready for my 6 o’clock game. I checked my phone that I had yet to touch since Wednesday morning when Jon and Pat called, 27 un-read messages and 8 missed calls. After reviewing who they were most were from Mom, Dad, Junior and Dom, Jon had called twice and left a text saying he and Pat would be back in Toronto today. Along with them I had a text from Miranda saying she would be at the game today because I was playing Jeff’s team.

I called Mom, Dad and Jon back getting voicemail for each and leaving different messages for Jon and the ‘rents. Before I could set the phone down Emerson was calling, I answered and told him he, Q and Ryan we’re welcome down if they wanted which of course he said yes.

I realized I hadn’t read the note yet and figured it was time, I fixed my covers up and placed my plates outside my door and sat back down on my bed. Bobby had folded the note over and drew a smiley on the back, ‘how cute’ I thought as I started reading it…

‘Good morning beautiful, I had to leave early cause my buddies wanted to play a little golf. I got your breakfast, hope you like waffles! I guess ill be seein you at the rink today, ill call you around 4 to make sure your awake, thanks for yesterday, it was A LOT of fun ;) ps- your beautiful when you sleep! And thanks to you I have to think of an excuse for your mark :)’

In that moment I realized the league wasn’t as bad as BC.

45 minutes later the Ryan, Q and Emmy showed up with knee hockey stuff claiming that my floor was so spacious and that it would be the ultimate knee hockey floor. I went along with it when normally I would of walked away.

For a solid hour me and Q teamed up against Ryan and Emmy and shut shit down as Q said. Bobby was right on time with his call too, Emerson answered it saying we were in the world cup of knee hockey which I guess gave Bobby a laugh, They then proceeded to talk for a while about California, Emerson and Bobby had both grown-up playing in Cali and knew each other through it. Q, Ryan and I shoved our faces with the box of Zebra Cakes they had brought while they talked. We resumed playing till 4 when the boys departed for their rooms.

That day we would be play Ryan and Q’s team, the team that on Tuesday was talking about me on the bench, it must have been Jeff.

We all met up again in the lobby and got our cab, I tried reasoning that walking would take less time but they had to carry their bags and sticks. It was 5:30 by the time we got to the rink which meant I wouldn’t have time to go find Mike, I’d just have to get him after.

I found Bobby on the ice as I was walking toward my locker room and gave him a wave, he returned it and pointed at his neck, I laughed and stuck out my tongue. All of a sudden Milan turned around from the face-off and gave me what I would consider a death stare. ‘Cute, real cute’ I thought as I shook my head and entered my room.

Minutes later as I was taking off my shirt there was a knock at the door and it was pushed open revealing Pat and Jon.

“Hiiiiii!” Pat yelled as I screamed, they were lucky I had already changed my shorts in for my jill. “Shit sorry Shauna!” Jon put his hands over Pat’s eyes and closed his own.
“Want us to come back in a minute?” Jon asked as I started laughing.

“No, No, I’m done, You two just scarred me.” Jon opened his eyes and raised his eye brow at my half naked body before releasing his hands from Pat’s eyes.

“You have better abs then anyone here.” Pat said with his mouth open before Jon closed it with his hand, “Just sayin’”

“Thanks, I guess?” I begun putting my knee pads on, “I would hug you guys but I need to get dressed, take a seat!” I pointed toward the empty bench facing myself. Both boys sat down and Jon handed me the clear tape I was looking through my bag for.

“So any NHL Gm’s talk to you yet?” Jon asked as he starred directly at me.

“Nope,” I said lowering my head.

“Seriously? By tomorrow they will don’t worry.”

“Think so?” I asked getting up, placing my chest protector over my head and onto my shoulders.

“Um Shauna all the guys are talking about you, you’re better then Taylor and Tyler.”

“Taylor and Tyler?” I put my jersey on and heard the buzzer go off signaling the end of the game.

“Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, you play them today, kick their asses!” Tyler Seguin, No way? I needed to find him.

“Ohhhh, Okay! You guys better be watching, wait do you have to go back to Chicago tomorrow?”

“Nope Philly, Hey if we play again in Chicago want to come? It’d be Monday, game 7 of the Stanley Cup!” I had only been to one NHL game in my life, The Sabres and I remember there just be a lot of fights but whatever I wanted to cheer Pat and Jon, Maybe see them hoist the cup, they deserved it.

“Sure!”

“Alrighty after the game I’ll give you ticket, You better be wearing my jersey.” Jon winked and hit Pat playfully.

“Not fair bro, I’ve known Shauna longer, I get you a plane ticket though.” Pat nodded toward before returning Jon’s hit. With that the two boys left leaving me in peace for a solid 2 minutes before Mike was done doing the ice. ‘Game-time’ I thought as I left my room and entered the ice before anyone. My team, with Emerson leading the way, walked out of their locker room 3 seconds later. A chorus of ‘What up Shauna’ ‘Yo Shauna-y’ ‘Let’s kill em Shauna’ echoed as the guys greeted me one the ice, each of them giving me a fist bump.

I only knew Emerson’s name on the team, They never really introduced themselves to me but it was fine. As long as they passed me the puck and weren’t little Boston College/Milan Lucic assholes I was content.

Mid-way through the 1st I saw Miranda down by the glass waving at me before my face-off, I of course waved back and felt a set of eyes on me. I turned back to see Jeff and Tyler smirking at me. They hadn’t aged much and Jeff still had his adorable dimples.

“Hi Shauna,” Jeff said as he leaned down into the face-off circle, Tyler was set as the right wing, going against Emerson.

“Jeff!” I screeched as I pushed the ref out of the way and hugged him, “It’s been so long!”

“I know! Miranda said she met you!” He let go of my embrace and took a stride back.

“Can I drop the puck or?” The ref interrupted. Jeff and I nodded and laughed but when the puck was dropped I won it.

The rest of the game went my teams way, I scored 2 goals and we ended up winning 5-2 Tyler scored for their team and so did the Taylor guys my Blackhawk boys had mentioned.

Bobby was waiting for me by the rink and grabbed a hold of me the minute I got of the ice, leading me to the locker room. The door closed and he lifted my helmet off and kissed my forehead. I smiled and shook my head while sitting down, exhausted was an under-statement.

“This probably looked so sketchy ,” He said as he took my stick, placing it on the wall and opening the door, “I’ll see you in the lobby.”

10 minutes later I was done getting un-dressed and had slipped into my shorts and Boston College t-shirt. I checked my phone before heading out back into the lobby, Pat had texted me telling me he and Jon had left but gave Emerson my plane tickets. Dad had also texted me saying he would have a surprise for me at home, a Jeno family surprise, sweet!

Miranda caught my eye the second I entered the lobby and flagged me over to where she was standing. Around her were about 5 guys including Jeff with his arm on her shoulder.

“Hi Shauna!” She giggled as Jeff squeezed her hand and she nudged him toward me, “Hey.”

“Hi Miranda, Jeff.”

Jeff, Miranda and I walked away from the group and continued chatting about random things for a good 30 minutes. Jeff left at one point to use the bathroom leaving Miranda and I to talk about girly things and we decided at some point this summer we’d have to go to a Jays game.

Throughout my years I had grown a love for baseball, it started the summer after my first year at Shattuck, My mom had brought me to a Buffalo Bisons game and I feel in love with it. The sport was relaxing and it was nice to watch it without getting caught up in the winning and losing part like we did with hockey and football. It always was a time for Junior, Dom and I to ‘chill’ as they called it.

Jeff came back and we talked about Los Angeles and the up-coming draft, Miranda would not be going because she had a tournament in Boston that weekend. Miranda as Jeff said, Had gotten into Toronto-U because of her hockey, something she decided not to tell when we met.

I left shortly after 9 by the time Jeff and Miranda said they had to leave, I hugged them both and exchanged numbers with Jeff before sending them off. They left holding hands and it was obvious Jeff didn’t remember how he felt about me back when we were babies, which was completely fine with me.

Bobby was still down in the lobby when I came down from the restaurant/viewing area I was in with Jeff and Miranda.

“Took you long enough,” He chuckled as he grabbed a hold of my waist and kissed my neck. “Emerson gave me these and told me to tell you they were from Pat Kane and Jon Toews.”

He held out the tickets and wagged them in my face, “You’re not even in the league and you already have us all falling for you.”

I smiled and laughed while he took out his car keys and led me outside, “No ride home I’m guessing?”

“Correct, but I’ll walk. It’s fine.” I said while trying to give him a hug before being pushed back.

“No absolutely not, in my car now.” I shook my head and followed him like a wounded puppy.

We drove for 5 minutes getting back to the hotel around 10. I was hoping the whole way back to the hotel he’d ask to stay but he never did, I didn’t want to sleep alone, not after last night.

He led me to my door and turned me so my back was leaning on it, He began kissing my neck and rubbing his hands down my sides and under my shirt, I couldn’t help but enjoy it.

“Stay?” I whispered as he removed his lips from my neck and starred into my eyes.

“You sure?” Of course I was, He was so cute and nice.

I replied by opening my door and wrapping my arms around his neck, dragging him into the dark.

We pressed against each other and fell onto the bed, me lading on top. He slid his hands under my shirt and I placed my hands on his hips. He stayed like that for what seemed like a second, but in reality was 20 minutes before he removed my shirt and pushed me off so he was on top.

His kisses sent electric bolts through my whole body, and his touch made me melt. I didn’t know if that was what love felt like but it was better then anything. I wanted to stay with him for forever but I knew that wouldn’t happen, this was just a ‘fling’, by Sunday we’d have to say good-bye to each other.

Bobby began pushing my shorts down as I did the same, he had removed his shirt 20 minutes earlier.
His body was perfect, He might not of had 6 pack abs but he made up for it in other areas, if you catch my drift. It also helped that his eyes were the color of the gulf.

He moved his lips from mine to my shoulder, I moaned and shut my eyes, moving my hand from his waist to his manhood.

“This is what you want?” He asked in a low rumble while un-latching my bra, “Yes.” I answered before pushing my lips to his.

We removed each others clothes and breathed into each other ears. His hands dropped from my waist to my inner thighs as he pushed me up so my neck was leaning on the wooden head-set.

“I don’t want to hurt you Shauna.” He whispered as he looked into my eyes and frowned.

“You won’t,” I placed my hands in his hair and toyed with it.

“Tell me to stop,” His lips went straight to my belly and his finger entered where none had been before. He moved it around and I began moaning, it didn’t hurt, instead it felt great. He then pushed a 2nd and 3rd fingers in and moved his lips up to my neck while pushing. He stayed like this for a while, exploring me as I lay motion-less letting him do whatever he wanted, he then brought his lips to where his fingers had been and pushed his tongue inside and grabbed my hips with his hands. Bobby let out a moan and bit my inner-thigh before pulling himself up so that our fore-heads were touching.

“Ready?” He asked and I nodded.

He pushed my hips down and himself inside me and began thrusting. He moved in unison and kissed more passionately the before, He grabbed and snatched at my hips, I was speechless. It hurt more then anything but felt so good. I wanted him more and more every second. I let out a scream as he pushed as far in as he could and he too let out a groan. My arms were slinked under his and my hands were scratching at his back.

We flip-flopped later in the night with me on top, sucking on his neck and biting whenever he pushed too far. It was perfect though, It was ecstasy to the ultimate degree.

He started slowing down hours later and finally removed himself as I fell off of him on to the other side of the bed. I starred at the ceiling for minutes trying to catch my breath, we were both sweating and heavy breathing even though I doubt it was his first time.

I took a peak at the clock as it read 3:23 am, shit… I needed to catch some Z’s. Bobby must have been reading my mind because he turned towards me and pulled the blanket out from underneath us.

“Night time.” He said as he leaned over me and nibbled at my ear.

We feel asleep naked and spooning, I was to lazy and tired to get up after our moment and put my clothes back on so I curled up next to him, ‘hopefully tomorrow won’t be awkward.’ I thought to myself.

It was 11 am when I smelled the waffle smell again. I sat up and stretched out and yawned, keeping the blanket close to my body.

“Good morning sun-shine!” Bobby said as he appeared with a toothbrush in his mouth and a towel around his waist. He had yet to get to his hair yet to because it looked beyond screwed up.

“Nice hair.” I smirked as his disappeared again, I used the opportunity to get my clothes on, thankfully I had my suitcase next to me on the floor. I decided on a neon pink wife-beater and black soffe shorts, I pulled my hair back and put it into a ponytail before heading into the bathroom where Bobby was.

I snuck up behind him an warped my arms around his waist and placed my head between his shoulder and head.

“looking good.”

He laughed and shook his head as he gelled his hair up into a faux-hawk type thing. He flipped around and hopped onto the sink so that he was facing me and pulled me into his chest.

“Don’t leave me for Jon and Pat please.”

It was my turn to laugh, I pulled away and shook my head with a smile before entering our bed area again and flipped on the TV to Toronto Sports Network.

The first headline caught my attention the most, “Shauna Jeno to the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins or Chicago Blackhawks?”

It would be a dream come true if Buffalo took me, Not only was it my home-town but I had grown up a Sabre fan. The French connection to the No-Goal, all those memories were engraved into my head. Even if my parents weren’t huge hockey fans we’d go to Sabre games and have family dinner watching them on TV. Then once I joined hockey we started going to even games, I’d meet players, coaches, owners, everyone because of my dad.

Pittsburgh on the other hand would be hell. I hated Pennsylvania sports more then anything. If you lived in Buffalo you hated them, Not only the Penguins but the Steelers and Pirates. It’s just how it was. The Penguins, as my father always ranted, would suck for years just to get 2 really good draft picks. Also the Pennsylvanian people had met at tournaments and hockey games weren’t nice, most of them were cocky arrogant fools. I had no desire to play for the city I hated, I’d rather go un-drafted then play there.

The second headline that came up said, “Girl hockey player tearing up ice, next gretz?”

No, flat out no. I did not need this kind of pressure and it honestly pissed me off that people on TSN were even putting me and the great one in the same sentence. I wasn’t dumb or that conceited, I knew I was no where near as good as Gretz and never would be, no one would be. He made hockey what it was and is and no one could ever touch his immortality.

Bobby and I ate breakfast like an old couple, I continued watching the TV while he sat beside me reading the news paper while rocking reading glasses on the bed we had yet to make up.

We spent a quality amount of the day driving around Toronto, Me showing him the sights and stopping at scenic places. Bobby’s favorite ended up being the Eaton Centre, where he bought me clothes while ignoring my refusal, and the Zoo. For such a tough guy on the ice he was obsessed with watching the penguins exhibit.

At one point while watching the penguins Bobby tapped on the glass by a huge flock of them, sending them all into fits. One of them, the ‘ass-hole’ as Bobby put it turned toward Bobby and I, tilted his head and threw up on the glass. I fell back laughing, thank god no one else was there at that time, and Bobby just starred at it confused. The bird starred back and again tilted its head and waddled over to the glass and began pecking at it. Bobby answered my taping on the glass again, it seemed the two had some sort of communication I couldn’t see then the bird stopped. The way it stopped was scary, it abruptly pulled back and stood like a statue giving off almost an anger vibe toward Bobby. Bobby also moved back and turned his head toward, raising his hands in a shrug before moving back toward me. The penguin then flapped it wings and began kicking at the glass. Bobby, being as freaked out as he was, staring running toward the exit, I walked over normally while dying from laughter. The penguin obviously had a crush on Bobby.

We walked along the Lake Ontario beach after leaving the Zoo till 6 when we both had to head to the rink. We do however share a few kisses along the way and signed a couple autographs for fans. It was weird to me to be noticed in public but I guess after meeting Marissa at Nationals I had been noticed a lot more, it was never really going to set in for me.

The rink was busier today then any other day, I guess fans had watched TSN yesterday and now were showing up by the thousands rather then 100’s.

“You ready?” Bobby asked as he pulled up into a park spot.

“I-I-I Don’t know,” I fumbled with my words while looking out at the masses of people.

“Don’t worry about them, they’re not going to hurt you, all they want is an autograph.” Bobby cupped my chin in his hands and kissed me gently. He got out of the car and walked over to my side, opening my door and grabbing my hand like limo drivers do with celebrities then it started.

I was blinded by the flashes of cameras and everyone screaming our names, it was like we were rock stars.

“Bobby Ryan! I love you!”

“Shauna you’re my idol!”

“Shauna! Bobby! Shauna! Bobby!”

Bobby grabbed a hold of my hand and hid me underneath his tall stature.

“Hi guys, excuse me, pardon me” We walked through the group of people and into the rink without getting killed thank god but I was still so shocked and frighten even when we were in the comforts of York CanLan.

Bobby led me through the lobby and into the rink where my locker room was, He found Mike and had him open the door, Mike gave me a sympathetic look, he knew I hated screaming and loud things.

“Take care of her” I heard Mike say as he gave Bobby the key.

I sat down on my bench, wide-eyed and forming tears. I know those people were happy for me but I didn’t want that, I didn’t want people yelling for me and cheering because along with cheering came harsh opinions.

“Shauna… Are you okay?” Bobby asked as he sat down next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I shook my head and looked up meeting his gaze, He had a smile plastered on his face but in his eyes were a sad look, almost the same as Mike’s.

“Tell me what’s wrong… you can trust me.” He pressed his head into my shoulder and squeezed my hand.

“I don’t want fans. I don’t want this.” I started sobbing and squeezed his hand back.

He stood up and shook his head, bent down in front of me and placed his palms on my knees. “Don’t say that… I know what you’re thinking, ‘Fans equal Haters’ not true. Don’t let them push you down. Shauna… you’re good enough. You’re too good.”

I looked into his eyes and saw something flicker, he was telling the truth. I half smiled at him and looked back up at ceiling, maybe he was right.

“You know I’m right,” Damn he was good, “You’re afraid of failure.” I nodded and frowned, Bobby smiled at me.

“Why are you smiling?” He laughed and opened the door to the rink, “Just get dressed and kick ass, this is your last game and I want to actually be able to see my girl play.”

Emerson knocked on my door when the zamboni was off and yet again the team greeted me with hugs and cheers, I was starting to regret my decision of not actually learning their names. I knew what they all looked like and would wave at them and say hi whenever I saw them at the hotel or lobby but it really was awkward not knowing who they actually were.

That Saturday’s game was just inter-squad and the team had decided to split me and Emerson up. I played with Tom Kühnhackl, who was from somewhere across the pond and Mark Pysyk, a Canadian, go figure.

Tom and I worked just as well, if not better, the me and Em, Mark on the other hand was a bit slower then us and just stayed in the high slot the whole game. Our line would talk about our youth years whenever we’d come back to the bench. Tom has just come over this past month to get drafted while Mark had been playing in a major junior league team out of Edmonton.

The boys weren’t that surprised to hear I played at Shattuck and for-went my senior year to head off to Boston College early. To them it was normal to leave high school early and it happened all the time in Canada and Europe.

We beat the other half of our team 6-3 with Emerson only getting an assist. After the game we all lined up and took pictures with ‘The Golden Water Bottle’ the boys had called it. The water bottle was really just an old beer can we found behind the bench but we pretended it was the holy grail.
After our team picture we took photos with each other and me and Tom went around photo-bombing everyone else. Eventually the guys caught on and just waited till we moved on. One of the defense players, Erik Gudbranson told me that he would drag me into their locker room if I didn’t follow the boys into it. I agreed and Mike started shooing us of the ice.

“Well well well finally the lady joins us!” One of the guys lifted me up and spun me around.

The guys all cheered and starting opening the bottles of sparkling grape juice someone had brought. Then all of a sudden Emerson burst through the door with the beer can and did a Tarzan type yell that brought out another round of cheers I joined in.

I stayed in the locker room for a half hour cheering, and drinking with the guys and giving them my number. I would defiantly be keeping in touch with these boys, how could I not? I had also started to learn their names in the last game and our locker room celebration.

It was 9 when I headed back into my own locker-room. Bobby came in when I was about half way done getting dressed, with just my pants, knee pads, socks and skates on.

“Ay-O!” He yelled when he saw all I was wearing was a sports bra. “Need help?” He asked when he saw I was struggling with my skates. I didn’t have time to answer before he was down in front of my prying my skate of like a dad does to their little kid.

I changed out of my gear and clothes and freshened up in the shower before heading out to spend the rest of the night with Bobby.

He introduced me to a few of his teammates when we got into the lobby, Ryan Getzlaf and something Sbisa, they seemed nice but I didn’t want to stick around and chat so Bobby and I left. We decided earlier in the day that we would just go back to the hotel and snuggle with each other for our last night together, maybe watch a scary movie.

As soon as we got back Bobby ordered Hawaiian, we both shared a love for it, and I called my parents before hopping in the shower.

“Having fun Shauna?” My mom asked with a tired tone.

“Yeah, did I wake you? Sorry.”

“Yes, it’s fine darling, Junior and Dom wanted me to tell you hello, will you be home tomorrow?”

I smiled at the image of my brothers standing in front of Ralph Wilson Stadium with their arms hanging around each others shoulders and me standing off to the side licking an ice cream cone. My dad was being honored at one of the Bills home games so we made a family trip to Orchard Park to see the Bills. That was back before Junior had started high school and I was just beginning my hockey career, times were never to be that easy again.

“They’ll be home tomorrow right? Yes I will, I plan on leaving Toronto by 3, so I’ll be home at 6 by the latest. Dad said I would have a surprise waiting?”

“Yes, okay call us when your at the border… possibly, good night Shauna! Have fun tomorrow!” And with that my Mom hung-up. I hope the surprise wasn’t bad, it was weird they weren’t telling me.

Bobby had snuck out while I was talking and picked up the pizza with our drinks. My stomach starting growling the minute I smelt it and I immediately hopped over to the couch to eat. I devoured 3 pieces in about 2minutes and chugged half a liter of pepsi, Bobby looked at me with his mouth open in ‘awh’.

“Uhh, hungry much?”

I laughed and threw a pillow at him before jumping back over to my bed. He went back to eating and ordering a movie, The Haunting in Connecticut, he had chosen.

Just as Bobby jumped into bed and flicked off the lights my phone went off, He got up and threw it at me while grabbing another slice of pizza for us to split .

‘From Jon T ;

We’re headed back to Chicago Monday, be there or… ill come back to Buffalo with Kane.’

I laughed and replied back saying I’d be there and he would have to be at the airport to greet me seeing as though I didn’t know anything about Chicago directions. He threat of coming back to Buffalo didn’t really scare me in fact I was expecting him to come visit me and Kane in Buffalo.

“I never asked you this but how do you know Pat and Jon?” Bobby asked as he flipped over and pulled me into his body.

“I know Jon from Shattuck, my first year there was his senior year. Patty and I played on a Buffalo team together for a year. Pretty exciting I know.”

“So you played with Crosby and Jack?” Bobby looked down at me with the cutest smile.

“Ahhh yeah, come to think of it I did. I wasn’t as close with them as I was with Jon but yeah. How do you know them?” I think shook my head, of course Bobby knew them because he played against them for god sake. “Never mind, blonde moment.”

He laughed and answered anyway, “Well we play against each other but Kaner was on my Olympic team this past winter. Tazer was on Canada.”

“Ohhhh, I wish I wasn’t at BC, I could have been there in the women’s division.” I frowned and took a swig of my ever-descending amount of Pepsi. Bobby smiled and kissed me collar bone before turning the movie on.

2 hours later I was shaking in my bed with Bobby holding me as tightly as possible.

“Jesus Shauna, What’s wrong?” He kissed the top of my forehead and turned on the TV so the room was lit up. I shook my head and he pulled me into his chest tighter. “Come on…” He whispered.

“I’m afraid like you said.”

He kissed my head again and switched the volume on the TV up. TSN was talking about me… again.

“She’s impressed us… not just us as an organization but the entire league. She’s going to go far, probably be drafted in the top 5. Her size defiantly doesn’t effect her game either..”

The sports casters talked for another 15 minutes about me with team owners, current NHLers and other big-name’s in the league. All of them repeated the same thing over and over, ‘She’s an NHLer already.’

“See?” He smiled and turned off the TV leaving the room pitch black.

I smiled back and fell asleep to his heartbeat. I wish this wouldn’t end but as Nelly Furtado’s song goes, “All good things come to an end.”
I woke up first that Sunday morning at 6:15, packing always took me way too long, I didn’t like letting go of good times. I tried to be quiet but it didn’t work Bobby woke up 15 minutes later to be dropping my straightner on the marble bathroom floor.

There was a mellow feeling throughout the room the whole morning, I knew, and I’m sure he did too, that it would be our last for a while. He’d be heading back to Anaheim until the Draft/NHL awards, which he had already invited me to be his date to, and I’d be going home for the summer, finally.

That year went on forever, starting school in august, hockey in September and not going home for breaks. Now it seemed Boston College was a distant memory, it didn’t feel like our last game was only a month before but it was.

Bobby had ordered room service without my knowing for breakfast thank god and by the time I was done packing we sat down on the bed to eat pancakes and fruit. That was defiantly something I was would miss about the Prospects week, good food, Momma Jeno wasn’t the most talented chef.

“So the meeting for you prospects is at 2 and it normally runs for an hour, are you leaving right then?” Bobby asked without eye contact.

“Yeah, that’s what I told my mom, what time does your plane leave?” I wish I could of jumped on the plane with him, or stuffed him in my trunk.

“4:20, I’m meeting Getzlaf at the terminal around 3:30,” He took a long pause before cupping his hands around my face, “Come to California. Maybe not today but soon. This has been some of the best days I ever had, with you.”

I blushed and pulled him in for a hug while kissing his cheek, “I will, promise. I would have to say the same Mr. Ryan.” I smacked his arm playfully before wiggling out of his grip.

We spent the next hour laying down and cuddling, attempting to soak up the little time we had together before we headed to the lobby to check me out. Bobby had made Getzlaf check him out yesterday night when he told him he wasn’t returning so we headed straight the rink.

There wasn’t any skating on the last day of the showcase, just us Prospects being squished into a room for an hour. Bobby and the rest of the veterans, only 4 had shown up today, Bobby, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Getzlaf and some other guy on Bobby’s team.

Inside the conference room Emerson, Q, Ryan and I all sat next to each other in the back while Jeff and Tyler sat in the front. Mr.Bettman talked for a good 45 minutes about the code of conduct, NHL draft and how our plane tickets, hotel reservations and everything would be in our mail in about a week. The last 15 minutes were spent with random coaches coming in and introducing themselves to us and wishing us the best.

At 3 o’clock we were dismissed, I bid my goodbyes to the 3 boys and told them to keep in touch, we were all heading separate ways but would be seeing each other at the Draft thank god. I had grown close to Q and Ryan that week and considered them good friends now and they said they felt the same and if I ever needed to talk they were open.

Bobby and I walked out to the back of the rink were I had parked my car, tears were forming as I walked. I didn’t want to leave him, especially after our moment together. Thinking of that made me realize just how dumb I was, sure I liked Bobby but I knew I didn’t love him, not yet. I had wasted that one moment on a man who was just going to leave a couple days later to head back to his own life. It was all my fault too, Bobby had asked me if I wanted to multiple times and in the rush of the moment I kept saying yes, what had gotten into me.

“Well, I hate this.” Bobby said stopping at my car and pulling me into his chest. He let out a sigh and kissed my forehead while opening my door.

“I’m not getting in yet.”

He smiled and pulled me into the most passionate kiss we had had. We stood there in each other’s embrace for a few minutes before I backed out.

“Will you call me when you land?”

“Of course. I’ll call you every morning, every night. Just because we’ll be on other coasts doesn’t mean shit.” He kissed me again and I sat into my seat pulling the door closed and lowering the window. He leaned into my window and cupped my face.

“Goodbye Shauna.” He smiled and tapped the back window sending me off.

I put my aviators to hide my tears and blasted the local pop radio station. I was heading home to Buffalo with the biggest secret of my life and looming decision about my future as a hockey player.