Sequel: Raising Baby ›
A Birthday Wish
One Long Trip
On the way to the airport, Sid made an announcement about the trip, “With all of your packing confusion, I forgot to mention that Jordan decided to go home to Thunder Bay, instead of flying with us to visit Eric for a few days.”
Erin knew that Jordan wasn’t right for Brittany, so she was relieved to hear that. She didn’t know what Jordan would do, but he probably would have hit on Brittany, so it was now one less worry for Erin. No one even knew why Jordan wanted to tagalong at the Team Canada reunion. He probably would have been babysitting the whole time.
Brittany didn’t seem bothered by the news. She had met Jordan a few times, and while he did try to coax her into a few dates, she just wanted to be friends with him. He was a nice guy to talk to, so if she did find herself in his company, they usually just had coffee and talked about things. Most of those things involved North Carolina because Jordan’s oldest brother, Eric, played for the Hurricanes, and Brittany didn’t live too far from their arena. It was nice to have something in common with someone, and she did like that he was friendly about everything.
Still, she did find herself needing to tell him that she wasn’t interested in him. After knowing him a few months, he started to get the picture, but he always wanted to try. Knowing that he wouldn’t be on the trip relaxed her. She wouldn’t have to worry about him getting jealous if she did meet a southern guy or anyone else.
* * *
When the private jet finally landed in Raleigh, Sid, Erin, and Brittany needed to stretch their legs. It wasn’t a long flight, but they felt a bit tired and knew that they still had a long drive to get to Wrightsville Beach. The girls really weren’t up for the drive, but Sid thought it would be a good way to see some of the country. But they really weren’t going to complain. He did pay for a limousine to shuttle them from Raleigh to Wrightsville Beach.
They all waited as someone gathered their bags from the plane and placed them in the trunk. Sid handed the young man a twenty-dollar bill, and he told his wife and her best friend to get in the limo. Once in the limo, he told them that he was a bit hungry, and asked if they would rather get a snack or actually go to a restaurant.
Erin moved herself so she could lie down on the seat. She adjusted herself a bit more so she could rest her head on Sid’s lap. “I don’t really care what we do, honey.”
“I don’t care isn’t an answer,” Sid said as he started to play with the strands of Erin’s golden hair.
“I don’t know about you guys, but it is a long drive, so maybe coffee and some snacks would be better,” Brittany said eagerly. It was very clear that she was excited for this vacation. She was in her home state, and she knew how the people acted. She could do all the talking and people wouldn’t think of her as a lame tourist. It was her opportunity to show her friend Erin everything that she wanted, just as Erin did for her in Pittsburgh.
“I’ll take your advice, Britt,” Sid said as Erin had already fallen asleep on top of him. He pulled her a little closer, and told the driver to find the nearest coffee shop that he could find.
About ten minutes later, the limo pulled into a Starbucks. Sid looked at Brittany, “Is this okay with you? I know Erin isn’t a fan of Starbucks, but she can deal.”
“Yeah, it’s fine with me. Do you want me to go in and get it so you don’t bother her?”
“No. I’ll just send the driver in.”
Sid grabbed the attention of the driver and asked if he would go in and grab some coffee cake and any other pastries that look good. He also told him what kind of drinks to get and told the driver that anything he might want would be fine, too. Sid handed him a fifty-dollar bill and told him to keep whatever was left for doing the favor.
“Sir, that is too much.”
“Please, I insist.”
“Thank you. I’ll be out as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. We aren’t in a big rush. And please get yourself something in there.”
Brittany admired how kind Sid was to total strangers. However, she felt a little weird just sitting in the limo with him, especially with Erin being asleep.
“I’ll wake her up when he gets back. She does love those frozen drinks, and I can’t see her missing out on it.”
Brittany chuckled. A few minutes later, the driver came back, handed them the goodies, and they began their journey to Wrightsville Beach. Sid tapped Erin’s shoulder until she woke up. He handed her a drink, and he laughed at the line that his clothing had created on her face. Even Brittany laughed at the red mark.
* * *
Later that evening, the three arrived in Wrightsville Beach to find that most of Team Canada was already there. Eric Staal walked up to Sid and asked why they were late, and Sid pointed at Erin.
“The blonde? She’s your wife?”
“Yeah. That’s her.”
“And the brunette is the one that my brother told me about, right? She’s dating Letang.”
“Dated. They just broke up. That’s why she’s here. Erin didn’t want her to be sad, and she’s from around here, so it just made sense to bring her. Besides, she’s Erin’s best friend. I couldn’t say no,” Sid whispered. “Now if you don’t mind, I want to check in and get settled before we go to dinner. The girls are staying here, right?”
“Yeah. Some of the other wives and girlfriends are going to dinner themselves, but it’s not like anyone has to go or anything.”
“Okay. Those two will probably figure something else out on their own.”
“That’s fine. So, can I introduce them to some of the others while you go and check in?”
“Yeah. Just a fair warning. Erin really wants Britt to meet someone, so don’t let them linger with any of the guys too long. I don’t want any problems.”
“Problems? I already see one,” Eric pointed at one of the players from the Team Canada’s gold medal winning team.
“Well shit. Oh well. The rule was just let her be herself. Just keep Erin away from it. She loves to play matchmaker, and she feels like she owes Britt for us.”
“What,” Eric asked.
“It’s a long story, but Britt and Erin went to a game together, and Britt thought it would be a good idea to push Erin on the icy parking lot, and she kind of fell into my arms.”
“You lucky bastard.”
“Shut up,” Sid said with a smile on his face. He knew he was lucky for that event, but he didn’t want to brag about it all the time. Sid walked away from Eric and hoped that Erin would not get Brittany mixed up with the young man who was already captivated by Brittany’s smile. But then again, it could work out. He didn’t know why he didn’t think of the match already.
Erin knew that Jordan wasn’t right for Brittany, so she was relieved to hear that. She didn’t know what Jordan would do, but he probably would have hit on Brittany, so it was now one less worry for Erin. No one even knew why Jordan wanted to tagalong at the Team Canada reunion. He probably would have been babysitting the whole time.
Brittany didn’t seem bothered by the news. She had met Jordan a few times, and while he did try to coax her into a few dates, she just wanted to be friends with him. He was a nice guy to talk to, so if she did find herself in his company, they usually just had coffee and talked about things. Most of those things involved North Carolina because Jordan’s oldest brother, Eric, played for the Hurricanes, and Brittany didn’t live too far from their arena. It was nice to have something in common with someone, and she did like that he was friendly about everything.
Still, she did find herself needing to tell him that she wasn’t interested in him. After knowing him a few months, he started to get the picture, but he always wanted to try. Knowing that he wouldn’t be on the trip relaxed her. She wouldn’t have to worry about him getting jealous if she did meet a southern guy or anyone else.
* * *
When the private jet finally landed in Raleigh, Sid, Erin, and Brittany needed to stretch their legs. It wasn’t a long flight, but they felt a bit tired and knew that they still had a long drive to get to Wrightsville Beach. The girls really weren’t up for the drive, but Sid thought it would be a good way to see some of the country. But they really weren’t going to complain. He did pay for a limousine to shuttle them from Raleigh to Wrightsville Beach.
They all waited as someone gathered their bags from the plane and placed them in the trunk. Sid handed the young man a twenty-dollar bill, and he told his wife and her best friend to get in the limo. Once in the limo, he told them that he was a bit hungry, and asked if they would rather get a snack or actually go to a restaurant.
Erin moved herself so she could lie down on the seat. She adjusted herself a bit more so she could rest her head on Sid’s lap. “I don’t really care what we do, honey.”
“I don’t care isn’t an answer,” Sid said as he started to play with the strands of Erin’s golden hair.
“I don’t know about you guys, but it is a long drive, so maybe coffee and some snacks would be better,” Brittany said eagerly. It was very clear that she was excited for this vacation. She was in her home state, and she knew how the people acted. She could do all the talking and people wouldn’t think of her as a lame tourist. It was her opportunity to show her friend Erin everything that she wanted, just as Erin did for her in Pittsburgh.
“I’ll take your advice, Britt,” Sid said as Erin had already fallen asleep on top of him. He pulled her a little closer, and told the driver to find the nearest coffee shop that he could find.
About ten minutes later, the limo pulled into a Starbucks. Sid looked at Brittany, “Is this okay with you? I know Erin isn’t a fan of Starbucks, but she can deal.”
“Yeah, it’s fine with me. Do you want me to go in and get it so you don’t bother her?”
“No. I’ll just send the driver in.”
Sid grabbed the attention of the driver and asked if he would go in and grab some coffee cake and any other pastries that look good. He also told him what kind of drinks to get and told the driver that anything he might want would be fine, too. Sid handed him a fifty-dollar bill and told him to keep whatever was left for doing the favor.
“Sir, that is too much.”
“Please, I insist.”
“Thank you. I’ll be out as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. We aren’t in a big rush. And please get yourself something in there.”
Brittany admired how kind Sid was to total strangers. However, she felt a little weird just sitting in the limo with him, especially with Erin being asleep.
“I’ll wake her up when he gets back. She does love those frozen drinks, and I can’t see her missing out on it.”
Brittany chuckled. A few minutes later, the driver came back, handed them the goodies, and they began their journey to Wrightsville Beach. Sid tapped Erin’s shoulder until she woke up. He handed her a drink, and he laughed at the line that his clothing had created on her face. Even Brittany laughed at the red mark.
* * *
Later that evening, the three arrived in Wrightsville Beach to find that most of Team Canada was already there. Eric Staal walked up to Sid and asked why they were late, and Sid pointed at Erin.
“The blonde? She’s your wife?”
“Yeah. That’s her.”
“And the brunette is the one that my brother told me about, right? She’s dating Letang.”
“Dated. They just broke up. That’s why she’s here. Erin didn’t want her to be sad, and she’s from around here, so it just made sense to bring her. Besides, she’s Erin’s best friend. I couldn’t say no,” Sid whispered. “Now if you don’t mind, I want to check in and get settled before we go to dinner. The girls are staying here, right?”
“Yeah. Some of the other wives and girlfriends are going to dinner themselves, but it’s not like anyone has to go or anything.”
“Okay. Those two will probably figure something else out on their own.”
“That’s fine. So, can I introduce them to some of the others while you go and check in?”
“Yeah. Just a fair warning. Erin really wants Britt to meet someone, so don’t let them linger with any of the guys too long. I don’t want any problems.”
“Problems? I already see one,” Eric pointed at one of the players from the Team Canada’s gold medal winning team.
“Well shit. Oh well. The rule was just let her be herself. Just keep Erin away from it. She loves to play matchmaker, and she feels like she owes Britt for us.”
“What,” Eric asked.
“It’s a long story, but Britt and Erin went to a game together, and Britt thought it would be a good idea to push Erin on the icy parking lot, and she kind of fell into my arms.”
“You lucky bastard.”
“Shut up,” Sid said with a smile on his face. He knew he was lucky for that event, but he didn’t want to brag about it all the time. Sid walked away from Eric and hoped that Erin would not get Brittany mixed up with the young man who was already captivated by Brittany’s smile. But then again, it could work out. He didn’t know why he didn’t think of the match already.