Times Like These

For some reason she glanced up and saw him coming down the aisle towards her. Maybe she had a sixth sense for his presence or maybe it was just pure coincidence. Whatever the reason was, it didn’t change the fact that there was now a heartbroken yet genuine smile on her face; a smile that he loved dearly. He could see that she was just as broken up over this as he was and that made him feel like even more of a failure than he already did. They had let a lot of people down, but disappointing her stung the most. His arms wound around her waist holding her tightly. She was on her tippy toes, face pressed against his shoulder holding onto him as if she was trying hold him together. She could see it in his distraught face that he was falling apart, and she just wouldn’t let that happen.

To say that Shannon Reid and Stefan Della Rovere had a complicated relationship was an understatement. From day one they odds were stacked against them. She came from money, and with that came the stereotypes that her family had so happily lived up to. Her father was a very successful businessman who, now, didn’t do much other than take clients golfing at the country club. Her mother, very happily, shopped her days away with a wallet full of platinum credit cards. Shannon’s older sister, Charlotte, was quickly falling into place behind her mother. While they still got along, one mention of Stefan and Charlotte turned her nose up.

The Reid’s, especially Mr. Reid, did not like Stefan and it was no secret; it never had been. Not a single one of them thought he was good enough for Shannon. Time and time again she was told that she should go off to school – maybe Harvard like her sister and meet a nice put together boy. In other words they wanted her to meet a wealthy, country clubbing boy who spent weekends on the family yacht worrying about nothing. Mr. Reid was embarrassed to have people find out that his baby was dating a hockey player. A gritty, edgy, in your face hockey player at that.

Shannon, on the other hand, was crazy about Stefan. She absolutely loved everything about him. He was full of life, exploding with energy and personality. He was so different, more so than anyone she had been forced to be surrounded by and he made her feel alive. He was a breath of fresh air in her dull, stuffy life. Her family and friends hated him, but Shannon didn’t care. She loved him enough to make up for everyone else hating him. It was, after all, her that had to like him.

When Stefan met Shannon he was immediately mesmerized by her. Her beachy golden brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Her deep navy blue eyes had sparkled in the mid July sun and, even though she was in a very skimpy bikini, it was her eyes that he was looking at. Shannon had noticed that Stefan hadn’t been able to tear his eyes from hers and it sent tingles through her entire body.
_____

“Hi.” He said lamely, wishing he hadn’t. Shannon smiled at him while the other girl who must have been her sister – they looked too much alike – looked disgusted and walked away with her nose in the air.

“I’m Shannon.” She told him as she twirled a piece of hair in her fingers, gazing up at him through her long dark eyelashes. Was she flirting with him? No. No, she couldn’t be. “And you must be Stefan.”

“Uh…” he muttered as he adjusted the tan Yates Landscaping hat he wore on his head. ‘Yah. That’s me.” He told her. Stefan had been working for a landscaping company in Muskoka, Ontario for the summer and today he was at the Reid’s cottage on Lake Muskoka replacing some broken stones on the path leading from the cottage (or mansion, rather) down to the boat house.

“Well…” She went on, never once looking away from him. “My father isn’t here, but I can show you the way around.” She turned and began around the property. That was when Stefan noticed how incredible this girl’s body was. Her legs seemed to go on forever, though she couldn’t have been taller than 5’5. As his eyes made their way up to her ass Stefan bit his lip. God damn she..

“Stefan?” She asked.

“Hmm..?” He mumbled, head jerking upwards.

“Are you coming?” The smile on her face told him that she had caught him checking her out and as he followed her, she threw a little extra swing into her hips for him.

“So…I don’t know why they bothered to call you guys.” She started. “I think my father just likes to waste people’s time. But anyways…there are a couple of stones just before the door to the boat house that are chipped.”

“Waste of time or not, it gives me a pay check.” He told her with a laugh. Shannon turned to face him with a large smile on her pretty face as a man joined them followed by the girl Stefan had decided was Shannon’s sister. He cleared his throat, making Stefan look at him.

“You’re from Yates Landscaping?”

“Oh. Yes. I’m Stefan.” He informed him with an out stretched hand.

“Good. Well, Mr. Reid isn’t here but he left me in charge and..”

“It’s okay Richard.” Shannon spoke up. “I already showed him where the stones are. I’ve got this covered.” Stefan stepped back. He saw the look this Richard gave Shannon, but he felt the daggers the sister was shooting at him. She didn’t like him, and she wasn’t trying to hide it one little bit. He had no idea how two sisters could be so different. If it weren’t for the fact that they looked just like each other he would never have believed that they were sisters.

“Miss Reid. Why don’t you and..”

“I’m fine here Richard.” Shannon said firmly. “Why don’t you go take the evening off? My father won’t be back tonight and I’ll keep Stefan company while he fixes this.” Richard looked at Shannon a moment but decided that her idea was much better and nodded before leaving.

“Shannon!” The slightly older girl exclaimed, sounding completely horrified. “Tyler and Corey will be here any..”

“Well tell them I’m busy. I don’t want to go out in their damn boat again, Charlotte! It gets pretty dull.”

“Whatever.” She spat as she walked away. “Your loss.”

Shannon turned to face Stefan, seeing his uneasiness. “I’m sorry. They’re…I don’t know. They’re them.” She said with an airy laugh.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been doing this all summer. I’ve met my fair share of stuck up rich people.” He said and quickly regretted it, but Shannon laughed loudly.

“I bet I’ve got you beat.” And that, Stefan didn’t argue with. He just nodded, knowing that she was correct and set to work.

A job that should have taken an hour turned into four as Shannon and Stefan couldn’t seem to stop talking to each other for one minute. The sun was beginning to dip in the sky as Stefan stoop up. “Well. That’s that.” He told her. Shannon nodded. “I, uh…I need someone to sign this.”

“I’ll do it.” She told him, taking the invoice from him, signing it and handing it back.

“Well I guess that’s it.” He stated to which Shannon nodded.

“I’ll walk you out.” Stefan followed her to the driveway where he had first seen her. He put his tools in the truck and turned back to her to reluctantly say goodbye, but before he could she spoke up.

“Stefan, what are you doing tonight?”

“Uh…nothing.” He answered. “Nothing that can’t be postponed anyways.”

“Good.” She replied with a smile. A smile that could already melt Stefan from the inside out. “I was hoping that you’d say that.”

“Why? What’s up?”

“Do you want to go for a boat ride tonight? When you’re done work.” She asked him hopefully as she stepped closer to him.

“I thought you said boat rides were dull.” He reminded her. She let out a little laugh and she turned her head to look out onto the lake. Stefan reached out and moved a strand of her silky hair back into place as the wind blew, cooling down the humid evening. He couldn’t help it, it was just a natural reaction.

“Yah, well…” Shannon replied, turning to face him yet again. “With you I think it would be anything but dull.”
_____

‘‘Oh, Stefan!” Shannon cooed, still clinging to him. “I’m so, so, so sorry!” Stefan shook his head, running a hand through his damp, just showered hair. The look in his eyes killed her. Stefan was always hard on himself after a loss, but this…this was the worst loss that could have happened. Shannon knew that the silver medal Stefan had in his hand was a reminder that he had not done what was expected; gotten Canada their 6th straight gold medal at the World Junior Championships. This one was going to stick with him.

“If only I had..”

“No.” Shannon sternly cut her boyfriend off. “No, Stefan! You did amazing out there. You did so well! You all did. Don’t you dare do this to yourself.” As Shannon stared into her boyfriend’s eyes she could see the tears he was desperately fighting to keep in and it broke her heart.

When that goal had been scored by team USA, Shannon had burst into tears. She had cried, and cried because she had wanted this just as much as Stefan had. This had been a huge part of her life for a long time now. It was her dream, too, but now she had to be strong for him.

“We were so close, Shannon! So close and we let them win. We let everyone down!”

Shannon smiled up at Stefan. “Stef…I don’t know if you could hear it down there on the ice, but this whole arena was singing our national anthem while they were getting their medals. You guys have a whole country behind you still! This isn’t something to be ashamed of, Stefan.” She told him, snatching his silver medal from his hand. “This is something you worked for. This is something to be damn proud of. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not any time in the near future. But one day you will be proud of this. So until then…if you need to scream, cry, curse like a trucker then do it! I’m here for you. We’re in it together.”

Stefan reached out and wrapped his arms around Shannon. He didn’t understand what he had done to deserve her, but he thanked god for her every single day. “I love you so much Shan.” He told her sincerely. “So much.”

“I love you too, Del.” She replied with a smile, which put the first smile on his face since she’d seen him. Shannon felt a weight lifted as she saw that smile. It was the first step in healing him. It wouldn’t be easy, but she knew she could do it.

“Come on.” He muttered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and securing her at his side. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Stefan guided Shannon through the arena to the exit. She clung tightly to him. All they needed was each other. It had been like this from the beginning and neither of them wanted it any other way.