Love In The Air

A few months had passed by and Sarah's relationship with Adam had evolved. Over those few months, Sarah and Adam not only kept in contact in some form, whether it be texting, talking or Skyping, constantly, they had managed to meet up a few times and go on a few nice dates. Most were just when one of them were stopped in a city for a couple days, mostly on Sarah's part due to it being the off season for Adam, and a simple dinner date with a movie sometimes accompanying it.

Though it was sometime around late August, right before Adam headed back to Dallas to start working with the team, that Sarah realized she had fallen hard for the right winger, and she knew she didn't mind it one bit.

She ended up having a couple weeks off and was originally planning to fly and visit Adam in Wisconsin, but Adam knew that with all the flying she normally did, it probably wouldn't be something she would enjoy doing on her off time. He decided to surprise her and flew out to see her at home, with directions provided for him by Kelsi. Adam was only planning to stay a few days, but he wanted to see where she grew up, as well as meet her mother, someone that Sarah seemed to have endless stories to share with him about.

Needless to say, Adam had won Sarah's mother over in an instant. She had never seen or heard her daughter so happy in the last few months that Adam had been a part of her life, and from all the positive things she had heard about his personality, both from her looking him up and hearing it from Sarah herself, as well as double-checking with Vanessa, Kelsi and even Jonathan, she was sold the second he introduced himself to her.

Those few days that Adam spent with Sarah and her mother in the bay area, Sarah had shown him all around her favorite places, places she was sure he had never seen on his visits. But on one particular day, Adam had surprised her yet again with a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where they spent the better part of a day exploring and just goofing off. Then in the late afternoon, they stopped at a grocery store and picked up a few items to take to the beach and have a small picnic. It had truly been a perfect day and one of the best dates Adam could have planned.

Now, the hockey season was started up again, it had been quite some time since either of them had seen one another, save for a few Skype dates they had managed to fit in during their schedules. There seemed to be no way they could find time to see each other due to the fact that Adam couldn't exactly leave on a whim and that Sarah's flight route usually avoided the Dallas area. On occasion though, she did end up in Dallas, though it was only ever briefly or if it was longer than just a few hours, Adam was usually on a roadtrip.

It wasn't until Sarah received a call from Kelsi, demanding she come visit, that Sarah knew she was going to be seeing Adam again for the first time in months. The request from her friend could not have come at a more perfect time. In fact, sarah was sure that her friends had planned it that way, knowing the two almost lovers were in desperate need of seeing each other.

Sarah was sat in the United Center with her friend, watching the gme unfold between Adam and the team he used to play for. The scored was tied 1-1 late in the second period and neither girl really had an inkling of which team would score next.

As she watched Adam play, she felt this overwhelming sense of pride, knowing Adam on a different level than most everyone else in the arena. What she was feeling though, scared her a little because it wasn't something she had ever felt watching Ben, Jon or any other of her friends play. Of course she usually was rooting for her friends to win, if they weren't playing San Jose, but that night, she couldn't describe the way she felt seeing Adam play and chirp his ex-teammates on the ice.

“I know that look,” Kelsi giggled, looking at her friends as the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the second.

Sarah looked at her friend curiously, as she sipped her beer.

“What look?” she asked.

“You're totally smitten with Adam. I'm sure you're so smitten, you'll even jump his bones tonight if they win. In fact, I doubt they'll even need to win in order for that to happen,” her friend giggled.

“Exactly how many beers have you had tonight?” Sarah inquired.

“You know this is my first. But you can't deny it. I know that look. You're so far gone. You've been together for months now, it's okay.”

“Well, technically, it's only been dating for months. We aren't exact official,” she elaborated.

“What?!” Kelsi asked, nearly choking on her drink. “You can't tell me these things when I'm mid-sip!”

“Sorry! I thought you knew? I mean, I don't even know if we could make a real relationship work with our schedules. It's not like he's planning to retire any time soon and I still quite enjoy being a flight attendant.”

“You two could make it work. I know the both of you are stubborn enough to do so. Besides, weren't you thinking of cutting back hours and starting to take classes for school? Now could be the perfect time. Maybe relocate to Dallas so things are easier...” her friend elaborated.

“Woah! That's a little ways away, don't you think? I mean, you heard me. We aren't even officially dating,” Sarah told her.

“Pish posh. Neither of you are dating anyone else and things sound serious between you anyway. What's a label?”

Before Sarah could reply, the third period had begun.

That night, Chicago took the win at home. Both girls went down to the locker room and met up with the boys. Sarah got hugs all around from the men in the Blackhawks dressing room, save for Patrick Kane, and she and Kelsi both received their fair share of teasing from all the boys. Sarah, especially, when Adam walked into the locker room after changing back into his suit.

He had walked in and given her a hug and a long kiss, having missed doing so in the passed few months. Patrick Sharp did not want to waste an opportunity to poke fun at his ex-teammate and roommate on the road, and let the two have it.

“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah. You had your pick from all of us, and you chose him? I'm hurt, deeply hurt,” he joked.

“Now Sharpie, I don't think Abby would take too kindly to hearing that, would she?” Sarah joked right back.

“Abby knows she can't tame me!” he joked again.

“Oh does she?' came another female voice.

“Ooops,” Adam snickered. He turned to the voice and gave her a big hug. “Abbs! You need to keep your man in line. He's making a move on my girl.”

“I'll see what I can do,” she winked at him. “Hey Sarah!” Abby then proceeded to give the girl a hug.

“Hey Sarah, Jon and I are gonna head out, grab a bite to eat and then go back to the apartment. We'll see you back there, maybe?” Kelsi said to her friend, and then also gave Abby a quick hug and a smile.

“Sure thing!”

“Adam, take care of her. I need her back at my place all in one piece to do some wedding planning,” Kelsi joked, hugging Adam, knowing it would be a while before she saw him again.

“I make no promises!”

The friends shared a laugh and started making their way out of the United Center. Adam and Sarah took a cab to a dinner that Adam would frequent most nights after a home game and often still did when he played in Chicago. The two spent the cab ride there talking and enjoying one another's company, knowing it would likely be a while before they would be able to do so again.

As their late night dinner was winding down, Adam took Sarah's hands in his from across the table, “I know you aren't too keen on the idea of a long distance relationship. I don't really know how to make one work, but with you, I think I could learn to make one work. I know it would be worth it for us in the long run, because I really don't want to let you go. I want you in my life in that way. So, I guess this is me reverting back to my teenage years and officially manning up and asking you to be my girlfriend.”

“Uh, Adam,” Sarah started and Adam could swear he heard his heart hit the ground, fearing that Sarah was about to deny him. “I didn't hear a question in there. So, will you be my boyfriend?” she winked.

Adam laughed at her and leaned across the table, kissing her more fiercely than he ever had.

“Take that as a yes,” he told her, grinning.

They paid the bill not long after that and Sarah went with Adam back to his hotel room for the night.

Adam wasn't too sure he could keep his promise of returning her to her friend in once piece in the morning.