Insert Cheesy Love Title About Mr. Johnny Toews

“Kris!” I called out into the seemingly empty house. “Kristopher Versteeg!” I sang out. Where was that boy? I sighed, looking around the living room, where I stood then. Couches, a flat screen TV and a nice coffee table. It actually looked nice for two boys living there.

“Tess? Tessa Ladd? Is that you?” Kris came bounding down the stairs, his blue eyes wide with happiness. “It is you!” he picked me up and spun me around in some sort of bear hug. “Tessie, I’ve missed you soo much!”

It was guys like Kris that made staying there a little more bearable. He was just so happy to see me, even though we’ve met only three times. Yet, in those three times, we’ve bonded like brother and sister. Maybe it was because Andrew and Kris were best friends, but either way, Kris and I formed our own bond.

“Hi Kris,” I smiled as he put me down. “Andrew’s at the car tow place getting his broken down car.

He looked confused. “How’d you get here then?”

“Johnny picked up Andrew and drove me here.”

“Captain did? Well that was nice of him. Come on, I’ll show you where you’re staying.”

He led me a nicely sized room with a queen size bed and a few dressers and a desk. “Not much, I know. You have your own bathroom and closet though.”

“Thanks Kris.”

“So, we have a game tonight and Andrew said you’re going no matter what, so we’re leaving in a few hours. We’ll grab dinner on the way. That okay?”

“Sure thing,” I shrugged.

He turned to walk away, but stopped and stared at me, his blue eyes serious for a moment. “You doing okay Tess?”

I knew that he knew that I was only in Chicago because I had to. I sat on the edge of my bed and nodded. “I’m alright.”

He narrowed his eyes like he didn’t believe me, but said nothing more on the subject. “Meet downstairs at three?”

“Sure thing Kris.”

He left then, leaving the door open a crack and I fell backwards onto my bed. It was going to be a long couple of months.

~~~~~

Three o’clock approached and I changed into my Ladd jersey and slipped into a pair of black knee high boots to go with my dark skinny jeans. I waited patiently in the living room while Kris and Andrew ran around with their heads cut off, trying to find everything. Apparently they were always like that. Surprise. Surprise.

“Ready?” Andrew asked after the car was loaded up finally.

I raised my eyebrow. “I’ve been ready for the past twenty minutes. It’s you two that are holding me back.”

“She’s more sassy than I remember,” Kris joked. “Maybe we should send her in with Tazer. He’ll straighten her out.”

“They’re already buddy buddy,” Andrew smiled. “Isn’t that right, baby sis?” he pinched my cheeks.

“Yes because you broke your car and made him drive me to your house when it was your job to do in the first place. I really had a choice about my third friend here in Chicago,” I let the sarcasm drip from my voice as I swatted him away from my face.

“That’s my girl,” he ruffled my hair. “Calgary awaits.”

~~~~~

They led me to the locker room where I was met with excitement and nervous energy. I sat on the floor next to Andrew’s stall and watched all the boys go by, getting dressed for their game.

“You must Tessa,” someone introduced himself to me.

I looked up and was met with a super tall, dark haired man. “You know my name. I don’t know your’s though,” I offered up a coy smile.

He grinned, showing off his teeth. “Brent Seabrook. You do have a certain charm about you.”

“What?”

“Tazer was telling us about you and saying how you would probably be here tonight. He said you have a certain charm to you. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he winked, bowing slightly.

What was with these guys? They were so fascinating and so. . . lovable. “The pleasure is all mine,” I offered my hand and he pecked it.

“Well you’ve met Seabsy,” Andrew joked, pushing him out of the way. “Guys!” he shouted, getting their attention. “This is my sister Tessa Ladd!”

I was greeted with a bunch of hellos. “Hi,” I waved back to all of them.

“So there’s Kaner, Sharpie, Burish, Kopy, Nemo, Hossa, Keith, Hjalmarsson, Campbell, Brouwer, and Buff. You’ve already met Seabs, Tazer, Steeger, and well me.”

“Alright,” I said slowly, going through all of the faces of the players. “Hi,” I repeated myself. “Go out there and win tonight?”

I was met by cheers and fist bumps. I passed the test, whatever the test was.

I sat next to the player bench and got to watch a very intense game of the Hawks completely blowing it.

I had always loved hockey, mostly because Andrew played it from when he was little. I came into the world knowing hockey, but when I had the chance to go to New York to start a boutique with my then boyfriend, things changed. I pulled away from my one love and towards my dream. I had almost forgotten how much I loved the sport.

Something happened in the third period though. They pulled through, they caught up to Calgary at five.

“Holy shit!” I swore loudly, jumping up when they officially tied it. “You guys don’t suck that badly after all!” I shouted.

Andrew only rolled his eyes at me.

Overtime came along and I found myself ripping at a napkin I found in my pocket. I was that nervous for them.

“Come on,” I whispered, standing up, to get a look what the guys were doing on the ice. “Come on!” I said louder.

Seabrook had the puck and then he shot it towards the net and it flew past the goaltender, sending Versteeg and Keith in a tizzy, attacking him from both sides.

I jumped into the air, fist pumping wildly and singing along to Chelsea Dagger. They had actually pulled off a comeback win.

~~~~~

“I didn’t know you knew our song,” Andrew said casually as we drove home from the night’s festivities.

I smiled sadly out the window. “You don’t know a lot of things,” I said simply as Kris pulled into the driveway.

That night, laying in bed, I stared at the ceiling fan, wishing that my life had somehow turned out different than what I got.