He Shoots, She Scores

While Lacey was getting ready Carrie decided there wasn’t much she could do this morning, somehow they had managed to not only pack all of Carrie’s clothes but her toothbrush and hair brush as well, hearing footsteps on the stairs she ran her hands through her hair hoping to remove the knots then dug through Lacey’s purse relived at finding minty gum. The person on the stairs stopped for a moment and she could barely hear the mumbling downstairs over Lacey running water in the bathroom for her own health Carrie hopped the voice she heard was indeed Tyler Ennis.
“Oh you’re up! Good morning” Nate said coming into her room with a smile way to awake for Carrie
“Morning” she said grogginess still evident in her voice. She sighed irritated realizing she never plugged her phone in last night and had managed to pack her charger and her alarm clock so she had no idea what time it was “What time is it?” she asks running her hand through her hair again.
“11:30am where’s the other person that was asleep here a minute ago?”
“CARRIE! Do you realize we packed your toothbrush? That was incredibly stupid”
“Yeah Lacey I know so hurry up so it can get unpacked please!”
Nate laughed
“That would be Lacey, my best friend and basically my sister” Nate nodded and Carrie could hear footsteps once again on the stairs
“Hey Gerbs are we gonna wake the sleeping beauties up, or carry the bed down with them on it?”
“No Enzo they’re up”
Tyler Ennis turned the corner entering Carrie’s room and sent a smile her way
"I heard you were showing off last night at the post game party" Tyler says and Carrie laughs and nods
"ok then who am I"

Carrie opens her mouth to speak but gets interrupted

"Tyler Ennis, left wing number 63 from Alberta Canada. Hi I’m Lacey; Carrie's best friend. Oh and you Mr. Gerbe I’d like to congratulate you"

Nate turns around in confusion "Congratulate me? For what?" he steals a glance at Tyler a smirk etched on his face oh yeah he was very interested in Lacey no doubt about that one

"Yes congratulate, I’ve been trying for 4 almost 5 years now to agitate her in under 20 minutes you sir set a record for me to beat"

"Under 10 minutes" Carrie mumbles and Lacy sighs "Under 10 I’m never gonna beat that!"
Nate blushes nervously “It was an accident I swear! I didn’t mean to make her mad” he began to ramble to Lacey.
“I’m right behind you, ya know” Carrie says mildly agitated by the way they were talking like she was not in the room.
“Well before he sets a record for being the only one to anger her about something else before being forgiven for his first offense, let’s move the bed. Come on Gerbs”
“We can help” Carrie says and Tyler nods
“Grab whatever we gotta get that monster of a dresser down the stairs too” he says
“Well Lacey and I can take the drawers down and you guys can take out the mattress and the box spring and I’ll take apart the frame and we can take that down then all 4 of us can take down the dresser. Its heavy the drawers being gone only make it easier to grab really” Carrie says pulling out a drawer and handing it to Lacey who heads down the stairs. She grabs one herself and heads down after her the Guys following with the mattress.
“Ok everyone ready?” Carrie asks her hands on her side of the dresser and Lacey next to her. “Think you nice strong hockey players can handle walking down the stairs backwards with this?” Lacey asks with a laugh and both guys nod with smiles on their faces “Ok then on three, 1, 2, and 3” Carrie says
They all lift in unison and head toward the stairs

"Why is this thing so tall?" Lacey asks

"It’s not that tall Lace we're just all short" Carrie says

"Well with this thing it really sucks being short and on this end of it" Nate says the dresser pretty much right in his face on the slope of the stairs "Please do not let go of this thing, it will hurt my face..... I like my face"

"So does Carrie!"

"Shut up Lacey!"
"I Feel tall in this situation" Tyler says

"Shut up Enzo" the 3 chorus

"Fine I’ll just let go" he says

"Dude you better not, I really like my face"

"So does Carrie!"

"Seriously shut up Lacey!!!"
They make it to the bottom of the stairs and set the dresser down to rest for a minute.
“Hey Lace do I still have clothes and a toothbrush at your house?”
“Yeah why? Want to stop there and get them”
“Yes I’ve been in the same clothes for 24 hours I feel disgusting”
“Well let’s get this out of the house first” Tyler says
“Ok the stairs outside are a little steeper so remember don’t let go of this thing ok, like I said I like my face”
“So does Carrie!”
“Lacey if you don’t shut up I’m going to be forced to slap you”
“Well you do”
“You like Tyler’s face”
“That I do”
“Well that did not help my argument”
“Just admit it! You like his face”
“Just lift the dresser or lose yours”
Lacey narrows her eyes at Carrie but bends down to grab the dresser again
“1, 2, 3” Nate says and they all lift the dresser once again. Once it’s on the truck they all exit the truck and Carrie and Lacey go to their cars.
“So you guys will follow us to Lacey’s and then we’ll follow you to Buffalo” Carrie says
“Clarence” Nate says
“Whatever”
“CARRIE! Stop being so mean!” Lacey yells at her
“Holy frick, ok sorry Clarence”
Tyler and Nate get into the truck Carrie into her car and Lacey into hers. They all take off Lacey leading the way Carrie behind her and lastly Nate and Tyler.
“She seems nice” Tyler says
“You’re hilarious dude”
“I was talking about Lacey”
“You like her don’t you?” Nate teases
“I might, and you are head over heels for Carrie”
“I may be, she however hates me, Lacey, on the other hand seems interested in you”
“She does not hate you, you heard Lacey she likes your face”
Nate had to laugh at that one as they pulled up in front of Lacey’s house
“And Lacey likes yours”
“I have a likeable face” Tyler says cockily
Nate just shakes his head at his friend as they get out of the truck making their way into the house after the girls.
“Make yourselves comfortable I’ll be right back” Lacey says following Carrie up the stairs to her room.
Carrie walks into her best friends’ room and sits on her bed while Lacey looks around for where she put Carrie’s spare clothes.
“Oh my God! Is this literally all I own?” Carrie says looking at her Hockey Heaven verse 42 shirt that Lacey hands her
“I told you, you like his face”
“Butt head, I’m borrowing your shower”
“Please do!”
“Loser”
“Your favorite”
“Only on Monday’s”
“Good thing it’s Monday”
“Oh epic fail on my part!”
“Go shower Mrs. Gerbe” Carrie blushes and Lacey rolls her eyes “Seriously just forgive him already! The two of you would be so adorable if you would just forgive the poor boy”
“Showering” Carrie says walking down the stairs
“Protesting your stubbornness” Lacey yells after her
“Good luck” Carrie says walking into the bathroom and locking the door. She showers quickly and is thankful for keeping a minimal amount of make up in her purse she runs the eyeliner across her eye and then adds a little eye shadow. Remembering she has no hair products she ties her hair into a pony tail and exits the bathroom.
“Okay let’s go” Carrie says grabbing the bag Lacey offered and shoving her clothes inside.
“Cute shirt” Nate says behind her “Whoever this 42 is, he’s a lucky guy you wear his number a lot”
“Funny” Carrie says patting his cheek
“Thank you I’ll be here all week”
“Liar” she says with a smirk
“I am not” he pouts and Carrie laughs
“So then you aren’t leaving for 5 game road trip?”
“BURN!” Lacey pipes in
“Thank you Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso” Carrie says turning to her friend
“You are so very welcome my friend”
“But we aren’t leaving until Saturday morning. Therefore I will be at home all week, since I know that your next comment would be that this is Lacey’s house not ours” Carrie blushes as his use of the word ours and Nate just smirks
“OH!”
“Lacey if you say burn again I am going to slap you, very hard”
“BURN!” Tyler says from the other side of the room.
“Oh the irony” Carrie says turning to grab her bag from the floor “Okay lets go it’s already 2:30” Nate says looking at his watch. They all file out of the house Carrie getting back into her car and Lacey back into hers so she could get home later. The guys got into the truck Nate sitting in the driver’s seat and they all take off.
Nate
“So you really don’t think she likes you?” Tyler says smirking at Nate
“And you are choosing now to talk about this why?”
“Come on man you’ve seen her twice in the last 24 hours and your number has been somewhere on her clothing both times”
“She packed her clothes before she changed”
“You just want to be stubborn because what you don’t want this to work out?”
“Listen Enzo just because it’s obvious I’m her favorite hockey player does not mean she likes me as a person”
“Dude of all the guys in the NHL realistically who would you pick as your favorite”
“I’m a guy it’s not the same for a girl”
“My point exactly”
“Are you saying she only likes me cause she thinks I’m cute not because I can play hockey?”
“Seriously who would you pick Gerbs? In all honesty”
“Can we please talk about you and Lacey for a minute? My word I feel like I’m in the hot seat over here”
“Okay avoidance whatever works for you my friend”
Nate reaches over turning the radio up and just getting lost in his own thoughts for a minute. The way he pictured it going with Carrie was a 180 degree different situation. In his mind they were going to meet, she was going to be a super fan and she would instantly fall in love with him like he had instantly fallen in love with that picture her dad brought with him when he first met Nate to talk about this marriage. From there they would go to the post game party and everything would be perfect all of the guys would think she was the best person in the world and be so happy for the two of them. And she would be ecstatic to move in with him and everything would just be perfect. But no, of course not instead he had to insert his foot so far into his mouth it was going to take the Jaws of Life a pry bar and maybe a surgery to get it out. He snapped out of his daydream with a wonderful idea and looked at Tyler out of the corner of his eye
“Enzo, dude I got the best idea ever”
“Shoot”
“Okay well I’ll help you get together with Lacey if you help me make it right with Carrie”
“And how are we going to do that genius?”
“They’re hockey fans; we play some floor hockey, appeal to their hockey faness. I think I just made that word up”
“I think so too, but it could work, have like a little 2 on 2 game going on in the living room, girls vs. guys? If we win they have to go out on a date with us if they win they get to pick what happens”
“Perfect” Nate says “Oh and we are of course going to throw in a little flirting, distract them from their game. I don’t want to underestimate them again they could be some awesome hockey players”
Carrie
They pull up in front of a beautiful house after what seems like forever driving. Carrie just lets her mouth hang open for a minute before getting out of the car. She meets Lacey at her car and they both walk to the truck together. They move everything into the house and into the room Nate said was hers quickly and Carrie separates the boxes into things the guys can unpack and stuff that only she or Lacey could touch. Having her own private bathroom made Carrie smile and she put Lacey in charge of unpacking everything that went in there. Nate was in charge of her book shelf and entertainment center Tyler was in charge of hanging things on the wall and her computer and Carrie set off to the task of organizing her clothes. Within 2 hours they unpacked what took Lacey and Carrie almost 6 to pack. Carrie and Lacey flop on her bed with sighs Tyler flopping onto the computer chair and Nate onto her mushroom chair.
“Who wants pizza?” Nate asks and everyone nods, he pulls his phone out ordering pizza and rattling off the address. “Oh before I forget, Carrie your house key” he says handing it to her she thanks him and looks around the room “Anyone seen my keys?”
“I think I’m sitting on them” Lacey says leaning to the side pulling Carrie’s keys out from under her. They all go quiet for a little while pretty much dozing off after the long day they’ve all had and the sound of the door bell wakes them all up again. Nate walks out of Carrie’s room to go grab the pizza Tyler following him.
“Seriously Carrie just forgive him already he is too sweet for words!”
“I know, but I just have this feeling that he has something big planned to make me forgive him and I’m curious as to what it is. I’m gonna wait”
“If you get too mean can a slap you?”
“Not hard”
“Deal”
Tyler turns the corner to find both girls still in their spots on Carrie’s bed, “You ladies going to come eat with us? Cause if not we will polish off a whole pizza” Carrie nodded standing from her bed and pulling Lacey up behind her. Carrie and Lacey follow Tyler into the kitchen Carrie taking in her surroundings for the first time after being so focused on unpacking.
“This kitchen is insane I can have a lot of fun in here”
“You like to cook?”
“I love it, in my mind I’m the best cook in the world”
“When you make soup you are” Lacey says with a smile
“I’m not making you soup, nice try though”
Lacey pouts at her best friend and Carrie just laughs “Buy me a soup pot and I will think about it” Lacey smiles at her and nods. They finish their pizza quickly and quietly before Lacey turns to notice hockey nets in the living room
“Uh Nate, why are their hockey nets in your living room?”
“Floor hockey” he answers simply
“You play floor hockey in the living room?” Carrie asks and Tyler nods
“We always have padding on the floor though”
“Wanna play?” Nate asks his plan going perfectly at least so far
“I don’t know I haven’t played floor hockey in years, and last time I played was with my dad in the dining room” Carrie says with a skeptical look on her face
“We’ll go easy on you” Tyler says with a wink
“Oh wait this is girls vs. guys?” Lacey says
“Yeah why you scared?” Tyler taunts and Carrie can see it in her friends eyes now that she has been challenged Carrie is going to get suckered into participating
“Carrie” Lacey says and Carrie rolls her eyes
“I know, I know. Fine let’s do this!”
They all got up from the table Nate moving the nets farther apart and flipping them over so they are shorter and more like pond hockey nets, Tyler grabbed sticks for the girls, Nate and himself.
“Ok first team to 10 wins?” Carrie says and the guys nod in agreement
“Wait let’s make this interesting” Tyler says and Carrie and Lacey both shoot him a quizzical look “If Nate and I win we get to take you girls out on separate dates” he says and the girls look at him dumbfounded
“And if we win?” Carrie asks
“We take you girls out on a double date” Tyler says with a cocky smile
“Nice try Ennis” Carrie says narrowing her eyes
“Shut up Anderson we agree” Lacey says with a smile
“Oh, no you did not, just call me by my last name”
“Oo hockey fight!” Nate says laughing
“Just drop the ball Gerbe!” Carrie and Lacey say in unison
He does as told and the girls easily score the first goal. The guys then make it look easy scoring the next two without a blink. As Lacey gets the ball effortlessly off of Nate’s stick she finds herself face to face with Tyler, thinking on her toes she stretches just slightly and plants a kiss on his cheek catching him off guard while she pokes the ball past him and into the net.
“Oh Gerbs they’re playing dirty!” Tyler says and Nate laughs shaking his head mischievously at the girls
“You wanna play that way huh? Ok it’s on” Nate says scooping the ball out of the net and tossing it to Tyler. The go back and forth for a while each scoring goals until eventually they are tied at 9 each.
“Next goal wins it Enzo”
“Lacey we sort of need this”
“We got this” Lacey and Tyler echo and Carrie catches her friend all giggly in the corner
“LACEY! FOCUS!”
“Ok, I’m focused I’m focused”
“Carrie, do you forgive me yet?” Nate asks quietly in her ear making her shiver
“Carrie focus” Lacey says behind her
“Not now Nate”
“But Carrie” he sort of whines
“Not now Nate” she says again her voice not as strong as she had hoped it would be. She catches Nate wink at Tyler and he nods back. Carrie easily steals the ball from Nate in hopes to pass it to Lacey but instead she hears her friend squeal looking up she sighs
“Tyler put me down” Lacey says her feet just enough above the floor to make her useless, Tyler also knocked the stick out of her hand and dropped his on the floor as well “Tyler Foster Ennis put me down! This is not fair play!” Lacey screeches trying to wiggle out of his grasp
“Nah enjoy the air up here at my height for a little while” He says and she huffs looking at Carrie
“Sorry, I can’t win against a hockey player you are on your own” Carrie sighs and turns to face Nate
“I will win this” she says narrowing her eyes at him
“Carrie do you forgive me yet?” he asks teasingly moving closer to her and she hesitates to shoot the ball
“Nathan David Gerbe, not now!” she says inching her way closer to the net knowing in her mind with Lacey unable to help she was not going to shoot and miss.
“Carrie” Nate says in her ear and she closes her eyes “Please forgive me” She opens her eyes to see his chocolate brown ones inches from her
“This is not fair” Carrie says
“No, but we aren’t playing fair” He says before easily knocking the stick from her hand and crashing his lips onto hers. She hears the small swish of the net behind her before the thud of Nate’s stick hitting the floor by her. Pulling away she just stares at him for a second not sure if she can open her mouth to speak at the present moment or not. She lets her eyes drift to Lacey and Tyler, Lacey now has her feet on the ground and her mouth agape with Tyler standing behind her his hands gently around her waist still with much the same look on his face.
“T-that was so not fair” she stammers out and Nate just smiles
“Forgive me yet?”
“Oh my God she better!” Lacey says from behind him
“I don’t know Gerbs she looks a little undecided, kiss her again I don’t think enough of your spell wore off” Tyler says.
“If you ever” Carrie starts grabbing the collar of his shirt “Ever pull a stunt like that again Mr. Gerbe” she pushed him lightly backwards “I may be forced, to kiss you back” Nate let the slightly scared look fall quickly off his face and a smile appear.
“Then I may have to pull that stunt again future Mrs. Gerbe” he says making Carrie blush
“AH they are so cute I can’t stand it!” Lacey says breaking out of Tyler’s arms and running over to engulf Carrie in a hug
“Way to ruin a moment Lacey” Tyler says with a laugh
“Oh shut up, so where are you taking me since you guys technically won the bet” She says and Tyler smirks
“Under unfair pretenses, might I add” Carrie interrupts
“Are you complaining?” Nate asks resting his head on her shoulder from behind her and wrapping his arm lightly around her waist, she shakes her head no relaxing into him “I didn’t think so” he says kissing her cheek lightly
“I guess you will just have to wait and see” Tyler says taking Lacey’s hand and kissing it lightly. Lacey blushed and a huge smile spread across her face. Switching phone numbers Lacey and Tyler both grab their jackets and say goodbye to their friends and walk out the door, leaving Carrie and Nate alone. They were quiet for a few minutes before the length of the day and the amount of work they’d done took its toll on them sending them both to bed. Nate entered his room before turning around and walking to Carrie’s knocking on the door she opened it quickly to face him
“What’s wrong?” She asks and he shakes his head
“I just wanted to say goodnight”
“Oh well night” he stands there awkwardly for a moment wrestling with his own mind “Nate” Carrie says quietly running her fingers through his hair and he looks at her waiting for her to continue “If you are going to kiss me, please just do it already I’m tired” she says with a laugh he smiles at her before pressing his lips to hers
“Goodnight Carrie”
“Goodnight Nate”