Five Times a Charm

So the fifth time was later than Reader expected.

Joanna had texted him after Reader did good in the Skills Comp. That event and the whole All-Star weekend had been mindblowingly amazing for Reader. To be able to talk with greats like Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Alfredsson, to hang out with guys like Pers, Nealer, and other rookies, it was awesome. So awesome, that when Reader came back home to continue the season, Reader forgot to call Joanna for three days. Oops.

So tonight, Reader stood in front of Joanna's apartment door in his best suit, the suit he always wore before big games, freshly polished shoes, a cupcake, and a bouquet of wildflowers. Joanna hadn't been too friendly since he realized his mistake and tried to contact her, ignoring his calls, texts, and DMs. But showing up at her place looking so nice, it had to help. Roo said that chicks loved men in suits. He saw the way the girls threw themselves at G and Couts when they were wearing suits. Joanna couldn't resist.

"Go away, Read," Joanna shouted through the door. Reader's mouth dropped and his shoulders slumped. Looked like G was wrong.

Reader tried, "Joanna, seriously, I'm sorry, let me apologize face to face-"

"NO," was the response.

Reader took out his secret weapon. "I have cake."

The door cracked open. "What kind?"

"Chocolate with vanilla icing and M&Ms on top," Reader replied. The door opened and Joanna's head peeked out. "Gimme the cupcake and no one gets hurt."

"You have to let me in first," Reader protested.

Several long, agonizing seconds passed before Joanna opened the door all of the way. "Fine, come in."

As he walked into Joanna's apartment, Reader cracked, "Knew you couldn't resist me for long, I am your favorite Flyer."

"Actually, you're not," Joanna replied before taking a big bite of the cupcake.

"Who is," Reader asked as he plopped down on her couch.

"Max Talbot is my imaginary boyfriend."

Joanna managed to keep a straight face for several minutes as Reader's face fell before he managed to get control of himself again. Well, fuck, of course she'd want someone like Talbo before me, the hipster douche, he thought as he casually said, "No shit, the girls who don't have Roo as their imaginary boyfriend all love Talbo."

Joanna raised an eyebrow as Reader shrugged. Busting out laughing, Joanna chuckled, "Oh My God, I wish I had my phone so I could have taken a picture of your face, it was fucking precious. No silly, Max Talbot isn't my imaginary boyfriend, lol."

Joanna bounced down next to Reader as he stared at her, first in slight disbelief before laughing in relief. "Good, so I don't have to board him anymore."

"Why?" Joanna turned towards him, her eyes wide as she took the last bite of the cupcake.

"Because, of course, Talbo would have broken your heart sooner or later. Couldn't let him do that to you."

"Right," Joanna replied. "I think that I made you a little jealous."

"Pssh, nope." Reader stared at the TV as Joanna cooed at him. Her fingers were touching his arm and Reader could feel himself tense with repressed desire flaring up from the last time he saw her.

Joanna counseled, "It's okay, you can admit it to me, I won't laugh at you."

Reader thought, How can I admit that when I first met you, I couldn't forget about your eyes and now, the idea of another guy, let alone one of my teammates makes me want to smash my fist in their face?

Instead of words, Reader decided to show Joanna with action. Fusing his lips to hers, Reader put one hand on her waist, the other through her hair to hold her head. Reader let his kiss show Joanna exactly how he was now feeling for her, kissing her until she was moaning into his mouth, her hands gripping his shoulders. Reader ended the kiss reluctantly, only because he really needed to breathe.

Joanna leaned back into the couch, her breath heaving, her eyes fixed on Reader's. "What does this mean, Matt?"

Matt took in a series of deep breaths. This was unexpected, Reader never thought that he was going to find a girl during his rookie season. But fuck it, Joanna was special. "This means that I'd like to go out with you."

"Like as boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Yup."

Joanna looked down at her hands. "Does this mean I have to dress up like a WAG now?"

Reader looked up at the ceiling and began to laugh uncontrollably, tears running down his cheeks. Joanna yelled, "It's not that fucking funny, Matt!"

**

Well shit, they lost.

The Penguins just brought it. They had a chance but they lost momentum to the Pens and the Pens just buried their chances. Reader walked out of the locker room in his suit, his mood low. Nodding to Reemer and Couts, Reader made his way towards the players' parking lot. Right outside was Joanna, a chocolate frosted cupcake in one hand.

"Cheer up, Matt," Joanna said before getting on her tiptoes and kissing Reader's cheek. "We can go to Barcade and you can try to beat me at Drunk Pacman."

"You're on," Matt declared as he unlocked the doors to his car.

Who knew that a crazy hipster chick that he randomly met would be what Reader needed?