Don't Let These Boots Fool You

“What are you doing here?” The surprise in his sleepy voice was very evident.

“I’m working in Philly for the current time being. I have nowhere to go right now. I just left and have no idea what to do now.” I was so close to crying that my eyes burned with the tears. I turned around and went to step down the sidewalk I had just walked up when I felt his cool hand wrap around my arm.

“Don’t go, come on in. The kids aren’t here; I just got in a few minutes ago.” He looked like he had been sleeping for hours when I knocked on the door. I followed him into the house and watched him silence the barking dogs at his feet. “You need something to sleep in?”

I quickly nodded my head. I was still in my evening gown from the gala. I hadn’t bothered changing I just had to leave and that was the only thing on my mind before I hit the hallway. “I’ll take some clothes and head to the couch.”

He shook his head and looked at me. “No you won’t, take my bed and I’ll take the couch.” I looked at him like he was crazy. I was in his house and he was willing to take the couch just so I had a place to sleep. He threw a t-shirt at me and some shorts as I walked off to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and saw my reflection. I started crying. I looked like a mess. A month of time doesn’t change the hurt that was caused by everything that had happened.

I rested my back on the tub and looked at my hands. I had become someone I didn’t even recognize anymore. My sobs were shaking my whole body as I tried to stop crying. I couldn’t even hear the knock on the door. He pushed his head in and looked at me. “You okay?”

“Danny,” My breath was short and my cries louder, “when does it stop hurting?” He looked down at me as he came all the way into the bathroom looking at me in the t-shirt he had given me.

“Kelly, come here.” He stood up, took me over to his bed, and sat down. “It always hurts. You’ll learn who will make you happy. You just can’t let it get to you.”

“How did you do it?”

“It takes time, lots of time and lots of friends.” He nodded his head at me and wrapped his arms around me tighter. “I’ll be here every step of the way for you. Regardless of how long you’re here or aren’t here.”

I laughed with my tears as I curled up into his lap. I needed someone and Danny was just the person that I needed at that moment. “Don’t leave. I’m so lonely, I’ve been all alone since my brother died.” I watched his eyes get real big, “no, not like that Danny. I just need a friend to hold me tell me it’s all going to be okay.”

He looked down at me and I saw a tear in his eye. “Kelly, why don’t you know who you love of the two of them? What’s made this decision so hard?” I just couldn’t bear to answer him. He’d think I was insane if I told him why.

“Because I got left, okay so maybe I left Mike but he was out of our relationship long before I told him we were done. He didn’t even fight for me.” I started to cry some more as I watched his tears start to fall. I knew I had to be bringing back memories of his divorce that he had told me about earlier that night. “I’m sorry Danny. You were the only person I could turn to after asking for a transfer tonight. I had to leave.”

I tried to stand but he wouldn’t let me stand at all. He forced me to sit back down in his lap as he looked down at me as if he was going to explain something. “Look I can’t tell you who to love, what to do or any of that. The only thing I suggest is that you don’t drown your sorrows in a bottle and try to find comfort in men, especially men who play hockey.” He put me on the bed by myself and stood up.

“Why?”

“When guys see you need comfort or that you’ve been hurt they’ll take advantage of that. I was guilty of that. Now I can sit here until you fall asleep or go down to the couch now. I’m tired that gala took a lot out of me.”

“Please stay. I don’t mind the couch.” I stood up and tried to pass Danny at the foot of the bed but was stopped by his hand on my arm. “Danny really, my mama always told me to never put someone out of their way. Take your own bed. I’ll be fine on the couch.”

He grabbed my arm again, pushed me down on the bed, and put me under the covers. “Don’t try and move. I’m going to sleep over on this side. We’ll put pillows between us. Let me lock my door so one of the players doesn’t just walk in and assume something bad.”

Why would any of the players assume anything would be going on between us. I just wanted to talk to him figure out more about him and just figure out if I was going to fit in here or not. “Danny?”

“Hmm” He muttered as he moved onto his side of the bed.

“Why would some of them assume something was going on between us?” I really didn’t consider how I looked at the gala. I had forgotten that my dress showed more cleavage then most of the guys had ever seen from me.

He sighed as he moved his head to look at me from his pillow. “Most of these guys think that I get with anyone who talks with me when in reality—” He quit talking as if he was embarrassed by what he was about to say. “Well I haven’t done that for a while.”

“Oh, thanks for taking me in anyways. I don’t know what I would be doing otherwise. I’ll try and get into the place that I was told is available until I decided to stay or not.” I leaned over the pillows dividing us and kissed his cheek lightly. “Thanks Danny.” I fell asleep quickly after clearing my mind of thoughts of Jordan and Sid.