Timing Is Everything

"I know that people love the character of Michael Scott, but if you think about it no one would like him if they knew him in real life," James stated a few weeks later as he and Roxy laid in his bed watching The Office.

"Agreed!" Roxy laughed. "He's tolerable, but I couldn't stand him in real life."

After about a week of texting back and forth Roxy and James decided to get together when he came home from a quick road trip. Just as he was coming home, Malcolm had been leaving to go to some culinary convention.

Roxy had no intentions of telling either man about one another. She wouldn't tell Malcolm she slept with James and she wouldn't tell James that she was engaged to Malcolm. She figured she would spend one more night with James while she could and then cut off all contact with him. In her mind it would work out. She hadn't factored in the whole actually liking James thing.

She laid in his bed in his shirt, rubbing her legs on his.

"Are you still cold?" James asked with a small laugh, pulling her closer.

"Your house is a meat locker," Roxy mumbled, laying her head on his chest. "Freezing."

James laughed and pulled all the blankets tighter around her body. He pulled her tiny cold body into his muscular and warm one.

"Then maybe I should fatten you up," James smirked, grabbing her sides. "Get some insulation."

"Eggs don't count," Roxy laughed, wiggling beneath him.

"I wasn't thinking about eggs," James replied with a small laugh. "I have some pasta in the fridge. We can just load you up on carbs."

"Okay," Roxy laughed. They got up out of bed and shuffled towards his kitchen. James lifted her up and sat her on the counter before going into the fridge and grabbing all the things he needed for the pasta.

Roxy watched him as he cooked. He certain wasn't at ease in the kitchen, not like Malcolm. Malcolm was at home in the kitchen. He could move around any kitchen like it had been his. James was spastic and lost. He mumbled to himself a lot, continuously read the back instructions. It was clear that James wasn't used to cooking for himself.

Roxy liked how imperfect James was. He didn't give off an aurora of being perfect or even remotely together. James was messy, spastic, a little self-conscious and awkward in most senses. Except on the ice. The ice was the only place he was perfection and even then one had to watch him intensely to notice it and truly appreciate it.

She liked James. He made her laugh and he made her happy. He made her feel like she didn't have to be someone else. She could say or do whatever she wanted and didn't have to worry about being "proper". She was just Roxy with him.

James and Roxy both sat on his counter eating the pasta and talking every now and again. Roxy tried to tell herself that she wasn't getting attached to him, but she was. She loved all the little things about him and she knew that she would start to look for them in Malcolm. Roxy knew that after this night she could no longer see James. She didn't know how she was going to pull that off, but she had to try.

James put his bowl down beside him and rubbed the back of her neck. He was really starting to like this girl. He hoped he wouldn't screw this up. He hoped that they wouldn't tire of one another. Roxy was someone he could picture himself with, and he didn't like to do that.

"Tired?" James asked when she rested her head on his shoulder. Roxy nodded and nestled against him, ready to fall asleep at any moment.

James smiled. He hopped off of the counter and lifted her off of the counter. He carried her towards his bedroom and laying her on his bed. He smiled at her as she slept and covered her up. He walked to the other side of the bed and got in with her. He didn't know how she'd feel about him pulling her close, so he laid close to her, but didn't hold her.

It had been a long time since James had slept next to a woman. The last time he had slept next to a woman was back in Dallas with his not-quite-girlfriend. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he had missed it. He missed the feeling of someone beside him.

The next morning James woke up by himself in his bed. He reached over to the side where Roxy had been and it was cold. She must have been gone for a while. He pulled himself up out of bed and saw the note on the bedside table.

My dad needed my help at the restaurant this morning! I'm sorry I had to leave like this! I'll talk to you later! Thanks for the nice night.
Roxy

James sighed. He had hoped to wake up with her, but he understood that things happened. He shrugged and left the note where it was and headed for the shower. He had practice later that morning, so he let it slide and kept his mind focused on practice.

Three weeks had passed and James hadn't heard a thing from Roxy. He was getting frustrated. He thought that she had liked him and they might have been able to start a relationship.

"Why don't you just call her?" Paul Martin asked one day at practice as he and James stood off to the side.

"I've tried," James mumbled, shooting a puck back to Evgeni Malkin. "She won't answer them and won't return them."

"Have you tried to see her in person?"

"No," James replied, shaking his head. "It's pointless. Whatever."

"You should try," Evgeni stated, skating over to them. "Just once."

"Yeah! Doesn't she have that party she helped plan tonight?" Paul asked. "We were invited to make an appearance if we wanted. I know Mario is going."

"Doesn't that seem desperate showing up at her work function like that?"

"How so? We were invited," Paul shrugged.

"It just feels odd," James sighed. "But if you guys will go, then I will."

"I go," Evgeni nodded, slapping James on the back.

Something was telling James not to go tonight, or that he would be overstepping his boundaries with Roxy. He didn't quite care, though. He did want to see her and find out what the hell had happened between them and why she ignored him.

...

Roxy ran around her's and Malcolm's house getting ready for the party, being careful of her dress.

"Malcolm! Mac, have you seen my diamond earrings? The dangly ones?" She called, tearing through their closet to get to her good jewelry box.

"They're right here, on our desk where you left them last night," Malcolm called with a laugh from their bedroom.

"Right!" She yelled and ran back into their bedroom. She grabbed the box off of the desk and put her earrings in.

"Calm down!" Malcolm laughed, rubbing her shoulders. "It's going to be amazing. I'm sure you did a great job tonight."

"It's just such a big night for me," Roxy sighed. "This could open up huge doors for me as a planner."

"I know," Malcolm smiled, kissing the back of her neck. "And I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," Roxy smiled softly, turning around and looking at him. "Ready to go?"

"Am I ready to finally go to one of your amazing parties? Absolutely," Malcolm smiled, fixing his tie. "How do I look?"

"Dapper," Roxy laughed, giving him a kiss before they headed for the door.

Roxy was filled with butterflies. This was a big night for her and she was very excited about Malcolm being there for her. Since her last night with James she had tried to stop thinking about him. She tried to not think about what her night would be like if it were James supporting her and not Malcolm. She gave her head a light shake as Malcolm led her to their car. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for her night. She had a feeling it would be hectic at least.