Be With Someone...

Tugging on the sleeve of her trench coat, Janine tried to arrange herself so that she didn’t look too nervous when she knocked on the Lemieux’s home. Taking a deep breath, she raised her fist to knock.

“Hello?” a chipper woman asked. “Oh! You must be Janine! You look just as Rory described you. Come in, come in. You must be freezing.”

“I’m alright,” Janine assured the woman. “You must be Nathalie. Rory talks about you like you’re her own mother.”

Nathalie smiled. “Well, let me take your coat and then I’ll introduce you to Mario. I think he was talking with Sid and Rory just a minute ago.”

Nathalie led Janine into a spacious living room that connected with the dining room and kitchen that was almost completely occupied by who seemed to be hockey players, team staff, and family.

“Mario,” Nathalie said placing a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “This is Janine, Rory’s cousin.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Janine smiled before extending a hand.

“Oh, please,” Mario waved her hand away. “You’re as good as family.” He embraced her. “And call me Mario.”

Janine nodded and turned to her cousin.

“Happy?” she asked. “I’m here.”

“Oh, I’m ecstatic,” Rory smirked before tugging her older cousin into a hug. “You’ll have fun, I promise.”

“We’ll see about that,” Janine laughed.

“Come on, Jeanie,” Rory said taking her cousin’s hand and using a childhood nickname. “I’ll get you something to drink.”

*****

“Who’s that girl with Rory?” Max asked Sidney as the two women in question walked into the kitchen.

“That’s Janine, Rory’s cousin. You’ve met her before at games,” Sidney sighed. “And no, you will not be getting her number before the night is over.”

“You wound me, Captain,” Max faked hurt. “Why would you assume something like that?”

“Because it’s something you’d do,” Jordan’s voice joined the two.

Greetings were exchanged and soon the tall, blonde’s fiancé was off into the kitchen in search of Rory and Janine.

“Does this have something to do with the fact that Max is a ladies man?” Kris chuckled.

“It absolutely does,” Sidney added. “She just got her heart broken. We don’t need Max making it any worse.”

“Maybe I’m what she needs,” Max said putting a hand to his chest.

“No, dude,” Jordan shook his head. “You are most definitely not what she needs.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re a player,” Sidney offered.

“A bit of a tool,” Kris nodded.

“A douche, really,” Jordan smirked.

“And don’t forget a fuck face,” their goalie’s voice said out of nowhere.

“Flower!” Kris jumped. “Where’d you come from?”

“Do I really have to give you a lesson on reproduction, mon ami?” the French Canadian smirked.

“Not what we meant,” Sidney chuckled.

“I know,” Marc-Andre laughed. “Where’s Rory? I’m assuming that’s where Vero is.”

“Last I saw, she was headed to the kitchen with her cousin for a drink,” Sidney shrugged.

“Her very hot cousin,” Max corrected.

“Do you even know her name?” Kris asked raising an eyebrow.

Max’s face fell. “Uh… uh, Jean? Something like that.”

“Try Janine,” Jordan shook his head.

“I was close!”

As Max bickered with the group, Kris couldn’t help but notice the brunette as she came out of the kitchen with Rory, Heather, and Vero at her sides.

She looked quite a lot like Rory. Except, her hair was darker and shorter, falling to her shoulders in layers. Their eyes were the same but Janine’s eyebrows were more defined.

Janine wore a black sequined dress that fell a few inches above her knee, exposing plenty of leg. She wore pink heels making her stand a good three inches taller than her normal 5’5. She nervously fingered a flowered necklace that hung around her collar bone.

Kris could just barely drag his eyes away from her. Because, simply put, she was beautiful.

*****

“Don’t look now,” Heather giggled. “But Tanger’s making googley eyes at your cousin, Rory.”

“Is he?” she asked. “Well better him than Max.”

“Oh, he was too,” Vero nodded. “You’re quite popular, Janine.”

Janine let out a nervous laugh. “I doubt that. They’re probably trying to figure out who I am.”

“Sidney’s told them, I’m sure,” Rory smiled. “Face it, Jeanie; you’re in the spotlight tonight.”

“I hate the spotlight,” she fake groaned. “Can I just have something to drink yet?”

“What do you want?” Rory said hopping down from her spot on the counter.

“Anything with plenty of alcohol,” Janine shrugged. “Wine, champagne, beer. Anything.”

“Heather, while you’re at it, grab Miss Indecisive a beer from the fridge,” Rory laughed.

“On it,” the blonde said as she rooted around for the drinks.

“Come on,” Vero said once everyone was situated with their beverages. “The boys’ll be wondering where we are.”

“Don’t you mean they’ll be wondering where Janine is,” Heather laughed.

“That too,” Rory nodded. “That too.”