Islands

December 2, 2010 Capitals 1 @ Stars 2
December 4, 2010 Thrashers 3 @ Capitals 1
December 6, 2010 Leafs 5 @ Capitals 4 (SO)
December 9, 2010 Panthers 3 @ Capitals 0
December 11, 2010 Avalanche 3 @ Capitals 2
December 12, 2010 Capitals 0 @ Rangers 7
December 15, 2010 Ducks 2 @ Capitals 1(OT)
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There was some white noise in the background. It was the sound of the shower running behind a closed door. On my laptop, I had a Skype video chat window open. Staring back at me, or at least staring back at his own video chat window, was Nicky’s close friend and road roommate, Mike Green.

They were at the team hotel in Boston. Nicky had sent me a text half an hour earlier, asking me to have a Skype date with him once I arrived at my sister’s house. Finals week was finally over at Georgetown, and once all my freshmen turned in their keys and left for the holidays, I was free to enjoy the guest room at Rochelle’s house. Since both my sister and I were in the DC area, and Tanner’s family was in the DC area, it made more sense for my parents to make the trek to us for the holidays.

I got to Rochelle’s house and got settled in the guest room quickly, glad that I was going to get the chance to talk to Nicky face-to-face before the game against the Bruins. When I got on my computer and saw his name with the little green checkmark next to it in the main Skype window, I didn’t hesitate to initiate the video call. So I was surprised to see Mike, with his dark hair and dark eyes and tattoos on his arms, instead of the blond Swede I was expecting when the call picked up.

Nicky was in the shower but had left his laptop open. Mike had heard about me from his friend, and when he heard the Skype call tone and saw my name, he decided to answer. Our conversation had been going on for at least five minutes and he was much chattier than Nicky right off the bat.

“Nick told me you’re like…smart.”

I laughed. “I don’t know how smart I am. But I do like math.”

“Math?!” Mike said the word like it was a disease. “Well shouldn’t you be, y’know, nerdy?”

“I am nerdy,” I answered.

He pointed at his black thick-rimmed glasses. “I look nerdier than you.”

“Would it make you feel better to know I wore contacts for, like, a decade? I got laser eye surgery for my birthday last year as a present from my step-mom.”

“That does make me feel better. But I mean that—and don’t take this the wrong way—you’re cute,” he answered. “Definitely Nick’s type.”

“Being a girl who thinks in logic and numbers doesn’t mean I have to be an ugly duckling,” I shrugged. “And what is Nicky’s type?”

I felt very strongly about being an attractive girl in math and science. I was proud of it, actually. I knew that I wasn’t drop dead gorgeous but I also knew I was better than average. I was reminded of it every time I introduced myself to people and they asked the question that Mike did. The coincidence of my looks and my career path were routinely brought up by other people. I wasn’t enraged with passion over it, but I did think it was a tragedy that society in general believed a girl who took care of the way she looked and also liked math was farfetched.

“His type is you,” Mike told me. “Cute, smarter than him, didn’t notice him, not a puck bunny. Basically an unattainable and deadly combination.”

“I’m sure he’s had his share of puck bunnies,” I smirked, wondering if Mike would bite. “He’s an elite hockey player after all.”

Mike read me perfectly and laughed. His grin was tight lipped before he answered, “I’m sure he has.”

He confirmed my statement but refused to say more. It didn’t surprise me to know Nicky had been with puck bunnies. I didn’t think any less of him or feel jealous that I hadn’t slept with him yet. He remembered my name. He talked to me every day. We’d gone on a handful of dates and I was falling for him. We were already moving too fast.

“Mike?” I said the defenseman’s name as a question, curious about something he’d said regarding Nicky’s ‘type’.

“Yeah?”

“What did you mean,” I asked, “that thing you said about not noticing him?”

The tiny sound of white noise disappeared. In the chat window, I saw Mike look to his left, I presumed towards the bathroom. Nicky’s shower was over. I hoped he wouldn’t be mad that Mike and I were talking about him while I waited for him. Mike was an insider—his best friend—who better to get information from?

“He told me about you before he asked you to go bowling. He wasn’t sure if it was worth it,” Mike spoke honestly. “That day at the fan skate, he said you barely even looked at him. Then on your first date he couldn’t tell if you liked him.”

“Well, what did you say?”

“I said it was stupid. I mean, how could you not like my boy Nicky? Even my grandma has a crush on him.” Mike smiled. “So I told him to go for it. Then after, he said that you kissed him, just proving my point. So I said ‘I told you so’ and we didn’t have to talk about you again.”

We both laughed.

“You know, if you think about it,” Mike’s tone was boastful, “it’s because of me that there’s even anything going on between you guys.”

I rolled my eyes at my laptop screen. “Thanks, Mike.”

“Who’re you talking to?” Nicky’s voice interjected our conversation in the background.

Mike grinned and then I got a fast and blurry panoramic view of their hotel room as he turned his laptop. When the image refocused, I could see Mike’s socked feet and Nicky standing at the foot of the bed. I was going to wave at Nicky but I clenched my jaw instead to keep from making a stupid noise when I saw him. He was wearing nothing but a white towel around the lower half of his body. His blond hair looked darker, un-brushed and pasted against his forehead. He really was a Viking god, broad shoulders and toned arms and chiseled chest leaving little to the imagination as to what he looked like beneath the towel.

“Erin?” Nicky squinted at the screen and at me. “What…why are you talking to Greenie on my computer?”

Mike snorted. “Relax, bro. I was just trying to get to know your girl while she was waiting for you.”

Nicky’s sightline was set on Mike and I got to keep ogling him as he spoke. “What did you say to embarrass me, huh?”

“Nothin’!” Mike insisted. “Put some fucking clothes on, Nicky.”

Damn it. Nicky walked out of sight. I caught a glimpse of him, on his side of the room, before the camera was back to Mike leaning against the headboard. Mike was grinning again.

“Did Nick tell you about the pre-Penguins party that’s happening at his house?” he asked.

“No.” I shook my head. “It’s literally called the pre-Penguins party?”

“Yup. It’s two nights before we play the Penguins at home. After the Devils game,” Mike said. “Are you going to that game? You should come to the party afterward. It’d be great to meet you and you can meet some of the guys.”

I felt uncomfortable that Mike was inviting me to Nicky’s house for a party that Nicky hadn’t told me about. If I was going to get invited to his house, I would have hoped it would be by him. And for a party…with some of his teammates? I didn’t know if we’d reached the point yet that he even wanted to introduce me to them. I wasn’t even sure that I was ready to meet them.

“Fuck off, Mike. Sorry about this guy, Erin.” Before I could muster up an answer for Mike, Nicky was standing, hunched over so that he and Mike were both visible in the frame. He was dressed in a shirt with Swedish words on it and loose shorts. “I was gonna tell you about the party and invite you today before he ruined it.”

“That’s okay,” I answered, relieved. “But would we be leaving from the arena? How will Jaden get home after the game?”

The Capitals were playing their next game at the Verizon Center against the New Jersey Devils, a game that I was attending with Jaden. Rochelle wanted to finish her Christmas shopping and Tanner had a noon to midnight shift at the hospital, so it was just the two of us. I’d actually only ever been to a Caps game once and it was on a date with a guy I didn’t see again once the night was over. The circumstances were much different this time around. I was going with my nephew and Nicky had insisted on getting us good seats.

“Who’s Jaden?” Mike piped in. “Can’t you bring them to the party?”

“Is her nephew,” Nicky answered Mike, looking at him sideways. “He’s in first grade.”

“Oh.”

“We can drop him home at your sister’s and send him to bed before the party,” Nicky said to me.

“Well okay,” I replied even though I felt a bit apprehensive about it. “I’ll go.”

Nicky smiled and moved his wet hair off his face, slicking it back with his hands. I chewed on my bottom lip, not wanting to say anything too personal—or worse, stupid—with Mike still in the picture.

“Oh, Lord! You two are so adorable I could puke,” Mike exclaimed as if on cue. He pointed at Nicky. “He obviously wants to talk to you without me. I think it’s time for me to peace out.”

“It was nice meeting you, Mike,” I said.

“You too,” he answered, adding a salute. “Guess I’ll see you at the party.”

Nicky told me to wait while he got situated and comfortable with his laptop. I took the opportunity to get myself comfortable, lying on my side with my head supported by a bunch of pillows and the duvet pulled up to my chest. After a few moments, Nicky was settled on his back against two pillows in his hotel bed, a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre branded headphones placed neatly over his ears.

“Sorry if Mike ambush you.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” I assured him. “Mike was really nice. He’s friendly.”

“You think so?” Nicky asked, to which I nodded. “You like him more than me?”

I smirked. “No. Not even close.”

“Good.” His one-word answer was simple before a pause, and then, “I think you’ll like the guys who will be there. And they will like you.”

“Nicky, are you,” my speech held a tone of uncertainty, “are you sure you want me to go to the party?”

He frowned, blond eyebrows furrowing. “You don’t want to go?”

“It’s not that,” I answered quickly. “I want to go if…if you’re sure about it. If you told me just because Mike already spilled the beans, I get it.”

“Absolutely, I want you to be there.”

He hadn’t even flinched when he said it. I let out a sigh that I didn’t know I’d been holding in. It was true then that he was actually planning on inviting me and Mike had spoken too soon. It was true then that it was miscommunication on their part because as Mike had said, they didn’t have to talk about me once it was revealed that I kissed Nicky at the bowling alley. I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to be moving so quickly and meet people in his life. I didn’t have the strength to say no, either, because I liked him so much, and I wanted to find out.