Our Heads May Hurt Tomorrow

“Dani!” yelled a familiar voice. It was nice to see Niki back waiting on Jonny after meetings with the media. She had texted me and called since she had gotten back into Chicago, but our schedules never matched up. I hugged her as she worked her way over to me. I looked down and smiled at the baby bump. The expectant mother had called me the moment she had found out. Well, maybe not the moment of, but I was one of the first few she had let know. “We’re having a group dinner tonight to celebrate being back in town, and I want you there. No ifs, ands or buts about it. You will be there.”

I nodded. Niki was completely serious, and I figured that there was going to be no way for me to get out of it. Jonny walked up while we stood around. I embraced him since it was the first chance I got with him that didn’t require getting him to an interview or him walking past me while I dealt with the media for him.

“You’re going to dinner with us? Well, Patrick will be there,” he said. I hadn’t talked to him since he told me he was leaving for Switzerland. At first, it was more we weren’t talking because of the incidents in Madison, and then we just drifted apart. I hear of him dating other girls now, and I had tried to get back into dating again. Then I decided that I wanted the single life and told Hope that I was moving out. I had my own apartment, and I could only hope that everything that had happened with Patrick was what led me to where I was now. Yet the potential of spending time with him was going to test me.

“Downside is that he’s bringing his new girlfriend,” sneered Niki. I frowned, but I could tell by the looks on the faces of my friends that they weren’t too pleased that she was going to be coming along.

“Maybe I’ll need to find a date for tonight,” I laughed. I could. There was one guy that I had been seeing recently. He and I weren’t serious. It was nice to have someone to go out with or get drinks with. Eric was easier to get along with, but there wasn’t as much variance in what we did every time we saw each other.

“Oh a date?” asked a certain voice. I turned to see Patrick with the girl I could only assume was his new girlfriend. She and I couldn’t have been more opposite with her hair being obviously dyed darker and her skin having a tan that probably required hours in a tanning bed. She made me think of the year my friends in college went as the cast of Jersey Shore for Halloween. “This is Allison, Dani. Allison, meet Danielle.”

“How nice to meet you! Patty has told me so much about you, Dani,” she said. I wanted to cringe with the way her voice was so high-pitched, but I couldn’t. Being so rude would be frowned upon in this social situation. I held my hand out to her and critiqued her internally on her weak grip. Biting my tongue was the hardest part of the whole situation. Maybe if I had just met her at dinner it would be fine. Maybe if she didn’t exist things would be just about perfect.

I pulled my phone out, checking the time. I didn’t want to stand around with them any longer. Niki rolled her eyes at me, and as I grimaced at the thought of annoying her, I realized that this was going to be my way out.

“Well, I need to head out. Will one of you let me know about dinner? I’ll be there. I just need to make sure Eric is free,” I said. I watched Patrick as a name was thrown out. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I wanted to see if he cared if I moved on. He frowned but quickly recovered. There was definitely going to be a need for me to find a date to this dinner. Just to see if I could continue to play this game with Kaner.

***

“He seems like a sweet guy from what you told me,” said Niki. She stood with me outside of the restaurant while I waited for Eric to park. I linked arms with her and watched the direction in which he had taken the car. He knew that it was a team thing that I was invited to just because of my multiple ties to the Hawks. He didn’t know exactly about how close I had been to Kaner like how long we had dated or that we had actually been together to the point where I practically lived with him. It was just something that I hadn’t told him because it didn’t seem like it was a really important part of being with someone new.

“He’s great,” I said. My smile widened as he showed up. I dropped Niki’s arm and took Eric’s hand. We walked in together, following Niki to the tables that the team and their wives or girlfriends occupied.

Sitting next to my best friend was the best option I had. This put me across from Patrick and Allison, and I couldn’t help but feel like this was the work of a certain mischievous friend of mine. She obviously didn’t like the other girl, and she had me now to mess with her. Patrick looked between me and Eric with an eyebrow raised.

“Has anyone ever told you that you kinda look like Kesler?” he asked. Eric shook his head. “Dani, are you trying to keep up dating hockey players or mess with the team by dating a rival’s lookalike?”

“I’ve never really been compared to him. What other hockey players did Dani date?” inquired Eric. The table erupted into laughter at the question. I hadn’t told him who I had dated, and I hadn’t planned on it being this way or really I hadn’t planned on ever letting him know that I had dated a superstar such as Patrick Kane. The smile on Kaner’s face told me that he was now glad I brought a date. I should have just said no to the dinner. It would have saved me this.

“Kaner. I dated him,” I said nodding at the man across the table from me. I looked at Eric, and his surprised look made me grin. At least he wasn’t mad at me for not sharing a little bit of information like ‘Oh, we’re getting dinner with my ex, his team, and his new girlfriend.’ That probably wouldn’t have gone over too well. Allison’s features were blank, and her expression could be best described as absent while Kane’s cheeky grin slowly faded as he realized it didn’t bother Eric who I had dated.

The rest of the meal went on with everyone talking about the upcoming season. The boys were all excited about getting to start the season in LA taking on the reigning Stanley Cup champs. They wanted to see how Hollywood would try to make the banner raising ceremony their own. I had to admit that I was looking forward to that, too. It was just easier for me to not really contribute much but to talk to Niki, Jonny and Eric whenever we could have more private conversations.

We two girls decided that we would watch the game from the comfort of my new place without the distractions at bars. It would give her a chance to see the place that I had moved to for herself. The last person who really saw it who I hadn’t seen in a while was Christine, and that was just because she helped me move in before she had decided to pack up and move all of her things to be with Kris in Florida. I was glad to get the updates from her, and she promised to come up to see me and Niki again. I just hoped she knew that I needed her in my life sooner rather than later.

The couples and groups were all splitting up as everyone prepared to leave the restaurant and go back to their own lives before the boys left. My elbow was grabbed as I let Eric go ahead to get the car.

“Hey, you know he seems like a good guy,” sighed Patrick.

“Better than some I’ve been with,” I retorted.

“I missed you,” he whispered.

“Your date’s waiting for you,” I frowned. I waved at Allison as she stood there waiting for him.

“I hope to see your new place soon.”

“If you can get the address, you’re welcome to see me.”