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After the first period the Rangers were up 1-0, something that thrilled me. “Did you SEE the saves he was making! No wonder everyone loves him. Maybe I should just become a Rangers fan,” I gushed, batting my eyelashes at Tyler.

“You’re cruel,” he responded, narrowing his eyes. “And I’m going to need more beer if we’re going to talk about Henrik Lundqvist. You want one?”

“Sure!”

He came back and sat down on the couch. “Okay,” I said, turning to face him. “Intermission fun game. We’re playing 20 questions.”

“Hm?” he asked, taking a sip of beer.

“We each get to ask 20 questions. About anything at all. The first question that comes to your mind that you want answered. We’re gonna be chill with the rules though because keeping track of questions and stuff is way too overwhelming for me,” I said, laughing.

“Okay,” he replied, smiling and leaning back into the couch. “You start.”

“Favorite colour?”

“Green.”

“Middle name?”

“Paul.”

“Favorite number?”

“19. Duh. And slow down! I wanna ask some!”

I laughed and relaxed a little. “Sorry. There’s just so much I want to know!”

“We have time! It’s my turn. Same 3 questions though.”

“Um, purple. Louise – no making fun. My mother wasn’t the best with picking out names. And, 14.”

“Why 14?”

“My grandma’s birthday was on March 14th.”

“Perfect reason,” he replied with a smile. “Favorite food?”

“Oh my God. Such a mean question. Anything. I’m so far from picky. You?”

“Steak. Definitely steak. Not exactly a question, but tell me something nobody knows about Riley Garrison.”

“Whoa. That escalated quickly,” I said quietly, smirking a little. “Um, you know a lot of it actually. But something that not one other person knows?” I paused and he nodded his head, urging me to continue. “I hate school.”

“Really?” he asked, looking confused. “You work so hard at it though!”

“I know,” I replied, sighing. “School is the one thing I was always good at and I mean, I obviously want to do something with my life. I guess when I picture my future though, I don’t necessarily see a degree as the important thing.”

“Okay. Actual question – what is your absolute, top dream job? No limitations.”

I wrinkled up my nose and looked at him skeptically. “You really wanna know? It’s so lame.”

“I want to know.”

“Stay at home mom,” I said, laughing. “And wife. Obviously. I just, picture myself with a family and I want my future family to be everything my family wasn’t. It’s not like I want to take the easy way out or anything! In this day and age everyone’s expected to have a ‘real’ job you know? I want to have a degree and have that option of making a career for myself. It’s just that, if I was in a situation where I was able to comfortably live without my own income and stay at home to devote myself entirely to my family, oh man that would be my ideal life.”

I looked up to see Tyler smiling at me and shaking his head a little. “I really don’t understand why you seem embarrassed by that confession.”

“It’s just, society’s outlook I guess. I mean, stay at home moms don’t get nearly the appreciation they should. In my experience, taking care of kids is hard work. Taking care of a house is even harder. But I loved doing it. Spending time with my brother and sister and making sure they were happy. It was hard but so much fun too. I’ve met so many parents of my friends who stay home and they hate it. They want to escape from it. I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend as much time as possible with their kids?”

“You’re going to be an unreal stay at home mom one day, you know. But why go to school if you don’t like it?”

“What else would I do?” I said, smirking a little. “Living is expensive these days. The chances of me being in a situation that even allows me to live without my own income is slim. I can recognize that I’ll probably need a career. And even if I do get into a situation that I don’t have to work, I don’t want to have to tell my kids that I had no other option. I want them to know that if I HAD to work, I could, I just would rather spend my days raising them.”

“That’s probably the most mature thing I’ve ever heard. How old are you again?” Tyler replied, grinning.

“Only 20. Underage actually,” I said, holding up the beer bottle. “You’re a terrible influence.”

“Maybe you’ll be a good influence on me then.” He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the forehead.
“There’s really nobody else that knows that about you?”

“Not even Addy,” I responded, shaking my head. “You should feel special.”

“Well, thank you for telling me. And next intermission is all yours, considering I kinda took over the questions there…” he said, laughing a little. “Game’s coming back on.”

We settled back in and watched the second period, Tyler looking more and more impressed every time I reacted to a bad call or a no call or every time I suggested a way to make one of the plays a little better.

Once the second period was over Tyler turned to look at me. “I really, REALLY don’t want to admit it but I’m finding your knowledge of hockey very hot.”

I felt myself blush as I rolled my eyes. “Told ya you’d be impressed. But now it’s my turn to ask you questions. I want to ask you the same thing you asked me. Something nobody knows about you. Not even the fan girls.”

Tyler smirked, leaned back and closed his eyes. “It’s sorta similar to yours. Sometimes I wonder if professional hockey player was a bad choice. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t lying when I told you I love it. Right now, at this stage in my life I absolutely love my job and I’m right where I want to be. But if I were to picture where I’m going to be in 10 years, I want it all. I want a family, just like most people. I travel a lot though, you know? For most of the year I’m away just as much as I’m home. What kind of father or husband could I even be? That stresses me out if I let myself think about it too much.”

I leaned over and kissed him. Once I pulled back I grinned at him. “Well I think the fact that you’re already worried about all of that means that when it happens, you’re going to do great. I saw you with Hannah. You’re great with kids and yours are just going to adore you. You’ll figure out the balance when it’s time.”

We grinned at each other stupidly for a few minutes before I finally sighed and looked away. “Fine,” I groaned, climbing up onto my knees and closing the space between us. “I’ll make the move,” I finished before I started kissing the stupid grin off his face.

Before I knew it I was underneath him on the couch and things were getting heated. Once he had successfully gotten my shirt over my head he started kissing his way down my neck. “This couch really gets the best of me, doesn’t it?” I panted out.

He pulled back and looked at me guiltily. “Sorry. Oh my god. I got carried away.” He pushed himself up onto his knees, picking my shirt up off the floor.

“No, Tyler. Stop. It’s fine. I would’ve said no if you were pushing it too far. I want this. I can’t do, like, all of it. I don’t want to go all the way tonight, okay? But this is fine. I’m okay with trying… some stuff.
Okay?”

“Riley I really don’t want to. I understand you aren’t ready I just got carried away. Sorry.”

“Tyler,” I said, waiting for him to look me in the eyes. “I want this, okay? Just let it happen. If I’m uncomfortable I’ll say so.”

“Are you 100%? You have to be absolutely sure if I’m going to be okay with this.”

“I’m 110%, okay? Just guide me through this.”

“Okay,” he said quietly, staring at me for a few seconds before tossing my shirt back to the floor. “But not here. Come on. My room.”