Buckshot

Patrick Kane was walking down the hall at the UC trying to decide if it was actually wise to get tickets for his sisters and his girlfriend, Nicki-Together... in the same arena. They really didn’t get along well at all. Nicki was a bit… high maintenance and his sisters were… not.

So when he arrived at Kimberly’s office, he hesitated, raised his hand to knock, and hesitated again.

“ Sugar, if you’re just going to stand there all day, let me at least go inside first. I’ve got a pile of paper work due before the game tomorrow evenin’.” Kimberly’s Southern drawl sounded from behind him.

He sighed and motioned for her to pass before he followed her into her quaint little office. As a part of her deal in signing on to basically be the Blackhawk’s bitch, she got to paint and decorate how she liked. It was girly, very girly. The walls were painted a pale turquoise and lined with photographs of sprawling oaks. Her custom made L shaped desk was dainty and very feminine- much like the lady who sat behind it- and lined with photographs of her family and friends back home in South Carolina.

Kimberly sat down in her ancient brown leather swivel chair and stared at Patrick with her amber eyes.

“I’m waiting, boo.” She said calmly, fully expecting the world to drop down on her shoulders at any moment. His quietness was usually an indication of something big. This time, however, she actually knew what was going on in his head. “If you have to think it over this hard, it’s probably not worth it, Pat.”

He crumbled into a saddle brown- button backed chair and buried his face in his hands, until finally, he spoke.

“If they would just get along it wouldn’t be such a big deal.” He said, spreading his fingers so that one of his blue eyes was able to look at Kimberly.

Today she wore a bright coral suit with pearl necklaces of varying lengths. Her long brown hair was tied up with…

“Are those chopsticks in your hair, Buckshot?” He asked using the nickname he’d given her almost 2 years ago.

She blushed a little and began straightening papers into piles on her desk. “My rubber band popped. I have to keep it off my neck.”

“Your hair is totally going to smell like Lo Mein, now.”

“Probably, but I’m not trying to impress anyone.” She spoke with a bit of a smirk.

“Not even Crawford?” Patrick asked “Buckshot Crawford, goalie’s wife, I can see it in the headlines now.”

“It would be Kimberly Crawford, better alliteration.” She spoke quickly, stapling papers together. “Not that there’s any chance of that happening, goalies are very handsy.”

Patrick smirked and leaned back in the chair, placing both hands behind his head and stretching out. “Know this from personal experience, do you?”

She blushed and turned her chair around, not directly facing him as she answered a message on the computer, probably from one of the player’s wives. “Remember the Halloween party at Seabs’?”

“Yeah, what about it?” He leaned forward,wanting to know more.

“We were both drunk, he was hot and things got a little… carried away.” She said quietly, knowing that Patrick wouldn’t actually tell anyone.

“On your part or his?” Kane asked, afraid that he would have to go knock some sense into his teammate on general principle.

“Both.” She blushed a deep crimson.

Patrick let out a deep belly laugh “So that’s why he won’t look you in the eyes. Damn, Buckshot, was he that bad?”

“Patrick Timothy Kane Jr.! You know that I don’t kiss and tell!” She admonished and gave him a slight glare. “Now are you getting the tickets for tomorrow’s game or not?”

He groaned, a little annoyed to be facing his problems again. “Still haven’t decided.”

“Then why…”

“BUCKSHOT!” A male voice bellowed from the hallway.

“I could kill you for giving me that nickname sometimes, Kane.” She sighed and waited for the door to open.

When it did, Viktor Stalberg was on the other side, grinning like a loon.

“Hey babylove, what can I do for you?” She asked sweetly, as Viktor was one of her favorite people.

Kane rolled his eyes “Yeah, babylove, what can she do for you?”
“Please wear my jersey tomorrow?” He pleaded. “Tazer is swearing that he’s going to get you to wear his and I would really love if you help me prove him wrong.”

“What’s the pot up to now?” She asked, knowing that the players actually kept a running bet on the number she would show up in to every game. She tried to keep it on equal footing, not showing favoritism.

“900 and a steak dinner.” Patrick said, knowing that she’d cave.

“ If 300 of that is mine, and you’ve got a deal, Stalberg.” She said smiling prettily at him.

Stalberg laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’ll get half of it and no less. In fact, I think I’m going to raise the bet a little more for us."

She laughed and he winked before hurrying back down the hallway to the noisy weight room.

"So what are you going to do with all of that mad money you just earned?" Pat asked, leaning back in the chair.

"Buy Groceries." She said nonchalantly as she typed a message back to Abby Sharp.

"They should give you a raise." Patrick said, a little sad that she wasn't going to spend it on something for her.

"Or at least a separate account to feed hungry man-children." She smirked and picked up her phone.

Kane gasped at the slight jab she made in his general direction. They had a long standing agreement that Thursday nights before home games was theirs to watch whatever Netflix brought to them. Sometimes it was girly like Downton Abbey (which Kane secretly loved) and then others it was something cheesy like Tremors (which Kimberly insisted was a cult classic and should be viewed often).

"Sharpie, darlin', call your wife. She's texted you 9,000 times for a reason." Kimberly said into the phone and paused while he talked. "Yes, well, she's nesting now and paint colors are incredibly important. You woudn't want her to be unhappy after she's carried your baby for this long, right?"

Sharp must have said something on the other end because she cackled. "Yeah, you go ahead and tell her that. You'll be sleeping your little butt on the couch. "

Kane marveled at the way she could carry on a conversation with any of them. The entire team loved her. Their families loved her. Hell, even the blackhawk fan girls loved her. Why couldn't Nicki be like that? She was gorgeous, sure. But she hated Kimberly and only a few of the guys liked her. Then there was his family. Ugh. His family. He still had to give Kimberly an answer.

He waited til she hung up the phone, before he could open his mouth, she spoke.

"I'm going to do you a favor, Pat." She said firmly. " I'll run interference for you tomorrow."

His face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Listen to me, Kane." She said seriously. "You will owe me big time."

He stood up and walked quickly around the desk to pick her up into a bear hug. "I could totally kiss you right now, Buck."

"I don't kiss attached men." She groaned and smacked him on the back. "I need oxygen."

"And some goalie-lovin'." Kane said and moved swiftly out of the way before she could swat him on the arm.

"You tell anyone and I'll tell them about the time you wore my clothes around the apartment."

"My clothes were wet after I stood out in the rain for 3 hours trying to figure out what was wrong with your car, though." Kane countered.

"Yeah, but they don't know that." Kimberly smirked

"Evil bitch." Kane gasped mockingly, knowing that she would indeed follow up if he were to tell. "So 4 tickets for tomorrow's game, and I'll see you tonight for some Supernatural and thai food?"

Kimberly smiled. "Yeah, I could use some Winchester ogling. Pick it up on the way?"

"Don't I always?" Patrick laughed and left to go lift weights.