Just Bent

Hey Duncan, this is Amanda.

She had debated for ten minutes what to text him and finally settled on the five simple words. She waited for a reply and after thirty minutes, decided she wasn’t going to get one when her phone went off. Smiling, she clicked open the text message.

Hey, sorry. Had some media obligations. What’s up?

I talked to Izzy....we’d like to come Saturday if the offer still stands?

Of course. What are you doing tonight?

Izzy is working so I’m probably just going to hang out at the bar with her.

Would you rather come see the skills competition tonight? Camille will be there. She’d love company.

She wouldn’t mind?

Not Camille. And it’s really fun; you’ll like it, I promise.

Yeah, okay.

Can I give Camille your number? She can call you and you can meet up with her?

That’s fine.

She'll have tickets for the game for you tonight.

Thank you, Duncan.

No problem. See you later!

Duncan smiled, setting his phone down in his locker as Patrick sat down beside him. “Why you smiling, Duncs?”

“No reason, Kaner.”

“Bullshit. You were texting with someone. Who?”

“No one.” He stood and gathered his things and walked over to Pekka across the room. “Do you know where I might find Shea and Camille?”

“Shea should be here in a second. I’m pretty sure Camille is with Malkin and Tanger.”

“Does Shea know that?”

“Nope.”

“Are you going to tell him?”

“Hell no,” Pekka laughed. “Do I look stupid?”

Duncan chuckled. "So she went which way then?"

"Team Toews locker room."

"Yeah, that sounds like Camille. See ya later, Peks!"

Duncan made his way through the halls towards the other locker room and followed the sound of Camille's laughter, finding her sandwiched in between Geno and Rick Nash. In front of her, Kris LeTang flipped his hair.

"And that is how it is done, Nash. You should record that and refer to it in the future. Or I can record it and give you pointers," Camille smiled, batting her lashes at Kris.

"No one was complaining about my hair flipping last night," Rick retorted.

"Oh, so you got laid?"

"No."

"Kris, did you get laid last night?"

"Oui, ma belle. Deux fois." She giggled and Kris ran a hand through his hair, winking at her.

"That means twice," Marc Andre Fleury called out from across the room. Camille fanned herself.

"You stay away from her," Geno warned Kris. "She think I best."

"I'd stay away from her if only because Weber would have no qualms boarding your ass," Duncan spoke up.

"Hey Duncs!" Camille waved.

"What are you doing?"

"Hanging out with Geno,” she replied as she leaned into the tall Russian.

"I'm pretty sure that you were swooning over LeTang. And I don't think Shea will like that."

"You are no fun. I was doing interviews for my blog."

"What? The art of the hair flip?"

"If you must know, yes. I'm planning a whole post titled 'the way that you flip your hair makes me overwhelmed'. Kris is of course the star but I think Rick could give him a run for his money if he applied himself." The men laughed.

"Come on, I need to borrow you," Duncan said. Camille nodded and stood, leaning down to hug Geno and then Rick.

"Thanks for the hair flip lesson, Kris."

"Rien pour vous, ma chérie." He reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it as she giggled again and blushed under his stare.

"That means anything for you," Marc Andre added with a smile.

"And that is my cue," Duncan said, grabbing Camille's other hand and tugging her away from Kris.

"Bye guys!" She called over her shoulder. She linked her arm through Duncan's and they headed out.

"So what's up?" Camille asked as they walked back to the other locker room.

"I need you to call Amanda. She said she'd come tonight and I told her you'd call and meet her. And her and Izzy are coming Saturday."

"I will take care of everything but I have to ask. Are you sure about a girl in Columbus? You want to do long distance? I can tell you it fucking sucks."

"Amanda lives in Chicago," Duncan told her.

"She's from Chicago? Are you kidding me?" Camille hissed, smacking Duncan across the chest. "Seriously?

"Seriously. So you're gonna help me, right?"

"Of course I am! This is so exciting. I've always wanted to meddle in someone's love life."

Duncan chuckled. "I am not surprised by that one bit."

"Cammie!!" Kaner yelled as he rounded the corner. "How come you set Duncs and Nash up with hot chicks but not me?"

"Borrow some from Segs," Camille answered.

"They're skanky."

"You like skanky, Kaner. That means they are easy and easy means you don’t have to work for it and you don’t like to work for it.”

“Well yeah, I know but maybe I need to grow up.”

“Did Johnny tell you that?” Patrick nodded and Camille shook her head. “Johnny is just trying to mind control you so he doesn’t have to babysit you.” Duncan bit back a laugh.

“I’m not that bad.”

“You are better but I still would never set you up with anyone I know.” He frowned but Camille looked past him and smiled when she saw Shea appear behind him.

"I was looking for you," Shea said as Camille stepped around Patrick to reach him. She put her arms around him and hugged him before going on tiptoe to kiss him.

"I saw Geno and was talking to him."

"And you came back?" Shea teased.

"Duncan made me. He's no fun. I was doing research."

"I don't want to know, do I?"

Camille smiled sweetly up at him and let her body rub against his, one hand squeezing his butt. Shea's eyes closed and he swore under his breath. "I was only trying to help Rick," she answered.

"Help Rick with what?"

"Learn the proper way to flip his sex hair."

He groaned. "You met LeTang, didn't you?"

"Uh-huh." She grinned mischievously.

Shea looked over her to Duncan. "I'm sure I should be thanking you for saving her for me before I lost her to the dark side."

"I think I got to her in time but don't be surprised if she wants you to learn French," Duncan replied.

"Will Pekka talk to me in Finnish if I ask nicely?" Camille asked.

"Not if he wants to live to see tomorrow," Shea replied.

“Well I want him to live to see tomorrow so I won’t ask.”

“You are going to be the death of me.”

“You’ve told me that a time or two....”

Shea looked over at Duncan. “Did you tell her?”

“No; I was going to let you,” Duncan replied.

“Tell me what?” Camille asked.

“Guess who got paired up on defense for Saturday?” Shea asked. She looked between the two and her eyes sparkled.

“Shut up! Seriously? You two are playing together?”

“We get to defend the kids,” Duncan added.

“Oh my God!” Camille squealed. “That just makes it better!”

“Hall wants to meet you,” Shea continued. “Said he wants to be a feature on your blog.”

“Too bad for him I want Eberle.”

“You realize you’re like ten years older than him.”

“I’m only seven years older than Eberle, thankyouverymuch.”

“Stay away from the kids.”

“We could adopt them though, Shea!”

Duncan chuckled. “Only you, Camille,” he said.

"They're so adorable though. Don't you want to just squeeze them?"

"Not really," Duncan laughed.

"I'm going to kill the kids," Shea muttered.

"What for?" Camille asked.

"Existing," he replied.

Camille giggled. "I love when you get jealous. It's such a turn on," she purred, wrapping her arms around his middle and leaning into him. "You're such a man, defending his woman or whatever this is."

Shea grinned. "It’s called being a caveman."

"I like it." She went on tiptoe to kiss him. "Now take me to the kids so I can ask them how it feels to be defended by the two studliest guys in the NHL this weekend."



It should come as no surprise to you SaltNPekka readers that I am beyond thrilled to know that Shea and Duncan Keith will be paired together this weekend on defense. Even better than that? They're paired with the second line comprised of the kids from Edmonton.

Seriously though... How did Team Gaborik get so lucky??? All three kids? This might be the best team lineup in all star game history. We have Gaborik. We have Weber and Keith. We have Eberle, Hall, and the Nuge. We have Hank, Pekka, and Carey Price. We have Patrick Kane, Eric Staal, Jakub Vorachek, and Zetterberg. We have PK Subban, Victor Hedman and Justin Faulk.

Okay sure, they have Toews and Malkin and LeTang. They have Marc and Jordan Staal. They have Parise and Getzlaf and Stamkos and Nash. They have Josi, and Chara and Rask and Quick and Fleury. But still, our team > their team. :)

I had a chance to chat with the kid line earlier today; they're excited to play together Saturday night but even more excited to have my two favorite members of Team Gaborik watching their backs. Who knows.... Maybe we're getting a preview of things to come when the Olympics roll through next season. All five of these guys are definite contenders for roster spots then.

SaltNPekka (SP): I know that Taylor and Jordan, you two have played in the all star game before but this is your first, Ryan. Are you excited?

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (RNH): I am very excited and I can’t wait to play with these guys.

SP: Is there anyone in particular you are excited to play with on Team Gaborik?

Jordan Eberle (JE): Patrick Kane.

RNH: Pavel Datsyuk.

Taylor Hall (TH): Shea Weber (smirks)

SP: Flattery will get you nowhere, Hallsy.

TH: (grins) Erik Karlsson.

SP: Anyone on Team Toews you wish was on Team Gaborik?

JE: Scott Hartnell.

TH: Tyler Seguin.

RNH: John Tavares.

SP: I’d take Hartnell or Tavares. You should stay away from Seguin probably. Or at least keep Ryan away. Don’t corrupt him. Look at how adorable he is.

Tyler Seguin: (walks by) I resent that Cammie!

SP: (sticks tongue out at Seguin)

TS: (sticks tongue out at SP and continues on)

SP: Ryan, what's the best thing about playing in Edmonton?

TH: (laughs) He’s legal there.

RNH: The fans are great and the atmosphere in the arena is really great.

SP: Jordan, does Taylor give you a hard time for being the odd man out on your line, the only one that wasn't a number one draft pick?

JE: Yeah, he’s kind of a jerk that way. (grins)

SP: Yeah, he seems the type.

TH: (frowns; JE, RNH, SP laugh)

SP: Thanks for talking to me guys. Good luck Saturday and have fun tonight.