A Lifelong Promise

Clare was sitting at her desk in her office at work when she heard a knock on her door. She whipped her head up and saw a delivery man with a huge display of flowers and a box with some hidden edible gems. A smile spread wide across her face as she nodded and let the guy come all the way in.

"Thank you," she said beaming as he placed the flowers down on her desk and handed her the box.

The man gave her a nod before he headed out and left her alone with her surprises. She dug in the bouquet of all different colored roses until she saw the card- Just because I love you, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I'm finally allowed to scream how I feel about you from the mountains.

Clare couldn't help the way her heart fluttered as she saw the sweet words from the sweet man she was dating.

"I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time," she heard and popped her head up to see one of the girls she worked with walking by.

She turned her attention down to the box and opened it to find a half dozen of chocolate covered strawberries. Clare couldn't remember the last time she'd been treated this way and it felt nice- Paul cared about her, a lot, and she didn't need to question it even a little. She immediately grabbed her phone to call and thank him. She didn't think, when she was going through everything with James, that she'd ever feel the way she used to feel about him ever again- but Paul caught her off guard and she loved him for so many things.

***

Paul got Clare's voicemail when he was able to check his phone after practice. He smiled as he listened to her gushing on the other end- it made him happy that he made her so happy. He would've sent her flowers everyday but he knew she didn't need that. They were on the road and wouldn't be home for a few days after already being gone for a few as it was, so it was easy to tell that he missed her. He never felt quite like this about any other girl he'd ever been in a relationship with and he liked it. He liked being wrapped up in her, it felt more right than anything else.

Until he'd look at James.

Paul would never deny that things were significantly awkward between them; that their friendship had taken a serious hit and would never get back to where it used to be. He knew that he should feel more pangs of guilt but he didn't. He was happy, truly happy, with Clare, and if James hadn't thrown his marriage away it never would have opened the door up for Paul to be with her.

Things had been relatively quiet between the two of them. They'd stopped going at each other's throats and James had kept his distance. Paul had no desire to speak to James and James had seemingly no desire to speak with Paul. Their glances were icy and body language cold, but they did what they promised- they tried to keep it out of the locker room.

"Hey," Crosby asked as they were getting ready to leave after their game that night. "You got a second?"

Paul nodded, "Yeah. What's up?"

Sid stood next to him and looked up, changing his gaze over to James. "What's with him?" he asked with a head nod in his direction.

"Neal?" Paul asked already knowing the answer. "I don't know. What are you talking about?"

"I don't know," Sid shrugged. "He's been...secluded. More than usual with everything going on in your personal lives. Thought maybe something happened."

"No," Paul shook his head. "Nothing new anyway. We haven't spoken in a little bit at this point- and Clare hasn't mentioned anything since the last time he tracked her down."

"How are things with that? Good?"

"Yeah," Paul immediately nodded. "Yeah things are more than great. Why?"

"Just wondering. I'm glad- good for you. You think it's serious?"

"Yeah," Paul nodded again. "I really love her."

"I can see that- I think he can too," Sid commented. "He's not taking it well."

"Well...I don't think anyone expected him to."

"No," Crosby agreed. "Just seems like something's up with him."

Paul let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "Or maybe he's up to something."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Paul sighed out again. "No one feels worse about this than me. I know that my actions caused a rift in here- I know. It sucks, the entire thing sucks. But I'm looking at the end game here."

"And that's her."

"Yeah," Paul said with yet another nod. "Hey," he said as he changed his tone a bit. "I don't think I've really thanked you."

"For?"

"Having my back. I can see why some of the guys blame me or think what I did was fucked up- but you've been on my side. I appreciate that."

Sid looked up at him and gave a little smile. "I know everything you've done was for good. You didn't steal her, you didn't cheat. I watched him fuck around behind her back just like you did. Plus, I mean," Sid let out a little laugh. "Hannah was engaged to someone else before me. And it was a guy in the league- maybe not a teammate but someone I knew nonetheless- what room do I have to talk?"

Paul couldn't help letting out a laugh as he remembered what went down with Sid and his wife. "And you didn't steal her either but he was pissed."

"Exactly. Sometimes you fall for someone you don't expect, and even if you've done nothing wrong you'll still hear shit about it. Only thing that really matters at the end of the day is whether or not she's worth it- and it was for me. She's my life. It seems like it is for you too. Funny thing is, when I met you, you were with your ex- and you were with her for like...what? Nine years? You were happy, sure. But when I see you now with Clare...it's different."

Paul gave a sly grin and bobbed his head. "It is. I can't explain it."

"That's why I'm not gonna give you shit. You won't get it from me. If she makes you happy, it's not my business."

"Thanks man." Paul really did appreciate the support.

"And thanks for keeping it out of the locker room," Crosby added as he put his hand on Paul's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

***

It'd been long enough that the team had been on the road and Paul was beyond ready to get home to his girl. He was pretty tired when he walked through his front door, dragging his luggage behind him, and had every intention of going down to Clare's as soon as he cleaned up and changed into some sweats. He pulled his exhausted body down the hall to his bedroom and flickered on the light. As soon as the room was illuminated his eyes immediately fell to the bump in his bed. When he realized that it was Clare sleeping under the covers in his bed he felt butterflies erupt inside himself. He paused for a moment to take in the sight of her beautiful sleeping form before shutting the lights off and carefully making his way to the side of the bed where he flicked on the lamp so the light wasn't as harsh in the room. He didn't want to wake her as he slipped out of his suit and put on his sweats. When he pushed the covers back and slid under them he instantly reached for her warm body and pressed against her.

Paul smiled as he delicately pushed her hair behind her ear and lightly kissed her forehead. "Hey," he whispered as he continued to run his hands down her cheek.

When Clare's eyes finally fluttered open and she realized Paul way there with her, her eyes lit up and an unmistakably smile spread across her face. "Hey baby," she breathed out softly.

"Hey beautiful," he cooed. "What are you doing here?" he asked curious but not disappointed he came home to her.

"I don't know," she said groggily and gave a little shrug. "I missed you and I wanted to sleep in your bed, fall asleep to your scent."

Paul's heart jumped as his smile widened. "I missed you too," he confessed as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

Clare's eyes were still closed and she was barely awake but she kissed him back and Paul felt her smile against him. "Are you tired?" she asked as she nuzzled into him.

"Yeah," he nodded though she couldn't see him through her closed eyelids. "Exhausted, really."

"Can we just stay here and sleep. I already warmed up the bed for you."

"Yeah," Paul answered perfectly content with that offer. "No where else I'd rather be."

Being there with her in his bed was more than enough to make him happy. He didn't need to come home and instantly have hot sex with her in order to fulfill his every need and desire. They'd gotten so close and so intimate with each other and had dug deep when they agreed to begin a relationship that they were into the meat, the realness of being in love- it wasn't all about physical lust. Paul held her close to him and slept deeper than he had any night he was on the road. He never imagined that James' wife would be the woman to change his life, but she was and he came out happier than he could have thought possible.

After sleeping peacefully with Clare tangled up with him he was suddenly awoken by a loud banging coming from his front door. He lied there in bed for a few moments before being pulled out of his slumber and made the frustrating decision to crawl out of bed and go see who was there. Before his feet hit the ground he leaned down and gave Clare a soft kiss on the side of her temple. "Who is that?" Clare asked still half sleeping.

"I don't know," Paul said with a shrug, still mostly asleep himself. "I'm not expecting anyone."

"I hope it isn't James," Clare let out as she reached for his hand and lifted it up to her lips, giving it a soft kiss before she felt him pull away and get off the bed.

"Yeah, me too," he said as he realized it could be. It was the last person he wanted to deal with. Whoever it was already irritated him because they forced him out of the perfectly wonderful sleeping arrangement he was in.

Paul dragged his body back down the hallway and winced as he flipped on the light switch. Without thinking and being too tired to function properly he opened the door and instantly widened his eyes when he realized who he was standing in front of.

"Hey Paul," Jessica breathed out with a timid smile on her face and a carry-on on the floor next to her.

"Jess?" Paul breathed out in complete shock. "What...what the hell are you doing here?" he asked annoyed as he took in what he was looking at and trying to figure out why.

"James reached out to me and said I should come pay you a visit. It was really sweet actually, he said that you'd changed and I might be interested in seeing it for myself."

Paul closed his eyes and let out a slow breath to try and keep calm. "Jess we broke up almost two years ago..."

"I know," she said with a shrug. "But I spent nine years of my life with you and I owe it to myself and to you to see if this is something that could work. You don't spend nine years with someone and have it mean nothing."

Paul put his fingers on his brow and began to massage it as he took this all in. He wanted to kill James for calling his ex girlfriend and leading her on to come pop in. This ploy, this elaborate scheme James had the nerve to do enraged Paul beyond belief. As he stood there trying to keep calm he heard Clare stirring in the bedroom. He felt his heart pounding hard in his chest as he wanted to warn her not to come out but heard her footsteps getting closer as she came to check on him. "Who was there? Are you okay?" she asked clearly not yet in sight of Jessica.

"Are you kidding me?" Jessica asked with an attitude not realizing who was coming to find Paul, only understanding he was in bed with a girl. As Clare stepped out into sight Jessica's eyes went wide and and looked back and forth between the two of them. "Now it makes sense," she spat out as she realized what was going on and why James had reached out to her. She was angry and hurt and it was obvious.

"Oh my....wow," Clare gasped as she looked at Jessica. She didn't know the girl personally but it didn't take her long to put two and two together. She'd seen her before and she knew why when she saw the tears in her eyes as she looked at Paul.

"What are you doing here?" Jessica asked Clare as she stood in the doorway and shook her head disapprovingly.

Clare didn't know what to say as she stood there looking at Jessica. "Should...should I go?" she asked feeling extremely uncomfortable as she hesitantly put her gaze on Paul.

"No," Paul immediately interjected without hesitation as he walked over to Clare and grabbed her hands in his. "James called Jessica to come see how I've changed."

"Oh my God," she breathed out and closed her eyes as she dropped her head. "I'm sorry..."

"I feel like such a jackass," Jessica spat out bitterly. "I get it now though, why he called me. It's awesome."

"You know what, I'm gonna go." Clare pulled away from Paul and looked at him reassuringly. "Obviously you two have to talk."

"No," Paul insisted again. "Stay. Clare please don't go."

"It's okay," Clare nodded. "I'll talk to you...later. Deal with whatever you need to do."

Paul wrapped his arms around Clare's waist and leaned down to kiss her lips. "I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here with me," he whispered as he pressed the bridge of his nose against hers and felt her leaning back up into him.

"He's really good at talking, right? Has he cheated on you yet? Because I'm not sure I could even count the times he cheated on me," Jessica interrupted as she glared at the two of them.