The City of Chance

The two of them walked into the cafe where Evgeni's team where occupying their usual large in the corner.
Ayren was hesitant at first, one because these were the Pittsburgh Penguins and secondly she kind of guilty about having lunch with a guy she had been intamite with before even though now she was engaged. What was she going to say to him though, No sorry I am engaged and I can't talk to you because you're a man? But with his encouraging hand on her back she continued over to them.

“Hey G, who is your friend?” James smiled as they approached them.
“Guys this Ayren, Aryen this is team,” Evgeni gestured to the group of men sitting in front of them.
“Hi,” she smiled quilty and waved a little at them all.

“Here you sit, I get other chair,” Evgeni pulled the seat out next to Sidney for her to sit before sneaking one from the other tables for himself.
“Thank you, still quite the gentleman I see,” Evgeni wasn't sure if that was a stab at him for his seemingly desperate actions or if she actually appreciated it so he gave a little back.
“Always gentleman, Russian's best.”
“Yeah, yeah whatever,” she waved him off just like she always had and he knew she was just teasing.

“How you been?” he started as she lead over to look at the menu in his hands.
“Other than work being crazy busy and little stressful, I have been good,” she nodded sneaking the menu from his hands. Typical Ayren.
“What you do for work?”
“I am an architect,” but to Evgeni she didn't seemed to happy to say that.
“Wow, architect. Always thought you do photos or music.”
“Yeah well my dad wanted me to get a real job,” she shook her head like it was stupid of him to think that.
“Is real job,” Evgeni frowned, “isn't it?”

Evgeni thought so. You could make a job out of anything. He had made a job out of playing ice hockey why couldn't Ayren do what she really wanted to?

“Yeah I wanted to a sports photographer but he didn't agree, wanted me to join the family business,” she put the menu down, feeling sick thinking about how her dad had just controlled her life. She never liked to talk about it but what else was she to do?
“Not sound fair,” Evgeni felt really sorry for her. She had been forced to do something she didn't really want to do. Her family didn't agree with and that would have been the hardest thing for Evgeni. If he didn't have his parent's support he would never have made it.
“Yeah but the pay pretty good,” she shrugged.

“How's the fish here?” Ayren was forced to change the subject as the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach came back.
“Is nice, should try,” Evgeni could see she didn't want to talk about her job anymore so he just let it go. He had no right to try and push want he believed on her so he stepped back from it.

The waitress came over and took all their orders, Ayren guessed she must have been a usual as the guys where more than happy to talk to her and joke with her. She knew they would nice but probably not that nice with strangers.

“Enough of me, what about you? You're this crazy superstar now,” Ayren smiled like she couldn't really believe it. Not that she didn't believe he could make it, she knew he could it was just hard to get a grip on. This was the same person she had spent her time in Russia with, getting drunk, singing and teaching how to take photos.
“Not superstar, just me,” he shrugged, “I no different.”
“Yeah but isn't it weird that you see yourself on posters, on the internet and people just know you in the street?”
“Little bit, but is ok. Get used to it.”
“That's amazing. I really am happy for you, you got everything you want,” Evgeni felt himself shiver as she looked into his eyes and spoke before placing her hand on his knee. She was happy but he didn't everything he wanted.
“Almost everything,” he mumbled to himself.

Evgeni found his eyes trailing back to her all throughout lunch, not really meaning to but he couldn't help but love how she looked when she smiled. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he ever knew and he was kicking himself for letting her go. Something always seemed to be missing in his life but as he watched her fit perfectly into his world; eating lunch with his teammates and feeling so happy, he couldn't help but feel like maybe this what it was. Ayren was what was missing.

Evgeni didn't want lunch to be over, it was the last thing he wanted because he knew that meant that Ayren would be gone. He just hoped not forever.

“I better get going,” Ayren looked hesitant as they wandered out of the cafe, following, rather lagging behind the group.
“Ok, I see you again?” Evgeni's eyes were torture for her and she just had to say yes.
“Of course. I will give you my number and maybe we can catch up for lunch again, at the end of the week?”
“Ok, am home this weekend. Friday ok?” Evgeni pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to her, watching as she typed away.
“Friday is perfect,” she nodded and handed it back.
“Ok, we talk later,” Ayren wasn't sure if he was asking or telling but she took as her que to leave.
“Yes, we can talk later... Come here,” she put her arms out when she noticed how uncertain Evgeni looked with himself.
He wrapped her up in his arms, a big warm bear hug, pulling her tightly against his chest. She would have loved to have stayed there a little longer because honestly she had missed him like crazy all this time but she was engaged and there were boundaries that would be so wrong for them to cross.