But You're the One I Want

Riley was glad the Blackhawks won. It was the start of a new season, ad hopefully it would last long again. Nick even scored a goal, and after he did, he pointed up in the stands to Riley and mouthed 'for you'. She melted a little bit at him actually pointing her out and saying that the goal was for her. She heard some girls around her gasp, but Riley knew it was for her and only her. Since the meeting didn't go well, she decided to wait outside by his truck. She was hoping that Nick would be one of the first out so she didn't have to face any players.

But as she sat on top of the tail gate players started walking out. Luckily, their cars weren't close to Nick's. Brandon Saad walked out of the building and to his car, right by Nick's and where Riley was sitting. He took a deep breath before he walked up to her.

"Hey," he started lamely. "Sorry the guys were hard on you. If it counts, I think you're cool. And pretty."

She laughed. "Thanks, I guess."

He smiled before whipping out his phone from his pocket. He thrusted it in her hands. "Put your number in, I promise I'll use it." She did what she was told, and after making herself a contact she gave him his phone back. "I'll see ya around, Riley."

She waved back and smiled. Nick rose an eyebrow at her as he approached the truck. He didn't say anything until they were at his apartment. "So what was that all about?" He kicked off his shoes and undid his tie, letting it hang.

"Nothing." She shrugged and started walking to her room. She was tired and couldn't wait to curl up under the covers. And quite frankly, Riley didn't really want to say she swapped numbers with one of his teammates. He said before she moved that dating any of his teammates was a no; that the team didn't need to be distracted. "Goodnight Nick!" She called before she shut the door. She expected Nick to go out maybe and party a little bit for the win, instead he knocked on her door.

He opened it without approval. "Are you sure you don't want to go out with me?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." She nodded her head and lightly smiled. "Go out and have fun Nicky, I'll be fine," Riley added and stood up, walking over to Nick and kissing his cheek.

Nick left soon after to go to some club that apparently he always went to. She sighed, resting her head in her hands before standing up and rummaging through her drawers in her bathroom. Finally seeing the bottle, she sighed in relief that Nick didn't take it or anything. Riley popped the bottle open, taking two pills out and filling a small cup with water before swallowing them. She needed this right after meeting the players, but at least this would calm her nerves for the rest of the night. She grabbed a small pill bottle that was empty, and filled it up. After, she put it in her purse.

Riley changed into pajamas before climbing into bed. She was wide awake now so she decided to read her book. After ten minutes, she got bored. Her head fell back and she groaned as her head hit the pillow. Her phone buzzed next to her, indicating someone had texted her.




She smiled as she typed back a reply, saying that she wasn't. She was glad Brandon actually liked her.




Brandon told her directions as she slipped on a pair of sweatpants and a old band shirt. She didn't bother to leave a note or anything, she was just planning on being over at Brandon's for a couple hours to hangout. And Nick probably wouldn't be back until way later. Getting to his apartment building, she buzzed him, making him open the door for her. Riley rode up to his floor and scanned the numbers on the doors until she found his, 706. Brandon opened the door for her and smiled warmly, ushering her inside and to the couch. She could smell Chinese before he brought the food over to her.

"I hope you like Chinese."

She smiled before picking up a fork; she couldn't use chopsticks if her life depended on it. "I love it, thanks." She took a bite of the noodles and he took a bite of rice. "So why didn't you go out?" She couldn't help but be curious. He had a couple weeks until he turned legal, but she would have guessed that they would sneak him a couple beers.

He took some time to answer as he thought. "I wasn't really in the partying mood," he said, but when Riley rose her eyebrows he added, "and to be honest, I was hoping you wouldn't go out so I could be with you." It was so simple, but one of the nicest things Riley has ever heard. Yes, Riley may have a small crush on Brandon, but no one would ever make her forget about her love for Nick. "I like you Riley. You're like a badass."

She snorted as she took a mouthful of orange chicken, causing her to choke. After taking a drink of pop she replied, "I came from a rough family, kind of." Now he was the one who rose his eyebrows. "My family all loved each other, but I guess we were kind of badass. It's kind of hard to explain."

"No, I understand," Brandon shook his head. "Your family was loving, but not nice sometimes."

She laughed and nodded. "Yeah, basically. But I'm not going to tell you my whole life story tonight."

"Some other time?" Riley never would have guessed that the soft spoken, shy Brandon Saad could be so straight forward about going on another date. If they even counted this as a date.

She nodded before standing up and grabbing two empty containers to throw away. "Dinner was really nice, and talking to someone other than Nick," she laughed and he stood up giving her a short hug before walking her to his door. "Thanks for tonight. Being nice to me and everything."

He smiled before kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her waist. "It was no problem at all. Like I said, I like you, " he said in her ear before pulling away. They smiled at each other before he shut the door and she walked away.

Riley liked Brandon too. Not just because he was the only one that took a liking to her on the team, but because he was so sweet and funny. And easy on the eyes. No matter how perfect Brandon could be, Nick would always be her number one guy, and that actually bothered Riley. She knew she wouldn't fall in love with a guy when she's living with Nick, but she couldn't just leave him. After all, he is her best friend.

Entering their apartment, Riley was surprised to see the small kitchen light on and a hunched over figure. Her eyebrows were bunched together in confusion as she took off her shoes and shut the door. The figure turned around, and she could easily see Nick's features. He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where the hell were you?" He asked with concern in every inch of his voice.

"Out." Riley shrugged and sat on the stool next to him. "I got hungry so I went out," she said fully. It was easier to say that than say a teammate invited her over to his house. Technically, she was hungry and did leave to get food.

"Oh," Nick responded, meeting her eyes before leaning in and hugging her. "Don't do that you had me worried sick," he mumbled and Riley could now smell the alcohol on him.

This was the embrace she wanted to be in forever though.



The next morning, Riley had to nurse Nick as he puked and groaned in his bed. One of the reasons Riley planned to not drink a lot when she did turn twenty one. Nick pressed a pillow to his face as he made noises of discomfort. Riley rubbed his shorts covered thigh and tried not to laugh; she predicted him to be like this, and warned him many times before in the summer. Nick was lucky there was no practice till later that night and he would be healthier and more ready to go. A giggle escaped her lips, which caused Nick to bring up his foot and kick her.

She fell off the bed, still laughing even though her side hurt. Nick removed the pillow from his face to glare at her.

"Not funny."

Riley shrugged and hopped back up on the bed. Pulling out her phone, she saw Brandon had texted her, asking if she wanted to go out for coffee at the little cafe down the street. She sucked in a small breath before sliding off the bed. "Do you want some coffee?" Nick nodded and said his order, but it was muffled. Riley still knew exactly what he wanted. She decided to just walk there since it was still tolerable outside and it was only a couple blocks away. When she got there, Brandon was already sitting down.

He smiled across from her and sipped his coffee. He slid one besides him to her. "I didn't know what you wanted, so I just got you a coffee and creamer and sugar."

"This is fine, thanks." She smiled at him before opening the lid and pouring cream in it. It steamed and she blew on it to cool it down. "I'm suppose to get one for Nick too. All he's doing is whining in bed."

Brandon laughed along, nodding in understanding. "Yeah Kaner called me just to complain," Brandon said, looking out at the street through the large window on the wall. An awkward silence came over them, and Riley realized that this was another thing that was different from Nick and Brandon; there was never awkward silence or even a silence when you talked to Nick. He was different on camera or to fans though, he's so quiet and soft spoken, but Nick's very loud and obnoxious when he's with family and friends. "So you're taking online classes right?"

Riley explained what classes she was taking and what program. She even told him a little about high school, but it was mostly just school things. She glanced at her phone and her eyes bugged out of her head. It had almost been an hour since she left the apartment. "I am so sorry, Brandon. I have to go," she said hurriedly and grabbed her empty cup and the full one for Nick. As she walked down the street, she felt bad to just leave Brandon like that, but if Nick even realized how long she took he would get suspicious. She entered his room casually, seeing that Nick was laying on his stomach, snoring loudly. When she was in the kitchen she sighed of relief that he didn't notice how long she took. She couldn't risk getting caught by him.



Nick entered the dressing room, feeling sluggish as he dropped his small bag at his stall. He looked around, seeing pretty much everyone being the same except a few that didn't go with them last night. He looked across from him, seeing Brandon Saad typing away on his phone. Brandon was smiling.

"Saader, who's the girl?" Nick asked with a grin tugging on his lips. It was about time he was finally getting a girlfriend.

He looked up startled and shoved the phone in his pocket of the Blackhawks jacket. "No one," he insisted with rapid shakes of his head. "I wasn't texting anyone."

Andrew Shaw laughed at his excuse. "What's her name?"

"There's no name cause there's no girl." Brandon shrugged his shoulders and made sure to not look towards Nick. He didn't exactly want to tell Nick he was seeing his best friend.

"So when's the next time that friend of yours is going to see us again?" Andrew hollered to Nick, changing the topic of relationship, but it was still on Riley.

Nick rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by the fact the guys still didn't like Riley. He didn't respond, but the Captain decided to state his opinion.

"I think that she's good for him. I mean, he got a goal in the first game, I think that says something," Jon said with a pointed look to all the guys. "So I am saying, try to be nice to her. She's basically part of the team."

"I honestly have no problem with her," Patrick Sharp said, standing up. Most of the guys chimed in except Andrew, Brandon Bollig, and Patrick Kane. "I mean, we didn't even get to say anything to her because Andrew was a dick to her." He glared at the feisty forward.

Andrew held his hands in front of him in defense. "You guys need to just understand I'm trying to protect him. She could be a gold digger for all we know."

"But you don't know her!" Nick stood up from his stall and walked to Andrew. "You don't know anything about her, what she comes from, what she's been through! You have no right saying that."

Andrew stood up, pushing Nick's chest. "Seriously? You've know her for fucking two months? How would you know that much about her? How do you she's not lying to you?"

Before Nick could respond, Jon jumped up, pushing and pulling Nick and Andrew away from each other. He yelled at them to go home and cool off, to miss this practice and collect themselves. They objected, saying that they could be fine, but everyone knew if they stay it would just bring the team down.